Food on a budget

[pugwash4x4]

Been lucky not to have to budget too tightly on food for past few years (although we dont' go silly).

Now 2 of us need to be fed for £60/week inc lunches. So, any bargain tips to recommend? cheap cust of meat etc?

Already buy whole chickens and bone them to get far cheaper meat, use carcass for stock/soup etc.

any way of getting a lot of cheap but fresh veg? veg boxes?

[FraserLFA]

You should be a student..... Cheerios for breakfast, Salad for lunch, pasta or rice for dinner? Or do you want exciting food?

[grumbledoak]

The veg. boxes are pretty good value as you are naturally eating what the farmers have to sell right now. You'll get stuff you may not like or know how to cook. I don't mind this as it pushes me to learn. Try a small one and see how you go.

Otherwise, you really need to concentrate on prices: make a (mental if you can) list of stuff you like to eat, get a price from one of the online sites, and
1. cross out the most expensive bits, and
2. make sure you beat that price every time you buy.
The latter became a bit of a game for me two summers ago; it was very educational- you can so easily spend double what you should on an item if you aren't paying attention.

Some ideas here for recipes: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/mar/01... or find that Student Cooking site that was posted about here...

Edited by grumbledoak on Wednesday 13th January 23:30

[Mobile Chicane]

A few pointers (in no particular order):

- Plan a menu for the week ahead and shop to that.
- Set aside an afternoon to make large quantities of basic pasta sauce / curry sauce for the freezer, to which other ingredients can be added if on offer / reduced.
- Get down to the local Asian cash and carry and bulk buy stuff like rice, pulses and spices (group buy with friends / neighbours to get better economies of scale).
- Pay attention to the most cost-effective cooking methods: a £10 slow cooker from Tesco is a much more cost-effective way of tenderising a cheap cut of meat than hours in a fan oven.
- Rediscover the old student classics like macaroni cheese, cauliflower cheese, chili, spag bog - or dare I say it - beans on toast.
- Grow things that are expensive to buy: fresh herbs, chillies etc
- Don't sniff at 'wild' food. The berry and mushroom seasons are over, but there are lots of pheasant, wood pigeon and rabbits to be had. Pheasant in particular are stupid birds inclined to wander into traffic. I've picked them off the roadside before now.

[FraserLFA]

Mobile Chicane said:

A few pointers (in no particular order):

- Plan a menu for the week ahead and shop to that.
- Set aside an afternoon to make large quantities of basic pasta sauce / curry sauce for the freezer, to which other ingredients can be added if on offer / reduced.
- Get down to the local Asian cash and carry and bulk buy stuff like rice, pulses and spices (group buy with friends / neighbours to get better economies of scale).
- Pay attention to the most cost-effective cooking methods: a £10 slow cooker from Tesco is a much more cost-effective way of tenderising a cheap cut of meat than hours in a fan oven.
- Rediscover the old student classics like macaroni cheese, cauliflower cheese, chili, spag bog - or dare I say it - beans on toast.
- Grow things that are expensive to buy: fresh herbs, chillies etc
- Don't sniff at 'wild' food. The berry and mushroom seasons are over, but there are lots of pheasant, wood pigeon and rabbits to be had. Pheasant in particular are stupid birds inclined to wander into traffic. I've picked them off the roadside before now.

Not to be pedantic, but isn't collecting something you hit, illegal? I know you can pick it up if you find it, but i'm not sure you're allowed to take it if you hit it. Not that the badger police will see you...

[Mobile Chicane]

FraserLFA said:

Mobile Chicane said:

A few pointers (in no particular order):

- Plan a menu for the week ahead and shop to that.
- Set aside an afternoon to make large quantities of basic pasta sauce / curry sauce for the freezer, to which other ingredients can be added if on offer / reduced.
- Get down to the local Asian cash and carry and bulk buy stuff like rice, pulses and spices (group buy with friends / neighbours to get better economies of scale).
- Pay attention to the most cost-effective cooking methods: a £10 slow cooker from Tesco is a much more cost-effective way of tenderising a cheap cut of meat than hours in a fan oven.
- Rediscover the old student classics like macaroni cheese, cauliflower cheese, chili, spag bog - or dare I say it - beans on toast.
- Grow things that are expensive to buy: fresh herbs, chillies etc
- Don't sniff at 'wild' food. The berry and mushroom seasons are over, but there are lots of pheasant, wood pigeon and rabbits to be had. Pheasant in particular are stupid birds inclined to wander into traffic. I've picked them off the roadside before now.

Not to be pedantic, but isn't collecting something you hit, illegal? I know you can pick it up if you find it, but i'm not sure you're allowed to take it if you hit it. Not that the badger police will see you...

I tend to avoid wildlife in my own car, having had a squirrel cause £700 worth of damage to the front clam.

I only pick up stuff that's already dead, although I'm not exactly sure what the law is on this point, or whether it's likely to be enforced.

