in thinking this very tight budget is doable for one week?

[Henrylj]

Name changed cause my previous posts are imaybe identifying and it’s a bit embarrassing!
not a begging thread, I’m just looking for advice!

I had to switch from income support to universal credit, I did take out the advance but it was mostly taken up by the rent so had £300 left for the 5 weeks.
I messed up by forgetting that my phone bill comes out this week so I’ve ended up with £7 left for the week (until Tuesday) it’s the last week so I think do-able. We are at my parents for dinner on Sunday so don’t need anything for that day and they will get Easter eggs etc from family so won’t miss out on that

It’s just me and two primary aged dc(one very fussy so going with the things he would at least eat)

I have a few things in but not a lot

Bread
Jam
Porridge oats
Butter
Grated cheese
Pasta
Pasta sauce

I’m thinking if I buy

More bread 60p
Couple tins of beans £1
Couple tins of soup £1
Milk £1.20
Cheap biscuits 50p
Cheap apples £1
Frozen mixed veg £1

I could do them

Tuesday- Pasta and sauce/cheese with mixed veg
Wednesday- pasta and sauce/cheese again (with the leftover sauce) with mixed veg
Thursday- beans on toast
Friday- soup and bread
Saturday- super noodles with mixed veg mixed in
Sunday- at parents
Monday- beans on toast

Breakfast would be porridge and lunch jam sandwhiches, biscuits and apples for snacks

I know it isn’t healthy, but is it ok as a plan?
I will buy them all the fruit and veg in the world next week to make up for it from a health point of view!

@femfemlicious

No food banks?. I live in tottenham and there are so many places to get free food from . No need for referral just turn up. My lodger doesnt buy food at all. Literally goes to different foood banks everyday and gets lovely stuff

I am not sure if this sits right with me. Food banks are for when you don't have any other option. To never buy food and to rely on food banks for every meal indicates either they are not budgeting ok or are not claiming everything they should be.

Op I haven't been able to read the last 3 pages yet but absolutely go to a foodbsnk. This is exactly what they are there for. Also can you get to an Aldi? Baked beans are 22p a tin, value bread about 40p etc. You will be able to get much more for your money there. Also I second buying spuds instead of soup and maybe some eggs. Much more filling. Also depending on where you live, some projects do pay as you feel meals where you can all eat a lovely meal and make a very small donation. Also Sikh churches often provide weekend meals too depending on what your children would eat.

Sorry NRTFT that is absolutely do-able.
Whenever I am down to less than £10 I always buy things like bread, potatoes, oats or pasta as they’re so filling and you can get them so cheap.

If you need to then please use a food bank as this is what they’re there for.

Fortunately I’ve not needed to use one yet but I know one day I may need to and so I donate to it when I can and you are exactly the type of person who I hope benefits from it (I know others who aren’t so deserving get it too).

What about a food bank?

Whereabouts are you OP?

[quote Cornettoninja]Olio is a good shout so long as you can get to places.

Also check out your local churches, because it’s school holidays lots of them have things in place. My local church do community lunches during the holidays and also run a weekly community shop like a pp described where anyone can stock up for a small fee or free if they can’t afford it no questions asked.

Also there are some supermarkets which offer free kids meals during the holidays

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/free-meals-kids-easter-26665601.amp[/quote]
I've seen that list before and its rather misleading. If people can afford an adult meal or a £10 spend - we'll they can probably get a decent amount of food to feed the family for that!!

All the veg soup and egg ideas…..prob not good for a fussy child, who might eat a pretty restricted diet at the best of times.

There’s no scope for trying new ideas. Op didn’t ask for new ideas and substitutions for what she listed.

She listed bread and jam and pasta with sauce, because they were BOTH cheap and she knows her kids will eat them.

This isn’t a thread asking for nutritional improvement or what adults on MN with a wider ranging pallet than most children growing up on a limited budget might choose, or for bulk cooking options.

Op wants the kids fed each day before the. I et runs out and more arrives. Her list will do that. The kids will be faced with plates of food which they will recognise and eat and their tummies will be full.
This really isn’t the time to say to the kids
‘Today we will try eggs as they are more filling’
Or
‘I’ve spent the weeks money on vegetables and made a hearty soup that will fill us all up, even though normally we live on potato waffles’
Or
‘We are going for high protein options as they are more filling, although I know you normally only eat processed ham’
Or
‘I’ve heard the Morrison’s mystery veggie bags are excellent value, so we will spend £7 on one of those as we will get more for our money and no matter if it’s stuff you won’t eat or have never seen before, at least it’s good value’

It’s about a week of getting by, not bettering their diet or widening their food range or trying new things.

