Looking for work is costly! £3 to spend on food this week... HELP!

honeythewitch

ditsykitchen wrote: »

:huh: Supermarkets do sell individual veg. I've never been in one that didn't. I buy most of my veg by weight (normally from tesc0 but have also done the same in sainsb and asd@).

Not all of them. Often the smaller stores only sell pre-packed. It is very rare to see a loose carrot in my tesco, sainsburys or asda and they are "proper" stores not the small locals.

lushlifesaver

I have to say, in my experience, ditsykitchen is right - even our tiny Sainsburys local and Tesco express stores sell things loose.

Today I got a single onion for 14p and about 10 mushrooms for 29p so if your store does sell loose veggies it's definitely worth looking at that as a way to add fresh stuff to your meals!

I think you have enough to make a start on.
Like others have said pick up a cheap loaf and some jam or similar to go on it for breakfasts - toast and jam and you can have milk and cereal too on a couple of days to mix it up
The veggie curry was always one of my favourites! Love Sainsburys basics curry sauce! with a few extra veggies you could easily make 4 meals worth from a jar. I know you can't rely on whoopsies but definitely keep your eye out and try and pick stuff up loose where possible - a couple of mushroom added to the onion and pepper you already have could be all it takes to produce a beauty
You could fry up a frittata with your eggs, a pepper, sliced up tinned potatoes and some of the sweetcorn - great hot or cold, filling and should last a couple of meals.

Also; peppers, sweetcorn, a little onion and garlic all thrown in a pan with some butter and lightly fried then tossed through pasta is yum!

The others have provided a much better set of ideas though! Also check out the £7 thread on here for things you can stretch and adapt

ETA: don't suppose you usually use a nectar card that you could check the balance on? I got some new lunch boxes, a cooler bag and some fresh fruit last summer all for free when I found out there was actually points racking up on mine!

Miss_Mulberry

Thanks all, I have a list so will go shopping tomorrow. Tonight is fishcakes using a hidden can of tuna.

RAS

if possible, make that tuna last two meals; it has a fairly strong taste so you can bulk up with carbs.

And split peas are about 55p so a lot cheaper than lentils.

Miss_Mulberry

Thanks all. I went shopping today and got everything needed for a week's worth of food. I got three bananas for 10p too, so that was a bargain!

sistercas

Josslette wrote: »

My ideas would be...

You will need 21 meals and maybe some snacks.

Shopping List
Basics Spaghetti - 39p
Basics Bread - 50p
Basics Chopped Tomatoes - 34p
Basics Mixed fruit Jam - 29p
Basics Custard - 17p
Basics Yoghurts x 4 - 33p
Basics Curry Sauce - 26p
Basics Rice - 40p
Onion - 10p?
Broken Mandarin Slices - 23p

£3.01

Sweetcorn and Spaghetti Soup - 1/4 onion, 1-2 cloves of garlic, sweetcorn, ginger, carrot, stock cubes, water, spaghetti, seasoning. 2 Meals

Poached Eggs on Toast - 2 Slices of Toast, Butter, 2 Eggs. 2 Meals

Baked Beans on Toast - 2 Slices of Toast, Butter, Half tin of beans. 2 Meals

Rice Krispies and Milk - Amount of rice krispies and milk depends of how many meals obviously but I'll guess that you have enough for 2. 2 Meals

Pasta with Tomato and Pepper Sauce - 1/2 Onion, 1-2 Garlic Cloves, 2 Peppers, Basics Chopped Tomatoes, Pasta, Seasoning. 2 Meals

Jam on Toast - 2 Slices of Toast, Jam. 3 Meals(Breakfast?)

Vegetable Curry with Rice - Basics Curry sauce, 3/4 onion, pepper, ginger, garlic, kidney beans, rice. 2 Meals

Saut!ed Potatoes with Ketchup and Mayo - Fried 1/4 Onion, Tin of Potatoes, Seasoning, Dip made of ketchup and mayo. 1 Meal.

Yoghurt and Fruit - Basic yoghurt, tinned peaches(if ok), Broken Mandarin pieces. 4 Breakfasts

Pasta with Garlic Butter - Cooked Spaghetti, Garlic, butter and seasoning. 1-2 Meals

Desserts
Basics Custard


So yeah, it wouldn't be the best nutritionally, you could end up a bit hungry but you'd be fed. You'd also have some rice left that you could cook in some stock and has as a kind of soupy thing to fill you up.

Have you got any friends or family that you could subtly scrounge a meal or two from?

Hope this helps.

Impressive :T:T

AnnieO1234

OP if you're anywhere near north east derbyshire let me know, I have a bag I was goin to give to food bank but I will happily pass it to you instead. it will get better. Xx

Miss_Mulberry

Thanks Annie, I'm not sadly, but that's so so kind of you!

AnnieO1234

I hope you get sorted - I can vouch for the recipes on a girl called jack. She's just now been putting together some recipes for someone in a similar situation to yourself. I really hope you get sorted soon - I'm certain you will xxx

bluebag

Miss_Mulberry wrote: »

Thanks Annie, I'm not sadly, but that's so so kind of you!

Good luck with the interview, really hope it goes well for you.