I could eat very cheaply if I lived on my own

[Atobe]

Could you?!

It’s only me and a teenager at home now but I seem to spend half my life shopping for more and more food as they are fussy, we like different things and they eat a lot of milk and cereal so we are always running out.

I think how easy it could be to just feed myself. I would eat very simply and if I didn’t have much food in I would be quite happy with beans on toast or a ham salad sandwich and a cup of tea. I would cook occasionally eg a cottage pie and it would last me for three days!

I don’t eat out much these days so I would save a lot of money all round too!

So OP if you want to simplify things have you actually talked to them about it? Put it in terms of opportunity cost, so the holiday/driving lessons/experiences whatever you could save for if there was less waste?
Do they cook ? If not get them to help out. Plan a menu for the week. Good protein, fruit and veg and they won’t need to snack on cereal (mostly sugary rubbish) As well as saving yourself time and money and stress you’ll help set them up for independent life.

I lose the will to cook if it’s just me and it becomes a depressing round of cheese sandwiches or something and salad.
But it’s great when the house is neat and tidy!

Definitely!
if it wasn’t for my husband, I don’t think I’d be cooking much, majority of what I cook, I don’t eat anyway!
His pack lunches cost a fortune, 4 sandwiches, a yogurt, home made cakes, chocolate biscuit bar, crisps and a banana. I only take a packet of crisps and a chocolate bar to work.
there 2 of us and we spent at least a minimum of £80 a week

Yes, it is so much easier. If 7 different meals isn't enough then you can rotate more.

I read so many threads on here where people struggle to decide what to eat and I don't understand why they don't just rotate them.

I know exactly what I am going to eat each day of the week. And as I said, you can't put on weight because you eat the same thing each week. And if I need to lose weight (like I did recently because I started using Estriol cream and found that I put on a bit of weight), it was so easy to do as I just reduced the number of nuts and seeds that I had for breakfast for a few weeks.

You can eat perfectly good nutritious food without cooking a full meal though.

Sure. As long as you still eat enough of it.

@ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea you can but if you're long term living alone it is nice to have a full meal
I'm worth cooking for as much as someone else is. Sometimes you want lasagne or cottage pie or something like that (I have never lived with anyone else since uni so 20 years living alone)

My meal plan is usually a mix of
Batch cooked stuff I freeze in portions with fresh veg
Easy stuff - omelette, scrambled eggs, jacket potato, salads, toasties etc
Beige I CBA food - pizza, fish fingers and chips...

I live on my own and yeah its cheaper.
Eggs and instant noodles and coffee are my main things dont ask lol.
I did get a take away tonight but most of its now in the fridge.
Plus i HATE cooking.
My monthly shopping bill is around £100 or under.