Tips please on how to cut the monthly groceries bill

[CountingPennies]

We've cut it back to £450 a month (food and nappies, shampoo etc) but are struggling to cut it further - is it possible?

We have a toddler and 3 teenage DSCs (they are with us every other weekend, plus random friends for sleepovers). We shop at Costco, Aldi/Lidl and local shops for veg (cheaper than supermarkets), cook everything from scratch and batch cook if possible.

What else can we do to cut it further?

[careeristbitchnigel]

10p for a cucumber and 15p for 2 romaine lettuces!), a few pieces of fruit (last week I got about 70 pears for 1.10 and a box of 20 plums for 11p), ham rolls at about 5p each (filled with free cheese from work and a pack of ham I paid about 40p for, 15p pack of rolls).

Frozen vegetables revolutionised my waste - you just use what you need and there is a great range

[careeristbitchnigel]

Maybe stick up an average week's menu ? That would give us an idea of where you could ditch stuff for cheaper versions :)

[kazzawazzawoo]

Watching with interest.

[annielostit]

Rodgette, that washing powder solution also cleans burnt off ss pans and oven trays. Boiling water a bit of powder simmer & soak for a bit, sparkling pans.

[TeaAddict235]

minimise your use of wet wipes for when you are out of the house only. Indoors use soft cloths for bum cleaning and wash them in a general wash. Or you can pick up a packet of ~5 face flannels from a pound store and use then for bum cleaning. Wipes can be pricey if you use them daily.

[rodgette]

Counting pennies, I use a little amount of cheap washing powder in my toilet, sprinkle it in with the lid down to soak for 5-10 mins, then scrub like
hell with the loo brush, my toilet comes up sparkling and lovely :) costs practically nothing! I use a tiny bit of wash powder made into a paste for sinks, taps and lino floors, has never let me yet, cannot use the pricey stuff as it sets my asthma off :(
HTH

[mrsspagbol]

Oh phew i thought £70 a month!

[MadMonkeys]

Yep, £70 a week.

[poocatcherchampion]

this is a brilliant thread thanks!

[mrsspagbol]

Madmonkeys is that £70 a week?

[MadMonkeys]

Things I've started recently to cut costs:

Buying a lot of meat and fish in the reduced shelf in Asda - I get a lot half price when the date is up and freeze it. Its great for things like pies and fish that can be cooked from frozen.

Using pulses more - I cook in bulk, so a tin of lentils in a batch of lasagne stretches it further, 5 lasagnes instead of 4 etc

Buy rice/pasta etc in bulk - Asda do 3 kg bags

I am fickle with my shopping - one week I shop at Aldi, one week it is Ocado (I get everything on offer, half price usually, so it works out cheap), one week in Asda etc. I meal plan about a month ahead, so I buy things from wherever they are cheapest.

Using frozen veg and herbs - it saves a huge amount of waste.

Making all our bread in the breadmaker - we make what we need instead of eating it just to use it up.

Cook meals in bulk and freeze - loads of things freeze really well and its lovely not to have to cook from scratch every day. Also, something like chorizo works out fairly cheap if it is going in 3 meals, the taste is still there.

Definitely agree with people who suggested dishing up smaller portions, especially with kids. Some days they eat seconds and thirds, other days they hardly eat anything. Anything leftover can be used again.

And a biggie - grow your own if you can - you'll save lots on salads and herbs and if you have room try growing soft fruit - if you can beg things like runners off raspberries etc you can do it for next to nothing.

My budget is £70 for me, DH, D1 (4yo) and DD2 (18m), including nappies, cleaning products etc. We could cut it further if we cut out the more expensive ingredients like chorizo, but we don't need to at the mo.

[ilovedogsandcats]

I also dilute bleach etc and put into spray bottles.
I've recently started using a lot of frozen veg. Farmfoods do 3 bags of spinach for £2. I always add a couple of handfulls to any sauce. The really cheap diced frozen mixed veg are also great for bulking out mince/sauces.
Frozen berries are also really good. I like them warmed up in the microwave and added to cheap natural yoghurt. Nice on porridge too.

[Newbizmum]

Bulk buying when on offer is the cheapest way to still enjoy what you want (meat, fish etc.) and have what you need (kitchen / toilet roll etc.). I reckon you can cut costs by around 50% this way.

