Whats lowest amount feeding a famly?2013?

gailey_2

Just wonderd with rising prices

whats a realistic amount for 2adults, 3kids?

we can see to go below £200.

we working hard shopping several differnt shops
great reduced hunt
value or on offer items only.
less luxuries
less meat
meal planning, cooking from scratch.
bathch cookinga nd freezing.

its not so much te dinners its the lunches and breckfasts and snacks that add up.

Making sure they get their 5 day.

we buy ow brad cereals they dont like porridge
they have option of toast or reduced crumpets.

value no added sugar squash
value fromage frais
value biscuits.

ration crips and only buy own brand, value or on offer.

buy them treats only when reduced.

fruitbowls whatevers on offer or reduced.

They also dont mind tinned fruits.

dont do desserts every meal.

Wondering where to make cutbacks.

this amount includes household, toilitries, nappies did use cloth but can cope with their big wees anymore.

I want to cut back to reaaonable amount without appearing to bleak.

meg72

I think you are already doing extremely well at 200 a month for 5 of you.

That's only £50 a week. £10 a head.

Ladyluck1

We just about manage £25 a week for 3 (did put 4! Baby brain) though technically I'm eating for 2
nearly all our meat is YS or I got 6 packs of 500g mince for £6 from lidl last week. Some for the freezer
Plus a lot of our veg is from lidl or I buy YS veg if very cheap.
I also buy reduced bread for the freezer and use that for our morning toast. Usually get a good quality loaf (best of both) for 29p.

I wouldn't say your spending is too much, I think £50 a week is a comfortable average and if we could afford that. I would probably spend it too!

We usually eat;
Toast or pancakes with fruit for breakfast. Sometimes cereal but it lasts us ages, I usuall buy one when it's on offer.
Lunches: egg mayo or marmite sandwiches with salad (cucumber etc on the side for the toddler) or leftovers.
Dinners: mostly anything I can make with any YS meat so we had reduced chicken Breast with roast potatoes and broccoli and cauliflower cheese the other night.
Total cost for the chicken and broccoli and cauli was only £1.38 as they were reduced.

I've always found Lidl nappies really good too and quite cheap.

Rummer

We are £25 per week for two adults, one child, two cats and a selection of other small animals. This covers all three meals for a week.

This is manageable as we have built up a good store cupboard of essentials such as rice, pulses, flour, herbs etc We now keep this topped up when required so the £25 is usually fresh ingredients.

We also keep frozen peas and sweetcorn to add extra portions of veg and of course pick up the things we use when on offer. Many of the things we use come from the basics range and we regularly check prices using My Supermarket.

Most meals and treats are made from scratch.

maman

meg72 wrote: »

I think you are already doing extremely well at 200 a month for 5 of you.

That's only £50 a week. £10 a head.

I think it's amazing too.

My first thought was £200 a week and I thought there was room for improvement. I spend about the same per month and that's for just 2 adults. I can afford that but I have friends who spend far more (and waste most of it;)).

gailey_2

Thanks guys we used to sped 300-350 but drastically cut back since hubby lost his job so last 2 months have come in at 200.

Just seeing sometimes how much others spending wondering if being unrealistic as no point setting inaccurate figure for grocery challenge f always go over.

Thing is cant only get redutions its hit and miss.When i see something we could possibly use I buy sometime huby says thats rather random but gets included in a meal.

I got reduced pork steak 79 morrises cut up small peices added co-op value sweet and sour sauce split into ready meal tubs for hubby.

I pad out small amounts of meat with lots frozen veg/red lentils.

Havent had many mince type dishes latly as can never get cheap decent mince.

We never buy value meats, we only buy free rang eggs and freedom/free range chicken.

I try and spend no more than £1 per item if i can help it so butter will shop arund until ca get it for quid. ony ever buy phladelphia when ts £1, most crisps are £1 or less.

desserts been getting angel delight mixes, tinned fruit, jelly, value yogurts and value choc mouse, reduced mini trifles always in spar for 19p. I buy lollies when weathers warm 8 for £1.

Now winters here might get some custard icecream and make a crumble.

have loads of free foraged cherries in freezer so have made cherry flapjacks.

I make fairy cakes once a week

so hopefully they dont feel too depribved sometimes do poormans roast with sausages, value yorkie, reduced potaties, frozen veg and gravy.

