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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be seriously worried that the cost of food is getting so scarily high

548 replies

thebird · 18/08/2011 18:48

I am not extravagant I buy shop own brands where I can, I try to shop on a budget, I cook from scratch and have given up buying extras like wine (well just the odd bottle to keep me sane) but still each week the cost of my food bill goes up and up. I know inflation is running at around 4-5% but I cant understand this as many basic items have increased almost 30-50%. When the hell is it going to stop or I really will be living on beans on toast every night(and even they've gone up lots!

OP posts:
Labradorlover · 21/08/2011 22:19

Please could someone PM me the £30 mealplan too.
Things are getting tight here, although I haven't yet served my mum's 1970's style curry.......tin of pilchards with curry powder.

strictlovingmum · 21/08/2011 22:22

Dh goes every 4 to 6 weeks down to Smithfield's market in London, and get us everything we need, I cut up and portion everything and freeze.
Meat is much cheaper down there, and Dh has seen local butcher van at the market, silly bugger now we now for how much he is getting the steak and sausages for.Grin
Well worth doing if you love your meat as much as we do, depending on what your are buying, you can save 40% to 50%.
Choice is huge, not only meat wise, but everything else, mozzarella, salami, frozen fish etc.
We love our vegetables, but for Dh unless there is meat in the pot, for him that isn't dinner.

TheRealMBJ · 21/08/2011 22:23

I've started to meal plan a lot more. Using a chicken for 3 meals or a joint of meat for 2/3 etc. We grow most of our own veg in the garden (although for winter we will struggle). For the last 2 months I have baked all our bread and we have saved loads, not only because it is cheaper but a lot less is wasted. We would never finish a supermarket loaf before it grew mould. I also make our own yoghurt in the slow cooker and so 4 pints of yoghurt now costs me about £2.50 (if I use Sainsbury's milk - with Lidl milk about £2.15).

I am crap at budgetting and terrible at noticing what I am spending on but am working harder at economising and not wasting anything.

Something I have noticed has made a huge difference it our herbs which have finally come into their own this year. We have a bay tree and grow our own parsley, basil, thyme and rosemary. Not only do I not have packets of fresh herbs going sludgy at the bottom if the veg drawer, they taste so much better straight off the plant.

DH is going to build me a fruit cage this year as, although we have our own raspberry, strawberry, gooseberry and black and red currants in the garden they are annihilated by the birds and DS before even nearly ready to eat.

TheRealMBJ · 21/08/2011 22:25

Oh, and I am very worried about our winter fuel. Oil is SOOOOO expensive and if it is anywhere near as cold this year as last year we will plough through it.

NotADudeExactly · 21/08/2011 22:30

Strict, thanks for the tip re meat, I'll try that!

Stupid question but how long does meat generally stay fresh in the fridge? We live in a crappy little student flat that comes furnished with no freezer and the door of the ice compartment in the fridge missing. :(

lookingforwork · 21/08/2011 22:36

If you have a local butchers they seem to be much cheaper than the big supermarkets and much better quality, thought I buy most of my meat from the Halal butchers. Chicken is about £2.30 kg for big thighs. I bought 4 kg for about £10 which worked out at 6 big thighs and 4 smaller thighs. For me and DH is 5 meals of roast chicken or I cook double the amount and tear off the meat of make other stuff. The lamb mince is about £4 a kg ( made to order from chunks of lamb no fat). Though the best one I have seen is whole lambs leg for £7 (foot to hip). If you do have a halal butcher nearby it is worth it. Also my local Londis does 2 x 4pt milk for £2 and 12 free range eggs for £1.59.

Also i'd be very interested if someone could pm me the £30 meal plan so I could see if there are any tips I could use.

strictlovingmum · 21/08/2011 22:38

NotADudeExactly, if you have room anywhere in the flat, consider buying a chest freezer, £50 new from Ebay, we did that and it paid for itself virtually in one saving on the monthly meat supply.

stressedHEmum · 21/08/2011 23:31

NADE, have you tried just using meat to flavour things. I do things like make a big pan of patatas bravas (potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) but add an 80gm packet of sliced chorizo to it, or even 1/2 a packet. It gives the potatoes plenty of flavour, folk think they are eating a meaty meal but it actually only costs pennies. If I only use 1/2 a pack, I use the rest later in the week to flavour a pasta sauce or to put in chick pea and chorizo soup. A couple of ounces gives plenty of flavour.

