Feed a family of four for £20 a week challenge

quintwins

gailey wrote: »

The reason i said m&s and waitrose same would be higher quality welfare meat than the others maybe for those who cant get to the butcher my old butcher dident do free range hence why shopped at supermarkets.

Im contemplating trying a meat box as found one that looks quite cheap

http://www.fieldandflower.co.uk/buy/field-flower-thrifty-beef-box_65.htm

I like m&s but it's still just supermarket meat granted slightly better quality in some cases but you really can't beat the butchers imo maybe try another one?

That meat boxes isn't too bad but it's not the best, i could get a good 2-3 weeks meat for that by shopping around, (butchers here do 3 chickens for £7 aswell they all compete with each other then i think they must have decided to fix the price) one of our smaller butchers near the market does a £20 pack which has frying steak, 4 chicken breasts,a 2lb salmon cut roast, burgers, sausages and 2lb of mince, it is more than enough for a week, i tend to get bbq stuff there as there tucked away so do cheaper bulk deals as they have less foot traffic.

honeythewitch

gailey wrote: »

The reason i said m&s and waitrose same would be higher quality welfare meat than the others maybe for those who cant get to the butcher my old butcher dident do free range hence why shopped at supermarkets.

Im contemplating trying a meat box as found one that looks quite cheap

http://www.fieldandflower.co.uk/buy/field-flower-thrifty-beef-box_65.htm

The meat in the box might very well be far superior, but it costs almost double for the same as in my local market.

tinkerbell73

I am reading this thread with great interest - i am a single mum of 3 - work full time and get no benefits but by the time i have paid all the bills there is not alot left and it all seems to go on food - would love to get food bill down so i can save some money for a rainy day emergency. My ex gives £5 a week for the kids csa (dont ask) and only has them 2 nights in 14 - so i have all packed lunches and most breakfasts and main meals to cover and the kids are growing fast and eat alot - 2 are teenagers and they never stop eating!!

gailey_2

I take on board every points.

Im trying to balance my principles and get higher quality/welfare on low budget.

Hence why said we going to have to go veggie few days a week.

Been looking at few meat boxes to see if they are good value and how many meals reckon I could make with them.

We need to start shopping weekly again as nothing seems to last.

Big expenditure here is bicuits/cereals and crisps.

I do limit kids to 1pack a day usually packed lunch and we buy mostly value/on offer biscuits.

Kids love fruit but buy mostly oranges, pears apples and bananas as they cheapest as berries dont last 5mins.

We use mostly frozen a veg so kids at least probably getting 5a day most days.

Hubby gets paid monday so visiting bucthers and farm shop and try strike a balance.

~Chameleon~

Perhaps try your local farmshops? I buy the following for around £40/45 and it usually lasts me 4-6 weeks for 2 people.

1 Whole Chicken
1kg Sausages
1kg Minced Beef
1kg Diced Beef
4 Pork Chops
2 Sirloin Steaks
8 Chicken Fillets

~Chameleon~

gailey wrote: »

Big expenditure here is bicuits/cereals and crisps.

I would cut these out completely. Unnecessary fat/sugar junk food

bbq_lady

I'm finding this thread very useful...thanks posters

heavenleigh

gailey wrote: »

I take on board every points.




Big expenditure here is bicuits/cereals and crisps.

I do limit kids to 1pack a day usually packed lunch and we buy mostly value/on offer biscuits.




.

I also allow 'treats' every day Have you used Approved foods! http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/latest_products. used it for months and will vouch for it x

My children (all four of them are on the 50th centile) with no health issues at all, i cook from scratch most/but not every day of the week. Very active and sporty.
The rule is you eat your homemade breakfast/lunch/dinner/fruit/veg etc yes you bloody well can have a chocolate bar after if you wish/1/but still yes!

Keep it up, you're doing great xx

Oh and the poster who said cut them out completely ????????

WantToBeSE

Soworried wrote: »

Week 3
Carried over from week 2 is
Salt, herbs. 1x cheese sauce, 22 stock cubes. 2kg of potatoes, gravy granuales enough for 1 meal and 1kg of rice. 1/2 pkt of stuffing. Dried sultanas. Onions, 1 tin of peas. 16 sausages, 1/2 loaf of bread. 200g of pasts and 4 rolls. Always freeze the bread and rolls so that they last longer. 40 tea bags.
Shopping list- All from Mrt unless stated.
1kg of porridge oats 75p
Creamfields milk 2l x 2 £2.00
500g dried mixed fruit 64p
1 small fresh chicken whole £2.39 at Aldi
Mixed veg frozen 1kg 75p
Pate 49p
Garlic sausage 150g 53p
15pk eggs £1.25
Custard 6p
Tinned peaches 29p
Tin tuna 49p
Tinned pineapple x2 64p
Pasta 30p 500g
Plain flour 52p
Spread 75p
Stuffing 15p.
Tins of beansx4 £1.00
2x tins of mushy peas 8p
Cooking bacon 74p
Tinned grapefruit 34p
700g stirfry £1
Celeriac 42p
Chicken noodles x2 22p
Cheese 150g from the deli grove valley 72p
Yoghurts x4 33p
Bananas 1kg 68p
8pk of tesco goodness apples £1.00
Curry sauce x 2 46p
Aubergine £1
Total £19.99
Again there will be carry overs to help build a store cupboard.

Breakfast
5 days of porridge with added dried fruit.
2 days of toast with pate.

Lunches
Day 1, The 4 rolls left over from last week, filled with garlic sausage. Followed by Peaches with custard.

Day 2, A cheese and onion toastie using 75g of cheese and an onion. Bread from last week. Toast under the grill until melted. Follow with a tin of pineapple.

