Feed a family of 1 on £15 per week
Discussion
Taking my lead from Sainsbury's 'Feed a family of 4 for a week for £50', I am going to set myself a challenge of feeding myself for a week for £15 (£50 split 4 ways then weighted up slightly for being an adult).
Do you think this is achievable whilst keeping the food interesting and healthy (or at least not unhealthy).
Any suggestions, tips or tricks for stretching out a food budget?
Do you think this is achievable whilst keeping the food interesting and healthy (or at least not unhealthy).
Any suggestions, tips or tricks for stretching out a food budget?
2 quid a day.... yes it´s possible, but you might compromise quality a lot at times.
Staple foods are not expensive, so then it´s just about making them taste nice. (bread, spuds, pasta, rice, cous cous)
I would like to think that you could buy a whole chicken (4.00), bag of pasta (1.00) rice (1.00) use the meat for 4-5 meals to make them interesting, use the carcus to make soup and buy some veggies (3.00) for stir fry
Lunch - Bread + butter (2.00)
Breakfast would have to be porridge (1GBP)... so that means milk (1.50GBP)
Cheap orange juice 2 packs(1.50) to ensure some vitamins
Thats 15.00 and nothing on the sandwiches, some not very exciting meals and still within budget. Sure you can get the things cheaper, but I put in rough costs.
Now 60 quid for a month with the size of pasta you could buy is easier
Staple foods are not expensive, so then it´s just about making them taste nice. (bread, spuds, pasta, rice, cous cous)
I would like to think that you could buy a whole chicken (4.00), bag of pasta (1.00) rice (1.00) use the meat for 4-5 meals to make them interesting, use the carcus to make soup and buy some veggies (3.00) for stir fry
Lunch - Bread + butter (2.00)
Breakfast would have to be porridge (1GBP)... so that means milk (1.50GBP)
Cheap orange juice 2 packs(1.50) to ensure some vitamins
Thats 15.00 and nothing on the sandwiches, some not very exciting meals and still within budget. Sure you can get the things cheaper, but I put in rough costs.
Now 60 quid for a month with the size of pasta you could buy is easier
This should be more than achievable.
Pasta and Rice value packs.
Tinned tomatoes and beans.
Cooking bacon.
Cheap bread.
Cheap mince.
With just these few above items added with quality herbs, you can extract any excess fats and make quality meals.
Bacon and bean toastie.
Tomato and bacon pasta sauce.
Spaghetti bolognese.
Add eggs,sausage and rice.
Egg fried rice.
Sausage and egg sandwich.
Omelettes.
Any of the value brands at supermarkets can be changed into almost any tasty meals providing that you have good herbs and spices.
Don't forget the garlic.
Might even give this a go myself and see what I can save.
Thanks OP.
Pasta and Rice value packs.
Tinned tomatoes and beans.
Cooking bacon.
Cheap bread.
Cheap mince.
With just these few above items added with quality herbs, you can extract any excess fats and make quality meals.
Bacon and bean toastie.
Tomato and bacon pasta sauce.
Spaghetti bolognese.
Add eggs,sausage and rice.
Egg fried rice.
Sausage and egg sandwich.
Omelettes.
Any of the value brands at supermarkets can be changed into almost any tasty meals providing that you have good herbs and spices.
Don't forget the garlic.
Might even give this a go myself and see what I can save.
Thanks OP.
Edited by cal72 on Wednesday 1st June 17:33
Have you got use of a freezer? and do you have basic items in the larder as standard ie rice, dried pasta, spices, dried herbs etc.?
Think of taking advantage of the offers and reduced food items in the local supermarkets - go to a proper market to buy eggs, veg and fruit.
One of my favorite breakfasts is salmon fishcakes - very simple :- mashed potato, tin of pink salmon (red if it's on offer or you're feeling special), large squeeze of tomato puree, a few dashes of Tabasco - mix together, hand mould into fishcakes, coat in seasoned flour...add to frying pan. Serve with bread and butter and tomato ketchup
Also doubles up as lunch/dinner/supper
Sardines on toast - tin of sardines in brine, put sardines in a small bowl ( lose the brine) add olive oil, vinegar, pepper to the sardines and mash - then add to slightly toasted toast - grill, enjoy
Just a couple of ideas of very cheap dishes that are good for you
You could splash out on a roast each week to get a fix of roast pots and some veg - lots of leftover meals ideas if you then mince whatever is left...or in case of poulty, just add leftovers to a chicken tonight type sauce dish.
After a quite expensive roast beef dinner for one, you could then chop off the external bits and mince the straggy bits to make rissoles, or create a spag bol type/chilli sauce with the mince. The rarer inside part could be used to make steak and ale pie for example...or have it sliced and have it reheated as another roast beef dinner.
There's loads of ideas to eat easily and healthily for £15 a week... but not sustainable over the long term. Fresh fruit costs a lot, your £15/week budget is soon blown if you enjoy fresh fruit salads.
Think of taking advantage of the offers and reduced food items in the local supermarkets - go to a proper market to buy eggs, veg and fruit.