I cant see finaces increasing until few months so welcome any ideas especally those who spend less as remeber weezels £100 amonth family post and saisnburys for a fiver i used to get cards the buy it cheaper elsewhere and its still £35 a week just on one meal so £140 not including breckfasts, packed lunches, snacks and drinks.

We dont but much booze odd £4 bottle from lidls.

With xmas on way need to plan novemember and december very carefully.
We havent had turkey in years as just too pricy had duck, goose, chicken instead.

I try do own buffet/party fayre with sausage rolls, quiches, cheese straws ect. I can also make chutneys.I do own mince pies too actually could do with making boozy mince meat now as have brandy n cupboard hubby got as leaving pressie. If i see reduced pastry I always buy that.

tessie_bear

my 2 penneth when there are some excellent replies ;

im unconvinced of the scramble for reduced items making a saving. i think there are cheap meals such as
quiche
mince (chilli sheps pie)
jacket pots
i prefer to make a meal plan and buy for what i planned rather than chase bargains and use diesal to get them

i think with the five a day if i was skint i would work out where we were going to get then from each day and not be randomly filling the fruit bowl

again if on uppers free range might be out of price range and crisps woould not be purchased and no booze at all also no squash as could drink water

we spend about £200 a month on 2 adults 2 kids im very interested how peeps manage on £25 a week havent spent that for years
good luck

merlot123

gailey wrote: »

Just wonderd with rising prices

whats a realistic amount for 2adults, 3kids?

we can see to go below £200.

we working hard shopping several differnt shops
great reduced hunt
value or on offer items only.
less luxuries
less meat
meal planning, cooking from scratch.
bathch cookinga nd freezing.

its not so much te dinners its the lunches and breckfasts and snacks that add up.

Making sure they get their 5 day.

we buy ow brad cereals they dont like porridge
they have option of toast or reduced crumpets.

value no added sugar squash
value fromage frais
value biscuits.

ration crips and only buy own brand, value or on offer.

buy them treats only when reduced.

fruitbowls whatevers on offer or reduced.

They also dont mind tinned fruits.

dont do desserts every meal.

Wondering where to make cutbacks.

this amount includes household, toilitries, nappies did use cloth but can cope with their big wees anymore.

I want to cut back to reaaonable amount without appearing to bleak.

If you have time, I would very much appreciate a sample meal plan for a week so I can see how you are achieving to feed 5 on £200 per month, I desperately need to save money on food shopping and I think you could help.

quintwins

I spend £200 a month on 5 and we eat very well. The only value meat we buy now is frying steak. We bulk buy out meat from the butchers and keep an eye out of fruit and veg deals. We don't buy crisps or biscuits and only the odd bar of chocolate.

Most of you 5 a day should be veg as fruit is full of sugar.

Have you can't find meat what about a bean and lentil chilli? that would be nice and cheap. (kidneybeans, washed value beans, tinned tomatoes, handful of lentils, peas and sweetcorn served with rice will be less than £1.50)

I always stock up on dried foods when i have a voucher with a minimum spend.

Ladyluck1

tessie_bear wrote: »

my 2 penneth when there are some excellent replies ;

im unconvinced of the scramble for reduced items making a saving. i think there are cheap meals such as
quiche
mince (chilli sheps pie)
jacket pots
i prefer to make a meal plan and buy for what i planned rather than chase bargains and use diesal to get them

i think with the five a day if i was skint i would work out where we were going to get then from each day and not be randomly filling the fruit bowl

again if on uppers free range might be out of price range and crisps woould not be purchased and no booze at all also no squash as could drink water

we spend about £200 a month on 2 adults 2 kids im very interested how peeps manage on £25 a week havent spent that for years
good luck

I totally agree that it isn't worth hunting for reduced bargains if you have to spend money getting to the shop.
Luckily for me co-*p is a very short walk away and has great reductions.
I prefer their meat as the welfare standards are better and I often get free range eggs reduced and never had a problem using them over a few days.
Maybe try veggie a few days a week and a day of soup or jacket potato as PP said.
Those are fairly cheap
Things like veggie filled Yorkshire puddings are also very filling

quintwins

Also yorkshire puddings cost pennies to make and you need the oven on to reheat the frozen ones so not saving fuel at all. Make your own, they might not look perfect but will taste awesome.