Learning to be frugal with food

crispycreme_2

Some great ideas, thank you. Lots of good links too.

What is a realistic amount to be spending on our family for food?

Also packed lunches have me stumped. I did buy some bits today, so they have them tomorrow instead of paying for dinners. But how do I work it out so they can all have the same (almost)

crispycreme_2

Does anyone else have a family the same size, that could tell us how much roughly should be spent on food?

Ladyluck1

We're only a family of 4 but we spend £30
Ish sometimes less a week.
I bulk cook, buy most I not all meat on offer/reduced and shop on lidl a lot x

Austin_Allegro

If you buy meat with bones, don't forget to keep the bones to make soup with. When you clear up, just put all the bones in a pan, add some water, oatmeal, lentils and some flavouring like curry powder or garlic. Bring to the boil and simmer for half an hour, then strain it through a colander to remove the bones.

This makes really nice soup, which fills you up so you don't need so much for main course. I read this tip in a First World War cookbook and it really works well in filling you up.

Don't tell the family what you're doing though as you'll probably get comments like 'urghhhhhh!' (that was another tip I read in a wartime cookbook - don't tell your husband what's in the meal until AFTER he's eaten it!)

sunnysurrey_2

crispycreme wrote: »

Does anyone else have a family the same size, that could tell us how much roughly should be spent on food?

Hi, it really depends on circumstances as to how much
We're a family of 4, we average around £65/70 a week, but this includes nighttime nappies, all toiletries, cleaning products & the odd takeaway, treat out. We don't go without & I make things from scratch. We can do £40 but haven't needed to for awhile. We all have every meal from home. I've just moved my daughter from school dinners to packed lunch as it was a waste of money. How much do you usually spend a week?

craigywv

hi, just the 3 of us hubby,myself son aged 10 and spoilt dog. we would spend about 30 a week but some weeks I havemoney over in my, food purse which rolls over to following week and I can get a meat parcel from butchers usually a 13 quid one which is either a large chicken OR a beef roast. 1lb steak saus,1lb pork saus, pork steaks ,mince meat and a garlic bread or bag of spuds. this get portioned up and I can usually stretch it out to last a fortnight. my cupboards and freezers are full to capacity with ys goods. I also bake most every day. son is on pack lunches as I was a dinner lady for a while and am not really a supporter of school lunches,i not knocking them its more a case of my son wont eat it if I not there to threaten sorry persuade him to eat his veg etc....I deffo recommend baking your own bread ,soda,potato,pancakes,scones and buns. far cheaper and no additives. I grow potatos,scallions,onions,peas and carots and in summer its lettuce and toms and all the soft fruit I can yield which is made into jam. I had to come onto this site last year as we had redundancy etc and it was the best thing,we are both working now again but I would never go back to my old ways we could spend over 100 quid a week before in tescos easily and a couple of take aways too, now don't get me wrong we do get a couple maybe 1 a fortnight but I can have say chips made for it arriving and portion of chicken wings also so the takeaway is something that I cant/wont make which makes it more enjoysble. I have savings now yayyyyyyyyyyy not much but enough and am more settled in myself anyway sorry for the essay and back to the question in hand...............I spend approx. 30 a week lol xxx

crispycreme_2

Tonnes of good advice. Thank you to everyone.

Sapphire, that would be great, if you didn't mind. I will go through cupboards in a bit & post up what we have. I'll write a list of some of the food we normally cook too & if you could give them tips to make it cheaper that would be lovely.

Sapphire27

Of course, that would be fine. I will do my best.

fiftyeighter_2

I can vouch for the lentils in mince, bulks it up no end I also put oats in too. And it's true you can't taste any difference and no one has ever noticed.
You,ll get lots of good help on here. Lots of luck.

crispycreme_2

Ok here is what I have

CUPBOARDS:
Light brown sugar
Dark brown sugar
Bicarbonate
Mixed spice
Cornflour
Dried yeast
Vanilla essence
Gelatine sachets
Icing sugar
Baking powder
Golden syrup
Plain flour
Self Raising flour
Strong white bread flour
Castor sugar
Cocoa powder

Few potatoes
Onions

2x tins tomatoes
2 eggs
Tinned pineapple
Everyday value curry sauce jar
Marmalade
Selection of jams

Instant noodles
Pasta (penne)
A few Cannelloni tubes
Lasagne sheets
Pearl barley
Arborio rice
Green lentils
Plain rice
Sage & onion stuffing mix

Stock pots (fish, veg, beef & chicken)
Bag'n'season Chicken Biryani packet
Beef & tomato casserole packet mix
Hoisin stir fry sauce
Black bean sauce jar

Lemon juice
Mustard powder
Soy sauce (light & dark)
Tabasco
Lea & Perrins
White wine vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Oyster sauce
Fish sauce


FRIDGE:
Spread
Ham
Pastrami
1kg Cheddar
5 Bockwurst sausages
Cherry tomatoes


FREEZER:
Spinach
Cabbage
Carrots
Green beans
Diced swede

Chips
Fries
Hash browns
Onion rings
Burger buns
Hotdog rolls
Puff pastry

Breaded scampi
1 'chip shop' style fish
1 Salmon fillet
1White fish fillet
Bacon



Also a large selection of dried spices/ herbs/ leaves etc