What's the least you've spent on food shopping for the week?

[DramasticChanges]

I've managed to get ours down to £80 for two adults two kids. I need more inspiration! Help me get it lower.
We already yellow sticker but there always seem to be the same things reduced (Richmond sausages, carrot batons, doughnuts.) It's not always terribly healthy.
I get the £1.50 veg box from Lidl.
We eat meat free most nights.
Kids get free meals, I eat toast which is free at work and bring fruit, dp doesn't eat ( I think he does but doesn't tell me as I'll nag him to make sandwiches.)
Feeding others is pricey. Fed friend on Friday and in laws came over for dinner today so four extra adults.

why do you think a mango should be a treat? not judging, just trying to understand what you are trying to do? it's not a huge sugary/salty/fatty unhealthy treat after all.

How on earth can a co op meal deal last 3 meals?!?

Mangoes are a treat because they are expensive. I've tried all kinds of mango here and the only decent one I've found I'd Waitrose cubed in a plastic box at £3 a pop. That or if you are lucky to get your hands on Indian mangoes.

why do you think a mango should be a treat?

I'm guessing because they're a tropical fruit, shipped in from halfway around the world year-round. The same way that bananas and oranges were treats for kids until relatively recently. Our consumerist, convenience-led society has lost sight of the true value of things.

Lets not give the OP such a hard time over the fruit shall we?

After all, she hasn't said why she's doing this and it could be financial necesscity.

Mumsnet is a bit bonkers over fruit, with all the 'my DC inhale blueberries by the barrelfull' type posts and the reality is that it's very expensive and not really necessary to consume fruit at this rate, after all the five a day recommendation should be mostly vegetables, with only a portion or two of fruit and we should really be concentrating on what is seasonal and local, not tropical fruit flown from all over the world.

And there are much cheaper ways of eating it - cheaper types of fruit like apples or bananas, or frozen or canned fruit, which is actually better than fresh for a lot of it as it will have been properly ripe when canned or frozen rather than relying on the lottery that is buying 'fresh' fruit that has been treated to slow down ripening so that it gets to the supermarket shelf still edible, only it's often not, because it's under ripe and you have to watch a mango carefully over a few days to spot when it's actually ripe and ready to eat.

How on earth can a co op meal deal last 3 meals?!?

She means that £5 frozen deal where you get 5 items. Usually something like chicken nuggets, chicken dippers, frozen veg, oven chips and ice lollies.

I'm also confused how a Co-Op £5 meal deal can last for three meals?

I'm doing this because financially I think it's very easy for my food shopping budget to get out of control. If I go to a supermarket with a credit card, I go out of control. Taking cash to a local, smaller shop and making a meal out of what I can find in the reduced section is less overwhelming for me and I also see it as a bit of a challenge, like a budget version of ready steady cook.
It's also eco focused as using everything is the goal, and cutting down on supermarket wastage. I asked at Sainsbury's on Xmas eve what was happening to all the unsold stock which would go out of date by the time they reopened and she said it was binned staff aren't even offered it.
It's also a way to better appreciate more premium items, which may not be local. So yesterday I treated us to bao buns, pork belly slices (reduced), pickled cucumbers and radishes (homemade) and prawn crackers so we could celebrate Chinese New Year. If we had that all the time it wouldn't be special.

The Co-op meal deal lasts for more than one meal, because you get an absolute pile of food.

If you tried to eat it in one go, the portions would be enormous.

I'll repeat we always have English apples and frozen berries so my kids do have fruit daily.

The Co-op meal deal lasts for more than one meal, because you get an absolute pile of food

That explains it then, I've never had one so I was assuming it was just a small amount for a fiver.

Your kids are going to end up with issues in the future........being so miserly they're ecstatic to see a bloody mango is just ridiculous.

@BarbaraofSeville exactly plus the meal all together would be very bland and unhealthy. Better to have the oven chips with some homemade bean burgers and the battered fish with some polenta fries or just a light salad. Then the ice cream with some tinned peaches and sprinkles.
Honestly I think you can eat very well on a budget. My kids never miss out just because we don't have multipacks of crisps or mars bars. Then we have more money for holidays when we really can have luxuries.

Spent £16 last week, but I have store cupboards and only cooked 3 meals ( though one was for 4 adults, the others were for 2)

@FoamingAtTheUterus I grew up like this (mum was a single parent, paying a mortgage, living in an expensive city, working, holidays to visit family abroad every year so making cuts elsewhere) and I had a fantastic childhood.

If my kids get a mango they go absolutely bonkers, because it's a treat. As it should be

seriously a mango should be a treat?! Unless there are financial reasons you cant afford fruit and veg I think this is a shocking way to bring children up.

Why are you doing this OP? Is it a financial necessity or because you want to?

Food is an area where I don't mind spending because I love it. Sticking to such a tiny budget would be a bit joyless for me.
Tonight I'm making a Sri Lankan curry. It's probably a bit pricey because it has lamb, coconut milk and lots of different spices.

seriously a mango should be a treat?! Unless there are financial reasons you cant afford fruit and veg I think this is a shocking way to bring children up.

Mangoes are more expensive than mars bars! They're a treat fruit for me and I usually spend way more than the OP on food.

Why are people so outraged that a relatively expensive, tropical, non-seasonal fruit is seen as a treat? Things don't have to be unhealthy to be a treat.

And the OP has clearly said her kids get other fruit.

Mangoes are not the only fruit

@OnlyFoolsnMothers are you seriously concerned that children are being neglected by not having exotic fruit on a daily basis?
Honestly 'av a word!

Hmmm. Anyway OP in answer to your original question I don't think you can get your food bill any lower than that 😂

These must be the smallest portions on the planet. Pancakes from one egg feeding four of you for breakfast? The kids must be starving.

£80 a month?! We spend that a week! I don’t know what you eat but that’s seriously low for a family with children.

I think its depressing that your children chomp at the bit over fruit...as for "exotic fruit"...its 2020!!!

Honestly I can’t believe that your trying to reduce your grocery spending . 20 pounds a week is doing very well already .
We spend about 140 euro per week for two adults and two kids. Fruit alone costs 40 euro . My children unfortunately are not great at eating vegetables though my 6 year old will eat carrots , broccoli, sweet corn and peas but that’s it. Youngest won’t which is the reason for all the fruit.

I would love to get it down to 80 per week but the lowest is 100. That does breakfast for four, packed lunch for 6 year old, lunch for myself and toddler and dinner for four.
We also eat out every Saturday.
It the snacks I find cost the most - crackers , cheese , fruit and yogurts .

Do you eat the same dinners every week?

OP I'm really impressed with your approach and attitude and can't believe you're being slated. I don't have kids, but I don't buy mango for myself because it is expensive (and the fruity-airmiles too).