feed a family of 4, almost vegan, on a rather small budget! Old Style!

missymoo81

so far

1.Burritos with greens
2.Fajitas with greens
3.veg fried rice
4.spaghetti bol
5.chilli with rice
6.shepherdess pie
7.butternut squash pasta bake and bread
8.hm pizza x 4 with greens and dessert
9.butternut risotto
10.thai green curry and rice
11.falefals in pittas with salad
12.veggie bean burgers in buns with hm chips and salad
13.lentil dahl and hm chapati
14.vegetable stew and veggie dumplings
15.lasagne and greens
16.meatballs on spaghetti
17.chickenless pie with mash and veg
18.Roast dinner x 3
19.mushroom stroganoff
20.morrocan spiced rice
21.chinese fakeaway x 2
22.Indian takeaway x 2
23. veggie bean sausage and mash

missymoo81

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

If you have a 'farm shop' anywhere close to you they will sell the sacks of potatoes, onions etc that you are looking for, our farm shop even sells big sacks of 'horse carrots' for a couple of pounds, theoretically these are the 'past their best' ones that horse owners are sold to feed their steeds but they are certainly good enough to soup and stew, even if you have to process then and freeze them to make them keep longer. Might be worth a look?

If you have a wholesalers card or have a friend who might authorise you to use theirs you would definitely get your 'sacks' of veg from there, somewhere like Makro? and at a very good price too.

I've just read a surprisingly easy but so sensible idea and that is to make a sauce by blitzing a can of cooked pulses (in this case cannellini beans) with some vegetable stock, fresh parsley, a clove of garlic and seasoning to use as a sauce on pasta, the recipe was served over 'spiralized courgette spaghetti' and had oven roasted tomatoes and mushrooms added too. This is an idea that would work with ANY pulses, be they home cooked or tinned and as the basic sauce will be quite simple you could dress it up with any flavourings you like. A really good way of adding in protein and fibre to your diet and using beans without it being obvious that they ARE beans.

wow thank you for that, I think i have an old Makro card from where i used to work, i wonder if i could still use that as that is only 5 mins away.

absolutely love the 'white sauce' recipe! there is my white sauce for my lasagne and my carbonara!!! lovely, thanks so much!

missymoo81

Aldi
frozen garden peas 69 ea x 2 1.38
self raising flour 45p
Strong white flour 75 ea x 2 1.50
granulated sugar 45p
british white potatoes 1.15 ea x2 2.30
sultanas 84p
mens deodorant 79p
plain flour 45p ea x2 90p
frozen sweetcorn 85p
baked beans 23p ea x8 1.84
kidney beans 25p ea x 6 1.50
passata 35p ea x 2 70p
tomato puree 37p
carrots 1kg 41p ea x 9 3.69
washing up liquid 79p
shampoo OH 59p
shampoo me 35p
swede 75p ea x 3 2.25
semi milk 6 pt 1.29ea x 5 6.45
10 large british eggs 75p
vegetable oil 95p
tuna chunks 53ea x 2 1.06
rich tea biscuits 25 ea x 4 1.00
salt and vinegar crisps x 6 75 ea x 2 1.50
instant noodles 18p
deodorant 79p
garlic x 4 bulbs 95p
kitchen towel 99p
chedder 3.49
natural yogurt 500g 45 ea x 4 1.80
washing liquid 1.79
value rice 4o ea x 2 80p
bin bags 95p
tampons 85p
wild rocket 89 ea x 4 3.56
pears 1.09ea x 7 7.63
pasta 29p
onions 39 ea x 2 7.63
roll on deodorant 59p
wholemeal bread 36 ea x 6 2.16
mushrooms 750g 1.59ea x 2 3.18
ground coffee 1.49ea x 3 4.47
satsumas 1.35ea x 2 2.70
spinach 450g 1.35ea x 4 5.40
chopped tomatoes 30 ea x 8 2.40
butter BEANS 33 ea x 4 1.32
tortilla wraps 69 ea x 2 1.39
malt wheats 89 ea x 4 3.56
peppers 700g 99 ea x 2 1.98
sweet potato 1kg 85 ea x 2 1.70
toothpaste 135ml 0.39p

