Food budget plan

miffedatparkingcharge

Talking of toilet roll. When kids were little, I told them the max that could be used at 'one tear' was three sheets.

Also, laundry stuffs: I have changed back to powder, & find the non bio Aldi/Lidl ones perfectly fine. I also use a lesser amount per wash, and likewise with conditioner I bought a 5L concentrate when on offer, transfer some to a smaller bottle and add a bit of water. Again I use a lesser amount than per wash - perhaps a third. Eeking it all out.

Obviously the reduction doesn't apply if very dirty items require washing.

On a different thread, I read a suggestion that when baking; the poster used 25% less sugar that was stated with no huge detriment to the bake.

mardatha

Absolutely agree re the sugar, I found that myself.

miffedatparkingcharge

Do you live anywhere near rural to buy a sack of potatoes/tray of eggs (some other items sometimes available) from a farmer? With a large family, this may be of use. I was aware Mozzers had some spud sacks late last year, but heard various messages of quality.

As the weather warms up the carboots have fantastic veg offers. (Take change in your purse, but don't be persuaded to buy anything else). One guy at ours comes with boxes of stuff - eg tomatoes (not quite the season yet) or mushrooms .... I have even purchased one & split it with the person stood next to me as it was the last one so we both got enough.

Have to say since big son went to Uni (always had 2eggs on toast weekdays for breakfast & he also made for my daughter too), Myself & daughter now have porridge in the pot weekday mornings. Ok, no choice (toppings variable), but cheap. Result is - I now have eggs available for other meal choices.

Also, Pizza making can be such fun for all, use up that packet and then if successful, try from scratch. The Jamie Oliver recipe is fab (will look for it & post), however if I've run out of the semolina, I just 'up' the flour qty. If you can make a batch with kids involved. The quantity given for the JO recipe is fairly big, you can halve it or freeze some dough or wrap it (clingfilm, it carries on proving/rising even in the fridge) -its good for the week and use it for dough balls or garlic bread as alternatives through the week. Easy tomato puree 35p aldi, garlic & few herbs for the base. Mozzerella balls approx 45p each. Any other toppings as available. We become competitive to see how thin we can make a crust and still transfer to the oven. This can on occasion take up a whole shelf of the oven!

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/recipe/pizza-dough/ (it really is a big quantitiy. Half the quantity should be fine for all of you)

Good luck, keep posting, intrigued to see how it goes.

miffedatparkingcharge

More thoughts - if you are not time limited. I find check out Home Bargains & B&M if they are near for store cupboard supplies. Iceland for frozen.

3kg bag of essential pasta in any of the main supermarkets, price per kilo £1 thereabouts.

Rice - look for a big bag that may be on offer. Measure out 1 cup rice to 2 parts water. Bring to the boil & then turn off the heat, Fluff up with fork, put lid back on & cover with a towel. 20mins later - fab rice (or mixed with chopped up, sauteed veg, stock, beans or bones from your lamb/chicken and a bit of dried fruit is a firm fave in our house).

Worth checking MySupermarket to compare prices of main supermarkets if you have a list prepared.

I think Angelpye's suggestion of delivery options genius if you haven't done this before. Take your time when it comes to ordering, but don't get caught out on 'substitutions'.

RedCola

I've made a kind of plan, just for dinners so far. I'd like to post it up and see if it's ok, or if I should cut my it down / change meals?

* Spuds with Baked Beans and Cheese
* Tuna Fishcakes
* Lamb Shanks with mash & veg
* Chicken & Sausage pie served with veg
* cheese & cracked pepper pasta
* Mulligatawny with Chappatis
* Fish fingers / chips / spaghetti hoops

My shopping list, with costs, from Asda:

Mature cheese - £4

Sunflower oil - £1.15

Tikka curry paste - £1

Free range eggs - £2
Creme Fraiche - 95p
Single cream - 85p

Spaghetti - 20p

Spring onions - 49p
Salad mix - £1

Dijon mustard - 55p
Ketchup - 38p

Tinned tuna - £2.74 (4 tins)
Tinned toms - 58p (2 tins)

Baking potatoes - £1
Onions - 65p
Carrots - 50p
Garlic - 81p
White potatoes - £1.25

Frozen broccoli - £1.10

Total - £21.19

RedCola

This doesn't include toiletries, cleaning stuff, lunches, breakfasts and snacks, so not sure I did as well as I thought at first.

