Feed a family of four for £20 a week challenge

Soworried

ariarnia wrote: »

http://www.greenfootsteps.com/how-to-make-yogurt.html

I use cartons of UHT (they're cheap and don't need sterilising)

I just pour boiling water on to milk powder in a flask and add 2 tablespoons of the previous batch of yoghurt. Leave it for 8 hours. Done.
For sweetened dissolve sugar in the boiling water.
My very first batch I made 5 years ago. I bought a small tub of live yoghurt and used 2 tablespoons of that as the "Starter"

determined_new_ms

ariarnia wrote: »

Recipe?

http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/frozen-bean-and-cheese-burritos-011-each.html#.V91CGvArLIU

milasavesmoney

determined_new_ms wrote: »

http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/frozen-bean-and-cheese-burritos-011-each.html#.V91CGvArLIU

That's a nice site to look through. I found a few more ideas there.

determined_new_ms

milasavesmoney wrote: »

That's a nice site to look through. I found a few more ideas there.

I know! Just found it last week, quite enjoy what she's got to say

Jo4

determined_new_ms wrote: »

http://penniesandpancakes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/frozen-bean-and-cheese-burritos-011-each.html#.V91CGvArLIU

I hope this makes sense.

I have a packet of 8 tortillas in the freezer. If I thawed the pack of 8 tortillas and made the bean & cheese burritos as described, could I then freeze the ones which were not ate as suggested on that website or because my tortillas have already been froze would this make them unsafe for human consumption?

Softstuff

Jo4 wrote: »

I hope this makes sense.

I have a packet of 8 tortillas in the freezer. If I thawed the pack of 8 tortillas and made the bean & cheese burritos as described, could I then freeze the ones which were not ate as suggested on that website or because my tortillas have already been froze would this make them unsafe for human consumption?

You'd be fine froma poisoning point of view, they might be a bit poorer texturally.I'd be tempted to put a few in an oven proof dish, pour some tomato and onion sauce and cheese over, then freeze the entire meal. With sauce on, there wouldn't be a problem.

suki1964

Jo4 wrote: »

I hope this makes sense.

I have a packet of 8 tortillas in the freezer. If I thawed the pack of 8 tortillas and made the bean & cheese burritos as described, could I then freeze the ones which were not ate as suggested on that website or because my tortillas have already been froze would this make them unsafe for human consumption?

I'm 52 and have refrozen bread products all my life with not tummy problems

What can happen is the thinner breads - like warps- dry out so become pretty crispy.

You can solve that by wetting a hand, giving each a run with said wet hand and nuking for a few seconds

Jo4

Thank you both for the informative responses - hubby will be delighted to hear they will be safe to eat. :money: :j :rotfl:

I haven't made Bean & Cheese Burritos before but I hope to try next week. 435g Old El Paso Original Re-Fried Beans are £1.36 in Asda or you can get 2 for £2.50 so I have added them to this weekends shopping basket to try the recipe and use something up from the freezer. :j

milasavesmoney

I would not toast on both side the extra you will be freezing. Let them thaw and then do that step.

determined_new_ms

determined_new_ms wrote: »

ok have just spent the last hour working this out! I have gone over budget by £2.77 as I threw in some multivits for the sprogs - but figured if I'm on JSA I will get fortnightly payments and some items will carry forward to next week... I would strain the yogurt to make greek yogurt and use the whey to add to risotto, curry and chicken soup to add protein

Breakfasts:

Porridge & foraged berries/sugar with a little milk (made with water)
breakfast burritos - scrambled eggs
Pancakes

Lunches:

Lentil & tomato soup & hm rolls
refried beans burritos
ham/jam/cheese hm rolls

fruit & hm yogurt

Dinners

roast chicken - carrots, sweetcorn, potatoes, yorkshire puds
chicken, carrot & chickpea risotto
potato, chickpea & carrot curry, rice and yogurt
veggie lasagne
ham, cheese & mushroom crepes
hm chicken noodle soup - noodles, carrots, onions, chicken stock, rubber chicken, potato - & hm rolls

foraged fruit (or tinned but would increase cost by say 40p?) crumble and custard for a couple of deserts...

