Food Bill

Evilspartacus

Apologises if there is a better place to post this

Just like most people i have noticed that food prices have shot up over the last few months.

So last Saturday my GF and i decided to do a Meal plan and to buy according to the plan (of course next week we will have to buy more as we already had some things in).

Doing this has drastically reduced the amount of money we spent in a week, we used to go over £100 nearly every week.


Food Bill

Butchers
4 Beef Sausages
4 Pork Sausages
4 Pork Chops
Diced Beef for a stew £6.96

Another Butchers
4 Slices of Ham
2 Slices of Pork £2.41

Fishmonger
2 Smoked Haddock £4.41

Green Grocers
1 Cauliflower
1 Red Cabbage
4 Carrots
2 Leeks
1 Broccoli
1 Bag of Potatoes
1 Bunch of Grapes
2 Bananas
4 Satsumas
4 Apples £9.18

Cheesemonger
Salt £2.12

Bakery
4 Rolls £1.60

Aldi
Tomato Sauce £0.65
4 Fresh Juices £2.66
4 Kitchen Rolls £2.18
Sultanas £0.58
Beef Gravy Granules £0.79

Somerfield
Bin Liners £0.79
2 Ltr Milk £1.50

Health Food Store
Washing Tablets £5.25


TOTAL £41.08

I am sure improvements could be made to save even more money. Any advise anyone has would be most welcome (e.g. cheaper cuts of meat to get from the butchers).

Kadeeae

I think you've done extremely well for a first try - cutting your bill over half!! :T

Can't think of anything to add atm, maybe make your own rolls if you have the time?

Again, WELL DONE!

thriftlady_2

Hi Evilspartacus,
Meal planning really does help you save money doesn't it ? -I wish I had the discipline to stick to my plans.

For meat generally speaking pork is cheaper than beef and lamb. Forequarter meat is cheaper than hindquarter meat -in other words the front half of the animal, the bit that hauls the back end around is cheaper because it is more sinewy and tough- but much more flavourful if you cook it properly ie long and slow.

Try cuts like shin of beef, lamb shoulder, pork hocks, hand of pork, mince, belly pork, liver, kidneys, oxtail.

Do you like beans and lentils? You can really cut down your food bills if you replace some of your meat meals with pulses. They are a cheaper form of protein and combine well with small amounts of meat -sausages and lentils, pork and beans.

sammy_kaye18

Butchers
4 Beef Sausages
4 Pork Sausages in Tesco there is a pack of 8 fresh pork sausages for 97p - could you buy somethign like that and split the pack again so you have two weeks worth instead of one? not sure if there is a beef version too.
4 Pork Chops again Tesco have a deal on at the minute of a 8 pack for £5 - this could easily be divided (im presuming you eat two each) and this could do you two weeks.
Diced Beef for a stew
£6.96
also i would recommend looking in the whoopsie section in Tesco too - ours is always full of lots of reduced meat/pies/sliced meats and fish - provided you have freezing space these could be brought and used in your meal plan too.

Another Butchers
4 Slices of Ham
2 Slices of Pork have you tried buying both of these in packs rather than seperate slices? If they are stored correctly in a fridge in an air tight container it would last you well.
£2.41

Fishmonger
2 Smoked Haddock £4.41

Green Grocers again between tesco and aldi some of these should be on offer - aldi with their super 6 for 59p and Tesco doing their half price fruit and veg - these are normally £1 etc - failing that could you grow a few bits yourself - may cost you to get started but its one less thign on your list and available to hand when you need it
1 Cauliflower
1 Red Cabbage
4 Carrots
2 Leeks
1 Broccoli
1 Bag of Potatoes
1 Bunch of Grapes
2 Bananas
4 Satsumas
4 Apples £9.18

Cheesemonger
Salt £2.12 ????? bog standard salt? 24p in tesco for table salt or 43p for cooking salt.

Bakery
4 Rolls £1.60 Tesco have 3 packs of rolls (6 rolls to a pack) for £1 - these could easily be brought split into packs of 4 and frozen so you wouldnt waste anything.

Aldi Maybe consider shopping here for fruit, they have the super 6 and if there are items you use they are normally 6 for 59p.
Tomato Sauce £0.65 61p for tesco (not value but own brand)
4 Fresh Juices £2.66
4 Kitchen Rolls £2.18 4 pack tesco value is 97p or how about a maxi roll (like the big blue roll things supermarkets have) is about £2.50 in wilkinsons and lasts us well over a month and we have a 4 year old!
Sultanas £0.58
Beef Gravy Granules £0.79

Somerfield
Bin Liners £0.79
2 Ltr Milk £1.50 2ltr milk in tesco is £1.44 at the minute

Health Food Store
Washing Tablets £5.25


TOTAL £41.08


Hi
Your prices seem ok but I have a few suggestions for some of the items you could change - I mean I dont know if there is a tesco near you or anything or if your able to get to one or get a food delivery to you but maybe its something you could consider. Ive added a few items that could maybe help and some would save you pennies one week but might be a bit of an extra spend the next.

Hope its helped a bit

I agree with thrifty too - pulses can be good in meals - even if you have a basic meal also meals that use mince freeze very well and can be padded out easily with pulses, vegetables etc and can be very filling.