Good advice to pre plan what you buy so that things go together and to use what you have before heading back to the shops.

Veggies in season of course, grow whatever you can, etc.

Thinking about where you spend money and what you throw away is probably the biggest cost saver.

[spilttheteaagain]

Re not compromising on taste, I am the same, really pernickity about food and spend hours reading recipes, always tweaking and trying to improve stuff, I cook loads of things constantly and it's my absolute love, I take real pride in it. And I have to say that I thought adding some oats actually enhanced the chilli I made (it was a veggie lentil & bean one), they really added something to the texture, a lovely silky richness. I would do it again, and for a meat chilli/bolognaise, not as a cost saver but because I feel the dish is better for it. So I would give it a try if I was you, you might be pleasantly surprised, I certainly was!

[spilttheteaagain]

Here is another bread recipe that also uses cheap flour and I have been using very successfully (and it's quick and no knead!):
For 6 large bread rolls/1 loaf:

250g flour, value plain or self raising or a mix of both have all been successful.
1/2 tsp salt
sachet of instant yeast
1 1/4 cups warm water (310ml)

put everything in a bowl and mix until all incorporated. No need to knead, and it will be too wet anyway. Put the covered bowl in a warm place for 20 mins. I warm the oven (just a little bit) and put it in there.

Take out and give it all a little knead, you will need to add some more flour. I don't knead it much, hardly at all really.

Divide into 6 and shape into rolls. Place on a greased baking tray and allow to rise in the warm place for another 20 minutes.

(I put them in the oven for 10 minutes, then take them out and put them on the hob while the oven is pre-heating for the next 10 mins. I put them on the hob because the pre-heating oven sends a little warmth up to them)

Put in an oven pre-heated to 200 degrees for 20 minutes or until hollow when tapped.
I have also just plonked the dough in a loaf tin for the second rise and then baked it as a loaf, worked perfectly. I add seeds as I like it and have them around.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I've made that bread notify provided the recipe for and it's lovely. You can't tell it's half smart price plain flour.

[NotCitrus]

A couple rashers of bacon or Polish-style sausage chopped small and added to a meal that's mainly veg and potato/pasta convinces MrNC he's getting a 'proper' meaty meal.
Portion control for meat and cheese (especially if teenagers are prone to cheese on toast!)

Any chance of toilet training the toddler yet? :) Cloth nappies often appear on Freecycle or Freegle if you wanted to try.

[HoneyStepMummy]

If you haven't yet done so I recommend sitting the whole family down and discussing this with the teens, that due to DH being out of work you all have to cut back. Have the kids tell you what foods and snacks they like and give you some ideas. I have learnt through trial and error that there's no point in making inexpensive meals that no one likes and I end up throwing it out! Also since the teens are with you every other weekend maybe you could have two separate meal plans- one for the weekends they are with you and another for the rest of time.
Popcorn is a cheap and tasty snack and you can add different toppings like Parmesan or barbecue spices. Homemade flapjacks and carrot cake are cheap and my kids love them. During the week when the teens aren't around do you really need snacks?
I only use paper towels for pet related messes and cooking jobs ( like draining grease off food) Otherwise I use washable cloths/rags that I made. I also use homemade cloth napkins. Bleach is bleach so I buy the cheapest possible and water it down in a spray bottle. I don't make any other cleaning products as I've found it to be a false economy. I found that being tidy and picking up after myself every day means needing to do heaving cleaning less. Sweeping the kitchen floor after each meal and dusting every day with a dry cloth means having to use less products.
Instead of pricy shower gels I decant cheap bubble bath or shampoo into a pump bottle. There's a lot less waste and it's much cheaper.

[CountingPennies]

Good tip for the bread bugsrella, I'm going to try it.

I've just reviewed our spending for feb and our groceries have come in at £350 for last month which is much better. However it was a short month and we used lots of stuff from the freezer.

I'm off shopping now to buy soup ingredients, soup really seems to cut down in the lunchtime costs and faff. Fortunately the teenagers are pretty good snack wise and mainly snack on fruit or toast. We do proper homemade pizza quite often, i think it works out at 30p a massive pizza. Fortunately DH likes to throw the dough around (no pun intended), and uses a pretty authentic recipe. i couldn't be bothered, too time consuming, but it keeps everyone happy and they taste fantastic.

