Happy frugal new year everyone! I'm feeling optimistic. Compared to this time last year when everything was so bleak and pointless - what a change. :)
We didn't get around to doing the food shop last night, so we are ordering later. DH currently doing an audit and we are being sensible while writing a list - just one 'important' meal as SIL and family are visiting for dinner tomorrow. Trying to be mindful of overbuying as that's my main weakness; so much gets wasted.
We agreed that we will have a groceries budget of £320 a month to start with. This includes all food from supermarket and things like snacks while out (a biiig money sink for me), as well as laundry/toiletry stuff. Doesn't include rare meals out (the only thing DH and I really do, we have boosted loads of clubcard points for it as well) and I think £320 will be plenty. Two adults, 6yo and 4yo and teen DSDs who often stay at weekends). We've put a piece of paper on the fridge and we will write the new remaining total each time we spend on groceries/household. The amount remaining will be transferred into the ISA at the end of the month even if it's only a couple of quid.
Now we are limiting food budget we will only be doing one bigger shop per week rather than two smaller ones (as £40 is the minimum spend, so two shops would end up being over £80) but the problem is that fresh stuff seems to go off really fast apart from hardier things like apples, carrots etc. I guess we will use more frozen/dried/canned stuff towards the end of the week.
My main priority is to still include plenty of fruit and particularly veg (my DCs are total fruitbats but are quite limited with veg they willingly eat... I seem to be cutting up cucumber and carrot all the bloody time as it's the easiest, but it's so boring), and preferably up the pulses as I don't think we are getting enough fibre (especially as DH is coeliac) - and we won't be having much meat so the protien is vital too.
I am torn, though (sorry, waffling like mad now!), between wanting to save as much as possible, and wanting some convenience. My health means food preparation is difficult, DH does most of it but on weekends he's often at work so I need things I can do easily without needing to collapse in a heap - but also don't want to rely on too much 'freezer foods' - and when we buy them 'for emergencies' we tend to use them far too often.
Any ideas of super easy but healthy child friendly meals would be much appreciated!