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Feed a family of four for £20 a week challenge

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  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    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.
    DEC GC £463.67/£450
    EF- £110/COLOR]/£1000
  • 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.
  • 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!!
    Been stupid but have no regrets starting to slowly sort my finances now the kids are growing
  • gailey_2
    gailey_2 Posts: 2,329 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    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.
    pad by xmas2010 £14,636.65/£20,000::beer:
    Pay off as much as I can 2011 £15008.02/£15,000:j

    new grocery challenge £200/£250 feb

    KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON:D,Onwards and upward2013:)
  • ~Chameleon~
    ~Chameleon~ Posts: 11,956 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    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
    “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”
  • ~Chameleon~
    ~Chameleon~ Posts: 11,956 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    gailey wrote: »
    Big expenditure here is bicuits/cereals and crisps.

    I would cut these out completely. Unnecessary fat/sugar junk food ;)
    “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.”
  • I'm finding this thread very useful...thanks posters
  • 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 ????????
    I will save my tesco £1 savings stamps this year! .......so far = £50 (full card#1)
    Card #2 £6. I will not be skint at Chistmas this year!

    Total £56
  • WantToBeSE
    WantToBeSE Posts: 7,729 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped! Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 24 February 2013 at 4:24PM
    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 :o
  • gailey_2
    gailey_2 Posts: 2,329 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    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.
    pad by xmas2010 £14,636.65/£20,000::beer:
    Pay off as much as I can 2011 £15008.02/£15,000:j

    new grocery challenge £200/£250 feb

    KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON:D,Onwards and upward2013:)
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