Help me reduce my astronomical food spends.

[Deleted User]

I agree with a lot said on here,I live alone but do lead a very busy life as I look after four of my grandsons full time before and after school, and during the holidays I also go to various clubs and interests during the week so my 'time off' is usually sat/sun if I'm lucky :) I always make at least double the amount when cooking, so I have one to eat fresh and the rest portioned up for the freezer.When I get home at night ,sometimes 7ish I too never fancy standing cooking, so what I am having for dinner gets taken out of the freezer and put into the fridge the night before, then I only have veg to do which takes very little time as I have a two-tier steamer which cooks green veg and carrots quite quickly.The microwave cooks the main bit and the steamer the rest :):)
I make a vat of HM soup usually on Sat to last through the week for lunches with crackers .Breakfast is usually cereal and fruit or porridge
I bake on a Sunday for the week and my hollow-legged strapping grandsons :) Far nicer and cheaper than buying shop cake or biscuits.This morning I will make a tin of biscuits,a lemon drizzle cake and a fruit cake .My big oven only goes on for baking as I have a Remoska or the m'wave for the rest.

In January I spent just under £60.00 for groceries and about a third of that went on fresh fruit and veg.If you have other adults in the house then get them to help you with the cooking.i don't mean to be rude but if you (god forbid) fell under a bus they would have to do it for themselves and not wait for you to recover.I worked full-time when my DDs were at home as did my late OH and both of the girls learned very early on that the family could only run as a unit, and not with Mum waiting on them hand a foot.

I used to start work at 5.00a.m. and often not finish until gone 7 at night but the girls knew what was going to be for dinner as I had a menu up on the fridge for the week and stuff was made or got from the freezer for each day.

I still keep a menu on my fridge and make it out on a Sunday morning (just done it for this week :)) and I know what I shall be eating all this week, and when I am in or out and what's needed to be got out of the freezer.

Its just a case of organising things a little.I can understand how annoying it is to be so far from the shops ,all the more reason to organise yourself .You obviously work very hard, so a bit of organisation will not only help you save a bit of cash, but precious time as well, as you need to sort out your work/life balance.Time for yourself is as important as rushing around sorting everyone else's time and food out.
Good luck I do hope you can reduce your bills a bit.

Linda32

shoei wrote: »

strawberries 3.00
Turkey fillet 3.59
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
Microwave rice x6 @3 for £3 £6
antibac wipes 0.75
deli ham on the bone 1 slice £2.93!
2 fresh rolls 0.80

Its up to you obviously but the strawberries are out of season and therefore very expensive.

When I roast a chicken (which I sometimes do when we don't want it immediately) I pull it apart and freeze in portions. These portions can then be frozen and defrosted. Re-heated ONCE ONLY or eaten cold after defrosted, say as topping for jacket spuds. What I mean is a whole chicken is much cheaper than the various portions.

Try dropping down a brand on the Naan breads and see if you can see a difference.

Try a packet of rice rather than microwave. It takes about 15-20 on the hob. So much cheaper and has to be worth a go.

You highlighed the price of the ham yourself :eek:

May I ask what you use the antibac wipes for? There are lots of products which do the same and are much cheaper.

I do appreciate that you only have two days off a month. I have 8 days off by comparison. Its one of those few occassions where buying ready made will actually save you money as it would mean you don't grab something whilst you are out.

But in doing so, you need to make a plan and list and then stick to it. Something very very quick for the nights you get in at 8.30pm

Socialising is different and what you go to work for IMO.

HTH

Goldiegirl

There's a load of good information on this thread


But I'm looking at it slightly differently.


The working pattern described doesn't seem sustainable in the long run - I think the OP will burn out, working all those hours.


By following all these suggestions, maybe, ultimately, the money saved will mean there's no need to work all those Saturdays?


Also, this is a three adult house - maybe it's time for the other two adults to step up to the mark and do their share? Maybe cooking duties could be divided, or everybody is on a rota, so that this doesn't fall on one person's shoulders. Seems fairer to me that way.

SailorSam

How is it that you need to shop on-line Op 'cos you live in a rural area but still manage to spend so much on takaways each week.
Instead of stopping off at McD, wouldn't it be better to call into the shops.

shoei

Thanks for all your help and support guys.

The price of that ham on the bone shocked the life out of me, because it was deli you don't know when you buy online!

I have done a meal plan for this week and think the others could at least manage jacket potato, to be fair to them, they do offer to cook but I am a bit of a control freak and .... well they just aren't that good lol.

So this week.

We have sandwiches for lunch.

Monday - Jacket potatoes with tuna
Tuesday - Chicken stirfry
Wednesday - Bacon Pesto pasta
Thursday - (Eating at good ol' mums)
Friday - Chicken fajita
Sat - Jacket potato cheese and beans
Sunday - Greek Ommlette

All of which I think I have in! Yay

Soworried

shoei wrote: »

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

Can you not buy a bag of rice? That would save quite a bit.

What is the meal plan to use this shopping up? The one posted above doesn't use it? It looks like you will be living on rice with veg and ham sandwiches

shoei

Soworried wrote: »

Can you not buy a bag of rice? That would save quite a bit.

What is the meal plan to use this shopping up? The one posted above doesn't use it? It looks like you will be living on rice with veg and ham sandwiches

We use the rice when we a starving and come in late, take 2 minutes to spice up with some herbs and salad.

We are having the double cream, strawberries and meringue tonight as a treat.

The chicken and turkey has been used in the curry last night with some in the freeze. 2 naaans gone 2 in cupboard. Poppadums gone. Aubegine, coriander also in curry.

We have toast every morning and sandwiches so get through a lot of bread.

Mange toute, sweetcorn, carrot and spring onions for stirfry with frozen chicken and noodles out cupboard tonight.

Ham for sandwiches for lunch.

I think I said earlier, we have a lot in the freezer and cupboards so will be able to make everything form my meal plan from that. Loads of chicken, frozen veg etc.

madnotstupid

When I was reading this post I starting thinking about panini, instead of subway. For a while when we were more time poor than now, I got into the habit of buying 8 or so panini, making them up (maybe you could even permit the others in the house to!!) with brie and cranberry, cheddar and ham, emmental and chicken or whatever, but had to include cheese and freezing them. they can be defrosted in the microwave then grilled or put in a press if you have one. It's really quite quick, and stopped quite a few stops at subway. same with rustlers burgers, ok they are full of carp, but if they steer you away from mackers. Damage limitation

madnotstupid

When I was reading this thread I starting thinking about panini, instead of subway. For a while when we were more time poor than now, I got into the habit of buying 8 or so panini, making them up (maybe you could even permit the others in the house to!!) with brie and cranberry, cheddar and ham, emmental and chicken or whatever, but had to include cheese and freezing them. they can be defrosted in the microwave then grilled or put in a press if you have one. It's really quite quick, and stopped quite a few stops at subway. same with rustlers burgers, ok they are full of carp, but if they steer you away from mackers. Damage limitation

madnotstupid

sorry for the duplication and I don't know how to delete - you can read it in stereo!!!:rotfl: