Feed a family of four for £20 a week challenge

Butterfly_Brain

I am another one if my freezers or cupboards need to be run down before I replenish them.
I know that I need to run the chest freezer down for Christmas goodies, but I get into a cold sweat about it.

This comes from both of us being made redundant three or four times over the last 27 years and I do panic that it could happen again:eek:

Butterfly_Brain

Had a cheap and cheerful tea tonight stuffed mushrooms and an omelette.
4 large flat mushrooms 69p Aldi super six, a packet of basic golden rice 25p, 2oz(50g) grated cheese 25p and 8 eggs 56p.
Total cost £1.75

MandM90

Veggie bolognese is the best, the nanny. Whether TVP or lentil I always get great reception...and it costs pennies!

NewShadow

Just made something really tasty that might be useful for someone. Adaptable to taste and budget.

'Beef' stew (about 6 bowls)
18p - Onion (tesco - 6p per 100g, use 300g)
16p - Beef stock (I use Osem beef soup powder at 16p per heaped tbsp, not the cheapest, but the best, and it lasts)
22p - Soup mix (w'rose sells this at 22p per 100g)
10p - Carrots (tesco value 5p per 100g, use 200g)
16p - Spinach (frozen at 16p per 100g)
24p - Tinned beans or tomatoes (tesco value 24p each)
400ml water

Cook in slow cooker on low for about 6 hours or overnight. Taste and add more stock powder if a more meaty taste is desired.

Total - £1.06 for a bit over a litre of meaty tasting 'meatless' stew (17p per bowl).

If you've got a bit more money, or a demanding and observant carnivore, add a tin of minced beef and onion for 55p (total £1.61, 26p per bowl)

Alternatively, the cheapest (but not most economical) beef is 200g of diced beef for £2, making it a total of £3.06 or 51p a bowl.

I normally make this either when I'm completely poverty stricken (tinned carrots and frozen spinach mean I can make it meatless from the cupboard) or with leftover roast. Add extra water and dumplings, or bread and butter if desired - I normally don't bother as i find the stew enough by itself.

NewShadow

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I am another one if my freezers or cupboards need to be run down before I replenish them.
I know that I need to run the chest freezer down for Christmas goodies, but I get into a cold sweat about it.

This comes from both of us being made redundant three or four times over the last 27 years and I do panic that it could happen again:eek:

Sharing time.

I was taught by my grandmother, and a few bouts of unemployment, to always have about 3 months of food in the house. Until about a year ago, that house was made up of 3 adults with very large appetites, before that I shared a house with 10 others and happily did most of the cooking.

*deep breath*

I have a 6 foot freezer full of (mostly meat and cheese) food, and because I have a stupid single person 'galley' kitchen with no storage, two large oak dressers in my lounge that are full of tins and packets :rotfl:

*Avoids eye contact*

When tesc* was selling its value pasta at 9p per 500g (when they were switching brands to everyday)... I bought 44 bags... Down to the last 10 or so, but that was - what - 3/4 years ago? Still have about 20 tins of 9p curry sauce and mushy peas...

*wrings hands*

I still spend £80 a month buying food and can't 'eat it up' as theres only me, and my slow cooker magically (completely by itself and with no help from me) stretches 500g mince into 16 portions of spag bol, chilli, lasagne, cottage pie, enchiladas...

*gives up in despair*

I also have a big problem using up leftovers - I keep thinking I've forgotten something in the day if I don't cook at least once a day, defrosting and throwing in the microwave just doesn't satisfy me.

Hi, I'm NewShadow and I'm a cooking addict :eek:

I am getting better - I no longer have the underneath of two double beds full of pasta and oats in really useful boxes...

I'm also vaguely planning on trying to not buy anything until after christmas (excluding fresh milk, fruit, and veg)...

... to make space for the many salmon, geese, and ducks I hope to be able to buy reduced in the new year :rotfl:

barneydee_2

Butterfly brain am reading through this post whow!! Some great ideas. Know there is just me & the oh my last dd to fly the nest left last august but I can still not get used to just cooking for two I still cook the same amount as when there were four of us it was ok at first as I could freeze stuff but I only have a small frezer & can not ram any more in lol
It also dose not help that the oh is such a fussy eater, won't eat the same thing twice in a row, won't eat roast diners, won't eat any thing that has a bone in or on ie chops. Anything spicy he will eat so I end up eating what he wants all the time any ideas? Should I not give him a choice & just dish something up & if he doesn't eat or gose Hungary lol
Dee

barneydee_2

Butterfly brain am reading through this post whow!! Some great ideas. Know there is just me & the oh my last dd to fly the nest left last august but I can still not get used to just cooking for two I still cook the same amount as when there were four of us it was ok at first as I could freeze stuff but I only have a small frezer & can not ram any more in lol
It also dose not help that the oh is such a fussy eater, won't eat the same thing twice in a row, won't eat roast diners, won't eat any thing that has a bone in or on ie chops. Anything spicy he will eat so I end up eating what he wants all the time any ideas? Should I not give him a choice & just dish something up & if he doesn't eat or gose Hungary lol
Dee

moments_of_sanity

I do have enough food in my freezer and cupboards to keep me going for about 3 months and I am comfortable with that! :rotfl:

It is a standing joke from my girls that if I only have one pack of cheese or my baked bean mountain is looking a bit low etc that I will start to hyperventilate, I know this is silly but I remember being a child and my single Mum (divorce was pretty much unheard of in the 70's & for years I was the only child who's parents were divorced) cooking an evening meal, it was one we had never had before but none of us could eat it as it was so awful (even the dog wouldn't eat it) and I remember my Mum saying that we had nothing else to eat in the house. She wasn't cross with us over it as she didn't like it either but I can remember her saying, as if it were yesterday, 'I don't know what we are going to eat as there is nothing else'

Tonight we are having toad in the hole with mash and veg for dinner. Sausages were bought when Morr!sons had their £5 off a £10 spend, I bought Richmond sausages that were already on offer at half price so my voucher made them a quarter price, 7p a sausage.

4 sausages, cut into pieces (they stretch better that way and DH doesn't feel like he is not getting much) 28p
Batter mix (flour, eggs & milk) 35p
Mash, 4p (12.5kgs of potatoes were on offer at the weekend for £2) :j
Veg, assorted carrots, cauli, broccoli, cabbage, 40p

Dinner cost £ 1.07 / 54p each

Butterfly_Brain

Wow thank you to those who voted this post of the month x

I am so happy that it has helped so many with cheap meals

Upsidedown_Bear

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Wow thank you to those who voted this post of the month x

I am so happy that it has helped so many with cheap meals

We thought it was about time you got a badge for all the help you give on here