DH is bought into cutting back (it's because he's not working that we are having to cut back), but within limits. He won't compromise on taste, which is why i don't think adding oats and lentils are going to work. I have to be on the ball and pre-empt what he's shopping for, but it seems to be working so far.

[Jinty64]

My teenagers can be a bit if served soup and bread for their meal however I have been serving "muffin pizzas" with it with no complaints. Packet of muffins - I usually get them when they are reduced to clear but asda have three packs for £1.50, (cut the muffins in half) a spot of tomato purée or passata and a little bit of grated cheese. Each pack of muffins makes 8 pizzas for pennies.

I also buy the tesco value, or equivalent, crisps 66p for 12 bags. They are quite a small bag but really are ok and can make a snack type meal go a bit further.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I'm going to make that bread today Notify, I've always got plain flour hanging around & it's much cheaper than the strong flour.

[AdoraBell]

You mentioned DH doesn't like what lentils do to his stomach.

If they genuinely don't agree with him then go for the grated carrot or oats option to bulk. Soups/stews can be bulked with potatoes or rice too, or bread crumbs from all those crusts that get left. Or cheap pasta.

I second the chopping of meat/fish/poultry before cooking.

Omlettes with sliced/chopped potatoe - left over from a previous meal means less time prepping and cooking the omlette, what veg you have and chopped bacon/chorizo for flavor. Spices help with flavor too, buy the little refil bags instead of glass jars.

Do the teens get expensive shampoo and soap? Do they snack a lot? If so home made flap jacks will help fill them up. If you buy yoghurts go for 1 large pot of natural and they can sweeten/flavor it with a small amount of jam if they need to, add an apple and nuts if you have them and it's almost a meal instead of a quick snack

Cheese can be grated, you need much less that way and if you use a strong flavored one you can get away with much much less.

Is DH actually on board with reducing the grocery bill? Is he going to be willing to bulk out a meal with alternatives to meat? It's going to be very difficult if he is resistant to changing his cooking habits. I know I am.

[CountingPennies]

Oh pants. First message didn't post. I can't type it out again, am on my phone and its too long! But it was our shopping list. Roughly £10-£15 on fruit and veg (in season or not too expensive), £20 on nappies, mince(lasagne), a chicken (roast and a pie), plus yoghurt, cheese, crisps for kids lunch. All bought in bulk if possible.

[CountingPennies]

DH used to nip out to the supermarket for 'just a bit of meat and bits and bobs' but he's stopped that now. That was costing a fortune and blowing our budget. I should add that DH is a bit of a foodie and does most of the cooking.

[spilttheteaagain]

sugar4eva sorry I just noticed your post.

Things I do with cabbage: (I always shred it finely first as I prefer it like that)
-Steam it an serve plain (revolutionary I know!)
-Steam it and then melt a knob of butter over it for serving
-Stirfry it in garlic & olive oil
-Steam it, meanwhile fry a chopped leek gently in butter until very soft and sweet, and then toss the cabbage and leek together and serve
-Stirfry it with loads (I mean loads!) of black pepper ground on it and have it a bit crunchy. I love this as a sie to nearly any meal.
-Madhur Jaffrey's indian Cabbage and peas dish to accompany indian food:

450-500g green cabbage (I like savoy best because the crinkly leaves hold the spices well)
150g frozen peas (quantities of cabbage and peas obv can be whatever you want I have never measured these and have no idea what her suggested weights would look like!)
1 tablespoons veg oil
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 bay leaves (I often leave this out if I don't have them)
1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 fresh green chilli, very finely chopped (I consider this to be optional, it's just as nice without if you don't like hot, or you can just increase the cayenne pepper to be more frugal)
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Shred cabbage.
Heat the oil in a wide saucepan/wok/saute pan. When it is hot, put in the cumin seeds and bay leaves. As soon as the bay leaves begin to take on colour - this takes just a few seconds - put in the cabbage and peas and stir them for 30 seconds. Add the tumeric and cayenne an salt. Stir to mix. Cover, turn the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender. (I usually add a tiny amount of water before covering so that the veg steams a little and doesn't stick an burn)
Remove the lid and sprinkle in the garam masala. Stir gently to mix.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.