Extra Easy Eek! Low cash flow so panicking about sticking to plan

[bubblybooboo]

Its the sunmer holidays so have my 10 and 3 year old to entertain, eating me out of home lol had a big unexpected bill due to moving home which has set us bck loads then the car broke and supposed to be going in a caravam for a weekend at the end of the month with friends eek!

When i have lots of food in i feel safe as know i can whip up a SW friendly meal or snack etc and can stick to it but when i have hardly any foodin like now i start to panick that im going to fail and end up eating cheap fattening food as cant afford tons of fresh salad /fruit etc with everything x

What do you do if you are low on cash ? Really dont want to give up any more x

Do you have any good tips or food ideas for low budget meals on Extra Easy?

Xx

 

[Emmamb]

I try and do a £10 a day food/essentials budget. I write down what I need from the shop to cover meals for the day plus breakfast and stick to that shopping list (I have 4 kids to feed)
Also make an extra portion of meals (curry,stews etc) to freeze and eat when the others are eating less healthy.
Keep staples like potatoes,beans,tinned tomatoes in oh and a bag of salad leaves. Easy to whip up a jacket spud n beans with salad xx

 

[shopoholic]

I often find frozen/canned veg are cheaper than fresh.

 

[dudette2001uk]

Somebody (possibly Circes?) posted this list of budgeting tips when I was struggling with the cost of SW...maybe some of these ideas will help

There are some basic good household practices will help keep the costs down:

· plan your meals for the week, make a shopping list and get only for the ingredients you need to make them
· start by looking at what you have in the cupboard/freezer already and choose meal options that will use them up
· cook your meals from scratch as pre-prepared sauces will be more expensive and you'll know exactly what has gone into them
· plan to use leftovers for other meals or for lunch the next day eg if you are cooking rice for dinner one day, make extra, throw in some leftover veggies and a fat-free dressing and you have lunch for day two
· cook one meal for the whole family not different ones
· seasonal fruit and veg is always cheaper so plan your meals around what it available
· take advantage of special offers - most supermarkets do cut price fruit and veg each week - and shop around to get the best prices. Check out offers and prices on comparison websites.
· try out the 'discount' supermarkets like lidl or aldi. Not everything is cheaper but many things are such as tinned tomatoes, pulses etc
· check out local shops such as greengrocers and butchers because supermarkets are not always the cheapest option
· frozen fruit and veg can be cheaper than fresh and a good alternative
· go green rather than red as meat is more expensive
· if doing EE then bulk out your meals with cheaper ingredients such as pulses, lentils, meat-free mince so you use less meat
· if buying meat go for cheaper cuts and invest in a slow cooker. Or buy joints and whole chickens that can be used across several meals rather than packs of chicken breasts
· beans, lentils and pulses are all good sources of protein and much cheaper than fish and meat
· batch cook meals taking advantage of special offers and freeze portions so they are ready for use
· go for shop own-brands rather than premium brands as they are usually just as good and a lot cheaper
· you don't have to buy mullerlights. There are several supermarket versions that are also syn free or other brands that are on special offer such as activia or shape zero
· know where your supermarket puts the things that are nearly out-of-date. You can sometimes pick up bargains on things like meats
· if you have storage then big bags of staples like pasta and rice can save money in the long-term - asda are selling 2 x 3kg bags of pasta for £3 at the moment
· invest in a water filter rather than buy expensive bottled water
· have breakfast at home so you're not tempted to eat on the go
· if you and/or your husband work, take lunch with you rather than buying out
· make your own versions of favourite family takeaway meals - save on the £s and the lbs
· and don't shop when you are hungry!

 

[bubblybooboo]

Wow thanks everyone theres lots of ideas there i have a slow cooker so good idea about making more and spreading it over a couple of meals x

Just given my family the warning that we shall be eating the same meals from now on lol my ten year old is not too happy about it but tough lol cant keep cooking two seperate meals as it costs way too much! Besides it will be good to all eat healthy more

Xx thanks for your support

 

[babylove]

Pasta recipes. I know my 2 kids love them (aged 12 and 3) and can be cheap.

