How much does a regular evening meal cost you?

[shylatte]

This year money is tighter and I need to cut back. We are fairly frugal, but good quality food is very important to us - our shop (for 5 of us) is approx £200 per week. I cook everything from scratch, buy value products where I can. Our main problem is that the two eldest are really into sport/fitness and protein is a big thing for them. Heavy carb meals don't satisfy them at all, and dc1 wants chicken breasts and cooked salmon fillets as snacks.
On a Thursday we have fish, usually salmon or cod, which costs about £12 for the meal (this is from Lidl, not a gourmet fishmonger). That is before veg and a carb side. As part of my 'cutting back' I bought 750g of prawns on offer for £5. We've just finished a stir fry, to which all of the dc have declared is more like a snack rather than a meal On Sundays the dc like a lamb leg roast, and that alone is nearly £20.
My question is, is this normal? What would be the average price of a meal and what size is your family? DH thinks this is fine but I feel it is too much, but don't know how we can cut back.

If I'm doing chicken breasts I'll do them as a tray bake with sausages, bacon, onions, peppers, green lentils, mushrooms, potatoes in olive oil and herbs. Makes the meat stretch a lot further and is delicious

Honestly if class myself closer to avid meat eater rather than anywhere near vegetarian. We've tried and failed to eat two meat-free meals a week. I'm still pretty shocked at the amount of meat it sounds like your family is eating though! Potentially two salmon fillets for tea plus a chicken breast for a snack plus whatever they have for lunch. Not good for your health and really not very environmentally responsible. I LOVE lamb and we're not hard up, but it's still only a once a year treat for us at Easter. And I hate to come over all mumsnet "oh if I ate more than a crumb I couldn't eat again for days" but honestly I think a six egg omelette would make me feel sick (if I actually managed to get through it all).

Clearly moving to veggie meals isn't going to work for you at this point. If I was you I'd start by doing away with the chicken and salmon snacks - if he wants them he can buy his own. I'd have plenty of nuts, seeds, eggs, dairy etc available instead. I'd also cut down how often you have a lamb dinner. Those are easy wins in my eyes.

Are you buying branded peanut butter? Most supermarkets do their own brand 100% nut butters so you don't need to be buying meridian or whatever (and certainly not whole earth since that's essentially just sun pat with better branding).

Did you buy supermarket mince with a high fat content? I'd always buy 5%. Just wondering if it was the higher fat and so greasy texture that they picked up on rather than lower quality meat. I just honestly can't imagine being able to detect a different in the flavour of mince when it's cooked in something like a lasagne! Maybe I've just never had really good mince.

Oh we aren’t vegetarian at all, but we don’t eat that much meat at every meal. If we had steak on Monday, Tuesday I would try and not be so meat heavy etc. or we have something like chorizo as flavouring in things but it’s not the main element

Something like scrambled egg on nice toast, with a bit of chorizo and fresh chives ontop, maybe some greens on side would definitely be a main meal here, not a snack.

With regards to cleaning after the peanut or any nut butters, it's no worse than cleaning up after a smoothie. I'm pretty lazy so if I can do it, anyone can - I don't own anything that can't go in the dishwasher.

I think if you seriously want to cut costs, reducing pre-made/convenience/pre-chopped etc stuff does also make a real difference. Obviously requires a time investment though.

For example, I make my own nut/soy milk - costs pennies; sauces (eg. pasta, curry, bbq etc), hummus etc. If you have the basic ingredients in, you can make it very easily. Curry paste takes minutes, as does hummus.

We spend about £80 for four with two big eaters.

Chilli & Rice - 500g meat plus veg
Spaghetti carbonara 500 g pack plus bacon & mushrooms
Spicy rice 500g - chorizo, prawns, veg & rice, garlic & paprika.
Pizza - made from scratch with anchovies, mushrooms etc..
Fish & Chips
Risotto with veg & 2 chicken breasts
Chicken curry plus veg / spinach & Rice.

A massive plate of curry and rice usually sorts them out.

Make them watch The Game Changers on Netflix with you, they'll be shocked.

They are choosing the most expensive sources of protein to hit their macros. They could have eggs, protein yogurts, bars and powder/shakes instead like most people do.

I'd also advise getting a Costco membership. You'll make your money back in natural peanut butter alone!

They must be taught these skills of how to eat what they need as economically as possible, otherwise they'll never afford to move out!

It's not just the men who feel no meat is no meal, it's all of us blush Some of the veggie suggestions just simply wouldn't satisfy me, or maybe I just think they wouldn't? This is a rather blinkered viewpoint, so it does warrant challenge.

Re portions in restaurants. I don't know if it's just the ones we have gone to (they are definitely not fine dining though!) but the amount of meat is tiny, and the majority of the plate is salad/veg. I'd rather actually go to a kebab takeaway and get a tandoori chicken kebab because the portion of chicken is decent. And this too is a comment that is not really suggesting a healthy relationship with food/meat.

Maybe the first thing to do is understand the food issues better, before moving on to tackle the meal plan.

They must be taught these skills of how to eat what they need as economically as possible, otherwise they'll never afford to move out!
I was thinking this when you said your DS was staying at home through Uni as he'd heard of students eating instant noodles. You'll have them at home till their in their 40s
Honestly, going away to Uni, learning to budget and stand on your own 2 feet and living on tuna pasta for 3 years is a rite of passage and far more fun than being cosseted at home with mummy.
How would they cope if you had a significant drop of income and the salmon and chicken breast snacks had to stop?

They were shocked that for some people they would eat pasta with a jar of sauce as a meal.
At home it's just me and DD13, I earn well but pasta with a jar of sauce is at least one of our meals a week. I cook fresh everyday bit someday pasta n jar sauce is all you need.
Maybe give them a budget and tell them to meal plan and shop for a few weeks.

XiCi I agree about uni. I love that my DC can budget and plan their meals. They make spag Bol and fajitas and have half the next day etc. Or if they have the money they’ll look for vouchers for high street restaurants.

A lot less than yours but my DC are much younger and are tired by teatime.
They like simple things like scrambled eggs on toast or pasta with tomato sauce. Most complicated mid week meal is probably bangers and mash.
I always eat with the DC and DH does sometimes (depending on when he gets home from work).

We probably eat meat/fish 2-3 times a week and the rest veggie.

I just worked out that mine meals average £1 per meal per person. I am a really good cook and grew up poor so know how to feed well frugally.

I think if you serve meat or fish as a sort of slab, then it's more noticeable if you cut it down
Like 3 sausages to 2 is obvious!
I tend to do stuff that I bulk out with veg so you don't notice it's less meat
Like cottage pie, lasagne, beef stew, fish cakes etc

There is definitely no need for a 6 egg omelette though!
Plain whey stirred into Greek yoghurt or porridge, add some peanut butter
Cottage cheese on rice cakes with chilli sauce
Boiled eggs
Cooked chicken (a whole one and pick everything off it)

How about getting the one who likes a six egg omelette to make a six egg frittata or large quiche once or twice a week instead. That should make a few decent portions to keep in the fridge for quick lunches or snacks.

Could add salmon pieces to this (packs of smoked salmon trimmings are much cheaper than the regular sliced packs). Or make smoked salmon or mackerel pate with cream cheese, black pepper, lemon juice. Keep in the fridge for a great quick snack on toast or oatcakes.

To answer the OP’s original question…

An evening meal for two of us. Both omnivores and all meals cooked from scratch.

About two or three pounds total.

Get your kids to plan and cook one meal a week each and give them a £10 budget.

Tell them they can have a £5 pocket money bonus if everyone is satisfied with the meal they cook. Your kds need some skin in the game here.