I also make butterbean goulash using 4 rashers of bacon, then use the rest of the pack to make pea and ham soup, potato, onion and bacon bake, ham and egg pie, fried potatoes with bacon and cabbage or something else.

If you make a roast, use 4oz of left over meat, finely chopped, cooked with 4oz of barley, stock, onion, carrot and turnip/swede/celery to make barley mince to fill jacket potatoes. (I can give you a recipe if you like.) Use another 1/2lb of leftover meat, mix with 1lb mashed potatoes, 1lb mashed veg, a handful of breadcrumbs and a couple of spoonfuls of pickle or sauce. Form it into sausage shapes, roll in oats and bake for 20 minutes or so. My kids call these hedgehogs and love them with beans.

1 chicken breast/leg has plenty meat to make a risotto or or pasta bake, a couple of thighs is enough to make a chicken and veg pie, 4oz of left over chicken is enough to make cream of chicken soup. If you cook a pork roast and then cook it again with onion, barbecue sauce, some water and a pinch of chilli very slowly, you can shred it between two forks and get a huge pile that you can freeze in portions and then serve in crusty rolls (about 12oz of meat feeds all 5 of my kids, 2 of whom are adults, one a teen boy and 2 preteens,)

Another thing that I do is cook a mixture of 1 cup green lentils and 1 cup rice in 5 cups of strong beef stock. You can use this instead of mince. It has a meaty colour and taste because of the stock and can be flavoured just like mince to make a whole host of dishes.

NotADudeExactly · 22/08/2011 00:07

I love some of the ideas here! Will definitely try to get my hands on a freezer - even if I have not got the faintest idea where to squeeze it. £50 is ridiculously cheap!

HipHopOpotomus · 22/08/2011 06:04

I'm a disloyal shopper - I go to sainsburys, tesco and lidl and I make them all work.

For the past few months every time I do a tesco shop I get a voucher for £6 off my next £40 shop. Sainsbury often give me similar vouchers. Been saving loads this way.

If you can spread your shopping £££ around, it seems they try hard to get you back instore.

carminagoesprimal · 22/08/2011 08:02

Good morning everyone -

Can I just say - I had to dash into my local sainsburys late last night ( I'd run out of milk ) whilst there, I had a quick look at the reduced section, (now I've overcome my fear of being seen lurking by reduced goods ) - taste the difference freshly squeezed orange juice - 29p ( reduced from £2.59 ) I bought 3 bottles, plus those packets of ready cut fruit, reduced from £2.00 to 29p - I bought up the lot Grin all in all I spent just under £1.80 for some good stuff. ( ok packet fruit isn't the best but it's better than nothing )

I might start going in there every night 10 minutes before they close - I'll save even more money!

carminagoesprimal · 22/08/2011 08:05

Oh, and I heard on the radio this morning that divorcing couples are arguing over supermarket loyalty points - lawyers aren't sure what to do Grin - it's a new and growing phenomenon....

LesbianMummy1 · 22/08/2011 08:51

still trying to read all of thread but some really great ideas thanks everybody

Corvax · 22/08/2011 08:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Snuppeline · 22/08/2011 09:35

Great tips on here! I wish I had a proper outdoor space to grow lots of things too. If I did I would start growing a little bit of lavender and add a sprig to my wardrobe and place strategically around the house for that wonderful smell. I might even consider making my own soap if I had a supply of lavender!

I'm sorry to be scaring some of you with the coke as cleaning product tip! Ketchup is also very acidic due to the vinegar and people use it, or coke, to clean jewlery & silverware (or so I've heard, not tried it myself yet).

I've got two further good tips though for you lovely ladies who may find that their beauty regime budget is reduced too due to cost of cosmetics. I use some warmed honey in a thin layer on my skin as a facial, its deep cleaning and also gently antiseptic so good for the health of he skin and very soothing to have on. Just be aware that it can get a bit runny so have a towel ready.

