Where can I save on my weekly food shop?

Luckylucy

I need to cut down on the weekly shop. I think I am spending about £80-£90 a week on the four of us currently. I've like to get this down to £50. I've done a typical shop on mysupermarket and it's already over and missing lots of things that we don't always need every week but need to get at least once a month. Like loo roll, toiletires, nappies, Cleaning stuff etc...

Im sure I can get this down but I am at a loss of where to start!

shopping list 40 items: £67.91

2x Wall's Mini Twister Ice Lollies (8x50ml) £3.00 any 2 FOR £3.00
2x Weight Watchers from Heinz Double Chocolate Brownies (2 per pack - 172g) £2.00 was £1.78
1x ASDA Chosen by You Roasting Parsnips (680g) 91p
1x ASDA Smartprice Mixed Vegetables (1Kg) 75p
1x McCain Original 5% Fat Oven Chips - Straight Cut (1.81Kg) £2.00 was £3.30
1x Birds Eye Fish Fingers with Omega 3 (10 per pack - 280g) £1.00 was £2.09
1x ASDA Ham & Pineapple Pizza (330g) £1.00
1x ASDA Garlic Baguettes (3 per pack - 510g) £1.00
1x ASDA Chosen by You Egg Lasagne (375g) 50p
1x ASDA Basmati White Rice (500g) £1.08
1x Weetabix Chocolate (24 per pack - 540g) £2.68
1x Clover (500g) £1.50
1x Cheestrings Original (8x20g) £2.00
1x Arla Lactofree Semi Skimmed Milk (1L) £1.34
1x Cathedral City Mature Cheddar (2x350g) £4.00
1x ASDA 1% Fat Milk 4 Pints (2.27L) £1.00
1x ASDA Mixed Weight Free Range Eggs (6) 97p
1x ASDA Smartprice Strawberry Fromage Frais (6x55g) 42p
1x Dolmio Lasagne Sauce - Tomato (500g) £1.00
1x Dolmio Cheesy Sauce for Lasagne (470g) £1.00
1x Ragu Bolognese Sauce - Original (454g) £1.98
1x ASDA Chosen by You Mild Chilli Cooking Sauce (500g) £1.00 any 2 FOR £2.00
1x ASDA Chosen by You Tikka Masala Cooking Sauce (500g) £1.00 any 2 FOR £2.00
2x Warburtons Medium Sliced White Bread (800g) £2.00
1x Warburtons Crumpets (9) £1.00
1x Warburtons Half & Half Sliced Sandwich Thins (6) £1.00
2x ASDA Butcher's Selection Lean Irish Beef Mince (500g) £7.00 any 2 FOR £7.00
1x ASDA Wafer Thin Honey Roast Ham (480g) £2.50
1x ASDA Butcher's Selection Chicken Fillets (5 per pack - 930g) £6.50

Fruit & Vegetables
Drinks
1x ASDA Seedless Red Grapes (500g) £1.50
1x ASDA Whole Cucumber 50p
1x ASDA Clementines (700g) £1.00
1x ASDA Smartprice Potatoes (2.5Kg) £1.18
3x ASDA Apple, Grapes & Cheese (150g) £3.00
1x ASDA Bananas (10) £1.50
1x ASDA Gala Apples (600g) £1.25
1x ASDA White Mushrooms (400g) £1.00
1x ASDA Golden Delicious Apples (600g) £1.35
1x ASDA Chosen by You Apple & Blackcurrant Squash Double Strength with No Added Sugar (1.5L)
£1.25 any 2 FOR £2.50
1x ASDA Chosen by You Summer Fruits Squash Double Strength with No Added Sugar (1.5L) £1.25 any 2 FOR £2.50


Few things instantly, the squash should last the month, the weetabix should last two weeks. The random parsnips are for me as I eat them on their own I have a slightly odd diet! The chips should last a month as well.
I've stopped buying lettuce as it always goes off as I am the only one that eats it, same with fresh carrots We eat alot of fruit which apart from the meat is the biggest expense I think. I also would like to add some more meat if possible like lamb as my diet consists of Fruit, Parsnips, Cheese, Tomato's and cold cooked meat, with the occasional slice of toast (The thins are mine)

I need to learn to cook and budget better. I am very much a top up shopper and just shop fortnightly so once i've got a weeks worth of fresh food I tend to also have a weeks worth of bung it in the oven frozen stuff instead of planning and making the most out of what I buy!

