Help With Grocery Shopping On A Budget

-MRS_T-

Hello

I have decided that I would like to try and save money on my grocery shops as we are struggling for money at the moment.

I reckon I spend about £50 per week at the moment but we dont eat very well its quite unhealthy food as I never cook its always microwave or pre pack or frozen. I would like to maybe start trying to cook simple things as we are plain eaters.

I do no have a stock cupboard of essentials as I am not sure what you should have if you start cooking. What are the basics?

There is me and my husband and my 5 year old.

I have looked at trying to cook things before but I always reckon its so much more expensive.

Could someone point me in the right direction of the meal plans for x amount of pounds each week challenge that I have heard people talking about I cannot seem to find it.

Also the recipes board if there is one.

I have a week off work and I am really trying to sort a lot of things out in my life right now and this is one of them.

Thanks in advance

Popperwell

Mrs T,
I'm sure that you'll get lots of help here and there are lot of ideas and help on recipes and cooking on a budget(also what to have in a store cupboard)and how to try and find items of good quality reduced.

I wish I could point you to specific threads but someone will soon. Some of us have to save and be frugal on food etc...and have no choice but tbh I think that more are doing so because they see the benefits and know that things will become more difficult.

This was interesting and though about older people living on a state pension it was uncomfortably close to how many are living now and are younger.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01qdr2p

Have a look at the threads at the start on this section of the forum there are lots of recipes and you'll also find many threads offering mealplans and budgets for as little as £7 per week to £20+

tessie_bear

have a look at the grocery thread...great recipes at the start and lots of posters giving adice and tips...have a nose around this board as well as there are quite a few threads like this

hth

-MRS_T-

Thank you both. I always go to the last page of a thread as I think the start will be old messages but didnt think about their being lists at the start so thanks both for the tip.

I will have a look at the link you sent. Times are still hard for many people and mse has helped me through some of my most difficult times which is how I found out about it in the first place.

Thank you both :-)

Popperwell

Mrs T,
I have found two threads, one all about store room essentials. It's long but worth a read. You can decide how much to buy, spend and how much space you have. You don't have to buy a lot in one go, you can buy a couple of items when your budget allows...it soon builds up...
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/560196

And this for recipe ideas...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/490232#Comment_490232

-MRS_T-

Thanks popperwell. I have spent the last 2 1/2 hours reading threads its mind boggling.

It is fab though their are so many people out there with great info and ideas that take the time to post to help others and for that I am very grateful.

I think I will go through the receipe ideas first and jot a few down that we like and take it from there.

I have got £50 worth of shopping in my basket at asda.com and only 3 dinners and I am like this has to stop. I dont even have any laundry or toilet rolls or anything like that in their, everything is just so expensive.

ragz_2

if you can find a copy of Jamie's.Ministry of food at.the library that is a fab book. otherwise, start with Bolognese sauce...
from that you can make a lot things like lasagne and chili too. however you don't have to have 'recipe' food...
for real easy food think meat (eg chops) and two veg,
sausages mash and veg, chicken breast with veg and new potatoes.
even if you buy a frozen pie you can serve with potatoes and veg...

ragz_2

Just to add, when I plan the week's meals I think like this...
One roast
One meal to use the leftovers
One or two meals with mince (spag bol, lasagne, cottage pie)
One meal with rice (chili, curry, even if you use a jar to begin with that is fine)
One jacket.potato meal (simple cheap cheese and beans or tuna mayo, left over chili)
One meal with chips (battered fish, burger, whatever)
One meal with mash!
One meal with pasta

that way you easily cover a week, but with plenty of room for variety and experimenting.

Mint1955

List what you already have in cupboards freezer fridge etc and see how many meals you can make out of them before you go shopping. You may only have to get a few bits to make a weeks worth. Pop the list on here if you are not sure.

mouseymousey99

Its amazing how much of a bag of fruit & veg you can buy really cheaply. So much better for you, hope you enjoy yourself too Mrs T.

Mint1955

I try and have a free night every now and then by adding a little to say chilli so putting one portion at least in the freeze. Just by adding a small amount of extra veg or padding out with a handful of oats makes all the difference.

Shepherds pie made in a large bowl for us all one night and adding a little extra veg and potato I can also make a spare in a single bowl for the freezer which after a month I then have four so we get a "free" dinner.

If I am using hot dogs I hold one back and freeze after a while I will have enough to chop up add to frozen left over bolognaise sauce and again a free meal.

No one notices extra bendy veg chopped into stews bolognaise etc
No one notices a handful of oats chucked into sauce and left to bubble away
Downsize your plates no will notice that you have also downsized your portions and also your costs