Constantly going over on the food budget, help needed...

NikkeiPositivity

Hi All

We are a 2 adult, 1 child family and we have set I think a very realistic budget of £200 for the month, the only problem is we're just not doing it . In all other areas we're doing really well and are managing to come in on budget we're just really struggling on this one. I've tried shopping once a week and once a month but either way we go over. It's not even like we have no food in the house either. I've even tried a menu plan but it never works out. Any advice to get me on track, if we can master this we will be debt free by this time next year!

Thanks for reading
Nikkei x

notanewuser

NikkeiPositivity wrote: »

Hi All

We are a 2 adult, 1 child family and we have set I think a very realistic budget of £200 for the month, the only problem is we're just not doing it . In all other areas we're doing really well and are managing to come in on budget we're just really struggling on this one. I've tried shopping once a week and once a month but either way we go over. It's not even like we have no food in the house either. I've even tried a menu plan but it never works out. Any advice to get me on track, if we can master this we will be debt free by this time next year!

Thanks for reading
Nikkei x

Can you post your shopping list? We might be able to give some pointers.

DundeeDoll

Also why dont your menu plans work out? Are you setting yourself unrealistic targets? Bored with what you plan? Too tired? There will be a menu plan that will work but not your current one.

NikkeiPositivity

Hi DundeeDoll

If I may answer your questions first:

I work six days a week and I'm also studying at the moment so I have to admit I'm not the most enthusiastic in the kitchen at the moment. I tend to find that I don't do the shopping when I should at the start of the month when I should, so a few days into the month the little trips to pick up "milk and bread" start happening and the budget quite quickly disappears from there. I'm also trying to lose weight which isn't happening due to lack of organisation.

Notanewuser in answer to your questions, my food shop for a month looks a little like this:

3 large packs of mince
3 packs of chicken breast
3 packs of salmon
2 packs of mackrel
1 bag of soy mince
1 or 2 packs of 20 sausages
4 blocks of cheese
2 x 6 litres of milk
Yoghurt
Cottage cheese
8 blocks of butter
3 soya milk
4 boxes of cereal
1 box of porridge oats
2 x 22 bags of walker crisps
8 x tins of tuna
1 tin of corned beef
6 cans of chopped tomatoes
4 boxes of tomato passata
6 tins of baked beans
2 tins of spaghetti
1 box of kidney beans
4 bags of spaghetti
4 bags of pasta hoops
2 bags of rice
4 boxes of gnocchi
Walnut halves
Brazil nuts
Almonds (international foods isle)
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Avocado
Spinach
Rocket
Carrots
Mushrooms
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Stir fry veg
Bread
Tortilla wraps
Mini pancakes
Muffins
Eggs
Apples
Plums

I think that's about it (however we do repurchase perishables at least a further two times a month)

I should also say most of the produce we buy is Tesco everyday.

Many Thanks
Nikkei

notanewuser

Do you waste a lot? That's a huge amount of food for 2 and a half of you!!

Nargleblast

Nikkei - have you a market or a greengrocer shop nearby? Might be a cheaper source of fruit and veg. Can you get to an A1di or a Lid1 or a H0me Bargain$ - can make your money stretch by using these shops.

Alternatively, if Te$co is your only option, you could try online shopping (if you don't already!). The website mysupermarket.com is worth a visit - you can do a shopping list and it will tell you what your basket of stuff would cost in different shops.

dogmom_3

Hi Nikkei
Your shopping list looks very wholesome but you are buying quite a lot of protein foods - you could eat less than this and still be healthy. use smaller quantities or choose cheaper proteins - eggs, tuna, liver, beans, economy mince. Potatoes are an almost complete food so it is better to eat potatoes as a base for a meal than rice or pasta.
Can you access LIDL or ALDI - they are really much cheaper and good quality too. Cereal is expensive for its nutritional value - oats are much better value.

DundeeDoll

Nikkei do you have a freezer? Semi skimmed milk lasts a week in the fridge, but freezes well (as does bread) Would you and oh be tempted by batch cooking? So eg one of you cooks enough bol or curry or whatever for 6 then freezes 2 x 2 portions. (Or depending on size of freezer cook 12 portions and freeze 5 double portions) we do them in chinese take away dishes, my mum does hers in old spread tubs). if you have a meal plan then you can check what to take out in the morning and it'll be defrosted by the evening. btw if you're including rice i find one chinese tub = 1 portion, without carb = 2 portions. do you like pizza? We get el cheapo l!dl and add extra toppings. Very reasonable and very tasty (i like you work long hours and realised making my own pizza bases just wasnt gonna happen). We also keep some half bakes in the cupboard as they're really quick with stew. We eat a lot of stew

notanewuser

dogmom wrote: »

Hi Nikkei
Your shopping list looks very wholesome but you are buying quite a lot of protein foods - you could eat less than this and still be healthy. use smaller quantities or choose cheaper proteins - eggs, tuna, liver, beans, economy mince. Potatoes are an almost complete food so it is better to eat potatoes as a base for a meal than rice or pasta.
Can you access LIDL or ALDI - they are really much cheaper and good quality too. Cereal is expensive for its nutritional value - oats are much better value.

Potatoes are NOT anytging close to being a complete food. They are actually pretty poor nutritionally. It's important to eat good quality protein.

NikkeiPositivity

notanewuser wrote: »

Do you waste a lot? That's a huge amount of food for 2 and a half of you!!

The only thing that usually goes to waste is the fresh produce, all meat goes into the freezer along with the fish and chicken and is used usually over 1-2 months, if we don't use it I won't repurchase the following month until used up. I have to admit to hoarding things like pasta and tins (it's a habit after losing my job twice, I guess it makes me feel a little more secure)

Regarding Lidl and Aldi, yes I have them within a 5 mile radius of where I live. I do have the best of intentions to get there but I do struggle to get there due to my hours worked. I will make this my number one priority going forward.

GreenFairy

I have to agree with Notanewuser - this seems a lot of groceries for two point five people. Not so much the vegetables part - you can never have enough veggies - but there seems to be a lot of meat, pasta and rice.

One thing that will help both your budget and your waistline is watching portion sizes. 80g - 100g dry weight pasta is an adult portion, half that for a child. 1 teacup of dry rice is two adult portions...etc etc. It might seem a bit neurotic to weigh these out but after a while you'll be able to eyeball it much better and it'll reduce waste hugely.

To save time (I'm studying too ) I generally never cook for one meal. Bolognaise/curry/chilli? Enough to do half for dinner that night, half in a tub in the freezer for next week; just have to boil pasta or rice then. Lasagne/cottage pie? Six portions in a big dish, leftovers individually wrapped in the freezer for later. If I'm making mash or rice, I'll do enough for the next day as well.

Honestly, getting together a meal plan and sticking to it was a huge factor for me personally. I have halved my grocery costs by keeping track of my spends and planning. It doesn't have to be day by day, but more "I have all the ingredients for these seven dinners over the next seven days" and have them in whatever order you want.