Only £30 this week-what to buy?

[Maccapaccawentwee]

We had an emergency medical situation with Dd and had to call a doctor out for a home visit. She’s fine now but we’re down nearly €200. We’re in another country and I have the equivalent of £30 for food until Friday, what go buy 🤷🏻‍♀️How to budget food for that amount (we usually spend 80/90)
What are the best foods/meals?

*To buy

I’m thinking chickpeas, pasta, rice, oats, make bread 🤷🏻‍♀️

Go to Lidl. You can get 5 days worth of food shopping there for £30. (That would cost you £60 in certain other stores...)

How many people is this for? How many meals? All people all meals every day or will some have food provided at school/work?

Loaf of bread & box of cereal for breakfasts. Big joint of cheaper meat e.g chicken/turkey that can be used for a few different meals? Vegetables to make a veg soup that will last for a few lunches.

What staples do you have in your cupboards already?

If I was in this position I'd order this box... www.morrisons-corporate.com/media-centre/corporate-news/morrisons-launches-family-recipe-box-for-just-30-including-delivery/

Could you base your meals on this content wise so hopefully similar amount?

How many people? Any dietary restrictions? What country are you in? What shops are close by?

Well, what do you have in already? And do you have access to a cheap supermarket? Is your gas/elec on a pre-paid meter? How many of you are there? Anyone fussy/with allergies?

I’d make a big pot of veggie soup to cover two days, with bread; porridge for all breakfasts; eggs, beans and chips for another few meals; pasta with tomato sauce and cheese; a chicken to roast with potatoes; then bananas, apples and a few packets of biscuits.

Bit controversial on here, but there are really good suggestions on this site, if you haven't seen it before. cookingonabootstrap.com/

I would add potatoes to your list.

What do you have in your cupboards already?

Glad to hear your DD is fine now.

I'd say start by checking your cupboards/fridge/freezer carefully and see what you've got to use up and figure out what could be added to make those things into meals and work from there. All the things you've listed sound good, but first check whether you've got tin of chickpeas, forgotten bags of pasta, etc, in the back of the cupboard. Make it a vegetarian week, unless you happen to have meat in the fridge or freezer to use up.

I’d go to whoever is the budget retailer in your country (Aldi, Lidl maybe) & get potatoes, pasta, cheap veg, eggs & maybe a chicken.

I would buy bread unless you already have all the ingredients at home. You can buy bread very cheaply.

If it’s just for 3 of you for 1 week you should be OK.

You're an adult! Plenty of veg and fruit. A whole chicken, some pasta. Loaf of bread and cheese.

How many people?
Make double spag bol. Half and freeze one portion. x 2 dinners
Do the same with chicken curry x 2 dinners.
Chicken - roast and eat. Use remainder for chicken fried rice x 2 dinners.

Eggs for lunch at home.
Pasta salad for lunch at school.

Milk, eggs, butter, flour, porridge, bananas, apples, pasta, rice, frozen peas.

If your in a different country do you have the equivalent of Iceland ,or aldi/Lidl etc ?

I could manage that with noodles etc for dinner and pasta, not great but noodles are super cheap, 20p a bag

No meters etc, all electricity etc paid, it’s literally just food for 4.5 days for two adults and one toddler, no dietary requirements.
I have lots of flour, eggs, onions, spaghetti, some rice, all spices 🤔

Asian supermarkets can be handy in these circs, for big bags of rice/ lentils / spices for dahl.
Depends which country you are in of course and what your cooking skills are. Giant bag of rice/ whole chicken or similar can make a fair few meals. Do you have seasonings? Any frozen?
Oats are useful too if you’re in a place where they’re cheap.

@Notanotherhun

You're an adult! Plenty of veg and fruit. A whole chicken, some pasta. Loaf of bread and cheese.

Yes, I’m sure OP is an adult...

If you can get lentils then do so , soups and stews. Do you have any tinned foods in, any flour, spices ect ?

I would buy the cheapest bread, cheese, ham and apples for lunches and make biscuits or flapjacks.
Dinners- things like jacket potatoes, pasta bolognese, macaroni cheese, cheap freezer foods, soup, sausage casserole, 5 bean chilli.
My children are fussy about breakfast but porridge is good value if yours aren't/isn't.

@Notanotherhun Yes, I’m an adult?! 🤷🏻‍♀️

Asking for meal/food ideas as I usually budget to a higher amount and generally not used to this amount. It would be fine with just me, but Dh eats a lot and toddler too.

Oh, Dh needs food for lunches, I’m thinking he can take what we have the night before with bread/baguettes?

Agree with a large joint of meat (probably a whole chicken. £3.50-4, roast it, could easily last 3 meals for a family, make into a pie/ casserole. Get frozen veg 2/3 bags for £2. To go with it. Then a veggie chilli made with beans/pulses, about £3 for tins plus spices (which you should have in hopefully), bag of rice 70p. Then 3 fruit options. Go to ALDI for their super six. Should be around £2. Milk £2. Box of cereal £1. Big bag of potatoes £1. Beans 4 tins £1. Cheese £1.50. Multi pack crisps £1. Bread x2 loaves £2. Pack of yogurts 80p.

So I'm now not sure what the issue is.

It is for less than 5 days
Just 2 adults and a toddler
You already have eggs, pasta, rice,flours, onions and spices.

What is the panic ?

What's already in the cupboard? Check what you can already use.

Cheap meals: get value range bread, potato, pasta, rice (and wraps of cheap where you are) as your bases then buy whatever veg, cheese and meat you find discounted or cheap. Mix and match all the bits. Make sure you have plenty of eggs and milk.
Bread and butter for sandwiches; reduced section for fillings (cheese, chicken etc)
Pasta with tins of tomato, sweetcorn and whatever veg is cheap plus whatever herbs you have
Pasta or rice with onions, mince and tinned tomato plus herbs
Baked potato with the leftover mince and cheese
Saute potatoes, bacon and cheap veg
Refried beans and cheese in wraps
Chicken spiced and fried with onion, on rice with iceberg lettuce
Mushroom, chopped other veg, cream cheese, garlic and pepper on toast or on potato or on pasta
Omelette or scrambled egg with whatever veg, cheese, meat
Etc.