Feed a family of four for £20 a week challenge

freyasmum

determined_new_ms wrote: »

It's been bugging me I went over budget!

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

We're averaging £70-80 a week for our family of three, I wouldn't say you're doing too badly!

Yategirl

determined_new_ms wrote: »

Hi just wanted to respond to the poster who asked about packed lunches ideas. I wanted to say do you make your own tortillas? I just made some yesterday. I made 16, the cost was 38p! And they were so easy to make! You could make simple quesadillas, refried bean burritos (batch made and frozen and taken out as needed - I can post recipe if anyone is interested), thin spread of chocolate spread and a banana rolled up and then cut into inch wheels. There are loads of ideas out there on what to do with tortillas! The blog I got the idea from concludes that the prepacked tortillas must have gold flecks in then to justify the cost of them. And after making some I totally agree!

Thank you for your reply :T I used to make tortillas (& everything else) but got out of the habit as my health got worse and had to limit what I was able to do. That said, I think I need to get back into the habit of making certain things from scratch & tortillas don't require much effort if I remember Are quesadillas and refried bean burritos nice cold? I'm assuming so since you gave mentioned them

Yategirl

Soworried wrote: »

Hi
I'd second the idea of making HM wraps, cost pennies to make and don't take long either.
We fill them with HM cheese savoury or egg mayo. If I make a chicken curry then the left over chicken mixed with a tablespoon of LO curry and mayo makes a lovely filling.

I also make HM yoghurt, costs very little to make a kilo and throw in dried mixed fruit which is cheap at most super markets.
I freeze an ice block and keep my lunch in a sml kids cool bag in my car. It keeps fine until lunch time and I can eat it where ever I end up.

I also make pots of HM potato salad using up LO boiled potatoes. I just mix a teaspoon of mint sauce with mayo and stir them together. Great side to go with my wrap etc.

Raw veggies are good fillers that carry well, carrot sticks, cucumber batons, celery. I eat these with nut butters that I take a small pot with me.

If it is cold then a flask of soup is my favourite go to with JJ's herb and cheese bread YUM!
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/52771349#Comment_52771349

Some great suggestions here, thank you. Could I have a recipe for your cheese savoury please?

ariarnia wrote: »

How about couscous? Weezl made a lovely couscous salad in her 50p meal thread couscous - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=10935691&postcount=504

On that same thread were some excellent 'pate' and home made nut butter recipes which would be nice in home made wraps.

Liver Pate - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=30362819&postcount=2113

http://weezl.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/tangy-bean-pate/

http://weezl.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/pumpkin-seed-butter/

http://weezl.wordpress.com/2010/04/04/houmous/

http://weezl.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/savoury-scones/
.

More great suggestions here, thank you :j I'd happily eat all those and both ds's would give them a try. DH on the other hand would rather have a peanut butter sandwich it is cheap so I can't complain and he'd happily have it for lunch every day - no boredom complaints unlike from ds1..... [insert rolleye smiley here]!

milasavesmoney

Suki thanks for the heads up.

donnajt

WOW what a lovely thread - off to page 1 to start reading, hope you dont mind me gatecrashing

determined_new_ms

Yategirl wrote: »

Thank you for your reply :T I used to make tortillas (& everything else) but got out of the habit as my health got worse and had to limit what I was able to do. That said, I think I need to get back into the habit of making certain things from scratch & tortillas don't require much effort if I remember Are quesadillas and refried bean burritos nice cold? I'm assuming so since you gave mentioned them

I prefer them warm, but to be honest as a general rule I'm not too keen on cold food - sandwiches are fine but I'll always go for warm food if I have a chance

Ladyluck1

So ive been thinking.
I'm going to make a meal plan with the guidelines of protein and 5 a day fruit and veg.
For a family of 2 adults one child over 9 and one under 9.
I could get 13 portions of protein out of a 1.3kg (based on 800g of meat) chicken plus a stock based on adult protein needs. That's a lot more than I thought and children need slightly less.

As for 5 a day childs portions are slightly smaller

Just thought Id throw that in!

Butterfly_Brain

donnajt wrote: »

WOW what a lovely thread - off to page 1 to start reading, hope you dont mind me gatecrashing

You are welcome donnajt

Butterfly_Brain

Yategirl wrote: »

Forgot to add - I have access to Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl, Waitrose and Iceland. Plus Poundland. No Farmfoods or markets. I also get most food delivered (Tesco) due to a health condition - I can get to the other shops but it's health dependent plus I can't carry a great deal or walk too far (in the case of Iceland and Poundland as a trek from the car!). Just throwing a little awkwardness into the mix as this is why our budget is v tight (as I'm unable to work)!

I have health problems as well, but bought myself a large mobility scooter and another one that folds up and goes in the boot, it has given me a lot of my independence back.

Yategirl

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I have health problems as well, but bought myself a large mobility scooter and another one that folds up and goes in the boot, it has given me a lot of my independence back.

I have a scooter but we are selling it - it was given to me by a kind and thoughtful person but... it's too heavy for me to lift in/out of the car (in pieces not the whole scooter! It is supposed to be a lightweight one and folds/comes apart for transport) by myself and since I am by myself 5 days a week, it's been useless and sat in the boot of the car or the garage for the last 18mths