Meal Planned... From Scratch... But still £60?!?!

hereigoagain22

Eeek lots of replies. Some of it has gotten a teeny OT though...

My 2 year old never gets crisps, tea, biscuits or juice - those are actually treats me for and OH except tea which is for visitors only as we are coffee drinkers. Me and DD only ever drink fresh orange, smoothies, water and a lot of milk (8-10 pints a week), I don't buy long-life milk as the process to make it long-life uses heat which destroys the enzymes and bacteria naturally in the milk making it very hard for humans to digest. Plus it tastes yeugh. OH drinks diluten juice which I've managed to cut him down to from fizzy juice!

Her snacks are fruit, rice cakes, raisins/apricots/dried mango or blueberries, toast, cheese, cereal etc. I don't buy sweets or chocolate biscuits etc. I also make homemade pancakes, banana/pineapple cake etc. but not been brave enough to try flapjacks or muffins - maybe my next challenge. We all love dried fruit so if I get any Christmas vouchers I plan to search for a dehydrator and make our own from cheap value fruit!

DD also has a single cookie each morning after breakfast to dip in my coffee and that's her daily treat! I buy the teddy bear crisps and give a handful as a snack with some raisins, fruit and yoghurt - I didn't realise they were so bad. The Discos were for me and OH and only bought as they were on offer - I'd never give a 2 year old Discos!!!

Tinned tomatoes - I prefer to buy the slightly more expensive ones as alot of our meals are tomato based, DS and DD both have/had severe acid reflux and I wouldn't fancy adding sugar to their food. The value ones are also more acidic and give them tummy ache. I don't ever add sugar or salt to anything I cook.

I have an Iceland, Farmfoods, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons and Tesco nearby. I just prefer to online shop. Example - my usual online shop is under £50 for a week. I went to Tesco today as was too late for a delivery and the others were too busy. Spent £98 in 30mins and got home and realised I've forgotten a few bits (despite working from a list). That didn't include Christmas Dinner as the inlaws are bringing everthing (my inlaws are awesome).

I had no idea what MSG was and have just done some reading and it probably makes sense to avoid it where obvious. Both me and OH suffer migraines and energy slumps after meals so could be something we have to look into more.

I've never bought frozen chicken before, always presumed it would have loads of additives. Even the cheaper whole chicken in Tesco have water and dextrose listed as ingredients which is why I have always went for breast fillets - will definately give fresh thighs a shot though. No idea why chicken nuggets came in, have never bought them before!

Happy Christmas Eve everyone, the children are in bed and I have been so organised I have absolutely NOTHING to do except lift the wrapped and ready presents out of the cupboards! So I am relaxing with a cup of coffee and browsing MSE. I may have another bash at the meal plan and online shop and post it all and see how you think I've done :-)

Thank you all xx

HappyMJ

MSG is a flavour enhancer like salt. You might see it as an E number on the ingredients list it's number is E621. Best to avoid any E numbers at all.

fluffpot

Have you tried mysupermarket? It will automatically show you any better offers on the product you have chosen (eg 2 for 1's, bigger pack for better value, special offers and downshifting)

So you don't have to trawl the shelves yourself

indsty

I think you also need to remember that this is "Christmas". I can never find good offers/reductions etc for "ordinary food" at this time of year. You will probably do much better once the holidays have past. Also, as you have discovered there isn't much in the stock cupboard at the moment - you will be able to build up your stocks when you notice a good offer in the future. All the best with your challenge for the New Year. Merry Christmas.

HappyMJ

indsty wrote: »

I think you also need to remember that this is "Christmas". I can never find good offers/reductions etc for "ordinary food" at this time of year. You will probably do much better once the holidays have past. Also, as you have discovered there isn't much in the stock cupboard at the moment - you will be able to build up your stocks when you notice a good offer in the future. All the best with your challenge for the New Year. Merry Christmas.