Tesco
butternut squash 90 ea x 2 1.80
baby bath 50p
bananas 15 ea x 30 4.50
custard 17 ea x 2 0.34
value spaghetti 0.20
yeast 65p
syrup 1.18
red split lentils 2kg 3.25
lasagne sheets 0.29
brown sauce 0.29
ketchup 0.42
veg stock cubes 30 ea x 2 0.60
peanut butter 65 ea x 2 1.30
stuffing mix 40p
oats 1kg 75 ea x 6 4.50
pitta bread 6 35p
pink lemonade 2l 40p
value tea 40s 25 ea x 2 50p
vitalite spread 1.00
pepperoni 1.00
gammon joint 1.3kg 4.49
tomatoes 500g 69 ea x 3 2.07
value soap 25p
1 lt bath soak 85p
value razors 30 ea x 2 60p
press on towels 15p
hair mousse 1.00
food wrap 60p
value sponges 8 40p
thin bleach 2lt 29p
loo roll 9 rolls 2.00 ea x 3 6.00
value mixed frozen veg 1.16kg 89p
frozen brocoli 1.00

home bargains
chick peas 23 ea x 12 2.76

£136.66

missymoo81

ok so that is my list, as you will see there are some meat and dairy products in there. They are for the children and OH. and yes I know there are crisps and cereal on there, but I'm trying to ease him in gently....

Also I appreciate there aren't any spices on here, but i won't need things like bin bags, food wrap and sponges every month, so will buy some on the months i don't buy those.

But any ideas on how to cut prices and costs that would be very much appreciated.

missymoo81

Ok am doing some Sums and working out amounts of ingredients per meal and have had to change things slightly, I need more potatoes and peas etc, definitely thinking of getting a sack of potatoes, I'm easily going to use 10kg a month, and at a cost of £4.60, I'm sure I've seen 20-25kg bags for about £7. Will update in a second, all the changes.

missymoo81

Just had a massive revelation! OH forgot to tell me that the bill I'd assumed was for just Internet was actually for his phone too, so I'm up £16.57 Now bearing in mind I set the clothes budget to £15 a month!!!!! That has now gone up to £25 and the food budget has gone up to £136.57, will update my shopping list in a mo. X

pumpkinlife

Here is a recipe for soy yoghurt:

http://jennymustard.com/how-to-homemade-soy-yogurt/

I've never tried this one, but the one I tried needed straining, it turned out much thinner than regular yoghurt. After the straining, it was fine. If your adding the thin stuff to cooking though, it shouldn't be a problem. Some recipes call for vegan gelatine replacements such as agar to thicken instead.

I may have missed it, but I didn't see a milk replacement in your shopping list? If you don't have one, please make sure you take a multivitamin that includes B12, which you cannot get from any plant source apart from fortified foods; and possibly calcium, if you aren't packing in the greens or other calcium rich foods.

Here is a massive list of burger recipes, most of them very frugal:

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/tag/vegan-burger-recipes/

missymoo81

thank you pumpkin life. I do take b12, but will need to look into calcium, I'm making my own oat milk, using 'deliciously ella's' recipe from her book. My children actually prefer oat milk that i make but obviously it is devoid of all of the nutrients shop bought plant milks have. Do you know of any good b12 and calcium supplements for children? i don't want them to go without these vital vitamins. And that way, I could get rid of the cows milk and buy vitamins with the money saved, and just make oat milk for everyone. That way I could swap the cheddar for vegan cheese, then the only other things would be the pepperoni, which really isn't an issue, ill make some look-a-like ones from kidney beans. My major, major thing is the meat with a sunday roast, OH is ridiculous when it comes to a roast dinner, if it has no meat then its not worth having in his book. Now i have perfected veggie chilli, fajitas, bolognese, burritos etc etc, and he doesn't mind having my veggie version of those as they are quite flavourful, but i don't think a nut roast is really going to cut it for his roast meat?! Any thoughts at all? I'd be most grateful.

flipper_72

missymoo81 wrote: »

Does anyone know the amount of bananas you get in the 68p packets?

They are done by weight but range from 5 huge ones to 8 small ones in my local, I am following your thread with interest as i am being made redundant at the moment and need to tighten the belt.

flipper_72

Not sure if it has already been mentioned but tonight was pizza for us, I but the 10kg chappatti flour from tesco (£3) and Aldi yeast for the bases, concentrated tomato paste and a sprinkle of herbs then top with anything you fancy. Mozarella from Aldi is 44p and 2.5 topped enough pizza to feed 4 adults a child and enough for another meal for 1.