I really can't use up all the money first week, as then where do I go?

I've read all the posts now, and taken notes. It's just difficult to switch it up.
For example, a typical packed lunch is sandwich or wrap. Babybel or cheese string or cheese dunker. Crisps or Kitkat. CapriSun or juice carton. I gave up packing fruit - they eat it at home ( other than DS2) and it gets bashed in lunchbox

My husband normally takes rustlers burgers and supernoodles. Bottle of Pepsi Max. Crisps and chocolates.

All not good on our budget

caronc

RedCola wrote: »

This doesn't include toiletries, cleaning stuff, lunches, breakfasts and snacks, so not sure I did as well as I thought at first.

I really can't use up all the money first week, as then where do I go?

I've read all the posts now, and taken notes. It's just difficult to switch it up.
For example, a typical packed lunch is sandwich or wrap. Babybel or cheese string or cheese dunker. Crisps or Kitkat. CapriSun or juice carton. I gave up packing fruit - they eat it at home ( other than DS2) and it gets bashed in lunchbox

My husband normally takes rustlers burgers and supernoodles. Bottle of Pepsi Max. Crisps and chocolates.

All not good on our budget

I still go with the sandwich/wrap - buy a block of edam and cut in to cubes and use instead of babybel/strings, packet of cheap crisps and a water bottle filled with squash and the kids shouldn't notice much difference. Would Hubby take a packet of the cheap asian noodles or a home made pot noodle (lots of recipes on line), would a home cooked burger in a bap work for him or a pitta stuffed with leftovers or a pasty for him to nuke?

RedCola

I wish I knew how to do the home made burgers / pastys / noodles etc.
I just cant.
When I made my meal plan, I looked at all the ideas posted on here, and thought how well they would work. except I don't have a clue without following recipes, so I dug out a student cookbook and looked at recipes there, and wrote the ingredients down.

I could make this so much cheaper, I just don't know how.

suki1964

Those are expensive packed lunches

First of, can I suggest either Lidl or Aldi for your shop

This week in lidl a 24 bag of crisp is 94 pence, meatballs and pork pieces, £1

I can't mind exact prices but DH gets the twix, Mars and snickers equivalent for about 80p pack of six. Their wraps are half the price then tescos. I picked up the Capri sun equivalent last week for 70p but they aren't that much dearer. Still you would be better off with a water bottle filled with squash

Baby bel and cheese strings, you can cut up cheese, wrap in film. Not as processed and a lot cheaper

Do try the twinks hob nobs. They are so simple a child can make them. If you haven't got scales, use a cup, twice as many cups of oats to flour and sugar. They would be ideal for a lunch box - DH and his work mates love them


Lidl diet cola is 55p for 2 litres. I'm a hardcore Pepsi/Coke drinker. I can't really tell the difference between lidl and Pepsi

Rustler hamburgers and pot noodles aren't really an ideal packed lunch. Can you not make either a pasta or noodle dish up on Sunday that he can take in with him? one of my favourite ones in Nigellas Noodles ( google it ) you can even use ready to wok noodles in its that easy

My DH is a manual worker, he needs a lot of packing as he burns it off and also if I don't make him something filling and healthy, he'd be snacking all day

Breakfast, tea and toast

His pack up is, homemade vegetable broth. Full of fresh veg as well as dried like split peas and barley to make it more substantial. I make a big pot of is every Sunday for £1.50. I freeze half as it only lasts 3 days in the fridge. He takes a flask a day. He has two rounds of sandwiches, usually meat and salad or egg salad. Small pack of crisp, either a lidl chocolate bar or whatever I've baked - he loves banana bread, fruit, maybe small handful of nuts

Dinner, a normal persons serving of meat, with a pile and a half of veg

suki1964

RedCola wrote: »

I wish I knew how to do the home made burgers / pastys / noodles etc.
I just cant.
When I made my meal plan, I looked at all the ideas posted on here, and thought how well they would work. except I don't have a clue without following recipes, so I dug out a student cookbook and looked at recipes there, and wrote the ingredients down.

I could make this so much cheaper, I just don't know how.

Aww bless, we cross posted

Cooking doesn't come naturally , we all learn somewhere. And if we haven't been shown it can be daunting

What one recipe would you like to try?

I, and I know others will talk you through it step by step. Plus there's a lot of videos on you tube that show you how