I think the best offers of the year are just before Christmas. If you can I'd be going out to the supermarket right now and getting all the reduced stock you can. Whatever expires both tomorrow and Wednesday is sold at a big discount. I also think that meat deals are much better at the moment. Instead of chicken breast the OP could buy a half price turkey crown portion it and then freeze it.

greenbee

HappyMJ wrote: »

I think the best offers of the year are just before Christmas. If you can I'd be going out to the supermarket right now and getting all the reduced stock you can. Whatever expires both tomorrow and Wednesday is sold at a big discount. I also think that meat deals are much better at the moment. Instead of chicken breast the OP could buy a half price turkey crown portion it and then freeze it.

I did a quick shop this afternoon an hour before the SM closed - there weren't many reductions as most of the stock had dates of 28th onwards. Obviously one SM had got its stock management right. In fact there were fewer reductions than I normally see in that particular SM. the poor staff doing the reducing we're being crowded by people not thrilled by ready meals and the odd bit of fish. There was a Mexican standoff round the fresh turkeys - geese were reduced, but not turkeys, and everyone was hanging around waiting while the staff were studiously ignoring them! Having checked the dates the customers may well have been disappointed...

Fruball

hereigoagain22 wrote: »

Eeek. I have tried before and didn't like it but was possible a bit prejudiced and convinced myself I didn't like it. I'll try again - one week can't hurt right!!

I have also tried value chopped tomatoes but I found them bitter and DD wouldn't eat any sauces made with them!

Thanks

If you don't like adding sugar to tinned toms (they only need 1/4 - 1/2 a tsp per can though) you can add bicarbonate of soda. same amount, 1/4 - 1/2 a tsp. It reduces the acidity in the tomatoes.

I've been doing this for years and I like to watch the sauce fizz as the bicarb does it's job :rotfl:

hereigoagain22

Fruball wrote: »

If you don't like adding sugar to tinned toms (they only need 1/4 - 1/2 a tsp per can though) you can add bicarbonate of soda. same amount, 1/4 - 1/2 a tsp. It reduces the acidity in the tomatoes.

I've been doing this for years and I like to watch the sauce fizz as the bicarb does it's job :rotfl:

Oooh great tip, I think I have some in the cupboard!

hereigoagain22

Hope everyone had a lovely OS Christmas!!

I've re-done it completely on mysupermarket.co.uk

Same meal plan, same ingredients, just a few changes to snacks and downgraded everything. I re-checked my cupboards and found I didn't need a couple of things (already had flour, diluten juice needing used and can't remember what the other bits were)

Worked out I will have enough to make lots of snacks for DD (one of our biggest spends) for DD that are cheap and healthy. Mainly value fruit that will last next week as well I hope but if it's going off I can make it into purees for DS and freeze.

Other OS things I have been doing - going to make homemade poptarts with my own dough and leftover jar of cranberry sauce. Also made !!!!!!! lollies" (I accidentally ordered 5 bags last week so have stuck them on skewers, rolled them in yoghurt and crushed plain cereal and stuck them in the freezer). Have another bag of bananas starting to turn so about to slice them up and dry them in the oven for banana chips tonight unless anyone has any other ideas that would keep them? Can I freeze them peel and all and they will defrost and taste like normal banana?

Also, quite often we throw half a loaf out when a little bit of mould has appeared on the bottom slice. If I know I'm not going to use the loaf on time can I make sandwiches up in advance and freeze them? Then if we're going out for the day I can just grab some sandwiches from the freezer and put them in our bag for lunch. Or, ridiculous question. But are breadcrumbs made from a normal loaf of bread? Can you freeze breadcrumbs? Would love to have a go at making homemade kievs sometime!

Another one - I have loads of spare of Milton tablets that will never get used so instead of buying a new kitchen spray every week I'll make up my own solution. I'm really getting the hang of this now.

