Summer meal planning

[MaverickSnoopy]

I am an avid meal planner and up until about 4 or 5 months ago were spending circa 220 on breakfast, lunch and dinner (no packed lunches for dd who has school dinners), including toiletries, nappies and cleaning products for a family of 4 (2 adults, 1 6yo and 1 nearly 2yo). I know food costs have gone up but last month we spent 405 which is a huge increase. One that we can't afford. We probably eat meat about 2-3 times a week.

I need to get it back down to nearer 250. I struggle in summer because we can never face eating the usual hot curries, bolognase and casserole etc that stretches meat and involves batch cooking (which we are great at the rest of the year). More recently we haven't been eating what is planned because we don't fancy it or time is too short and end up spending extra. This needs to stop.

So I need some non batch cooking summer food ideas that won't break the bank. Food just always seems to cost us more than in winter. So some new ideas would be very welcome....

Few ideas!
spanish egg tortillas are excellent for any leftover veg/boiled potatoes/ ham leftovers - whatever you have in the fridge basically. and its excellent cold + a bit of side salad
quiches same as above, can be served cold
bean based salads (my favourite is tomatos+ black beans+tuna+ any fresh herbs/red onion) - quite filling and easy to make, and if you rinse your beans in boiling water you can have a warm salad. Again, you can pimp it up with boiled eggs.
Fish is expensive, but you can get white frozen fish cheap'ish and serve it with some steamed veggies and cous-cous on the side
cold soups such as Gazpacho (i'm not a fan, but it's a personal preference)
bean or chickpea burgers (serve with a coleslaw or corn on a cob or grilled veggies or chips - the choices are limitless) can be quite cheap, I make them from a can of white beans+ flesh of baked/microwaved sweet potato and a ton of cumin/spices in them. Simple and cheap!
pulled pork (cook in bulk and freeze or use up for burgers/tacos/wraps/as a topping for waffles or home-made pizza's)
pasta salads

I'm pescatarian but DH eats some meat. Food prices are climbing.

Jacket potato with chosen filling and salad

Stuffed aubergine, stuffed with cous cous & veg topped with cheese. With salad.

Fritata with sweet potato wedges and salad

Hallomi salad

We had some nice Quorn mince and lentil burgers last week. Will have a try of absinthfaeries recipe which sounds yum!

Watching with interest.

I was thinking this earlier as I was meal planning. Food is definitely costing more.

Our summer go tos are:
Fruity cous cous (peppers, courgette, onion, chickpeas, apricot & raisin) with pittas and hummus

Risottos - bacon lardon and pea with a poached egg is my favourite. Loads of veggie recipes too

Veggie quesadillas

Stuffed mushrooms with a massive salad and crusty bread

Pitta pizzas

Frozen white fish with chopped veg as a tray bake - add pesto/lemon and herbs/chopped tomatoes and olives

Fishcakes and story fry

Where do you shop? Can you switch to Aldi or Lidl as that will reduce your outgoings.

My summer meals are:
Kebabs, pitta bread and salad & dressing
Samosas and salad
Quiche and salad
Light chicken or fish curry, dry veg curry, rice & daal
Roasted vegetable Couscous with grilled chicken or fish
Stuffed aubergines with rice and veg
Fish kofta, salad and rice
Spanish tapas
Spanish omelette and salad

Apologies for the delay in replying. Thanks for all of the ideas. I've just sat down to do a meal plan and have written a long list from this thread.

I am literally salivating at the idea. Everything looks delicious, especially the fruity cous cous and the fish tray bake. Unfortunately as I started writing the list I realised what a fussy bunch I have. DH doesn't like aubergine (my absolute favourite food) and the children dislike a varying degree of what has come up. It's something that I've been working on and they're fussiness has actually decreased in spades but I'm not convinced I'll get them eating much of this.

I'm very aware that food prices are rising, but I'm not convinced that's the whole reason in this instance. I'm quite convinced that we have also been buying lots of extras where we shouldn't be. This month has been better so far, but not as much as I want it to be.

Ps yes we already shop at Aldi and Lidl. Main shop is at aldi and then get any remaining things that we couldn't get at aldi at Lidl. Anything that we still haven't got and we go to Tesco, unless it's things that can be purchased in Boots and are the same price in which case we go there to collect the points (which I then spend on their no 7 make up). So we're pretty savvy with food shopping and as I said up until recently haven't been spending that much. I think i need to star couponing again!

I am also an avid meal planner and have a very small food budget for my family of five.

My tips: I shop at almost every major supermarket (except Waitrose and Sainsbury’s) DH has certain things he only likes branded 🙄 like baked beans, pickle, brown sauce and it's always cheaper to buy these from Tesco. Asda, Morrison's etc than discount supermarkets

I plan my meals around Aldi's super six each week. I then do my main shop of fresh and long life produce there.

I buy lots of reduced food and freeze - things like breaded meat and fish cakes, chicken portions, fish, steak etc. Aldi is great for this, they reduce things by 30% two days before use by. Asda, Tesco etc do great saving on their reduced shelf if you catch them at the right time. I got a whole salmon (huge!) for £7.50 last week, DH filleted it and we froze all the portions, lovely summer meal with new potatoes and a bit of salad

Hope that helps

Tuna Pasta salad
Spelt salad
Quiche
Cucumber and cream cheese pie
Pasta with curried Greek yoghurt and a tomato and onion salad
Fritatta
Tabbouleh
Shakshuka
Fajitas/burritos /quesadillas

White fish cassoulet
Kedgeree
Mackerel pate, toast and salad
Salmon fillets, couscous and avocado salad
Bagels with avocado and poached eggs
Pasta with avocados
Pasta primavera
Pasta with cream, bacon and peas
Chicken Pasta salad with mandarins and mange touts

Watching with interest. I’m always stuck for new ideas and spend far too much on groceries.