Help me reduce my astronomical food spends.

lizalloareds

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

It seems an awful lot for three people to be quite honest, I feed four to five adults (DD is a vegetarian and her BF is a fussy eater) for £160-£200 a month. I do use Aldi but we buy most of our meat from the local farm or butcher, a little more expensive, yes but it tastes like meat and I stretch it out.
I grow my own veg and did so when I worked full time which helps on food costs. I also use the farm and local market which is much cheaper for fruit and veg.

We rarely eat out, mainly because we have had some pretty horrid meals when we have had takeaways and from restaurants and had to pay through the nose for them :mad:

I batch cook so we always have a HM ready meal that can be heated up quickly.

In my freezer I have all of these HM ready meals

• 2 Bolognaise sauce
• 2 Lasagnes
• 1 Moroccan tagine
• 1 sausage pasta sauce
• 1 bacon pasta sauce
• 2 sausage, bacon and mushroom crumble
• 2 Cottage pies
• 2 Sausage toad
• 1 sausage stew
• 1 chicken stew
• 2 beef stew
• 1 lamb hotpot
• 1 Mediterranean pork stew
• 1 Beef in black bean sauce
• 1 Chicken in hoisin sauce
• 1 Chicken jalfrezi
• 1 Chicken Korma
• 2 Roast Lamb in gravy
• 2 Roast Beef in gravy
• 1 Roast pork in gravy
• 2 Steak and kidney pies
• 2 Ham and Pineapple pizzas
• 2 Pepperoni pizzas
• 3 cheese and tomato pizzas

I also have

• HM potato wedges spiced with all purpose seasoning and some plain
• HM roast potatoes
• HM yorkshire puddings

Mainly because I am waiting for an operation and will not be able to cook for a few weeks and I do not want to live on DH's cooking for any length of time :rotfl:But if I have a bad day and haven't the energy to cook there is always something that the family can rustle up that is not full of chemicals.

could you share the recipe for Mediterranean pork stew please x

DollyDabbler

Butterfly brain - please will you share your recipe for sausage, bacon and mushroom crumble? This sounds like something the Dabblers family would tuck into.

HOWMUCH

Is it just 3 adults in the household? Well if it is that's the same here. Most things I cook are either 6 portions or 4 portions the spare ones go into the freezer. I too work 37 hours per week. What do you cook or like to eat? I alway's take HM sarnies out with us and reuse drink bottles with made up cordial.

shoei

Linda32 wrote: »

Well, to be honest, I don't see where you have the time to make much more than a sandwich anyway


I have to ask, do you need to reduce the bill for financial reasons or do you just think the bill is too high?


I would suggest writing down everything you have in the cupboards and freezer which you can make meals out of.


Then match them up, like you say above, the chicken with potatoes and veggies.

Lol, it's amazing where you find the time, I also have the horse and dog to look after but luckily horse is at home so not too much hardship.

Really I just think it is too much to be spending on food when I could be spending it on much more enjoyable things.... not that I don't enjoy food as I am a right foodie.

I think I would like to look at spending £300-£350 inc toiletries etc. Animal food is a separate spend.

shoei

AnnieO1234 wrote: »

I'm sorry but food is easy to cook in advance and if OP has time to go out to eat then she has time to batch cook at least!

When you say there are three adults, is this an older teenager? Or an OAP? That will have a bearing obviously. If it's an older teenager, do they pay rent or board? That's another option for you to look into.

Are there any dietary needs including allergies? This just seems like a high spend is all and I'm trying to work out why. Do you always buy premium produce for example?

Which shop do you have delivery from? Have you looked at my supermarket.co.uk and seen if a different store would be cheaper?

You say you are rural, farm shops might, MIGHT be cheaper for veg.

Xxx

I do try and batch cook, I made chicken curry last night which I will freeze but sometimes lack the inspiration when I get in at 8.30 at night and am out at 6.30. Also, with only 2 days off a month which inevitably gets taken up by chores at home, when we go out for meals it is generally socialising with friends, we don't really go out on our own. The third adult is my SIL who has moved in after a relationship breakup (a whole other story but she does make a contribution to bills)

I do generally buy branded products as an idea this is a list of the products on my last delivery.