Also do you do your own lunches if you work?? Does either of you have time to stay at home and cook/bake etc? because ingredients are some times much cheaper than the actual product.

Also filling up with more vegetables will help you stay fuller for longer - not to mention its a healthier option so you wouldnt need so much meat on your plate (not that im saying its loads that you eat) but how about jacket potato with side salad as a nice filling evening meal.

Again the whoopsie sections in mos supermarkets you are bound to find some meat products - what about chicken do you and your gf eat that as this can be stretched for a few meals between two of you.

teedy23

Hello Evilspartacus, you should nip in to the oldstyle thread, saving on groceries is a big topic, they may have more suggestions for you, you are doing really well though.

JenniO

I think you've done really well too and admire you for not going to one of the big grocery shops like tescos and instead helping your local shops out.

Only suggestions I had were:

Do you really need bin liners? I don't have any.

Do you really need kitchen roll? Again I don't have any and I have a 4 yr old. I have about 6 cheapish tea towels. Use them for wiping up any messes and throw them in the washing machine so that next time I wash a load, the tea towels get washed too. It took a little getting used to but now we don't even miss them.

good luck with your meal planning and make sure to save this week's plan so that you can use it again in a few weeks time! Then in a month or so you can re-use your meal plans and that will save you a load of time.

OrkneyStar

sammy_kaye18 wrote: »

Butchers
4 Beef Sausages
4 Pork Sausages in Tesco there is a pack of 8 fresh pork sausages for 97p - could you buy somethign like that and split the pack again so you have two weeks worth instead of one? not sure if there is a beef version too.
4 Pork Chops again Tesco have a deal on at the minute of a 8 pack for £5 - this could easily be divided (im presuming you eat two each) and this could do you two weeks.
Diced Beef for a stew
£6.96
also i would recommend looking in the whoopsie section in Tesco too - ours is always full of lots of reduced meat/pies/sliced meats and fish - provided you have freezing space these could be brought and used in your meal plan too.

Another Butchers
4 Slices of Ham
2 Slices of Pork have you tried buying both of these in packs rather than seperate slices? If they are stored correctly in a fridge in an air tight container it would last you well.
£2.41

Fishmonger
2 Smoked Haddock £4.41

Green Grocers again between tesco and aldi some of these should be on offer - aldi with their super 6 for 59p and Tesco doing their half price fruit and veg - these are normally £1 etc - failing that could you grow a few bits yourself - may cost you to get started but its one less thign on your list and available to hand when you need it
1 Cauliflower
1 Red Cabbage
4 Carrots
2 Leeks
1 Broccoli
1 Bag of Potatoes
1 Bunch of Grapes
2 Bananas
4 Satsumas
4 Apples £9.18

Cheesemonger
Salt £2.12 ????? bog standard salt? 24p in tesco for table salt or 43p for cooking salt.

Bakery
4 Rolls £1.60 Tesco have 3 packs of rolls (6 rolls to a pack) for £1 - these could easily be brought split into packs of 4 and frozen so you wouldnt waste anything.

Aldi Maybe consider shopping here for fruit, they have the super 6 and if there are items you use they are normally 6 for 59p.
Tomato Sauce £0.65 61p for tesco (not value but own brand)
4 Fresh Juices £2.66
4 Kitchen Rolls £2.18 4 pack tesco value is 97p or how about a maxi roll (like the big blue roll things supermarkets have) is about £2.50 in wilkinsons and lasts us well over a month and we have a 4 year old!
Sultanas £0.58
Beef Gravy Granules £0.79

Somerfield
Bin Liners £0.79
2 Ltr Milk £1.50 2ltr milk in tesco is £1.44 at the minute

Health Food Store
Washing Tablets £5.25


TOTAL £41.08

Great ideas, lets hope they finish turning our somerfield into a tesco sooner rather than later. At the mo we only have local shops, Lidl and Coop!
Lidl do have great deals on veg but sometimes quality not great- just have to check over b4 you buy it!

paula65

Asda bread rolls are 6 in a pack for about 45p but you can have three packs for one pound so thats 18 rolls for a quid. I freeze mine and just pull out a couple at a time. I've also started to keep my bread in the freezer and pull out when I need as I was sick of throwing bread in the bin that was going stale before I'd used it up. My hubby takes a frozen sandwich to work but by lunch is defrosted, lol

jak

ASDA have frozen packs of pork chops for £2.50 that are really nice. You get about 6-8 depending on the weight.
J
X

N9eav

jak wrote: »

ASDA have frozen packs of pork chops for £2.50 that are really nice. You get about 6-8 depending on the weight.
J
X

These are great on the BBQ, as they are thin cut. No fat either, LIDL do them in packs of 4, same stuff can't remember the price.

Diced beef for stew. Little secret as I used to be a butcher. ASDA do something called a Pot roast (not the brisket) The pot roast is a rolled top rib, it's perfect for stews, pasties and pies. Just un roll it trim it up and dice it. (very good price as I recall)

Tesco in the southwest also do Skirt, which is locally renown for pastys. It's very cheap at £1.80lb and excellent for pies etc. (usually in the un packed meat counter bit)

Evilspartacus

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I will be putting it to good use once i get back from my Camping Holiday in a couple of weeks.