Where do I start? How do I feed us all for under £500 a month?

[Deleted User]

KARI - have you ever thought of making home made cereal bars, see if you can find a look alike recipe for the familys favourite brand- I'm sure that would work out cheaper than commercially made ones and probably be a lot healthier too You could make different flavours to ring the changes as well, so almost customising to individual tastes. Hope this helps.

themadvix

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but Co-op do standard sausages that are gluten-free. I don't know how much they are but I imagine cheaper than specialist ones. Hth.

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi, I have a 13 yo with health problems, nowhere near as complicated as yours but food can be a bit tricky, an always hungry bean pole of an 11 yo, a husband who works outdoors doing a manual job and me, who is just happy to eat whatever is left!!! I cut my food shopping from £400+ to £280 a month. I dont really know anything about your diet but if it helps here are my general tips:

Do it gradually. Try to make too many changes at once and you will fail. Keep tweaking it until you find the right level. I could cut down more and we do eat a lot of meat but £280 a month is about right for us.

Shop online. You can see whats in the basket and how much its going to be. I put everything I think I need in, then take some things out if its over budget.

Special offers are there for a reason. I actually ignore them because I just get tempted to buy stuff I dont need.

Mealplan religiously. Its a lifesaver. Only buy what you need and go shopping less often.

Buy a slowcooker. Cheaper meat tastes fantastic and it makes you be more organised so less waste.

Waste nothing. Even a small portion of leftovers can be frozen to have with a jacket potato (or in my husbands food flask).

Buy the minimal of cleaning products and buy cheap. I mainly use bleach, stardrops and washing up liquid.

If you can make it yourself its generally cheaper. Only buy ready made if you have to.

Our menu for this week has been:
Mon:Beef curry, rice and naan
Tues: Chicken cobbler, mash and veg
Weds: Mince beef hotpot and yorkshire puds
Thurs: HM Fish fingers and oven wedges
Fri: Meatballs and pasta
Sat: Chicken Pie, mash and veg
Sun: Chicken Fajitas (filled up with lots of peppers, onions and salad)

Good luck - its worth persevering - and get the family on board too!

toozie_2

In the last 12 months I have changed to shopping in Lidl, and saved a fortune.
I also work long hours and it saves time because our Lidl is usually quiet.

Do you have a slow cooker, I use mine practically every other day during the week, making huge casseroles, curries, chilli's, veggie dishes etc, then I just do jacket pots, mash, chips (rarely) rice or pasta to go with it.
I understand you can't eat a lot of these foods but wondered if you could make something in slow cooker that most of you would eat?

Good luck:T

skintas_2

i have 3 cats i buy food in dry biscuits from amazon, get it delievered it has saved me a small fortune from the tins, it lasts for weeks

mildred1978

Debbie and Andrews sausages are 97% meat and gluten and wheat free and £2 for 6.

I'm a low carber and often have these for breakfast with some fried mushrooms and/or an egg.

lostinrates

Re breakfast..... I think you are giving up on eggs too easily. I know it can be tedious, i eat lots of eggs and get bored, but they are healthy. Poached eggs and spinach might be worth considering?

And researching a gluton free carbs appropriate thing to replace bread might be cheaper than meat, ( e.g. I eat poached or dry fried egg and crumpet daily, if you could replace the crumpet with something this is a cheap meal).

Also, i would look to untraditional breakfasts and snacks. Meat broth.....(i often have marigold stock as a cup a soup, or consommme, some people have miso soup, a meat stock would work as well for you you.

mildred1978

lostinrates wrote: »

Re breakfast..... I think you are giving up on eggs too easily. I know it can be tedious, i eat lots of eggs and get bored, but they are healthy. Poached eggs and spinach might be worth considering?

And researching a gluton free carbs appropriate thing to replace bread might be cheaper than meat, ( e.g. I eat poached or dry fried egg and crumpet daily, if you could replace the crumpet with something this is a cheap meal).

Also, i would look to untraditional breakfasts and snacks. Meat broth.....(i often have marigold stock as a cup a soup, or consommme, some people have miso soup, a meat stock would work as well for you you.

I often have prawns and marie rose sauce for breakfast! :rotfl::rotfl:

toozie_2

Just a thought on the cleaning side:

Stardrops - think my last bottle came from Poundstretcher for 99p.
Use this for everything really, the floors, worktops, harth, windows, sink, cooker.......list goes on.
I have a selection of microfibre cloths that I use with Stardrops, these last forever, I just chuck them in the washing machine with a load.
Stardrops is a consentrate & lasts ages & ages.

In the bathroom (and anywhere else that requires) I use bleach (largest cheapest bottle on offer), and Stardrops, and a value toilet cleaner, and another mrcrofibre cloth.

I never buy polish just a ........yeh a mircofibre cloth! Using no polish seems to attract less dust?

For the last 20 odd years since my youngest was a baby and I had to stop buying fabric conditioner becuase of her skin condition. I have never bought it since, although her skin improved when she was a toddler.
I dry things outside and yes I suppose the towels are not as soft, but who cares once they are wrapped round you after a shower etc!

Washing powder-I have good results from Lidl own brand-Formil. I buy the biggest box (XXXL)when on offer and it lasts ages, I also use less than I used to, clothes are still clean and fresh, and hubby works with oil!

I have a dishwasher, and couldn't live without it! I do buy a good make of powder or tablets (Finish usually), because I've had bad results from others, and end up rewashing the load. I only buy them when on offer & stock up.
But I would be interested to know if anyone buys a supermarket own brand and has good results?
Also I like Fairy Liquid for the sink, but do buy on offer.
Once in a while I clean my dishwasher inside, with cloth & stardrops and slice up an old lemon stick the bits inside everwhere (dishwasher empty) and put it on a hot wash.

Not sure what you buy for cleaning products, but this may give you a few idea's?

pink_princess

Have you tried flaxseed muffins? Very nice for breakfasts & really low carb.

Also frozen basic cauliflower is great for making cauli rice & cauli mash and is very inexpensive.

I love a home made chilli over cauli rice