No Money For Three Weeks - Help with Menu Please

3WayFreedom

Hello there lovely Old Stylers,

Due to unforeseen circumstances (I started a new job and my car that I need for work needed costly repairs) I have £5 to last three weeks until my wages come in to my bank account.

I don't want to borrow any money as it means repaying it back and my monthly budget it already tight; so I was wondering if you lovely folks could have a look at what I have in my kitchen and see if you could make it last three weeks for me. I'm not the greatest menu planner in the world but I have seen many of you work wonders with next to nothing.
I have to feed myself (adult female), my 2 year old toddler and my 15 year old nephew who is staying with me for a few weeks as his mother is ill.


I have:
Dry Cupboard

1 box of cornflakes
1kg pasta twists
500gms rice
1 small tub of gravy granules
Mustard
10 Stock Cubes
Ketchup
Vinegar
Full jar of Peanut Butter
500gms Raisins
100gms Nuts
Cornflour
1 bag of Shortcrust Pastry Mix
12 Oatcakes/Crackers
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 jar of Jalfrezi sauce
1 tin of chickpeas
1 tin of chicken soup
2 tins of garden peas
2 tins of baked beans
Tea & Coffee

Fridge
1/2 jar of Mayo
8 Eggs
1 large tub Natural Greek Yoghurt
250gms Butter
500gms grated Cheddar
2 Pints milk
10 Potatoes
20 small Onions
1 Cabbage (getting past its best)
3 parsnips
Punnet of grapes
Two apples

Freezer
4 Lamb Chops
1 medium Chicken
4 Chicken legs
2 small packets of mince(250gms) , 1 lamb 1 beef
1kg Oven Chips
Frozen Carrots,
Mixed Veg
Green Beans
1/2 Loaf of bread

Plus £5

Many Thanks in advance x x x

Floss

First of all, does your nephew's mum know that you have so little on which to feed her son? Maybe she could pass on her child benefit for him - just one weeks money would quadruple your cash.

Initially, I can see around 11 meals, but I'm not an expert, and I'm sure Butterfly Brain will be along soon (she's a whizz at this!):

mince - 2 meals for all of you from each pack = 4
chicken legs - 2 meals for all of you from them = 2
chicken - at least 3 meals for all of you, maybe more = 3
lamb chops - 2 meals for all of you from them = 2

3WayFreedom

Thank you for the fast response. xx

My sister is ill at the moment and not really up to any kind of discussion about anything. His father is coming home at the end of April (working away in Middle East) and he will be going to live with his dad then. It's only a four week period that my nephew will be living with me and with their family being in a bit of a crisis at the moment I don't want to bring up the financial side of things.

phizzimum

do you have any nectar or tesco clubcard points that you could use?

I'd recommend having a look at Jack Monroe's blog as she had to feed herself and a toddler on practically nothing (although she didn't have a teenage boy to feed - you are a very lovely sister to not ask for anything for his keep, I know how much 15 year old boys eat!)

Busymumofthreeplusdog

If you buy basics white four around 45p and some yeast you could make your own bread, pancakes etc to eek things out. I think hm soups/stews would be a good way of making items go further, especially if you add lentils/pasta to bulk them out. Do you need to make packed lunches or is your nephew entitled to a school dinner. Might be worth contacting the school given the unusual circumstances. You might also be entitled to access a food bank?
Wishing you the very best at this challenging time

Auntie_Sceb

3WayFreedom wrote: »

Hello there lovely Old Stylers,

Due to unforeseen circumstances (I started a new job and my car that I need for work needed costly repairs) I have £5 to last three weeks until my wages come in to my bank account.

I don't want to borrow any money as it means repaying it back and my monthly budget it already tight; so I was wondering if you lovely folks could have a look at what I have in my kitchen and see if you could make it last three weeks for me. I'm not the greatest menu planner in the world but I have seen many of you work wonders with next to nothing.
I have to feed myself (adult female), my 2 year old toddler and my 15 year old nephew who is staying with me for a few weeks as his mother is ill.


I have:
Dry Cupboard

[STRIKE]1 box of cornflakes
1kg pasta twists
500gms rice[/STRIKE]
1 small tub of gravy granules
Mustard
[STRIKE]10 Stock Cubes[/STRIKE] 9
Ketchup
Vinegar
Full jar of Peanut Butter
[STRIKE]500gms Raisins
100gms Nuts
Cornflour
1 bag of Shortcrust Pastry Mix
12 Oatcakes/Crackers
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 jar of Jalfrezi sauce
1 tin of chickpeas
1 tin of chicken soup[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]2 tins of garden peas
2 tins of baked beans[/STRIKE]
Tea & Coffee

Fridge
1/2 jar of Mayo
[STRIKE]8 Eggs[/STRIKE] 2
[STRIKE]1 large tub Natural Greek Yoghurt[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]250gms Butter[/STRIKE] 100g
[STRIKE]500gms grated Cheddar[/STRIKE] 400g
[STRIKE]2 Pints milk
10 Potatoes[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]20 small Onions[/STRIKE] 12
[STRIKE]1 Cabbage (getting past its best)
3 parsnips
Punnet of grapes
Two apples[/STRIKE]

