Tips and OS recipes for larger families....

FrankieM

When were really cost cutting I used to make meals with minced beef, sausages and bacon. Never anything with 'pieces', like chops etc. Even sausages were used in casseroles ans not often sausages and mash..
I used to bulk things out with lots of veg...but lentils etc that other threads mention work well too. I also did a fortnightly plan and just repeated it. That way I was pretty much spending the same all the time.
Smoe meals were:
Chilli and rice
Minced beef and onion pie and veg
Spag bol
Sausage casserole
Bacon and tinned tomatoes, onion and basil with pasta
Pasta bake

Alot of basic meals can be made as cheaply as you need depending on the cost of ingredients. So use value ingredients as much as possible. You can add veg as you can afford it. You can stretch the meals by adding more tomatoes...
We are a family of 6. I would probably start by looking at what meals everyone ate and then look at making from scratch as cheaply and simply as possible...I've also had cooking days in the past. I found it easier to have a few meals ready in the freezer for those days when the kids were driving you crazy...
I hope some of that helps...

Oh, when things are tight, I've tried to work on £10 per person per week, I'm not sure what your DD's budget is...

Skintmama

Try buying things like potatoes, carrots and onions by the sack at local farm or country stores or even greengrocers, available especially at this time of year. Also boxes of apples grown locally. Maybe find an egg supplier who is happy to sell you regular large trays of eggs. Buy half/whole lamb and bulk beef etc from the butcher and freeze. Unlike supermarkets small suppliers will give a reduced price for a bulk order. Make all your own yoghourt, bread,cakes etc. Grow your own salad sprouts and baby leaves. All these things are harder work but make more sense when dealing with larger quantities.

moanymoany

I use sausages cut into chunks to make this recipe. You could use whatever you wanted. I have made it with just bacon bits. You don't need all the meat in the recipe. It is even nice without meat at all.

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/poor-mans-cassoulet,1002,RC.html

It is really nice. I use two sausages each for us when I use sausages.

Cannelini beans are the cheapest at the mo. I make this in the slow cooker as well.

I don't always faff about with the breadcrumbs either.

I serve it with bread or pasta and it has been known to be served with wedgies cooked in the oven.