I do an easy one that is cheap.

1 packet penne pasta
6 rashers of lean smoked bacon chopped into small pieces
tin of chopped tomatoes
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic cloves
1 chicken stock cube
8 cherry tomatoes (optional) halved
Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta as directed.

Fry the chopped onion, garlic and bacon in frylight untill bacon is cooked and the onion soft.
Add the tinned tomatoes, stock cube and cherry tomatoes.
Season well and put the lid on tight for about 20mins.

When cooked add in your cooked pasta, mix and serve.

I find this great for weeks I am on a budget and if I am in a rush.

 

[bubblybooboo]

Pasta recipes. I know my 2 kids love them (aged 12 and 3) and can be cheap.

I do an easy one that is cheap.

1 packet penne pasta
6 rashers of lean smoked bacon chopped into small pieces
tin of chopped tomatoes
1 Onion chopped
2 Garlic cloves
1 chicken stock cube
8 cherry tomatoes (optional) halved
Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta as directed.

Fry the chopped onion, garlic and bacon in frylight untill bacon is cooked and the onion soft.
Add the tinned tomatoes, stock cube and cherry tomatoes.
Season well and put the lid on tight for about 20mins.

When cooked add in your cooked pasta, mix and serve.

I find this great for weeks I am on a budget and if I am in a rush.

Mmmmmm! Thanks babylove this sounds wuite yummy! I shall try this tomorrow as have most of those items in x just managed to find enough bits in cupboard to make the speedy tomato soup so made a big batch up and put in freezer for when in a rush and found some heartleys low cal jelly at the bck of cupboard lol so made that up for a nice cool treat for me and the boys x plus won some ice lolly makers at group the other week so just made up some swuash lollies for us as its so hot

Not panicking so much now with all these ideas from everyone so big big thank you sometimes we just need bit of insperation from others to get us on our way, thats why i love minimins

Thanks again x

 

[bubblybooboo]

If you have a Farmfoods near you, they do big bags of chopped frozen veg for £1, or sometimes even 3 for £2!

I tried some this week, got spinach, chopped onion, and chopped peppers. really big amounts for £1.

They also do brocolli, cauliflower, leeks, peas, carrots, and also frozen fruit. And then they do mixed bags of veg as well. Cheaper than fresh, or supermarket frozen.

The bags are clear, so you can see what the veg looks like before you buy.

Not sure i have one of those but i have an actual farm shop which never been too so may go and have a look at what they do as may be cheaper? X thanks for your idea though xx

 

[babylove]

Eating healthy can be expensive but if you get organised, plan ahead it does help. I know I thought the thread about a fishy week was brilliant but fish is expensive too so do't know if I could do that one.

All the info you have been given is great. I will be using it too

 

[bubblybooboo]

Eating healthy can be expensive but if you get organised, plan ahead it does help. I know I thought the thread about a fishy week was brilliant but fish is expensive too so do't know if I could do that one.

All the info you have been given is great. I will be using it too

Glad its helped you too yes i find fish is very expensive same as extra lean mince but i get tescos frozen lighter choice mince and syn it between family ends up being low syns x i only buy fish if its on offer lol

I think green days would be cheepest plan but i codnt live without the meat etc lol x

Thanks for everyones posts x

 

[cat yoyo greaves]

I had sw chips and mushy peas for tea last night (had a few pieces of fruit just before as my sf the potato prob cost pence and the mushy peas were 6p at Morrison's I doused my tea in vinegar and it tasted like chippy and all for less than 50p including the fruit

 

[Rochelle1]

For the extra lean mince, try swapping for asdas meat free mince. Its tottally free and you get two bags for £3. We only use half a pack between 4 of us for bolognaise, bulked out with passata, mushrooms and onions (which are all smart price anyway) and we always buy smart price spaghetti and pasta.