Shopping list:

Aldi:

flour x 2 - 90p
lard - 39p
eggs 15 - 1.15
porridge - 75
uht milk (for making yogurt) - 48p
sugar - 45p
apples (super 6) - 59p
bananas - 68p
potatoes 2.5kg - £1.15
chickpeas - 35p
ham - £1.39
rice - 40p
medium whole chicken - £2.99
onions 1kg - 55p
instant noodles x 2 - 36p
puree - 37p
sweetcorn 35p
carrots 1 kg - 41p
marg - 79p
lemon juice - 32p
salt - 27p
cumin - 49p
sunflower oil - 99p
mustard - 39p
children's multivits - £1.99
extra mature cheese - £1.49
6pt milk - £1.29

Tesco
custard powder - 27p
dried pinto beans 500grms - £1.15
red lentils £1.80
yeast -65p
lasagne sheets - 29p
gravy - 20p
jam - 29p
teabags - 25p
probiotic yogurt - 50p

Lidl

mushrooms 350grms - 59p

Pound Stretcher

4 x tinned tomatoes - 80p

given a lot of these things I already have in my stores - and am in the position to buy things in bulk so get them for less I think at a push I could do this meal plan for a week for £20

Total £27.77

eta I have realised I have only made 6 evening meals! I think I could scramble together either omlette/cheese & ham toasties/some soup and a cake with what I have in!

It's been bugging me I went over budget! So I have gone back and made some changes and it is now 89p over. Honestly I don't think I could do it for less, unless say I did a fortnightly shop then I could probably do it for £50. Jeez it must be so hard if you really have such a low budget. I could see being able to do this in a very short term but long term would be very hard going

Breakfasts:

Porridge & foraged berries/sugar with a little milk (made with water)
breakfast burritos - scrambled eggs
Pancakes

Lunches:

veg, bean & tomato soup & hm rolls
refried beans burritos
ham/jam/cheese hm rolls

fruit & hm yogurt

Dinners

roast chicken - frozen mixed veg, peas, potatoes, yorkshire puds
chicken, mixed veg & chickpea risotto
potato, chickpea & carrot curry, rice and yogurt
veggie lasagne
ham, cheese & mushroom crepes
hm chicken noodle soup - noodles, carrots, onions, chicken stock, rubber chicken, potato - & hm rolls
HM ham & cheese pizza, wedges & peas

foraged fruit (or tinned but would increase cost by say 40p?) crumble and custard for a couple of deserts...

Shopping list:

Aldi:

flour x 2 - 90p
lard - 39p
eggs 15 - 1.15
porridge - 75
uht milk (for making yogurt) - 48p
sugar - 45p
apples (super 6) - 59p
bananas - 68p
potatoes 2.5kg - £1.15
chickpeas - 35p
ham - £1.39
rice - 40p
medium whole chicken - £2.99
onions 1kg - 55p
instant noodles x 2 - 36p
puree - 37p
[STRIKE]sweetcorn 35p[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]carrots 1 kg - 41p[/STRIKE]
marg - 79p
lemon juice - 32p
salt - 27p
cumin - 49p
sunflower oil - 99p
mustard - 39p
[STRIKE]children's multivits - £1.99[/STRIKE]
extra mature cheese - £1.49
6pt milk - £1.29
frozen mixed veg (caqrrots, cauliflower & broccoli) -79p
frozen peas - 69p
tinned peaches - 34p

£20.80

Tesco
custard powder - 27p
dried pinto beans 500grms - £1.15
[STRIKE]red lentils £1.80[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Gravy - 20p[/STRIKE]
yeast -65p
lasagne sheets - 29p
jam - 29p
teabags - 25p
probiotic yogurt - 50p
stock cubes - 30p

£3.70

Lidl

mushrooms 350grms - 59p

Pound Stretcher

4 x tinned tomatoes - 80p

Total [STRIKE]£27.77[/STRIKE] £25.89 arrrggghhhhhhh still 89p out!