[FraserLFA]

Mobile Chicane said:

FraserLFA said:

Mobile Chicane said:

A few pointers (in no particular order):

- Plan a menu for the week ahead and shop to that.
- Set aside an afternoon to make large quantities of basic pasta sauce / curry sauce for the freezer, to which other ingredients can be added if on offer / reduced.
- Get down to the local Asian cash and carry and bulk buy stuff like rice, pulses and spices (group buy with friends / neighbours to get better economies of scale).
- Pay attention to the most cost-effective cooking methods: a £10 slow cooker from Tesco is a much more cost-effective way of tenderising a cheap cut of meat than hours in a fan oven.
- Rediscover the old student classics like macaroni cheese, cauliflower cheese, chili, spag bog - or dare I say it - beans on toast.
- Grow things that are expensive to buy: fresh herbs, chillies etc
- Don't sniff at 'wild' food. The berry and mushroom seasons are over, but there are lots of pheasant, wood pigeon and rabbits to be had. Pheasant in particular are stupid birds inclined to wander into traffic. I've picked them off the roadside before now.

Not to be pedantic, but isn't collecting something you hit, illegal? I know you can pick it up if you find it, but i'm not sure you're allowed to take it if you hit it. Not that the badger police will see you...

I tend to avoid wildlife in my own car, having had a squirrel cause £700 worth of damage to the front clam.

I only pick up stuff that's already dead, although I'm not exactly sure what the law is on this point, or whether it's likely to be enforced.

Yeah i think stuff that's already dead is legal, but stuff you hit isn't. £700 is a nasty price!

[sleep envy]

if you want to bag some pheasants be quick, you've only 2 weeks left (if you're shooting)

hares are good until end of Feb, any later and the females tend to be pregnant which isn't terribly nice to have to gut

[sherman]

FraserLFA said:

Mobile Chicane said:

FraserLFA said:

Mobile Chicane said:

A few pointers (in no particular order):

- Plan a menu for the week ahead and shop to that.
- Set aside an afternoon to make large quantities of basic pasta sauce / curry sauce for the freezer, to which other ingredients can be added if on offer / reduced.
- Get down to the local Asian cash and carry and bulk buy stuff like rice, pulses and spices (group buy with friends / neighbours to get better economies of scale).
- Pay attention to the most cost-effective cooking methods: a £10 slow cooker from Tesco is a much more cost-effective way of tenderising a cheap cut of meat than hours in a fan oven.
- Rediscover the old student classics like macaroni cheese, cauliflower cheese, chili, spag bog - or dare I say it - beans on toast.
- Grow things that are expensive to buy: fresh herbs, chillies etc
- Don't sniff at 'wild' food. The berry and mushroom seasons are over, but there are lots of pheasant, wood pigeon and rabbits to be had. Pheasant in particular are stupid birds inclined to wander into traffic. I've picked them off the roadside before now.

Not to be pedantic, but isn't collecting something you hit, illegal? I know you can pick it up if you find it, but i'm not sure you're allowed to take it if you hit it. Not that the badger police will see you...

I tend to avoid wildlife in my own car, having had a squirrel cause £700 worth of damage to the front clam.

I only pick up stuff that's already dead, although I'm not exactly sure what the law is on this point, or whether it's likely to be enforced.

Yeah i think stuff that's already dead is legal, but stuff you hit isn't. £700 is a nasty price!

Its much easier to find a mate that is in to shooting because they will more than likely have a glut of dead animals just now and be more than willing to give some away.

[whitechief]

Mobile Chicane said:

FraserLFA said:

Mobile Chicane said:

A few pointers (in no particular order):

- Plan a menu for the week ahead and shop to that.
- Set aside an afternoon to make large quantities of basic pasta sauce / curry sauce for the freezer, to which other ingredients can be added if on offer / reduced.
- Get down to the local Asian cash and carry and bulk buy stuff like rice, pulses and spices (group buy with friends / neighbours to get better economies of scale).
- Pay attention to the most cost-effective cooking methods: a £10 slow cooker from Tesco is a much more cost-effective way of tenderising a cheap cut of meat than hours in a fan oven.
- Rediscover the old student classics like macaroni cheese, cauliflower cheese, chili, spag bog - or dare I say it - beans on toast.
- Grow things that are expensive to buy: fresh herbs, chillies etc
- Don't sniff at 'wild' food. The berry and mushroom seasons are over, but there are lots of pheasant, wood pigeon and rabbits to be had. Pheasant in particular are stupid birds inclined to wander into traffic. I've picked them off the roadside before now.

Not to be pedantic, but isn't collecting something you hit, illegal? I know you can pick it up if you find it, but i'm not sure you're allowed to take it if you hit it. Not that the badger police will see you...

I tend to avoid wildlife in my own car, having had a squirrel cause £700 worth of damage to the front clam.

I only pick up stuff that's already dead, although I'm not exactly sure what the law is on this point, or whether it's likely to be enforced.

