FOOD BILLS PER WEEK

[Diamondsareforever123]

We are two adults, middle aged, with 3 cats. Very low income. What's the cheapest food bill we could budget? We're not veggie/vegan, no food allergies or intolerances. I think we're spending too much.... and the fuel bill has knocked me for six!!

[quote mrsm43s]@fairylightsandwaxmelts

Okay, if it's so easily done, what would you buy with your £25 to feed two adults and three cats, including litter, cat food, human food, toiletries and cleaning products?

In fairness, that wasn't what the OP asked. She asked for the cheapest food bill for 2 adults and 3 cats. It absolutely could be done on £25-£30 per week. It won't be an exciting diet, or even the healthiest, but the cheapest food bill, would not be a lot of money.

Asda Smart Price is the way to go.[/quote]
Exactly. I think people are missing that OP asked what the cheapest was, not what the cheapest was whilst maintaining an exciting, fresh produce, all organic diet was.

It absolutely CAN be done for £25 a week. It's just not going to be super fresh and exciting. Pasta and sauces, boxes of 6 frozen breaded chicken / fish cakes could make potentially 3 meals for a few quid etc etc... Asda do big bags of cook from frozen meat for 3 for £8 e.g meatballs, mince, diced chicken all of which would cover at least 2 meals from each bag for two people.

It could definitely be done for £25-£30 a week.

[quote 00100001]@Fudgein
"I spent £34 this week for 2 adults and a child.
As an example:
Mon - fajitas
Tue - chicken curry
Wed - soup & crusty bread
Thurs - shepherds pie
Fri - pizzas
Tonight- chicken burgers."

Impossible. Unless you were already using stuff you had at home.

Chicken for fajitas, curry, burgers £10 easily.

Fajita stuff;
Wraps £1.50
Peppers £1
Onion 30p

And anything else you might have like salsa etc

Extras for curry;
Rice 50p+
Onion 30p
Tomatoes 60p

And anything else you might have, naan, chutneys etc

Soup;
Let's pretend you've made that with beg and leftover chicken etc so £1-2
Crusty bread £1.50

Shepherd's pie
Onions 30p
Potatoes 50p
Mince £4
Veggies £1-2

Pizzas

Again let's pretend you make them
Dough.£2
Sauce 75p
Cheese £2-3

And anything else you might have with them salad etc

Chicken burgers
Rolls 75p-£1

And anything else you are having, ege wedges, salad.

That's already £30 without anything aside from the main ingredients. How are you making £4 stretch to include; breakfasts, lunches, additions to main meals, toiletries, cleaning stuff etc? Even if you were making you fajita wraps, that still costs money, even if you already had the bag of flour and oil at home.

Please break down your costs. It just seems impossible that £34 would feed a family for 21 meals[/quote]
It depends what you buy.

Fresh chicken for all of that will obviously be expensive. As I say though, Asda (probably others do too) do big bags of pre diced chicken you can cook from frozen for £3 or 3 bags for £8. So you could buy 3 bags of diced chicken for £8 and likely still have some left over. Or you could mix it up and get chicken, mince, meatballs / diced beef of lamb etc... All with enough in for at least 2 meals for two people 3 for £8.

You can also buy big bags of frozen veg, diced onions, diced peppers etc.. which will last for ages.

Beef OR lamb.

Haven't rtft, but personally I would budget for the cats first and buy in bulk decent quality cat food and bulk cat litter on Amazon.

Next I would meal plan all meals for 7 days - also starting off by buying bulk items such as rice, pasta, jacket potatoes as your base foods (if they work out cheaper per kg/100g).

@DownWithTheBloodyRedQueen

That's still £28, give or take. Are we really believing that 3 people can eat 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches meals for £6? That's 42 small meals at 14p each

[quote 00100001]@Fudgein
"I spent £34 this week for 2 adults and a child.
As an example:
Mon - fajitas
Tue - chicken curry
Wed - soup & crusty bread
Thurs - shepherds pie
Fri - pizzas
Tonight- chicken burgers."

Impossible. Unless you were already using stuff you had at home.

Chicken for fajitas, curry, burgers £10 easily.

Fajita stuff;
Wraps £1.50
Peppers £1
Onion 30p

And anything else you might have like salsa etc

Extras for curry;
Rice 50p+
Onion 30p
Tomatoes 60p

And anything else you might have, naan, chutneys etc

Soup;
Let's pretend you've made that with beg and leftover chicken etc so £1-2
Crusty bread £1.50

Shepherd's pie
Onions 30p
Potatoes 50p
Mince £4
Veggies £1-2

Pizzas

Again let's pretend you make them
Dough.£2
Sauce 75p
Cheese £2-3

And anything else you might have with them salad etc

Chicken burgers
Rolls 75p-£1

And anything else you are having, ege wedges, salad.

That's already £30 without anything aside from the main ingredients. How are you making £4 stretch to include; breakfasts, lunches, additions to main meals, toiletries, cleaning stuff etc? Even if you were making you fajita wraps, that still costs money, even if you already had the bag of flour and oil at home.

Please break down your costs. It just seems impossible that £34 would feed a family for 21 meals[/quote]
-You can get 2 packs of chicken thighs for less than £4. If you debone them, you can easily have enough for the fajitas, curry & chicken.
-All the onions for the recipes can be bought in one pack for £1. In fact all the veg I can imagine for the meals including any salads shouldn't cost more than £7 altogether if you're not buying salad bags.
-Breakfast is easily just toast/cereal/porridge I doubt you'd spend more than £5 for everyone if you tried.

I think if you're determined to make things expensive, they will be.

@00100001 assume you're getting your prices from waitrose or similar? I've looked directly on the asda website and the prices are much lower than your guesses.

Chicken for fajitas, curry, burgers £10 easily.
Nope a whole pack 1kg boned chicken thighs is £5 and would be enough for all three. Even cheaper if you bone them yourself.

Fajita stuff;
Wraps £1.50
Peppers £1
Onion 30p
Asda wraps 65p and a whole bag of onion is 75p which would do all the meals for this week plus spare. Frozen peppers are cheaper or just buy one for 60p.

Extras for curry;
Rice 50p+
Onion 30p
Tomatoes 60p
1kg of basmati rice is £1.50 and would do 5 meals for 2 people, so more like 30p a portion. Tinned tomatoes 40p.

Soup;
Let's pretend you've made that with beg and leftover chicken etc so £1-2
Crusty bread £1.50
Veg is less than £2. Carrots 43p, parsnips 60p, onions included from the aforementioned 75p bag,
400g load of Crusty bread, more than enough for 2 people is 85p.

Shepherd's pie
Onions 30p
Potatoes 50p
Mince £4
Veggies £1-2
Again depends what veg you're buying but I add carrots (43p, shared with the soup above and a side portion) and frozen peas (99p but would do multiple meals).
500g is mince is £2 in asda, not £4. Add a 55p tin of lentils and this will stretch to 4 or more portions.

Pizzas
Again let's pretend you make them
Dough.£2
Sauce 75p
Cheese £2-3
I wouldn't use a whole block of cheese on a pizza... more like 50ps worth.
Or just buy frozen pizzas which start at 69p

No idea how much pets cost but you could easily feed two adults for £25-30 a week. Guessing litter and cat food will add £10-20 a week on top.

@Sartre can you explain how? And still have healthy, balanced meals?

Myself, my mother, 1 5 year old and 1 cat have been trying to get by on £5 a day (£35 a week). It's extremely tight. The least I think you could get by on is £50 a week, but £70 would be better for unforseen expenses.