One of my favorite breakfasts is salmon fishcakes - very simple :- mashed potato, tin of pink salmon (red if it's on offer or you're feeling special), large squeeze of tomato puree, a few dashes of Tabasco - mix together, hand mould into fishcakes, coat in seasoned flour...add to frying pan. Serve with bread and butter and tomato ketchup
Also doubles up as lunch/dinner/supper Sardines on toast - tin of sardines in brine, put sardines in a small bowl ( lose the brine) add olive oil, vinegar, pepper to the sardines and mash - then add to slightly toasted toast - grill, enjoy
Just a couple of ideas of very cheap dishes that are good for you
You could splash out on a roast each week to get a fix of roast pots and some veg - lots of leftover meals ideas if you then mince whatever is left...or in case of poulty, just add leftovers to a chicken tonight type sauce dish.
After a quite expensive roast beef dinner for one, you could then chop off the external bits and mince the straggy bits to make rissoles, or create a spag bol type/chilli sauce with the mince. The rarer inside part could be used to make steak and ale pie for example...or have it sliced and have it reheated as another roast beef dinner.
There's loads of ideas to eat easily and healthily for £15 a week... but not sustainable over the long term. Fresh fruit costs a lot, your £15/week budget is soon blown if you enjoy fresh fruit salads.
cal72 said:
Tinned salmon, chicken tonight.
Not exactly budget is it??
Oh and pasta and rice from the cupboard still costs and should be included in the budget.
Pink salmon you can get for less than a £1 a tin - mix with mash pots etc. and you've got 6 fishcakes...3 meals Not exactly budget is it??
Oh and pasta and rice from the cupboard still costs and should be included in the budget.
Chicken tonight , on offer at £1 a jar, with leftover chicken...2 dinners.
Buy a large pack of pasta and rice and will last you longer than 1 week...that's why the 4 week scenario was mentioned earlier
condor said:
Have you got use of a freezer? and do you have basic items in the larder as standard ie rice, dried pasta, spices, dried herbs etc.?
Thanks for the suggestions. I have a small freezer. Basic items in cupboards but if I use them I'll cost them. This is just a challenge, not necessity condor said:
Pink salmon you can get for less than a £1 a tin - mix with mash pots etc. and you've got 6 fishcakes...3 meals
Chicken tonight , on offer at £1 a jar, with leftover chicken...2 dinners.
Buy a large pack of pasta and rice and will last you longer than 1 week...that's why the 4 week scenario was mentioned earlier
This sounds more plausible now explained than what I first thought.Chicken tonight , on offer at £1 a jar, with leftover chicken...2 dinners.
Buy a large pack of pasta and rice and will last you longer than 1 week...that's why the 4 week scenario was mentioned earlier
Think this thread could do with the supermarkets offers for the OP.
Have you got a market near you? Not an 'orphan fed, hand molested lamb for £24.99 a lb for Tabitha and Tarquin to have for lunch' farmers market but a proper market - apples 3 paaaaaand a paaaaaaaaaand type place?
If so, get yourself there at the end of the day. Soft fruit probably not so good but you can get a shedload of veg like carrots, potatoes, cauliflower that sort of stuff for a steal. I used to go down to the Birmingham markets when I was at uni at the end of a Saturday and get loads of gub for the week for a fiver...
If so, get yourself there at the end of the day. Soft fruit probably not so good but you can get a shedload of veg like carrots, potatoes, cauliflower that sort of stuff for a steal. I used to go down to the Birmingham markets when I was at uni at the end of a Saturday and get loads of gub for the week for a fiver...
Pulses, lentils etc are your friend.
The other very cheap food item if you're really on a budget is tinned pilchards. Tesco have a 425g tin for 84p, that's almost a pound of nutricious protein for under a pound, enough for three good meals. Find some cheaper cuts of meat on offer and use these more as flavouring than bulk to add to rice and lentils.
Fruit and veg, as has already been said, get these late in the day from a market and you'll pick up a lot for pennies.
Breakfast, Porridge, with a sprinkle of sultanas for breakfast.
Lunch, flavoured pulses.
Dinner, lentil curry with some flavouring.
or, potatoes, pilchards and veg
Fibrous veg, such as brocoli, asparagus etc can be used in place of meat, most of the world are vegetarians or eat very little meat.
The other very cheap food item if you're really on a budget is tinned pilchards. Tesco have a 425g tin for 84p, that's almost a pound of nutricious protein for under a pound, enough for three good meals. Find some cheaper cuts of meat on offer and use these more as flavouring than bulk to add to rice and lentils.
Fruit and veg, as has already been said, get these late in the day from a market and you'll pick up a lot for pennies.
Breakfast, Porridge, with a sprinkle of sultanas for breakfast.
Lunch, flavoured pulses.
Dinner, lentil curry with some flavouring.
or, potatoes, pilchards and veg
Fibrous veg, such as brocoli, asparagus etc can be used in place of meat, most of the world are vegetarians or eat very little meat.
Top tip: Sunday roast.
You might think it's an expensive and extravagant meal for one. But:
If you can time it right with whole chickens being on offer, that does four decent main meals for a fiver, give or take being bothered to cook curry from scratch (or at least use paste and Basics chopped tomatoes rather than a sauce jar).
You might think it's an expensive and extravagant meal for one. But:
- Sunday dinner (trivially)
- Do a little too much veg and thus bubble and squeak for Monday.
- Curry or similar Tuesday, do two portions and freeze one.
If you can time it right with whole chickens being on offer, that does four decent main meals for a fiver, give or take being bothered to cook curry from scratch (or at least use paste and Basics chopped tomatoes rather than a sauce jar).
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