If you come across 'road kill' it's yours. If you hit game it's not but the car behind can have it, as I understand.

As for damage to clamshells, the day the bloke who was buying the first Elise I had was on his way to collect it, I hit a pigeon at some speed and split the bottom of the clam I had to give him a suitable discount for the repair.

[Cotty]

sleep envy said:

hares are good until end of Feb, any later and the females tend to be pregnant which isn't terribly nice to have to gut

Grim

[LordGrover]

If you have the space, buy spuds and carrots from the farm or local market garden. A 25 kg sack of potatoes is less than a tenner. When buying root veg in bulk make sure they're 'dirty' - still have the soil attached. They'll last much longer.

[soad]

JDMFanYo said:

I also buy my meat from the butcher which I found to be, surprisingly, cheaper than the supermarket. Again, locally sourced and not pumped full of water.

That's true, purchased a packet of sliced beef from the supermarket only yesterday - it was full of water (to add the weight, no doubt). Tasted watery-ish, not good - will not be buying it again.
Meat bought from butcher is much more tastier.

Good shout about the local farmer's market - prices much cheaper, more choice, better quality produce. I have used them in the past, and was impressed.

[Papoo]

JDMFanYo said:

Get your veg from a farmers market or a local farm shop.

I save around 40% on the cost of veg and it's better quality and locally sourced. If buying from a market, you can build a relationship which equates to 'mates rates', if you visit frequently, you might even get the best of the stock as a reward for being a loyal customer

I also buy my meat from the butcher which I found to be, surprisingly, cheaper than the supermarket. Again, locally sourced and not pumped full of water.

Edited by JDMFanYo on Thursday 14th January 14:11

This is the truth. We buy all our veg from a small farmers market. It's locally sourced, organic, much better quality, seasonal and a good amount cheaper.

Same with the butcher, with the exception of the cost. That said, our savings at the farmers market make up for the deficit. Now we have a fridge full of local, delicious organic goodness, for the price of supermarket tat.

I strongly agree with Mobile Chicane's notion of plan your week ahead and shop to it. This has had the biggest impact on cost, by a country mile. We could probably eat prime rib every night using this planning method, on the same cash as we would spend when we showed up to the store without a plan!

[pugwash4x4]

thanks chaps- not sure that a butcher will ever be cheper than a supermarket, but might have to decide to eat less meat!

[zakelwe]

FraserLFA said:

You should be a student..... Cheerios for breakfast, Salad for lunch, pasta or rice for dinner? Or do you want exciting food?

Breakfast? Salad? You students have it too easy nowadays.

When I was at polytechnic my mate use to just eat plates and plates of mashed potatoes with ketchup on top. I used to eat bowls of microwaved salted popcorn.


As for the original poster. Do curry soups. Potato and carrot soup is ok, but spice it up a bit and then it is both warming and filling, especially at the moment.

Andy

[SunnyD]

As for lunches, make use of the leftover bits and pieces and make soups.
Throw a few more pasta shapes into the pan when you do a pasta dish for dinner and spoon out an extra portion into a tupperware; you've got another lunch without really sparing anything.

Swap Waitrose for ASDA

Swap Tesco Finest for Tesco Value

[bazking69]

£8.50 a day to feed two a struggle?? I easily average half that on a regular basis between me and the missus and we eat good food (most of the time anyway!)

It has nothing to do with being on a budget but more to do with not wasting money and being unnecessarily extravagent. I begrudge wasting money, throwing food away and most of all paying over the odds and would rather spend it elsewhere, like a holiday.

Mass cook-ups to freeze, planning the week ahead, sticking to supermarkets as opposed to One Stops and Spars, knowing what is cheapest where, taking advantage of special offers and most of all realising that not everyday has to be a wow factor homecooked meal.

[pugwash4x4]

bazking69 said:

£8.50 a day to feed two a struggle??

Not a struggle I hope, but when you haven't had the financial imperative to live on a tight budget, you need to learn how to live frugally. A lot of people have good tips on how to eat well for a budget- don't really want to live on tesco value bread and baked beans (yep i was a student once too!)

[raf_gti]

SunnyD said:

As for lunches, make use of the leftover bits and pieces and make soups.
Throw a few more pasta shapes into the pan when you do a pasta dish for dinner and spoon out an extra portion into a tupperware; you've got another lunch without really sparing anything.

Swap Waitrose for ASDA

Swap Tesco Finest for Tesco Value

Actually now that Waitrose has their 'esssential' range on the go they are surprisngly good value for money. We thend to spend just under £200 per month on our big shop and we're getting just as much from shopping at Waitrose as we did at Morrisons or Tesco.

The quality is also decent and you get the lovely warm Waitrose glow from shopping there

As for budgeting for food I've found the trick is to buy enough base ingredients and you are laughing, it is when you have to make trips just to buy one thing here and there that you start to spend more than you have to.

Edited by raf_gti on Friday 15th January 13:02