Also shepherds pie with the veggie mince a tub of bisto you can buy in £shop and use couple of teaspoons (synned of course) potatoes are cheap and onions.

I'd deffo say a lot of green days as pasta and veggie meat substitutes are always cheaper than meaty meals.

 

[cat yoyo greaves]

I nip up to my local supermarket most nights to get the reduced fruit n veg 30 p for a pack of oranges the other day so cheap love it and the 5 min walk there and back does me good too and it keeps my diet varied too I also buy reduced bread and meat and freeze straight away and get out what I need the night before I bought 9 chickens last month for 1.99 each some I left whole but the rest I chopped the breasts thighs legs and wings off removed skin and fat and packaged for freezer .... The carcasses I roasted with balsamic and then boiled up to make propper stock for soups and sauces left to cool skimmed the fat and froze in portions yes it took more work but the chicken breasts were massive and its really lasted me a while it was definately worth the effort
I bought reduced carrots the other day tons of them so I peeled chopped and par boiled for 3 min then cooled in ice cold water drained and froze so now a handfull into my micro steamer a min in microwave and my superfree is ready to eat I also bulk cook rice I do a Mexican rice and an Indian rice then bag in portions and freeze then I have rice that's tasty and syn free to microwave in minutes .
I have prep days where I cook in batches to freeze for another day then I don't have to think about meals all the time

 

[helzzz]

Do a search for the frugal February thread - loads of good ideas on there!

 

[bubblybooboo]

I had sw chips and mushy peas for tea last night (had a few pieces of fruit just before as my sf the potato prob cost pence and the mushy peas were 6p at Morrison's I doused my tea in vinegar and it tasted like chippy and all for less than 50p including the fruit

That is a really low cost meal lol shsme i dont like peas x

 

[bubblybooboo]

For the extra lean mince, try swapping for asdas meat free mince. Its tottally free and you get two bags for £3. We only use half a pack between 4 of us for bolognaise, bulked out with passata, mushrooms and onions (which are all smart price anyway) and we always buy smart price spaghetti and pasta.

Also shepherds pie with the veggie mince a tub of bisto you can buy in £shop and use couple of teaspoons (synned of course) potatoes are cheap and onions.

I'd deffo say a lot of green days as pasta and veggie meat substitutes are always cheaper than meaty meals.

Do the meat free minces taste ok though as tried the soya mince in a bolognaise and it tasted awful! Lol x good idea tho x

 

[bubblybooboo]

I nip up to my local supermarket most nights to get the reduced fruit n veg 30 p for a pack of oranges the other day so cheap love it and the 5 min walk there and back does me good too and it keeps my diet varied too I also buy reduced bread and meat and freeze straight away and get out what I need the night before I bought 9 chickens last month for 1.99 each some I left whole but the rest I chopped the breasts thighs legs and wings off removed skin and fat and packaged for freezer .... The carcasses I roasted with balsamic and then boiled up to make propper stock for soups and sauces left to cool skimmed the fat and froze in portions yes it took more work but the chicken breasts were massive and its really lasted me a while it was definately worth the effort
I bought reduced carrots the other day tons of them so I peeled chopped and par boiled for 3 min then cooled in ice cold water drained and froze so now a handfull into my micro steamer a min in microwave and my superfree is ready to eat I also bulk cook rice I do a Mexican rice and an Indian rice then bag in portions and freeze then I have rice that's tasty and syn free to microwave in minutes .
I have prep days where I cook in batches to freeze for another day then I don't have to think about meals all the time

Awesome these ate fab ideas! Just need to book a fre days in the diary to prep x

 

[cat yoyo greaves]

Awesome these ate fab ideas! Just need to book a fre days in the diary to prep x

I have a toddler and also work long weekend shifts preperation is my key to sw survival lol