Need help with food budget

Justagirljustawoman

Hello, I am just signing up to a DMP and cutting back where I can, but one think I am struggling with is the food / household / cat budget.

I have £200 per month to cover these. I have 2 children ages 9 and 11 who spend every other week with me (shared care arrangement).

So that budget needs to pay for:
9 year old - 2 week day teas per month, breakfast everyday (every other week)
11 year old - tea and breakfast everyday (every other week)
Me - breakfast, lunch, tea everyday
All of us together - every other weekend

My children are fussy in that they don't like things like lentils or chick peas. They love things like spaghetti bolognese, chilli, curry, tuna pasta bake.
I will be doing as much of the shop as I can at Aldi.

I have plastic tubs in the cupboard so ideally would cook 1 big meal but make 2 or 3 days worth each time.

Kids currently have Aldi cereal for breakfasts. They do eat lots of snacks, but I'm trying to buy multipack of crisps and things like aldi type penguin bars, kitkats, crackers and such.

The cat will only eat a certain type of cat food which is £4 for 12, she has 2 per day plus biscuits.
I would be super grateful to any tips or ideas please.

SweetPotatoPie

Could you buy frozen meat? Mince, chicken etc... it’s usually cheaper and you will then only be using the exact amount you need. It will last much longer than buying fresh and will be cheaper.

Skint_yet_Again

When I make chilli or spag Bol I use less meat but add a tin of baked beans to bulk it out & add protein. Pasta dishes can be cheap and bulked out with things like tinned sweetcorn or any other veg they like maybe broccoli, carrots ?

I try to buy the fruit & veg on the weekly offer at Aldi and meal plan around that. Tinned fruit in juice can be cheaper than fresh & good for snacks. I buy the large pots of yoghurt, the set one with honey is nice added to fruit or on its own. Aldi cheese spread (like phillidelphia) on toast can be cheaper than crackers. I freeze a loaf then can toast when needed and no waste. Also things like hard boiled eggs for snacks ?

One day a week at least I try to have a cheap evening meal, homemade chunky veg soup & bread, egg on toast, beans on toast.

Can’t help with the cat food as we have a dog

redfox

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kerri_gt

Could you bulk out things like spaghetti bog and chilli with extra veg? I grate carrot in ours when I make it (OH is veggie so use soya mince) which gives extra texture, veg and a touch of sweetness too.

People also chuck in a handful or two of porridge oats to such dishes. It doesn't alter the taste or texture noticeably but makes the meat part stretch further.

Could you do a roast and then use leftovers for future meals. Like a roast chicken, then shredded or sliced leftovers in sandwiches, and any remainder in a curry or risottto perhaps.

How about baking with the kids for some snacks, perhaps home made flapjack, brownies or cupcakes. Brownies freeze well. It could be a nice activity, cheaper than bought snacks and you get some control over what goes in them.

Cat food...well our mog generally changes what she'll eat on a whim, and if she sees me stock up on a food she previously liked because it was on offer...she'll then refuse to eat it :doh: she does seem to like Aldi premium food (pouches) though so could be worth a try, even if you alternate with what you give your cat between what she has now for one meal, and an Aldi one for another. I think ours just gets bored of the same brand all the time.

kazmeister

Have you had a look at the 'Feed your family for £20 a week' book that was released recently? They have had a Facebook group for ages and Lorna's popularity has really picked up recently with lots of positive comments on her recipes. It's worth a look.

I also recommend meal planning so that you buy what you need. I used to do the following per week
1 x Roast usually Sunday. Paying more for a large piece of meat often means that you can get 12 portions out of them.
1 x Meat based use up some of the meat leftover from Sunday with veg or make curries, bolognese (mince up your own beef) or sliced meat with gravy and veg
1 x Fish based because its good for you, kedgeree, grilled fish
1 x Rice based could be paella, risotto, or a dish served with rice such as chilli or curry
1 x Pasta based could carbonara, spag bol, sausage pasta etc (tinned sausages and a dolmio type stir in sauce with pasta shapes)
1 x Snack based could be burgers, fish fingers, fish cakes, beans or scrambled eggs on toast
1 x fridge contents or fakeaway night, whatever is left in the fridge, or leftovers from the freezer (portion up leftovers for fakeaways). Could you make soup from anything. Chicken and sweetcorn is a favourite in our house and uses so little.

Make your own snacks with the kids and they're more likely to eat them.

Hope it helps, it can be done.

-taff

Check out Jack Monroes blog for meals that will stretch further.
Also remember that you can mash stuff into various foods so they won't even know it's there, like chick peas, they can be mashed into bolognese sauce or you can make cakes with them [ WW blondies for example]

Plasticfreemama

Buying in bulk and freeze things can save a lot of money. Always buy fruit and veggies that are in season (they are cheaper). Also, whenever buying, check the price/kg, not just the price per item, as you can have a better idea of the real saving of a product over another