25 pounds a week for food for one?

[BlackStrayCat]

Just that really.

Soon I will be in this position. After everything paid, I will have 25 pounds a week for me and a cat. I do not drive so would have to get a home delivery once a month (it is an expensive service where I live so could only do it once)

I think it is doable, any one else do this or any tips?

I am thinking lots of lentils, frozen and fresh veg.
Rice, eggs, frozen fish, big bag of potatoes, apples etc.

Home made cat food? Probs cheaper and more nutritious

medium.com/@caticles/save-thousands-on-cat-food-making-the-switch-5b8a3092425d

Yes it's doable for around £20 for you but how much is cat food, as long you don't have a fussy cat!

Porridge for breakfast is definitely your friend, lots of lentils and make a huge batch of mixed bean chilli then have with baked potatoes, wraps, rice etc on different days to mix it up. I make a large lasagne for about £7 that is 6 generous portions. The biggest savings off typical budgets are avoiding buying coffees and food out, I saved so much when I stopped. Another saving for smaller households is filtered milk, lasts weeks so better value than 2 smaller ones.

We spend about £70 for 2 people no cat

Not sure if you've seen this OP, they are on FB and Insta too: https://meal-plans.co.uk/meal-plans-emergency-meal-plans/#gsc.tab=0

Youve not said if this is going to be permanent or a long term thing, but its a good resource.

Also, have a look at "free my meal" on FB too

I think it’s doable for a person but not with cat food.
Im vegetarian and not long had gallbladder removed so limited on what I can eat atm.
Lidl do boxes of veg & fruit at the checkout for £1.50. I rarely find anything too far gone to eat.
Frozen and fresh veg, eggs, cheese and milk. Rice and pasta. Baked potatoes. See if you can get a yoghurt maker on Freecycle or similar, it’s very cheap to make.
Factor in tea bags/ coffee.
batch cook curries and casseroles in a slow cooker and freeze.
You can grow potatoes, salad leaves, tomatoes, peas, beans in pots if you don’t have a garden. I’m still getting tomatoes from my plants.

@midgetastic

There's lots of online guides but roughly speaking I work over 2 weeks so I need 28 portions of dinner for 2 people)

Make a 6 portion lasagna (£7) freeze 4 portions
Cook 8 portions brown rice (£1) freezes well, microwave to heat

Day 1
Porridge (25p a portion)
Sandwich (50p per portion) fruit (25p per portion)
Lasagna, salad £1.50 per portion

Day 2
Cereal (25p pp)
Sandwich as above
Dal and rice £1 per portion

Day 3
Toast (25p)
Sandwich
Mixed bean chilli and rice £1 per portion)

Day 4
Porridge
Baked potatoes (25p each) with leftover chilli
Pork chops (2 from a six pack so 75p each) and couscous and salad (from day 1)

Day 5
Cereal
Sandwich
Quesadillas make with wraps (half a pack for 2, 50p, leftovers beans and grated cheese £1)

Bacon sandwich £1 a head, fresh coffee 20p pp
Leftover Wraps with cheese, tomato and onion
Chicken roasted (£4 for 2 meals) veggies and gravy

Rest of bacon and eggs
Skip lunch if Sunday
Risotto made from leftover chicken, peas (£1 large pack) onion, cheese, garlic.

You can see it's very possible to have tasty meals on a tight budget but a lot is about leftovers, no waste etc. buying monthly is perfect if you have a freezer as many things come in big packets.

Stock up on legumes / rice / possibly pasta from the world foods aisle in the supermarket before you start.
Can you bake - my go to when skint was Soda bread, Id batch cook 4/6 from a large bag of flour and have the rest in the freezer . Soups, again batch cook them . If you can do them in a slow cooker.

Thank you SO much everybody for taking the time, I feel super motivated now.
The cat costs about 10 pounds a month. (I got him to get DD through the horrid recent time) he eats wet and dry food. It is a good quality german brand and he has gone from deprived rescue cat to posh cat very quickly.

