Cheap meal idea's pleaseeeee....

afield23

Hi people!

I put my SOA on here the other day and the result is i do spend far too much on food! I know i do and i know i need to cut down, but it's a combination of a love for treats and working so hard during the day that i can't be bothered to prepare that means i spend too much!

We currently pay about £240 for two of us a month. We don't buy all the expensive stuff or shop at waitrose, i always try and hit the specials, or value stuff, but somehow the bill is very high

We both enjoy cooking, but it is very easy to chuck stuff in the oven as soon as you get in rather than prepare. My mum would kill me, she always prepared the day before, or week bfore and i know we should too, so any idea's for meals would be appreciated. Ideally low GI so that it fills us up for longer, especially for work meals so that i don't get tempted by the sandwich woman!!!!



On another note, i sat in bed last night thinking of ways to clear my debt in 12 months. My goal is to pay off the £8500 as quick as i can, and thanks to people on here i am getting a little addicted to idea's! Anyway, i thought i might ask to do 2 hours extra at work each day, which should add up to an extra £300 a month after tax. I should be able to cope, it's easy enough to scive it! I have signed up for mystery shopping, but haven't made my first visit as yet, and i have joined all the loyalty sites to save money, so hopefully it will go to plan!

It should have anyway! This morning cycling to work all geared up to approach the boss fresh and clear in my mind, i fell off right in the city centre and had to walk home and take the day off as i am in too much bl**dy pain!!!! Is it me, or is debt harder to shift than originally thought!

I am gonna beat this though!! Damn you APR's and lenders!

rayday2

I found it wasn't so much food that was bumping my food bill up but the extras and cleaning things. I started making a list of things I needed at home as I used things up, looked in cupboard and freezer and discovered the next European food mountain. I seemed to like filling trollies! But when I took my list with me and was strict I still had what I liked and needed but a few less mugs, socks, and all the other stuff that 3 months later ended up in the bin with the next clear out!

You could try making things in larger quantities and freezing that way they are just as quick to prepare but healthier (less additives etc) and cheaper. Curries, chillies basically anything a little saucy freezes well. Just take it out freezer in the morning and at night all you have to do is the rice or extras to go with it.

My mother went to the school of housekeeping where you get up at 6am prepare meals and cooking them seems to take half the day up too!

gettingitsorted

if you pop over to the old style board theres tons and tons of meal ideas and cheep cleaning alternatives .

lynzpower

have you had a look at the money saving Old style board- this answers this question perfectly!

EagerLearner

Batch cooking one large meal on a Saturday for example, takes the same amount of time than a normal meal for two, except cooking a batch meal could give you 8 portions!!! Freeze 6 and have 2 for the Saturday night - sorted! A meal there and then, plus another 6 portions for 'lazy' days over the next couple of weeks - and using the oven less!

newlywed

Also plan meals so that you only buy the things you need and have less to throw away.

With us, it's the "extras" that cost- the extra pack of biscuits, extra soft drinks (coke, smoothies, fruitjuice etc), crisps and nibbles just disappear too. Cutting those out is (a) healthier, (b) money-saving

Shineyhappy

Personally I love home made takeaways!

Sometimes I really fancy something fancy, you have a long or tiring day at work and you don't fancy beans on toast or chips and then you remember you have a lovely curry in the freezer you cooked a month ago

Nutrious, delicious and loads cheaper than a takeaway and no doubt a fraction of the calories! It is indeed a win win situation! Plus you dont even need to wait 45minutes for it to turn up.

clarab_3

Hi - agree with the other posters - Old style board is invaluable!

Im a veggie with a wheat intolerance and I still manage to eat well and cheaply using advice i found there - and I've lost a stone too:j

Kaz2904

Go and have a look on CAFCgirls the unnecessary challenge thread. Someone left me a link to a huge load of meal plans. Apparently you can feed an adult well on £12 per week.