Wtf do I buy?

[FlipFloppingFlipper]

I am just so bloody tired of food shopping and teen dc moaning that there is nothing to eat in the house, yet they go through my cupboards like locusts.
I cook pretty much the same meals week in week out and am bored to death of it, for context I’m a single parent working full time so need to get things in that are easy or quick to cook, but also healthy.

So what do you get in that I should be getting? Please help.

Big trays of pork chops/loin steaks, chicken thighs/breast/wings.. whatever you like. Break up into portions and put enough for one meal in to a ziplock bag with some kind of marinade (bbq sauce, soy lime & ginger, honey & mustard). Freeze them.

The night before take a bag out of the freezer and put it in the fridge. When you're ready to make dinner, pour a bag of marinaded meat on a tray, on another tray put corn on the cob/broccoli/green beans/ cauliflower, drizzle of olive oil, season to taste. Roast the lot for 30-40 minutes, add microwave rice if they like big portions.

Sausage tray bake - sausages, chopped up potato, onions, peppers and carrot. Drizzle of oil, seasoning and put it in the oven till it's brown and crispy. Shake it a couple of times as it's cooking.

One pan rice thing - chicken or turkey chunks coated in taco seasoning, fry it off with some sliced peppers and onions, add in a couple of pouches of microwave Mexican rice, stir and serve.

Do you have a heron foods or farmfoods near you? They're amazing for cheap snacks. Heron have an X Sell freezer and you can get some really good stuff like 24 mini cinnamon rolls for £2. They always have cheap yogurts too. I tend to pop in once a week and always end up coming out with something. A couple of weeks ago they had the good instant noodles for 39p that are usually £1.29 in Tesco. We brought a lot of those.

I’ve been doing that TikTok pasta, pretty sure it was my niece who told me about it! So easy and really satisfying meal, two toddlers love it and adults!

What is it please?

I’ve attached the recipe, it’s so simple, I don’t follow it to a tee!

We bake the Boursin and a stock cube (some use feta instead) with all the tomatoes in olive oil in in a baking dish for 45 minutes, cook mushrooms, chicken and the pasta separately, then smash all the tomatoes and mix all the sauce, whack it all in together and add spinach!

Recipe

Lots of meal plans on the internet

www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/speedy-family-budget-meal-plan

No unfortunately the nearest one is 35 miles away, would be great if they delivered.

I do drive and would be willing to there, is it worth the journey?

Teens need to make some of the effort. If you are on a budget they need to be aware of this and that there is not endless money for whatever their indulgence is, be it high meat diet, lots of snacks, ready prepared food, drinks, smoothies etc.

If they're hungry they can cook pasta, omelettes, baked potatoes, beans on toast.

They also all/both need to cook at least one proper family meal a week each. Perhaps also get them making flapjacks, fairly cheap and easy and a filling treat.

Can you all sit down and agree a selection of meals that aren't too time consuming and everyone is happy to eat?

Heron foods is brilliant. The x sell stuff like @BloodandGlitter said is what you need.

My ds is 19 and chuffed to bits that there is a heron foods right by his uni halls. I think it's definitely worth a trip, but clear out your freezer first!

Are the teens making some of their own food?

They are fairly good at making themselves something to eat, but I do generally cook for them before I leave for work so I know they’ve had at least one decent meal.

I have stopped buying fresh juice as it would be gone in a day, so they now only have dilute or water none of us drink fizzy drinks.

They’re also aware we are on a budget, however maybe through my own personal experience I try not to limit food too much, obviously they don’t gorge on unhealthy foods, but I grew up only being allowed to have one apple a day for example and being watched every time we went into the kitchen.
I don’t want my dc to feel as though they aren’t allowed to eat.