I would use a butcher for meat but they closed down on the 23rd December! Mr T is my closest shop large enough to do a grocery shop, But is more expensive than Mr A, I am thinking of saving myself the fuel and just getting stuff delivered as it's still more expensive in fuel to get to an actual big supermarket or town with a market sufficient enough.

I have heard about these multi cooker things that you can use as a slow cooker and a steamer? are they any good?

Thank you in advance for any advice!

niftythrifty33

Hi Luckylucy...

Here's just a few suggestions (after years of budgeting for a big family!).
Lidl/Aldi are cheap for fruit & veg.
Lollies-make your own or buy ice cream as it goes further.
All the sauces etc that are ready made, try making your own. It's very easy with great recipes on here. Once you've done it a few times you will gain confidence and never buy a jar of ready made sauce again.
Homemade pizza, very cheap and fun to make with kids.
Don't buy cheesestrings. Cut up cheese as it better for the kids.
Own brand weetabix instead of chocolate.
Own brand spread instead of clover. Or use butter but use less.
Make your own bread?
I would look at the ingredients in value Fromage Frais, it put me off when I knew??

Good luck and I hope this helps a little. Even if you just make your own sauces you will save loads

Edited: Forgot to say, having a meal plan and shopping list is a great money saver.

mrsmortenharket

If you can get to Aldi/lidl then they're cheaper.

Start by cutting out the unnecessary like the lollies & WW brownies. Same with the cheese strings.

Chilli powder, tinned tomatoes & kidney beans for chilli.

Curry powder, tinned tomatoes & extra veg for curry.

Can also make lasagne from scratch. You just need a basic white sauce for the top.

Pizza base, I make using plain flour, yeast & water. Use pasatta to top & grated cheese & whatever else you like. You can freeze left over dough.

Mamacandoit

A lot of the sauces on your list are very easy to make in minutes.
For white/cheese sauce, google magic mix recipe (I can't post links bc I'm new)
Pizza is very very easy to make. We make it about twice a week. The dough can keep in the fridge for two weeks and takes 5 min to make. You're never more than 10 min away from homemade pizza so long as you have passata (sieved tomatoes 36p in Aldi, enough for 6 pizzas) and some cheese about. For the dough google "dough 5min a day recipe"

Lastly, can you try stopping squash drinks? They extremely unhealthy. Water is delicious and healthy! We never have squash or juice at home and my kids love water...although tbh they love having squash at friends' houses!

mummypops

Hi LuckyLucy
Good for you for eating lots of fruit and parsnips! ;-)

You mentioned you need to learn to cook and I really think you could save money by making some of the sauces. Don't be overwhelmed by this, just start with one thing, like the lasagne, chilli and bolognaise sauce. The jar sauces will cost you £4.00, but the internet is full of basic tomato sauce recipes that will be much cheaper for you to buy the ingredients and adapt each sauce for the meal you've chosen, ie adding kidney beans and a red chilli (or chilli powder) for the chilli.
Once your confident you can batch cook the meals and move to a new recipe, like the lasagne white sauce or a curry.

Just a thought do you have a C0stc0 or Lid! near you? Both offer good quality meat at good prices?

Also I don't have a multi cooker, but wouldn't be without my slow cooker!
Good Luck on your 2014 reduce your food shop challenge.
X

camNolliesMUMMY

I did notice it's all branded stuff? Try aldi for their own brand stuff because they often beat branded. They also do a super six on fruit n veg this week all 39p little gem lettuce, cucumber, Savoy cabbage, 4 pack garlic, bunch of spring onions, celery.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/product-range/fresh-bakery/this-weeks-latest-super-6-offers/

Or try going to shop brand level instead at your regular supermarket.
We have sp everything unless something is reduced of higher brand if cheaper or same price as the sp at the time.