To the people posting mealplans I am so touched. Thank you. It is the sort of thing I eat now and like and really helps, as we have been on a pretty tight budget for the two of us. When DD is off I will be on the minimal budget for 3 years probably. I have one year of ok financial situation to plan/stock up etc.

The situation will eventually resolve itself. Unfortunately I cant say more than that (although I would love to!)

But honestly, a calm and minimal lifestyle for a few years with an small wfh business will just suit me fine. I need a rest.

I am thinking of getting a slow cooker in the next year judging on PPs suggestions. They cost so little to run and a batch cook curry/dahl/stew/soup seems like the way to go and does seem doable.

Someone asked if I would order all at once and yes I would. (Minimum order/cost of delivery/no transport etc)
Definitely going to set up a herb garden in the coming year... thank you so much for the suggestion. Strawberries and tomatoes on the balcony sounds a great idea.

Checkout Olio app.

Can you get a initial offer discount hello fresh and gousto box? I got a super cheap one for £14 for 10 meals.

Try and get some big packs of spices before you go, cinnamon, paprika, cumin, ginger and a generic curry powder plus mixed herbs. If you can do the same for things like chia and flax seeds as well they are good for you,bulk out most meals and can be sprouted to add to sandwiches or stir fries.
Tinned mackerel and sardines are under a pound and can be used hot or cold, they also last for years!
I think it all depends on your store cupboard as to whether it is survivable or enjoyable. A cheap bag of frozen mixed veg makes curried soup for 4 days at least if there’s only you so would be about 30 p a portion if you add spices and a stock cube. You can make a quick flat bread with flour and yogurt, add chick peas and you’ve got a curry.
Definitely an adventure ahead of you, if there is local library join and you will get online books and magazines for free!

A cat cost about £5 a week in food/flea/worm tablets. That would leave you about £20 a week. If one meal a day is porridge and another meal 3 times a week is either something on toast or a jacket potato with baked beans and only buy cheap fruit like apples it might be possible for a few months but not indefinitely as you'd have to factor in toiletries and washing powder, toilet roll etc.

https://www.hellofresh.co.uk/freebox/Mjc2MTU2OTIwLTAtNC0xMS1HQg

In case you want 😉

Just remember to cancel ongoing subscription when cost goes up...

Put the cat on a good quality dry food so they need less . I have 5 cats and do this. Applaws dry cat food is usually under £40 for a 7.5 kg bag on Amazon. That lasts us a month for 5 cats so should last you ages for 1 cat.

I think it would be possible without the cat, eating almost entirely veggie food and batch cooking.

Maybe not now but for next summer buy some lettuce seeds and grow your own salad leaves. Lots of people offering free cooking apples ATM too. Take them and freeze.

Sign up to every supermarket loyalty card you can, if you haven't already and also look at online delivery.

Morrisons has a £25 minimum order. I don't use their delivery service these days but it certainly used to be possible to spot £0 delivery costs slots.

I'd favour a pressure cooker over a slow-cooker. Try Freegle/Freecycle or try bidding on eBay.

@BlackStrayCat I don't have anything useful to add to the good advice that you have already had, but just wanted to wish you all the best. You sound very sensible and thoughtful, planning ahead to tide yourself through the coming hard times. I admire the way that you are approaching it as a chance to destress and slow down with your cat and your daughter. May you find a tenner in the street every week to spend on a treat! Wishing your wee family much good vibe. 💐

Thankyou! Investigating right now!

@Hecatoncheires 🤗

I think it's doable, and would even be possible for a meat eater (chicken is cheap and you get a lot of meals from one). Although it might get repetitive, and I wouldn't really want to have to do it all based on a single monthly shop. Is there nowhere in walking or cycling distance where you could shop more frequently?

I would get in contact with food banks to bolster your food. Rice (cooked in bulk and frozen in portions) or potatoes, beans (cooked in bulk and frozen in portions) and an in season vegetable would be my choice for a lot of meals. Wishing you good things.

I would also find out where your local allotments are and leave a flyer on the fences to see if anyone has spare produce they would like to get rid of, you may not get much at this time of year but in the summer you could get a fair bit. If you have a garden next year you could grow some french or runner beans (easy) and courgettes (abundant).