What should I buy with £20?

[beamused]

Due to financial situations, I only have £20 to spend on non essential food and I don't get paid for three weeks. To make things even harder, our freezer broke last month and I can't replace it until I get paid and I only have a local co op so no Aldi or lidl own brand foods what should I buy or should I not bother?

Can you write what you have in?

If it is non-essential then maybe save the &20.

What do you mean "non essential food"? Like...treats?

It will depend on how you do you daily cooking. I would suggest to buy some packets of dry pasta, rice, flour and baked beans.

Pasta, eggs, cheese, potatoes, milk, all purpose flour, yeast, tinned foods (bakes beans, tuna, pulses) chicken stock cubes, carrots, onions, tomato sauce, porridge oats

With the above you can make pasta, bread, pizza, omelettes, fresh toast, jacket pots, fish cakes etc...

I would think about simple, easy to prepare, non-perishable food if you get ill. So rice, pasta, tins. You can make a very simple pasta sauce with a tin of tomatoes, an onion, garlic and some dried herbs. Chilli, curry, stew etc can also be made easily with tins of beans, tomatoes, coconut milk etc. Tins of fish could also be used to make a pasta sauce or bake.

But what does OP mean by 'non essential'?? Surely things that you're all mentioning are essentials...pasta and eggs etc.

Food extra to the food shop that's non perishable I guess?

So stuff that you don't need for this week's meals then. I’d say get stuff you will actually eat though.

Bear in mind that eggs, unless you wash them (don’t wash them), last way longer an the bbf date. Use the glass of water test to see are they ok before using if you’re concerned.

Pasta, rice, tinned items..if you can find any!

Bourbon biscuits?

Pasta, rice, lentils, pasta sauce or tinned tomatoes/purée.
Any tins you can find - beans/peas/sweet corn etc.
Potatoes - last longer than expected but keep them in the dark.
Onions.
Sweet potatoes.

Apples actually last a while.

Aim for non perishables as mentioned.

Lentils can really bulk out any meat dish - especially mince.
If you're really struggling use half or less of usual mince and bulk out with lentils.

Veggie curry with sweet potato and chickpeas lasts a while and is cheap.

Good luck.

Long life milk, pasta, super noodles, cheese, baked beans, tins of soup, you could buy extra meat and freeze, I've bought some frozen chips and couple of frozen pizzas this morning to add in freezer along with some ice lollies for ds, I've made sure I've got enough bin bags, washing powder, comfort toilet roll etc

Not everything I've bought is particularly healthy but I wanted a few bits stocked up just incase.

What food do you have in at the moment?
How long could that food stock last you?

Loads of tins!

To be honest you can live on baked beans and cheapest cereal if you have to. Buy some ingredients to bake your own bread?

I fyou have kids and they normally get FSM you should plan for the likelihood that schools will be shutting soon, or of not, that you all may end up self-isolating for 14 days and that you will have to feed them lunches at home.

Maybe cream crackers, brioche rolls & wraps that have a longer shelf life.

Some jam, peanut butter etc

Instant gravy like bisto - it makes meals of plain potatoes & veg etc taste a lot better!

Tomato puree in case you run out of pasta sauce.

Couple of cheap bars of chocolate for treats.

Keep the £20. You might need it for essential food sometime very soon.

Maybe add a packet of biscuits and then save the balance for emergencies. This could get a lot worse before it get better.

From the stuff we have at home, we have four days worth in tins and cereal excluding the things we have in the fridge eg milk and yoghurts.

Lentils
Pasta
Tinned tomatoes/passata/tomato puree
Onions
Curry powder
Self raising flour.

Can your DH or his 72 year old mother who is staying with you be able to help? Is £20 all you can scrape together between the three of you? Don't forget to check any loyalty card balances.

From the stuff we have at home, we have four days worth in tins and cereal excluding the things we have in the fridge eg milk and yoghurts.

If you don't get paid for 3 weeks and only have food for 4 days how on earth is the £20 for non essentials? I would be in a blind panic at your situation.

Iv been adding Easter eggs in the shops over booked online for the next few weeks so that the DCs have a treat at Easter

Because @bemoreeverything I have money for regular food shop on a tight budget, I have an extra £20 for extra non essential food. Life's been tough the last few months.