I'm still spending too much on food.

Prudent

I am usually full of suggestions on these kinds of threads. However I do feel low carb is simply more expensive because protein is so expensive in low carb forms. I tried a low carb diet a few years ago. At one level it was super because I finally lost weight, however I have complex health issues and the diet made them worse. My spend on food was almost double, although I was willing to invest in myself had it worked out. I hope you save some money with all the good tips posted.

Katiehound

I'm not sure why you are making a special trip to M&S for their chicken legs
Don't Lidl sell chicken legs?

I actually like chicken thighs- meaty & flavour without the chicken breast price.

Scumblepancake

Katiehound said:

I'm not sure why you are making a special trip to M&S for their chicken legs
Don't Lidl sell chicken legs?

I actually like chicken thighs- meaty & flavour without the chicken breast price.

It is better quality chicken and higher welfare. It is £1.50 for 3 entire legs - thighs included, skin on with bones that are useful for broth.

dreaming

When I was planning to take early retirement some years ago I started to see if I could live on my company pension in the years before state pension kicked in. So I started to go through my grocery receipts for a few weeks and found I was spending a quarter to one third of the total on "treats".What had started as the odd bottle of wine and a magazine after a hard week at work had risen to a bottle of wine, a good ready meal or meal for one, a nice dessert, chocolate and a magazine most weeks! It was a bit tedious to go through the receipts with a highlighter (although it does suit my detail-oriented personality) but it certainly opened my eyes to how easy it is to spend money unnecessarily. Plus the treats were no longer treats - they had become normal for me. I also did the same checks with my tv package and realised that I actually only watched a few channels so switched to Freeview (and still often can't find anything I want to watch). Although it might be hard to start a new way of spending it soon becomes a habit, and you can put the money you save away to spend on a bigger treat every now and then.

Scumblepancake

dreaming said:

When I was planning to take early retirement some years ago I started to see if I could live on my company pension in the years before state pension kicked in. So I started to go through my grocery receipts for a few weeks and found I was spending a quarter to one third of the total on "treats".What had started as the odd bottle of wine and a magazine after a hard week at work had risen to a bottle of wine, a good ready meal or meal for one, a nice dessert, chocolate and a magazine most weeks! It was a bit tedious to go through the receipts with a highlighter (although it does suit my detail-oriented personality) but it certainly opened my eyes to how easy it is to spend money unnecessarily. Plus the treats were no longer treats - they had become normal for me. I also did the same checks with my tv package and realised that I actually only watched a few channels so switched to Freeview (and still often can't find anything I want to watch). Although it might be hard to start a new way of spending it soon becomes a habit, and you can put the money you save away to spend on a bigger treat every now and then.

Thank you, I think that might be happening - the treats have crept into every day life.

Scumblepancake

Prudent said:

I am usually full of suggestions on these kinds of threads. However I do feel low carb is simply more expensive because protein is so expensive in low carb forms. I tried a low carb diet a few years ago. At one level it was super because I finally lost weight, however I have complex health issues and the diet made them worse. My spend on food was almost double, although I was willing to invest in myself had it worked out. I hope you save some money with all the good tips posted.

Thank you, I really just try to avoid bread and pasta because it doesn't make me feel that good. I eat pulses and potatoes but in moderation.

joedenise

If you eat pulses then the protein element of your meals will be much cheaper than if eating meat.  Eggs are also a very good source of protein so something like a Spanish omelette with some potatoes and veg to fill it can make a substantial lunch or even a main meal if you've had a good lunch.

Scumblepancake

joedenise said:

If you eat pulses then the protein element of your meals will be much cheaper than if eating meat.  Eggs are also a very good source of protein so something like a Spanish omelette with some potatoes and veg to fill it can make a substantial lunch or even a main meal if you've had a good lunch.

Yep, I really need to document what I'm eating and look at how I can bulk things out more, thank you

maman

As well as the green veg you have, carrots and swede and butternut squash can bulk up your meals while staying low carb.

I batch cook swede and carrot mash and freeze in portions. It makes a good topping for cottage pie too. 

Nelliegrace

It might help to use cash for your grocery shopping. It does make you careful about what you put in your trolley if you have just enough money and no credit cards with you.
I look at the stuff which tempts me and think, “Is this food?” I try to buy nothing but ingredients, and basic foods my Granny would recognise. I look at the price per kilo and buy the best value, and divide packs of meat and fish into portions and freeze some. Simple home cooking saves a lot of money. DH makes all of our bread, good bread for less than the price of supermarket basic stuff. The Pauper’s Cookbook by Jocasta Innes was my lifeline when we struggling financially. 

I recommend reading this.

We take a flask of good coffee and something homemade if we are going out. 
Meals out are a planned treat, a special event. 

Think about how much you are spending on food each week and work out how much it is for the year. 
£5,160?
Think what you could do if you saved even half of that amount.