Eat Well for Less...Live on MSE

VfM4meplse

I think the most obvious way of reducing costs is under explored: how about just eating less full stop? Many of us eat too much anyway, start by cutting down on grazing between meals and treat the family in other ways.

determined_new_ms

I've been trying to reduce our grocery bill for a while (as have been out of work for a whole year so have reduced our household income by more than 50%) have just started shopping twice a month rather than weekly. It takes a bit of planning - hard to think up 14-16 meals that aren't the same! - but so far am liking it alot. I'm now on the 2nd shop of the month. The first shop showed me how many loaves of bread and milk we would need, i then buy and freeze these. I am loving it so far! First week the fridge is brimming, but by the 2nd week it starts to look a bit bare. But then I use tinned fruit/frozen veg (in the winter - currently don't need to buy veg as am using home grown). I've realised if I have certain items - milk, bread, fruit & coffee I'll happily substitute an ingredient for another and not bother going to the shops. My ultimate aim is to only subject myself to going into the supermarkets/shops twice a month

I've also bean eating a lot more pulses. I made this the other day and it was fantastic https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2013/03/20/gigantes-plaki-17p/ I used lemon juice

I'm making this tomorrow http://www.ayearofslowcooking.com/2008/11/salsa-chicken-and-black-bean-soup.html

I've been making greek yogurt in the slow cooker using a pint of uht and a couple of tablespoons of probiotic yogurt and then straining it. Cost is about 60p a litre & it's delish

Margaret_

Valli wrote: »

I now no longer buy cleaning products/personal care from supermarkets but from Savers and B&M - unless they're on offer. As an example bleach tablets for my loo cistern - £1.75 in Morrisons, £1 in Savers.

I do buy supermarket own cream cleaner from Morrisons, but that's about it (because it's cheaper than cif from savers).

I second this, I get my cleaning products from Wilkos and it works out so much cheaper. I buy Wilko's own brand rather than branded products though I think they sometimes have branded products on offer too. I've cleaned for a living and I don't see much difference between branded and cheaper products except sometimes packaging and smell.

ani*fan

mirry...I think you read my mind, I have a packet of sausage casserole mix that's been hanging around in the cupboard unused for a while, I'll definitely try your recipe when I can get Linda McC's sausages on offer.

Catkins...we don't have tesco anywhere close, that's one of the supermarkets that's out of the question.

The quorn mince with oats did NOT go down well with OH who said dinner had the texture of mashed potato. I will switch to asda own brand veggie mince which is much firmer and add some lentils. No harm in trying these things out.

Purrball is very happy to eat dried food that's been soaked in water. :T I am ecstatic about this. He's also about to run out so I'm going to get him some today, another trip to Aldi to see what I can get cheaply.

ani*fan

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I think the most obvious way of reducing costs is under explored: how about just eating less full stop? Many of us eat too much anyway, start by cutting down on grazing between meals and treat the family in other ways.

Yep, good idea, not eating too much is important. Me and OH are both in a healthy weight range for our heights and OH is prone to losing weight so we have the opposite problem with food, trying not to eat too little sometimes.

Worth thinking about quantity though so thanks for that.

ani*fan

Margaret_ wrote: »

I second this, I get my cleaning products from Wilkos and it works out so much cheaper. I buy Wilko's own brand rather than branded products though I think they sometimes have branded products on offer too. I've cleaned for a living and I don't see much difference between branded and cheaper products except sometimes packaging and smell.

I'm keeping an eye on the cleaning products. Aldi do some very cheap bleach. We don't have a wilkos anywhere close, the nearest is 102 miles away, but I will check out the pound shops and things like that.

suki1964

You arnt the first who's posted oats in the mince isn't good

I use red lentils. 400g of mince and 3 handfuls of lentils will make 8 portions of lasagne I just simmer away till they aren't noticeable

Valli

ani*fan wrote: »

I'm keeping an eye on the cleaning products. Aldi do some very cheap bleach. We don't have a wilkos anywhere close, the nearest is 102 miles away, but I will check out the pound shops and things like that.

B&m sell parazone Easy bleach for 39p; it's thick too.

mirry

ani*fan. Do you you think you put to much oats in your mince?

I know you avoid milk, but can you eat cheese?
Yesterday I made cheese veg pastys made with low fat cheese and low fat marg, 12 large pastys at 20p per pasty. They are in the freezer now and will make cheap meals served with salad. You can also make them with feta.

catkins

Nichelette wrote: »

Wow, I know it probably sounds silly but I didn't know beans could be frozen! I'm veggie like op and have just started buying bags of beans so I'll have to do that.

Re quorn, it is more expensive than beans, but if you have the space maybe you can do what I do and buy it when on offer to freeze? I only ever buy when it's £1 a bag and stockpile. I've tried own brands but don't like them so I buy when on offer or not at all. Mince and pieces are both £1 in Morrison's at the moment if you have one close .

I freeze chickpeas, kidney beans and other types of beans. Because they have to be soaked for a long time, I soak them overnight, cook them the next morning then put "portions" into plastic bags and freeze. It means I've got them ready to use if I decide to make something on the spur of the moment and don't have to worry about the soaking. It also cuts down on the cooking cost by cooking in a large batch rather than individually each time.

I don't do that with lentils because they don't have to be soaked for that long and don't, usually, take much time to cook.