Day 3, Sausage stuffing wrap. Make the wrap from Flour, water and salt. Dry fry in a pan. Cut open 4 sausages and dry fry with the stuffing mix and a portion of mixed veg. Stuff the wraps.

Day 4, Chicken and vegetable soup with a slice of bread. Add an onion in as well this time.

Day 5, Cheese and onion omlettes.

Day 6, Beans on toast.

Day 7, Mushy pea curry and rice.

Dinners
Day 1, Roast the chicken with home made chips and the tin of peas from last week. Again just use the two legs and 1 breast.

Day 2, Chicken stir fry with the other breast and the stir fry pack and the 2x noodles.

Day 3, 4 Sausages, 2 tins of baked beans and mash on the top. Add 35g of the cheese.

Day 4, Bacon, cheese sauce pasta. Use half the bacon pack.

Day 5, Bacon and celeriac hash. Slice the celeriac in to very thin slices, mix with bacon and gravy and onions. Serve with mushy peas.

Day 6, Aubergine curry with rice. Use half the aubergine.

Day 7, Flan made with 5 eggs, milk and aubergine. Salt well.

Soworried- thanks for this brilliant meal plan! Can i ask about the garlic sausage- is it one of those mattesons ones? I haven't seen garlic sausages before? Sorry if that's a stupid question

gailey_2

heavenleigh wrote: »

I also allow 'treats' every day Have you used Approved foods! http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/latest_products. used it for months and will vouch for it x

My children (all four of them are on the 50th centile) with no health issues at all, i cook from scratch most/but not every day of the week. Very active and sporty.
The rule is you eat your homemade breakfast/lunch/dinner/fruit/veg etc yes you bloody well can have a chocolate bar after if you wish/1/but still yes!

Keep it up, you're doing great xx

Oh and the poster who said cut them out completely ????????

Thanks so much guess you know where im coming from with 4kids find food shopping and making stuff last much harder!

Just milk alone 4-6pints a day means £10-12 a week out of £50 budget.

11packed lunches a week as eldest has school dinners friday and middle child does lunch time club preschool wed so need snacks for that.

I limit crisps like i say to one a day and prefr if in packed lunch or on side of plate with sandwich.

Cereal get through 2boxes a week.£4-5

bread -would say if we have couple packs rolls a 800g loaf lasts 2days so 5loaves a week 5-6 do try get reduced and have baked my own in past but slicing anightmare and feel like i get less but only have small loaf tin might try bigger tin.

keeping the fruit bowl full costs least £5 reckon spend least £10 a week on fruit and veg.

new aldis opening up so will loyally do super six now.
we normally get mot in lidls.
or get veg box from dairy.

heard about cheap fruit and veg shop which deliver so going to try them them too.

we grow our own and pick own strawberries
we also forage.

its the snacks and desserts i find tricky as im quite good at doing cooked meals to budget.

i always buy value biscuits or on offer only
same with crisps.
same with yogurts


Cakes and biscuits are my family downfall.i have to hide and ration.
sat brought some treats as been hard few weeks and lasted 1day

1pack value digestives
small choc sponge half price- gave everyone dessert.
pop on offer
6pack crips on offer 90p.

but yesterday was fed up as had really mental weekend was up to 1am sat morning sorting stuff out for jumble sale.
sat went shoppig up high street, tidied house and defrosted freezer.

sunday 9-2 did jumble sale sadly didet clear much
tidied and fixed the girls room afternoon
cooked pasta and bacon peices with cheese and garlic bread

for snacks there was

toast with choice of butterm nutella , peanut butter or jam
cereal we had 2types plus milk
value fromage fraid and hubby and eldest whinged they were hungry he had no snacks and hubby said I did bad job shopping friday .considering was snowing and went to local co-op think we did well.

last few weeks meals have been very basic so friday he had

turkey curry and rice for tea and fresh turkey breasts reduced thur
fri breasts reduced so did chicken faiitas and reduced faittas.
sat did kids reduced meatballs and spaggetti for their tea and baked potatoes for ours.

yesterday they had reduced fresh pizza-hubby moaned no oven chips and buying lots of frozen cheapest and better way to feed everyone but one small bag oven chips and box breaded fish would only last one meal! Im better off getting fresh and cooking from scratch.

last nighst tea was pasta which he hates but keep telling him cant be exiting gourmet every night and we need to eat less meat to bring costs down.

It like he think I have magic wand and think hes being unrealistic.
he shops with me and his mum so knows what prices are. if he goes he comes back with loads of snacks and frozen then self congratulated himself on what a fab shop hes done.

i spent £16 sat £4 nappies £2 on 6pack value toiliet roll waas in express shop so was limited. cans pop £2.10-treat for him, choc cake £1.50 still cheaper than baking as price cocoa so high. crisps 90p on offer, twin pack garlic bread £1,squash £1 and few other bits wasent a lavish bulk shop. I never planned out to buy 5 days worth of meals as knew we had enough to get by weekend and pay day today 25th which means our grocery challenge always 25th to 25th.

I have baby group today up near high street
so going to pop deli see if they have sausages and make sausage casserole and mash as brought bad reduced potatoes friday.
hubbys next off so has car wed so will just get enough today to last us next few days.

I have to pick something up after school near lidls so might try op in if kids well behaved.

new aldis opens thursday.

im bit fed up will do some home baking this week.
Try do some flap jack tonight for lunch boxes tommorow.

want to try spread my shop this month several different places.

so today is deli, co-op reductions ad possibly lidls depending on how cold and tired kids are.

Will write a list and stick to it.

Will take a look at approved foods and see if anything useful.