Tropicana OJ (I like the extra bits version and the own brand don't do this) £2.48
Shampoo and conditioner (buy 2 for £2)
Hair spray (buy 2 fr £4)
Tin pilchards 0.55
Own brand pesto 1.30
White wine (We don't drink very often so probably 1 purchase like this per month) 4.49
Fresh double cream 1.75
strawberries 3.00
Turkey fillet 3.59
mango chutney 1.19
value natural yoghurt 0.45
poppadums 1.69
Hovis bread x 2 = 2.00
finest naan x2 2.60
Chicken thigh fillets (I would happily buy bone in but other half moans and I'm not confident on filleting myself) £4.70
Meringue nest £1.20
Microwave rice x6 @3 for £3 £6
Apples £1
Coriander £1
Satsumas x2 4.50
Aubegine 0.85
mange tout 1.60
baby corn 1.60
spring onions 0.56
carrots 0.54
Bacon x 12 rashes 3.60
antibac wipes 0.75
Countrylife butter x2 @ 2 x £4 ( I like to try and buy produce that support British farmers when I can)
sweets £1
watercress 1.30
deli ham on the bone 1 slice £2.93!
Wafer thin ham x2 for £3
2 fresh rolls 0.80

shoei

richardw wrote: »

What is the cost of going to the nearest Lidl or Aldi?

About £5 delivery is £1

shoei

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

It seems an awful lot for three people to be quite honest, I feed four to five adults (DD is a vegetarian and her BF is a fussy eater) for £160-£200 a month. I do use Aldi but we buy most of our meat from the local farm or butcher, a little more expensive, yes but it tastes like meat and I stretch it out.
I grow my own veg and did so when I worked full time which helps on food costs. I also use the farm and local market which is much cheaper for fruit and veg.

We rarely eat out, mainly because we have had some pretty horrid meals when we have had takeaways and from restaurants and had to pay through the nose for them :mad:

I batch cook so we always have a HM ready meal that can be heated up quickly.

In my freezer I have all of these HM ready meals

• 2 Bolognaise sauce
• 2 Lasagnes
• 1 Moroccan tagine
• 1 sausage pasta sauce
• 1 bacon pasta sauce
• 2 sausage, bacon and mushroom crumble
• 2 Cottage pies
• 2 Sausage toad
• 1 sausage stew
• 1 chicken stew
• 2 beef stew
• 1 lamb hotpot
• 1 Mediterranean pork stew
• 1 Beef in black bean sauce
• 1 Chicken in hoisin sauce
• 1 Chicken jalfrezi
• 1 Chicken Korma
• 2 Roast Lamb in gravy
• 2 Roast Beef in gravy
• 1 Roast pork in gravy
• 2 Steak and kidney pies
• 2 Ham and Pineapple pizzas
• 2 Pepperoni pizzas
• 3 cheese and tomato pizzas

I also have

• HM potato wedges spiced with all purpose seasoning and some plain
• HM roast potatoes
• HM yorkshire puddings

Mainly because I am waiting for an operation and will not be able to cook for a few weeks and I do not want to live on DH's cooking for any length of time :rotfl:But if I have a bad day and haven't the energy to cook there is always something that the family can rustle up that is not full of chemicals.

Wowee you have more choice in your freezer than a supermarket. Thanks for all that inspiration, I never even thought of feezing my own Yorkshire puds and I hate purchased ones!

shoei

HOWMUCH wrote: »

Is it just 3 adults in the household? Well if it is that's the same here. Most things I cook are either 6 portions or 4 portions the spare ones go into the freezer. I too work 37 hours per week. What do you cook or like to eat? I alway's take HM sarnies out with us and reuse drink bottles with made up cordial.

Yes, just the 3 adults. We really are not that fussy, other half is not a big fish eater but other than that we will eat most things. I think I spend a lot when I don't take sandwiches or we are out and 'grab something' for example last week I finished work on the Sat. Visited FIL so he could change my tyre, I'd not eaten, it was lunch time... que a visit to subway and a £15 spend for me, OH and FIL.

shoei

Thanks for all your suggestions guys, it's really helpful.

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi just wanted to say that I live rurally too and have always had my shopping delivered.

Then I started going to Aldi which is a 40 mile round trip but found that even factoring in the petrol cost I was saving money. I filled the car up at the Asda petrol station while I was there which saved me a fortune too. I dont have the time to do this any more so I go to a local Lidl instead but its worth considering.

I cut my grocery shopping by £100 a month and have kept it down for a couple of years now. For me its all about four principles:

1. Mealplan. Only buy what exactly what you need.
2. Dont waste anything. Freeze leftovers or make them into something else.
3. Dont buy ready made if you can make it yourself.
4. Forget brands. The only branded items I buy now are coffee, tea and bleach.

It does take some practice though, and a bit of trial and error. I have a very busy life and mealplanning actually saves a lot of time. Some nights I will cook two teas at once to save me cooking the next night if I have got something on.

Good luck.