Farmfoods for bread it's 2 loafs for £1.60

Either try making your own sauce or go into home bargains. They do various curry sauces for 59p that we have but I can't remember the brand.

Sally_A

Hi Luckylucy - I'm guessing as you are budgeting for nappies that your children are still small, so on half portions.


It would be handy if from the list you posted, you advised your meal plan using those ingredients.


Agree with Mrsmortenharket- The tomato based sauces can be replaced with 400g tins of chopped tomatoes, then add chopped peppers, mushrooms or whatever you wish (jars of sauces tend to have higher sugar), a tin of tomatoes, a shake of chilli powder or tabasco sauce for the chilli con carne jar.


Lasagne is only a horizontal layered Bolognese in my book with added faff and effort - yes I do like it, but a Bolognese with grated cheese/parmesan on top is cheaper than white sauce.


You state you are not that confident when it comes to cooking - have a go - honestly if you follow a recipe for a basic meal you won't be that far wrong.


I buy plain cheese and tomato pizzas, OK they may still be £1, but tend to be bigger than 330g - then go mad with toppings from what I have in the fridge - my favourite is tuna, onion, black olive and jalapenos.


May I ask why you are on a special diet - from the list of things that you eat, I'm stumped to think what diet it is.


Anyhow - maybe tot up the cost of various meals you do, and then use the top 10 cheapest more often.

pandora205

If you don't cook from scratch much a really useful book is the Student Cookbook. I bought this for my son going to uni but have pinched it back as it is so full of simple recipes with lots of variations on each - so it's not just for students. I cook most things from scratch anyway but this gives a really useful collection of recipes
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Student-Cookbook-Cookery-Hamlyn/dp/0600609650/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1388962323&sr=8-2&keywords=student+cook+book

and of course MSE has loads of ideas too.

Luckylucy

Thanks everyone I'm not on a special diet, I just have an odd diet if that makes sense! I feel sick every time I eat or drink anything no matter what size I have so I try to just eat really fresh foods, in little bits throughout the day. (I'll admit I am partial to a bit of choccy or a biscuit aswell but mainly just those items above) I tend to have a twister everyday, I know I need to drop them as they are expensive but that is probably 50% of my fluid intake a day!

I am going to look up some sauce recipes and give them a go this week, The branded things are my OH.... He won't eat anything but Warburtons Bread, Clover Spread or Dolmio or Ragu sauces. If I can make a good enough sauce hopefully I can get those sauces out but it may not be worth the stress on the bread and the spread just yet!

Does Lidl do lean mince? There is one in the town with Mr T I will have a mooch around but must remember to take my bags! I always forget to put them back in the car so rarely go in.

My youngest (3) is in pj pants *Mr T branded pull up! Haven't got the pennies for huggies!*

I am a bit worried about the yoghurt now! Do I dare look at the ingredients?! What would people recommend instead?

Will have a look at the squash, Is it really that bad?

I have a slower cooker and a george foreman but they are far to big, I want to downsize.

I do LOVE a casserole!

My meal plan, in no particular order was:

Spag Bol & Garlic Bread + Salad
Chilli and Rice + hidden(ish) veg
Lasagne and Garlic Bread + Salad
Pizza, Chips, Veg
Chicken Curry & Rice
Chicken Pasta Bake + Garlic Bread + Salad (have the other bits in the cupboard)
Fish fingers or Jacket Potato's

I get bloody sick of mince!! But it's the only thing my OH will cook and I'm so busy. I prefer to buy the chilled pizza bases and do our own toppings. Pineapple and BBQ sauce yum!

What kind of herbs and spices are best to get in for the store cupboard?

Rebob

Learn to cook one thing from scratch and once happy with it cook double amounts so you can freeze or fridge some for another meal.

I shop at aldi as its easy to save a third over shopping in Asda or Tesco. Also look online to see what their super six is that week and tweek your weeks menu to use them.

As has been mentioned, pizza and sauces are an easy place to get better taste for lower cost.