Theres no need to buy cracked heel cream, just take a blob of thick cream (E45 or own brand versions) and rub a generous amount into skin, take a freezer bag and thread over feed, put socks on and either leave over night or for a few hours - heels no longer cracked and feet very soft.

Squeeze a bit of lemon juice in a bowl and place your finger tips in it to whiten your nails. Makes blond hair shine beautifully too.

For those who are dreaming of white teeth but can't afford to go down the dentist route you can take a little bit of baking soda on a tooth brush and brush your teeth gently with it. You'll feel it tingling in your mouth, that's normal. Rinse thoroughly (don't swallow) and hey presto you have a brighter smile for next to nothing. Its not dangerous or unhealthy (I've spoken to dentist about it and its no worse than the bleach stuff they sell you) but should only be used a couple of times once or twice a year. That's goes for the bleach stuff you get at dentist and pharmacy too though.

Righto I now feel like my thrifty grandmother...

stressedHEmum · 22/08/2011 09:57

Potato thing for 4 (easily multiplies up)

4 big baking potatoes, thinly sliced
2 big onions, thinly sliced
4 rashers of bacon, cut into little strips
1 pint white sauce
salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg

Layer the potatoes, onions and bacon in a lasagne type dish, finishing with a layer of potatoes. In between the cycles, season well with salt pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and a little bit of finely chopped garlic (you could use garlic salt instead). Pour over the white sauce , you could sprinkle a small amount of grated cheese over the top if you like. Bake at 160 for about an hour and a half. Nice with peas and carrots.

Other potato thing

Enough potatoes for people, diced into small cubes
couple of chopped onions
1 bacon rasher per person, cut into bits
cabbage, shredded
butter and oil mixed
salt, pepper to taste

Par boil potatoes. Fry bacon and onion in butter and oil for a couple of minutes. Add cabbage, stir around until wilted a but. Add potatoes. Fry, stirring, until everything is properly cooked, season well.

duchesse · 22/08/2011 10:23
stressedHEmum · 22/08/2011 10:27

Just realised I also mentioned patatas bravas. This is one of my DD's very favourite meals.

Lots of potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 3lbs for 4 people maybe)
1 500ml carton of passata
1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, sliced (optional)
2oz or so sliced chorizo
1tspn chopped garlic
1tblspn smoked paprika
1/2tspn cayenne (more of you like it hot)
1tspn sugar
couple of tblspns tomato puree

Toss the potatoes in a couple of spoonfuls of oil and roast in the oven at 200 for about 1/2 an hour (they should look like those mini roasties that you can buy for kids).

Meanwhile, Fry the onions and garlic until beginning to soften, add peppers and chorizo, fry until chorizo releases its oil. Add spices and cook for a couple of minutes. Add passata, sugar and tomato puree and simmer until saucy. When the potatoes are cooked, mix them with the sauce, put a lid on and leave it for a few minutes so that the flavours absorb. You can serve with a little aioli drizzled over the top if you like it.

stressedHEmum · 22/08/2011 10:31

What's the Pauper's Cookbook? sounds like something I would really like. The potato think is something that my mother used to make in the winter (minus the garlic because it was way too exotic for us when I was growing up) We all loved it. I still make this for me, without the bacon (veggie), even now and it always makes me feel nice and warm and cosy, especially if I eat it with cabbage and carrots (ubiquitous childhood winter veg.)

duchesse · 22/08/2011 10:31

It is! Best budget cook book ever

archieleach · 22/08/2011 10:34

Could someone please PM me the £30 meal planner. Thankyou

stressedHEmum · 22/08/2011 10:35

OOOHHH! That looks like it will be making it's way into my Amazon basket in the very near future Grin Thank you, Duchesse

carminagoesprimal · 22/08/2011 10:41

I've got the £30 meal planner but I don't know how to send messages on - Blush

duchesse · 22/08/2011 10:42

My mother still has the 1971 edition- it's a paperback and completely falling apart now but still used and loved. I imagine that some ingredients that were very cheap back then are not so cheap now and vice-versa but the later edition must be good.

Shutupanddrive · 22/08/2011 10:42

I've just discovered the CREDIT CRUNCH topic on here, worth a look for lots of tips

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