New shopping list - any comments welcome (meal plan is the same as first post)

Fresh Food
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Tesco Everyday Value Pears Min 4 Pack
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£0.71

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Yeo Valley Natural Yogurt 150G
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£0.50

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Tesco Everyday Value Beef Mince 750G
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£2.34

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Tesco Everyday Value Fromage Frais 6X55g
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£0.90

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Muller Rice Maple Syrup 190G
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£0.65

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Tesco Everyday Value Onions 1Kg
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£0.69

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Creamfields Medium Cheddar 400G
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£2.39

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Tesco Everyday Value Peppers
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£1.10

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Tesco Everyday Value Apples Min 4 Pack
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£0.82

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Tesco Everyday Value Grapes 500G
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£1.25

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Tesco Everyday Value Bananas
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£1.15

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Tesco Everyday Value Garlic Baguette 170G
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£0.32

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Tesco Sweet Potatoes Loose
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£0.35

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Tesco Everyday Value Carrots 1.5Kg
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£0.89

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Tesco Red Onions Loose
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£0.19

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Jaffa Tangerines 650G
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£1.20

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Tesco Everyday Value Cooked Ham 125G
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£0.61

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Big And Fresh Eggs Box Of 6
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£1.46

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Tesco Whole Milk 3.408L/6 Pints
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£1.89

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Muller Rice Strawberry 190G
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£0.65

Food Cupboard
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Tesco Instant Custard Mix 76G
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£0.38

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Tesco Bicarbonate Of Soda 200G
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£0.99

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Tesco Everyday Value Chopped Tomatoes 400G
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£0.70

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Indus Red Split Lentils 2Kg
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£2.00

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Tesco Lightly Salted Rice Cake 100G
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£0.69

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Tesco Everyday Value Chocolate Chip Cookie 250G
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£0.49

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Tesco Everyday Value Strawberry Jam 454G
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£0.35

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Dr.Oetker Natural Vanilla Extract 38Ml
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£1.04

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Tesco Everyday Value Chicken Stock Cubes 100G 10Pk
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£0.10

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Tesco Everyday Value Beef Stock Cubes 97G 10Pk
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£0.10

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Tesco Tomato Puree 142G
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£0.29

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Tesco Italian Original Breadsticks 125G
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£1.38

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Tesco Dried Oregano 14G
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£0.75

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Tesco Everyday Value Milk Chocolate Digestives 300G
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£0.49

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Tesco Everyday Value Penne 500G
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£0.39

Health & Beauty
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Tesco Everyday Value Shower Gel 300Ml
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£0.30

Bakery
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Soft Wholemeal Rolls 6 Pack
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£0.65

Frozen Food
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Tesco Blueberries And Strawberry Slices 350G
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£2.00

Pets
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Claude Cat Crunchies With Ocean Fish 1Kg
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£0.95

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Daisy Powder Bio 2.4Kg
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Daisy Thick Original Bleach 750Ml
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£0.55

Baby
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Tesco Everyday Value Baby Wipes Fragrance Free 72
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£1.22

Drinks
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Tesco Everyday Value Orange Juice 1 Litre
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£0.74


Anyway, it has come to a grand total of ...

£39.22!!!
(plus delivery)

Searched and searched for voucher codes but none that will work!

Thank you all so much for your help and tips, if anyone has anymore for me that would be great. I hope in time I become better at this and can post and help out other newbies x

Nicki

Breadcrumbs are made from a normal loaf of bread yes. And they also freeze really well. I turned a whole stale loaf into breadcrumbs last week and stuck them in the freezer, and used part of the batch from frozen for stuffing and bread sauce yesterday. The remainder of the batch went back into the freezer until needed again.

Some sandwiches also freeze well but it depends on the filling. Anything with mayo, salad cream or obviously salad itself won't freeze, but plain meat, or cheese, freeze and defrost well, though better made when the bread is still fresh. If you make them with bread which is stale, your sandwiches will still be stale when they defrost!