Pasta sauce - dice an onion and fry until soft. Add a tin of tomatoes (cheaper to chop them yourself using a pair of scissors while in the can). Add a pinch of sugar and salt and lots of basil and/or oregano. Simmer to reduce and if you want you can blend it a bit to make a smoother sauce for on your pizza bases.

natlie

Luckylucy wrote: »

I need to cut down on the weekly shop. I think I am spending about £80-£90 a week on the four of us currently. I've like to get this down to £50. I've done a typical shop on mysupermarket and it's already over and missing lots of things that we don't always need every week but need to get at least once a month. Like loo roll, toiletires, nappies, Cleaning stuff etc...

Im sure I can get this down but I am at a loss of where to start!

shopping list 40 items: £67.91

2x Wall's Mini Twister Ice Lollies (8x50ml) £3.00 any 2 FOR £3.00 do you really need these? cheaper farmfoods or aldi
2x Weight Watchers from Heinz Double Chocolate Brownies (2 per pack - 172g) £2.00 was £1.78 non-essential?
1x ASDA Chosen by You Roasting Parsnips (680g) 91p buy loose parsnips and roast at home
1x ASDA Smartprice Mixed Vegetables (1Kg) 75p
1x McCain Original 5% Fat Oven Chips - Straight Cut (1.81Kg) £2.00 was £3.30 try own brand
1x Birds Eye Fish Fingers with Omega 3 (10 per pack - 280g) £1.00 was £2.09 try own brand
1x ASDA Ham & Pineapple Pizza (330g) £1.00
1x ASDA Garlic Baguettes (3 per pack - 510g) £1.00
1x ASDA Chosen by You Egg Lasagne (375g) 50p
1x ASDA Basmati White Rice (500g) £1.08
1x Weetabix Chocolate (24 per pack - 540g) £2.68
1x Clover (500g) £1.50 try own brand
1x Cheestrings Original (8x20g) £2.00
1x Arla Lactofree Semi Skimmed Milk (1L) £1.34
1x Cathedral City Mature Cheddar (2x350g) £4.00 Aldi cheaper
1x ASDA 1% Fat Milk 4 Pints (2.27L) £1.00
1x ASDA Mixed Weight Free Range Eggs (6) 97p
1x ASDA Smartprice Strawberry Fromage Frais (6x55g) 42p
1x Dolmio Lasagne Sauce - Tomato (500g) £1.00 try own brand
1x Dolmio Cheesy Sauce for Lasagne (470g) £1.00 make at home
1x Ragu Bolognese Sauce - Original (454g) £1.98 try own brand
1x ASDA Chosen by You Mild Chilli Cooking Sauce (500g) £1.00 any 2 FOR £2.00
1x ASDA Chosen by You Tikka Masala Cooking Sauce (500g) £1.00 any 2 FOR £2.00
2x Warburtons Medium Sliced White Bread (800g) £2.00
1x Warburtons Crumpets (9) £1.00 try own brand
1x Warburtons Half & Half Sliced Sandwich Thins (6) £1.00
2x ASDA Butcher's Selection Lean Irish Beef Mince (500g) £7.00 any 2 FOR £7.00 eeek expensive!
1x ASDA Wafer Thin Honey Roast Ham (480g) £2.50
1x ASDA Butcher's Selection Chicken Fillets (5 per pack - 930g) £6.50

Fruit & Vegetables
Drinks
1x ASDA Seedless Red Grapes (500g) £1.50
1x ASDA Whole Cucumber 50p
1x ASDA Clementines (700g) £1.00
1x ASDA Smartprice Potatoes (2.5Kg) £1.18
3x ASDA Apple, Grapes & Cheese (150g) £3.00
1x ASDA Bananas (10) £1.50
1x ASDA Gala Apples (600g) £1.25
1x ASDA White Mushrooms (400g) £1.00
1x ASDA Golden Delicious Apples (600g) £1.35
1x ASDA Chosen by You Apple & Blackcurrant Squash Double Strength with No Added Sugar (1.5L)
£1.25 any 2 FOR £2.50
1x ASDA Chosen by You Summer Fruits Squash Double Strength with No Added Sugar (1.5L) £1.25 any 2 FOR £2.50


Thank you in advance for any advice!

I find ASDA really expensive for what I buy try going on my supermarket to see if there are cheaper, ALDI will definitely be cheaper, and their products are such good quality.
Nat