Shopping help with a twist!

Ollycob

Ok so I have recently lost my job and my income in now halved, have a budget of £60-£80 per month for food for one person. However! I have dietary requirements - I am wheat and gluten intolerant and cannot tolerate much dairy either. At the moment I live off of meat and veg with very little else. I am trying to make my own bread but so far failing miserably!
Can anyone post some ideas for weekly shops and easy meal ideas? TIA

quintwins

Thats quite a task, can you try cheaper/frozen veg and meats, maybe some tomatoe based mince/chilli ect, or a nice hearty soup.

Ollycob

Hi yes, I buy value meat (although thinking about going completely veggie due to ethics) and I get my fresh veg from the greengrocer, however the greengrocer is about 8 miles out of my way so wondering about saving petrol and just getting my veg from the supermarket instead as I live in a very rural area.
At the moment I usually have eggs on toast for b/fast, a sandwich for lunch and maybe a stir-fry or bolgnaise for dinner (without the pasta!) and fruit for snacks.
I make everything from scratch so I know what is in my meals due to my IBS (hence all the intolerances) including soups and sauces I'm quite lucky in that I can get free range eggs for £1.25 for 6.

BAGGY

When I was on Atkinson diet I substituted pasta with frozen runner/french beans. Dont know if that's an idea?

Ollycob

I'm quite happy without the pasta but I do eat a lot of bread which, being specialist, is expensive. Can you think of any meal ideas that don't include bread?

quintwins

Ollycob wrote: »

Hi yes, I buy value meat (although thinking about going completely veggie due to ethics) and I get my fresh veg from the greengrocer, however the greengrocer is about 8 miles out of my way so wondering about saving petrol and just getting my veg from the supermarket instead as I live in a very rural area.
At the moment I usually have eggs on toast for b/fast, a sandwich for lunch and maybe a stir-fry or bolgnaise for dinner (without the pasta!) and fruit for snacks.
I make everything from scratch so I know what is in my meals due to my IBS (hence all the intolerances) including soups and sauces I'm quite lucky in that I can get free range eggs for £1.25 for 6.

I would suggest shopping online, you could find the cost of delivery is saved in fuel, i sometimes shop online if the kids are off school as i know i'd end up with more than i went in for it i took them with me.

Have you tried making gluten free pancakes and flat breads and wraps if you can't quite master a loaf? a bag of gluten free flour is £1.70 and would make alot of pancakes/naan breads/wraps pittas where as a small loaf is £2.There are plenty of video's to show you how on youtube.

Ollycob

Brilliant idea, thanks!
Petrol isn't an issue as the supermarket is within walking distance of the JobCentre so I do my food shopping every other week when I go to sign on.

littlejaffa

i'd suggest you try free cycle for a breadmaker - it means making your own is much easier and quicket - also check out the gluten free freebies - i get at least a loaf of bread or something similar every month that way.
also if you have an iceland or farmfoods nearby - iceland especially will delivery if you go into store and buy - so you can get loads of frozen veg really cheap, they also do veggie meat options at good prices, soya mince etc, also there's a milk&more freebie option that includes things like bacon, worth checking out

quintwins

Ollycob wrote: »

Brilliant idea, thanks!
Petrol isn't an issue as the supermarket is within walking distance of the JobCentre so I do my food shopping every other week when I go to sign on.

very mse :money:

When my hubby did atkins he had alot of eggs, is free range something you would like to stick to?espicially if your using value meat thats must def not free range, value eggs are 8p each and are very nice imo, a few scambled with some value cooking bacon would make a very cheap breakfast.

Can you eat potatoes ok? if so the tins of value potatoes are quite nice and will keep for ages.

Ollycob

Yes am fine with potatoes, not at all happy about buying value meat due to the ethics of it all hence toying with the idea of going completely vegetarian. Am now googling for cheap and easy vegetarian recipes

I'd love a bread maker but I live in a mobile home and have no space for it!

quintwins

Ollycob wrote: »

Yes am fine with potatoes, not at all happy about buying value meat due to the ethics of it all hence toying with the idea of going completely vegetarian. Am now googling for cheap and easy vegetarian recipes

I'd love a bread maker but I live in a mobile home and have no space for it!

I live in a converted slurry building (yes you did read that right, theres been no slurrey in it for years it was a print shop then someone lived in it before us) it's slightly bigger than a mobile home (we were going to buy a mobile home before it was suggested we live here) and i got rid of my bread maker and i regret it greatly, but until a free one falls into my lap i'll be making do, anyway that wasn't really my point :rotfl: we have a small shed outside we use as a utility room but we put sheleves in it so i put all the cleaning stuff except a bottle of fairy out there to free space up under my sink.