AIBU to think that this is perfectly adequate?

[CocacolaMum]

We have had a few surprise incidents this week resulting in some large household bills. We aren't panicking as we had a contingency in place (thank god!) but it made me look at how much I have been spending recently and its too much - especially on food!

In an effort to cut back a little bit I have decided that we could stop eating a lot of meat at every meal. So an average week would be something like this
Mon - Omelette (2 eggs, pepper, chorizo, cheese, onion, spinach and sweetcorn) and homemade wedges

Tuesday - Sausage casserole and mash

Weds - Fish and pasta and salad

Thurs - Jacket potato and beans and veg sticks

Fri - shepherds pie

Sat - BBQ Chicken Lasagne and salad

Sun - one pot casserole thing (I have a pack of meat I suspect is pork in the freezer)

I was talking about this with my mum this morning and she said that I cannot give my husband and kids Omelette or jacket spud after a hard day at school/work and it was a bit dull looking(!) and I need to have a rethink. I think the above is alright, could be healthier probably but I cannot see any major issues? AIBU to a) think I should be able to feed my family without my mother feeling the need to give her opinion (not asked for by the way, she happened to see the whiteboard the above was written on) and b) to think that as I do tend to pack veg into the meals they are ok nutritionally?!

Looks fine to me although I would go as far as to say on Monday an omelette is enough and wouldn't do wedges with it.

I have started to add lentils to spaghetti Bol and chilli as to use less meat and no one has yet noticed!

YANBU

It all looks fine

Head over to the money saving expert forums. Lots of recipes and culinary money saving tips there. I also find buying a good quality large whole chicken useful for keeping costs down. I make 3 or 4 meals with it. Roast it Sunday for dinner, then you can make curry / pie / pasta etc for next few days or freeze them, and finally boil it up for soup.
Do you have a slow cooker? Cheaper cuts of meat cook well that way.

You should tell your mum the fifties called and they want their meat and two veg back.

Your menus look absolutely fine to me.

I wouldn't say having only on animal protein free day is 'cutting back' on meat!

That menu sounds great! I might steal some of your ideas..

Sounds delicious.

YANBU. An omelette or jacket potato is an adequate meal in itself, as long as there's enough of it!
We have cut down our meat consumption. We have red meat rarely- less than once a week, poultry twice a week and fish/vegetarian the rest of the time. I make things like bolognese and chilli with red lentils and vegetables or turkey mince instead of beef. Cheaper and healthier.

Whois, that's next weeks and we have most of the ingredients in the freezerso there is still a fair bit of meat. However, the following week it will be a no meat omelette and then another veg meal too (if I can find something easy enough, maybe a veg chilli and rice) so I am cutting back even though it doesn't really look like it there if that makes sense.

looks like a nice week of meals to me.

You should tell your mum the fifties called and they want their meat and two veg back love it!

I think that's a good meal plan, in fcat I'd go a bit further to be honest. Second a big chicken lasting 2-3 meals, I do that quite often: Roast one day, cold with salad the next day then lob the rest in a vege/pasta meal

I've just told OH that we are having an experimental belt-tightening month in October & meat is the most expensive part of our shopping bill so it's got to be cut down and wine boohoo

I made a massive vege pasta bake one night last week with leeks, courgettes, aubergine etc and he was halfway through before he asked if there was any meat in it

PS, salad is your friend, serve it with most things to fill the plate [and your tummy] up

Make soup! Cheap filling and good for you. It's getting to be soup weather now ( we have a huge pan of chicken carcass " stewp" on the go at the moment- chicken carcass, "soup mix" (lentils beans barley- yum) potatoes onions celery carrots . Called " stewp" as it's a cross between soup and stew- thick as anything ( I may have overdone the barley but I like it like that)

Looks fine to me

When you do have meat, buy it from Aldi. So much cheaper than anywhere else.

Can I come and stay next week? I promise i'll do the washing up!

Can you tell me the recipe for the BBQ chicken lasagne? I think DH and DS would love that! (as would I but I can pass it off as being a yummy dinner I made lovingly for them )

I do shop at Aldi!

The lasagne is easy
Chicken breast, onion and pepper (I usually add in courgette and sweetcorn too), dump a jar of hunters sauce (aldi 80p) on top or you can make your own if you want to.

then you just layer it like a normal lasagne with white sauce and lasagne sheets and a bit of cheese on top.

Jacket potato and omelettes say lunch to me rather than dinner, but why are you asking here when the only opinions that matter are the ones who have to eat the food?
the chicken lasagne thing sounds vile though.

You've made me hungry.

Never made chicken lasagne is it ok sounds a bit weird to me always having mince in ours before ,it sounds more like a pasta bake to me but am not being picky just curious before I make it lol!

I know this isn't quite what you asked, but can I recommend home-made lentil soup, to have before the omelette or baked potatoes perhaps.

It's very easy - quite quick - and very nutritious.

Also adding small amounts of porridge oats to chilli or mince to make the meat go further.

Also, chick pea curry.

When you buy chicken is it always chicken breasts? If so, try chicken portions including the thigh portions - very tasty.

We sometimes have a baked potato with baked beans and grated cheese. With fried mushrooms/peppers/onions. It does look like a substantial main course then.

If you put the omelette into a pastry case it will be a quiche, would that be better? Adds a few extra carbs to keep them going.

Dtd2 went vegetarian, which means the rest of us are only having meat/fish/chicken about twice a week now, and it's had a lovely effect on food bills. Also when I do buy meat I feel I can afford to buy the best quality and ethical rearing standard etc etc, no watered down supermarket chicken breasts or pork chops anymore.

That's a good point generally choco, if you're buying chicken a whole one is better value, or for those nights when you just want quick fillets, thighs are much, much cheaper. And I think it's tastier meat too.

we have most of the ingredients in the freezer

Love those weeks of freezer meals where you can make lots of nice meals without spending much on more ingredients.

I think your meal plan looks tasty, especially the omlette.

If you want an easy and filling veggie meal I recommended veggie chilli with grated sweet potato and grated carrot in. Makes a really nice texture if you cook it for a while.

Can I ask for recipe for veggie chili please whois,
Also can I ask you all, when adding lentils to food, do you soak and cook before, or cook them in the meal?