To think it’s actually hard to live off this for the rest of the month?!

That's plenty, it's £100 a week. I don't spend that on the weekly shop for me and my teenager who is a bottomless pit, and 2 year olds don't eat much.

I spend £120 a week - family of 5 with teens who eat enormous amounts of food. I cook from scratch 5-6 times a week, frozen pizza or homemade fish and chips on my lazy days. Takeaway max once a month. You'll be fine!

What are you eating on those days that costs so much though?!!!! Or do you have a lot of dietary requirements?!

How about something like:

Roast chicken, spuds and salad (Sunday)
Leftover chicken noodles stir fry (Monday)
Beetroot risotto (Tues)
Spag bol (Weds)
Bean and bacon chilli (Thurs)
Courgette and mint pasta (Fri)
Bangers, mash and green veg (Sat)

Chicken sandwiches for lunch for a couple of days
Or leftovers

Or something like that

I'd do an inventory of what you have in. I'd sort out your categories that you need eg toiletries, household goods, fresh food etc
If you aren't used to this budget then research some cheaper meals and meal plan.
Maybe do an online delivery being a new customer of somewhere like Ocado to get money off.

Plenty, tho revisit your choices, cavier, steak and chips no, beans, full , veg and fruit not nearly as much.
buy budget versions of dishwasher tablets and stuff

What do you have to get? Does it include nappies? Where do you shop?
I can easily spend so much money on crappie easy food but if you go to lidl for fruit, veg, pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes and assuming you have herbs and spices in already you can create a fair few meals just on that. Toiletries, again lidl or savers.
It's boring, especially if you're someone who doesn't like cooking and wants crisps and cola etc but it's perfectly doable

Make sure that you split it into 3 and don't go over the allocation for that week otherwise you'll be stuck at the end of the month. It's plenty though...

There are quite a lot of accounts on social media platforms that do weekly budget meal planning. Perhaps a few of those will give inspiration?

The Batch Lady is one? She does seasonal weekly meal plans with costings. I think there’s one called Cardiff Mum who does £20 shops in various supermarkets and then plans the meals?

That's loads for just you and a toddler.

Washing tablets, dishwasher tablets & shampoo will be less than £20. That leaves you over £300 for food. That's more than enough

I’d manage on that. We spend £100 a week on shopping for 4 of us, including a 12 & 14 yr old. Plus the cat. Are you buying a fair amount of ready cooked stuff? Pizzas etc? Jacket potatoes, pasta, chicken drumsticks with salad/veg etc would be cheaper.

That's plenty for an adult and a small child. Meal plan so you don't have waste, buy own brand household goods

Seems fine to me op. I spend £120 a week on my family of 4!

That is more than I spend a week for our family of 4 (2 adults, a preschooler and a toddler)!

@munnyya where do you shop? Do you meal plan?

OK sounds like you must buy lots of ready meals or prepared food.

You just need to come up with a series of simple recipes and you both eat them. Also batch cook, so make enough bolognese sauce for three meals. Eat one, one in the fridge, one in the freezer.

I think it seems like enough too. I could manage on that. You need to plan in advance and batch cook.

For starters you can wash by hand? Or is it still more economical to run the dishwasher in spite of the electricity costs?

Make your food more plant based and cook from scratch. You should be able to get by

I wouldn't by washing tablets as they are much more expensive than a bottle of washing liquid or powder

That's loads! More than I've ever had or needed for food and toiletries for myself and children ever. But maybe you are being extravagant. I see one of the three things you mention is dishwasher tablets. Most people don't have dishwashers, and most that do could economise by not using it for a few weeks if they had to. it won't save much on its own, but might indicate that you are living quite extravagantly.

I’m only buying essentials- no alcohol, no desserts, no snacks
lots of tinned or frozen veg,

I feed a family of 4 adults for £95 a week. That includes toiletries, laundry etc

You should be able to manage on that for an adult and a toddler. Do you meal plan?

You need to 0an out meals, and start to build up essentials in your cupboard, there is no reason to be spending £70 for 4 days of meals. Have a look at feed your family for £10 ( I think it's called) on Facebook, or any meal making groups. Baked potatoes, salads and sausages, shepherds pie, bolognaise, meals you can eat over 2 days. Your income isn't your issue, your planning is

That's loads. Last year £350 was my monthly food and household budget for me, teenage DD and a cat.

Is it more or less than you normally have, or the same?
As a one off, it’s perfectly doable, but if that’s how you are living every month I can see how it would grind you down. No room for treats/luxuries/clothes/gifts etc. And what about if something breaks/needs replacing?

Where are you shopping?
Do you meal plan?

Really confused about how it's a stressy struggle.

Can you give some indication about what you spend