Do you have a community fridge/ cupboard near you?
You don't have to be referred or anything, literally anyone can go.
I would personally ask my parents if they could lend me a tenner or something, I'm sure they would or to borrow some of their food.

@TheKeatingFive

Potato soup is actually yummy and very filling

I'm not going to lie, I really liked it! It just looked absolutely awful.

OP, again, allowing for what your DC would accept, I add baked beans to tomato soup to make it seem a bit more filling, and to still have half a tin of each left over from each meal which makes me feel slightly less hopeless.

Sorry I am late to this thread but just read that Iceland is cutting its veg pack prices to £1 between now and Thursday - might help if you have an Iceland close by x

@LeftieLucy

I think your plan sounds fine for a week.

Don’t forget to check your bank account though as some benefits will be paid early due to the bank holiday - I know my child benefit is due Monday but is going in this Thursday.

Omg! That's just made my day

If you are able to I would honestly just ask your parents or grandparents for £20-30 for food for the week and explain the benefits transition as the cause. Note, this is also one of the leading causes for foodbank referral so you could also look into that or mention it as proof it's not an uncommon situation if you were to ask family. I'm sure if they can afford to help then they will.

Adding a tin of mushy peas -18p Asda or 25p Aldi/Tesco- to soup will thicken it and make it more filling, as well as adding a bit of extra protein.

There's a really good Facebook page called feed yourself for £1 a day full of meal plans and good ideas and everyone's very enthusiastic about getting the best for your money there.

Your list is fine op. You need to get what you know the children will eat. Apart from 7p packets of noodles, crisps and alcohol, I cannot remember what else i ate while at uni.

Should be fine for a week.

Where we live the council are putting on holiday activities at libraries and leisure centres etc, which include either healthy snacks or lunches. They're subsidised for everyone and free for kids on FSM (assuming yours are if on uc). Might be worth looking into if anything similar is on offer where you are.

You can buy individual eggs in Morrisons (don't know if other shoes do them). You could buy 3 eggs to up the protein eg. Eggy bread for tea instead of soup.

Value carrots,35-40p per kilo?

Best value beans were Aldi I think.

Or go to the food bank.

I've also found a surprising amount of coins by going through old bags and coats and down the back of sofas and in the car. Worth a try as a couple of pounds makes a difference with such a small budget.

Just some ideas

4 x baking potatoes = 45p
Eggs (however you like them, or pancakes are easy and delicious).
Scones are just flour, butter and milk - add a bit of sugar/grated cheese. Can add seeds/dried fruit from the cupboard if you have them.
Rice, a stock cube, chopped onion and chopped tomatoes. Maybe not for the kids but for you? And add lentils?
Again, for you, dahl. Lentils, cumin, coriander, sour cream.
Would the kids eat egg fried rice?
Bananas are cheap and filling.

OP I hope you’re looking up foodbanks in your area and how to get an immediate referral. You and your DC don’t need to go hungry. Please don’t feel embarrassed. They are there for precisely this reason .

Good point a PP made about bank holiday meaning child benefit goes in earlier if you're due them then.

The menu looks fine, it's the sort of thing I did when we had a rough time years ago, the kids ate it all up and weren't bothered about eating the same thing a couple of days in a row.

If you have a blender would they eat blended homemade soup? You could make loads with cheap root veggies and chickpeas or red lentils.

@HollowTalk

Kids under 12 eat free all day at Gordon ramsay restaurants and at preto.

Butt surely that would only be free if an adult bought a meal?

No, the list says free for under 12s, no mention of a purchase needed.

@C25kBecky

Preto - Maximum of one child for full paying adult rodizio. Same T&C’s for walk-ins.

Ramsay - We invite kids under 12 to dine free from our delicious children's menus whenever they eat out with you at selected Gordon Ramsay restaurants in London.

Both clearly need the adult to have a paid-for meal

@JustLyra

mobile.twitter.com/MoneySavingCen/status/1510288342029590538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Here's a link (hopefully) to the infopic, I can't upload pics at the moment I think