Freezer
4 Lamb Chops
[STRIKE]1 medium Chicken[/STRIKE]
4 Chicken legs
[STRIKE]2 small packets of mince(250gms) , 1 lamb 1 beef[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE[STRIKE]]1kg Oven Chips[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Frozen Carrots,
Mixed Veg
Green Beans
1/2 Loaf of bread[/STRIKE]

Plus £5

Many Thanks in advance x x x

I would spent almost entirely £5 on milk - needed for most recipes. Toddler certainly needs. For you and nephew could water down. Possibly some value or some reduced bread. Flour though could use cornflour for cheese sauce. Not sure baking own bread actually works out cheaper than value/reduced. I have plenty of food left but not knowing the size of frozen veg I'm thinking you may need some more to add to the meat portions,

3 weeks = 21 x 3 = 63 breakfast, lunch, dinner

Breakfast (50 portions)

Cornflakes (if 750g) + 3000mls/5.3 pints milk = (30 portions)
Pancakes, 2 eggs, 200ml milk, 100 g flour = 12 pancakes = (6 portions)
Pancakes, 2 eggs, 200ml milk, 100 g flour = 12 pancakes = (6 portions)
3 Crackers + peanut butter (4 portions)
Grapes and natural yoghurt + chopped nuts (4 portions)

Lunch (24) + more if can get more bread.
Soup cabbage, onions, stock cubes, a potato, parsnip + bread (? 10 portions lunch)
Beans on toast 1 tin Baked beans value bread (4 portions)
Beans on toast 1 tin Baked beans value bread (4 portions)
Cheese and Onion sandwich value bread (6 portions)

Dinner (41)

Chickpea Curry Jar Jalfrezi + 1/2 tin chickpeas + tin peas Stretch this to make 6 portions(jar usual says serves 3 but mine always go much further - add a bit of water (not sure if toddler will eat maybe with a bit of yoghurt?) you and nephew 2 portions - freeze the rest + rice 50g - 75g each - (6 portions)
Pasta Bake/Macaroni cheese - 1/2 pasta 100g cheese onion flour 500mls/1 pint milk freeze left overs serve with frozen veg (6 portions).
Chilli Beef mince 1/2 tin chick peas 1 tin tomatos, onions (don't worry if you actually don't have chilli powder!) serve with pasta (8 portions)
Sheperd's pie 6 potatoes, parsnip (for topping) lamb mince stock cube onion (6 portions)
Roast Chicken 2t potatoes. 1 parsnip frozen veg gravy (3 portions)
Chicken Pie Left over chicken chicken soup 1/2 pastry serve with tin peas (6 portions)
Quiche 2 eggs milk/water cheese onion 1/2 pastry. Oven chips (6 portions)

Pudding (16)

Apple Crumble 2 apples some raisins butter flour (4 portions)
Tea Loaf Raisins tea flour (12 portions)

[Deleted User]

Iceland do two x 4 pints milk for £1.80 if you have the room you could freeze some for next week or the week after

hornetgirl

Do you have a slow cooker? If so you could make some rice pudding overnight to have for breakfast.

AnnieO1234

Get all the fresh veg frozen, now. Don't waste any more time.

Look in all your drawers, bags, car etc for spare change.

Take a look at agirlcalledjacks blog.

Be back later once I've looked at your cupboard list.

Xx

pollypenny

I was listening to Jack Munro on the radio today. Her ideas were marvellous. One good idea was that dried milk powder for cooking sauces etc worked put far cheaper than even supermarket milk.

A 15 year old lad is likely to be a problem though. Hollow legs and growth spurts.

3WayFreedom

Hello again

Thank you all for your suggestions.

I have peeled, blanched and frozen the parsnips. Ty for the suggestion Annie.
I also have a penny jar with £2.76 ... not much but will buy more bread/milk as and when needed.

I have bought some yellow stickered milk and bread (both gone into the freezer 2 pints and 2 loaves for £1.10 not bad going. )

I am going to use one of the pints and a tablespoon of the natural yoghurt to make more natural yoghurt in my slow cooker next week. Little one and I love yoghurt and with a few raisins thrown in, it is a healthy snack.

Thank you Polly, I have had a quick look at Jack Munro's site and it looks full of fab ideas.

I am planning on buying some cheap flour today and making an apple and raisin crumble with it. And then I cam freeze it and serve it with white sauce (milk, sugar & cornflour) sometime during the next 3 weeks.

I am making a basic tom and meat sauce with one lot of mince and shall have it over a couple of meals with rice. The pasta I shall make macaroni cheese with and sweet pasta (pasta, melted butter and sugar.)

Thanks for the whole menu Auntie Sceb, I shall be following plenty of it.

I do have a slow cooker yes Hornet Girl, I shall look up a simple rice pud recipe and have a bash at it. I do love milky puds.

I have also cooked the chicken (in the low cooker, on slow for 8 hours.) The bird just fell apart and was very tender. I have managed to make the bird into four meals. Chicken & Veg, Chicken & Chick Pea Jalfrezi, picked chicken for sandwichs and a chicken carcass, mixed veg and onion soup in the slow cooker as we speak.

I still have a long way to get through the next three weeks but you ideas have been inspirational... thank you all very much. x x