PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.
We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Feed a family of four for £20 a week challenge

Options
13233353738127

Comments

  • Thank you moments of sanity, that is such a nice thing to say.
    As for Frugal Queen, I already follow her blog as well as Memory girl's.

    http://mortgagefreeinthree.com/

    Both are very good.
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
    C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z. Member #35 Butterfly Brain + OH - Foraging Fixers
    Not Buying it 2015!
  • Soworried
    Soworried Posts: 2,369 Forumite
    [FONT=&quot]3 leeks, cut into chunks 59p
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]small knob butter[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]pinch dried rosemary or thyme or a tsp of mixed herbs[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1 tsp mustard[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1lb potatoes /450g (1 very large baking potato is perfect), chopped into smallish chunks 4 = 59p so 1 potato = 15p
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]6oz/140g grated cheese (I use ½ a pack of aldi mature cheese £1.75 for 350g so that is approx 87p)[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1lb /500g shortcrust pastry (HM or shop bought)[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1 beaten egg to glaze
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Put the leeks, butter, mustard and herbs in a pan, cover and cook over a low heat for about 20 mins until very soft, stirring occasionally.
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]While the leeks are cooking, put the potatoes in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 mins until just cooked. [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Drain the potatoes and stir into the cooked leeks. Leave to cool, stir in the cheese and season with plenty of pepper and salt if you want. Chill for a bit[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6, and put a baking tray in to heat up.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Cut the pastry into 2 and use on half to line a pie plate. Pile the filling in, roll out a pastry lid, cover and crimp the edges and put a slit in the top for steam to escape, then brush with the beaten egg. [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Put the pie plate onto the hot baking sheet (This helps to prevent a soggy bottom)[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Bake for 35-40 mins until golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins before cutting into wedges and serving with beans or greens.[/FONT]


    [FONT=&quot]The whole pie works out to £2.39 and serves six comfortably (40p per portion) or 4 if you are very hungry (60p per portion)
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]NB.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]I also add bacon if I have any, preferably smoked, cooking bacon is perfect for this cut into chunks then fry gently and add to the mix.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Alternatively Just top with mashed potato and sprinkle grated cheese on top [/FONT]

    If money is really tight replace the HM cheese sauce with a 29p one from Morissons

    (All posts today are in pink In memorium of Pink)

    Thanks BB, I have added it to my meal planner x :j
    £36/£240
    £5522
    One step must start each journey
    One word must start each prayer
    One hope will raise our spirits
    One touch can show you care
  • Having a very frugal dessert today apple and blackberry sponge with custard.

    HM sponge mix 4oz flour,4oz sugar,4oz butter,2 eggs bramley apples from the tree in the garden (loads this year) and foraged blackberries. Total cost approx £1

    If you are really skint you could use a basics packet of sponge mix 22p that will bring the cost down to 32p including the egg :D
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
    C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z. Member #35 Butterfly Brain + OH - Foraging Fixers
    Not Buying it 2015!
  • [FONT=&quot]3 leeks, cut into chunks 59p
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]small knob butter[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]pinch dried rosemary or thyme or a tsp of mixed herbs[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1 tsp mustard[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1lb potatoes /450g (1 very large baking potato is perfect), chopped into smallish chunks 4 = 59p so 1 potato = 15p
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]6oz/140g grated cheese (I use ½ a pack of aldi mature cheese £1.75 for 350g so that is approx 87p)[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1lb /500g shortcrust pastry (HM or shop bought)[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]1 beaten egg to glaze
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Put the leeks, butter, mustard and herbs in a pan, cover and cook over a low heat for about 20 mins until very soft, stirring occasionally.
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]While the leeks are cooking, put the potatoes in a pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 4-5 mins until just cooked. [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Drain the potatoes and stir into the cooked leeks. Leave to cool, stir in the cheese and season with plenty of pepper and salt if you want. Chill for a bit[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6, and put a baking tray in to heat up.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Cut the pastry into 2 and use on half to line a pie plate. Pile the filling in, roll out a pastry lid, cover and crimp the edges and put a slit in the top for steam to escape, then brush with the beaten egg. [/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Put the pie plate onto the hot baking sheet (This helps to prevent a soggy bottom)[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]Bake for 35-40 mins until golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins before cutting into wedges and serving with beans or greens.[/FONT]


    [FONT=&quot]The whole pie works out to £2.39 and serves six comfortably (40p per portion) or 4 if you are very hungry (60p per portion)
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]NB.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]I also add bacon if I have any, preferably smoked, cooking bacon is perfect for this cut into chunks then fry gently and add to the mix.[/FONT]
    [FONT=&quot]
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=&quot]Alternatively Just top with mashed potato and sprinkle grated cheese on top [/FONT]

    If money is really tight replace the HM cheese sauce with a 29p one from Morissons

    (All posts today are in pink In memorium of Pink)


    what a fantastic post I love your alternatives you really do think everything through.. this does sound great and I am going to try it tomorrow thanks
  • moments_of_sanity
    moments_of_sanity Posts: 1,702 Forumite
    Debt-free and Proud!
    edited 19 October 2014 at 5:30PM
    I tried theFrugal Queens recipe for the chicken-less pie and DH had no idea there wasn't any chicken in it, total cost for 4 servings was just under £2.00 so about 50p each :D

    Butterfly Brain, thank you for the recipe, I am going to give this one a go this week and see if I can 'fool' DH again as he is a huge meat eater and would never consider a veg pie as a meal! :rotfl:

    I have decided to buy ready rolled pastry as the time spent making a decent one (not to mention the one's that have to be started again due to pilot error) far out weighs the cost of buying them ready done ��
  • moments of sanity I always use shop bought puff pastry, even telly chefs use it so don't worry about it :rotfl::rotfl:

    We had roast chicken for dinner it was a large ys one that I got for £1.99 in Asda a few weeks ago (In fact I got 6) with parsnips aldi super 6 - 59p (30p) as I will only use half the pack, half a pack of aldi carrots 29p (15p), ½ of the stick brussels £1 (50p) from the market, HM Yorkie puds 15p, roast potatoes from the garden and gravy .

    Apple and blackberry sponge with custard for dessert using Bramleys from the garden and a basic sponge 4oz flour, sugar, butter and 2 eggs, which comes out at approx £1

    Mahoosive Sunday dinner for 5 = £4.20 :j approx 84p a head :D

    And I have easily enough chicken for another meal tomorrow, then I will make stock from the carcass and any chicken that is left and that will be used in a HM cream of chicken and sweetcorn soup for lunch on Tuesday :D
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
    C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z. Member #35 Butterfly Brain + OH - Foraging Fixers
    Not Buying it 2015!
  • Butterfly_Brain
    Butterfly_Brain Posts: 8,862 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts I've been Money Tipped! Post of the Month
    edited 20 October 2014 at 8:37PM
    We had a chicken and mushroom pie tonight using the cheap mushrooms I got from the market and left over chicken from yesterday, still have some left so that is lunch tomorrow in a chicken and sweetcorn soup. I also used the brussel tops as the veg side, which were really tasty and froze the rest of the brussels for another day and we had roasties using more of our HG potatoes.

    Total cost HM SC pastry 8oz flour 10p, 2oz lard 10p, 2oz butter 25p plus water total ..........50p
    HM white sauce , 1oz butter, 1oz flour and milk ..... 40p.....ish
    Mushrooms 15p
    Brussel tops free
    Potatoes free

    Total cost for dinner for 5 = £1.05 :j
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
    C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z. Member #35 Butterfly Brain + OH - Foraging Fixers
    Not Buying it 2015!
  • We had a chicken and mushroom pie tonight using the cheap mushrooms I got from the market and left over chicken from yesterday, still have some left so that is lunch tomorrow in a chicken and sweetcorn soup. I also used the brussel tops as the veg side, which were really tasty and froze the rest of the brussels for another day and we had roasties using more of our HG potatoes.

    Total cost HM SC pastry 8oz flour 10p, 2oz lard 10p, 2oz butter 25p plus water total ..........50p
    HM white sauce , 1oz butter, 1oz flour and milk ..... 40p.....ish
    Mushrooms 15p
    Brussel tops free
    Potatoes free

    Total cost for dinner for 5 = £1.05 :j

    Brussels tops are my favourite veg but we can't get them here :mad:

    Dinner for us was left over pulled pork from Saturday, jacket spuds with cheese and beans so total cost for dinner was £2.50 for 3 of us, Butterfly Brain, you have once again put us to shame! :rotfl:
  • moments of sanity........ I have just had plenty of practice, we struggled for many years when we bought our first house, but we are finding that wages are just not keeping up with the bills so we are cutting back in the hope that we can get the mortgage paid off quicker, we only have 5 years left but I would like to get rid of the noose from round our necks as soon as humanly possible.

    Your dinner sounds really tasty and frugal, I must try it the next time I do pulled pork.
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
    C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z. Member #35 Butterfly Brain + OH - Foraging Fixers
    Not Buying it 2015!
  • Prudent
    Prudent Posts: 11,635 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 21 October 2014 at 7:31AM
    I have just found this thread this morning. What brilliant ideas, thank you everyone :) I need to use up leeks, so I am going to make the cheese & leek pie today. I have some YS pastry in the freezer, so it will be extra cheap. I actually came to the board to join the grocery challenge thread. I used to be extremely good with my food bill. It has began to slip over the last couple of years. Due to health issues I would like to move to part time work, so want to save more towards that goal.

    ButterflyBrian when I first joined MSE I wanted to pay off my mortgage desperately (a single parent at the time with poor health). All the tips on here helped me to achieve that goal and it did feel wonderful. I know it is possible by being very frugal and want to give you every encouragement to keep going.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.6K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.8K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.