Lowering spending, shopping and random purchases. Ideas.

[GonnaBeASuperSaver]

We shop weekly maybe I'd say approx £150 /170pw. 2 adults 3 dc
All big meat eaters
None of us will eat any form of pulses, lentils and so forth so ' bulking out is not an option' I've tried on many occasions. For the entire meal to be binned.
I'm debating whether monthly shopping would be better. Roughly meal plan a 28 day menu.
The only non meat days they'd have would be something like a pasta bake / mac cheese.

Ideas so far , yes some is convenient food as some days we're just crazy tight for time.

Roast x 2
Toad in hole
Bangers mash veg
Pie mash veg
( or different spud choice)
Bolognese
Chilli
Curry
Meatballs x2
Bacon and egg baguette
Cheese and beans on toast
Sausage roll chips beans
Fish chips peas
Nuggets or a beige something
Enchiladas ( kids won't eat them)
Pizza
Paella ( kids won't eat that)

I'm not a very adventurous cook as you can see. And generally the longest we have to cook eat and clean up due to activities is 1.45hr maximum 3 days is 1hr 10.

.shopping includes packed lunches for dh, 1 dc and occasionally the other 2 dc. I generally have toast or crackers at home at lunch

I know I need to also stop popping to the range /b&m etc as I probably do this weekly as this bumps spending by another 20 to 50 a week.

Wondering if a month shop all bar fresh would be cheaper. To buy the meat in costco in bulk and portion down to freeze. Then buy the bread milk yoghurt fruit veg etc weekly. Plus anything we may run out of.

We really need to just have some savings to eventually get a mortgage. We currently rent private and it's 1300pm this is the cheapest in the area. Moving isn't an option because of school, work and other commitments.

We do buy mostly shop brands and aldi. A few name brands that we can't stop but this is so few and rare , Branston pickle, marmite, lenor. Everything else happy with shop own

If you won't eat less meat, the only other option to reduce your food shopping bill is to get your meat cheaper, although what you're spending isn't huge for a family of 5, depending on what you're actually spending - there's quite a range between 150 + 20 = 170 to 170 + 50 =220.

Aldi is probably one of the cheaper supermarkets so it might be to reduce your spend you just stop 'popping to the Range and B&M' if it means you buy a load of crap you don't really need.

Make sure you don't waste anything.

If you see offers or yellow stickers, buy and freeze/swap for something on your list.

Pork is often cheaper than beef or chicken, so are you eating that. You could probably make your mince meals from 50/50 beef and pork rather than just beef.

I'm not sure Costco will work out cheaper than Aldi for meat, but haven't run the numbers to check, so something to bear in mind. Do you eat cheaper cuts of meat - eg pork shoulder, which can be delicious if slow cooked? Bone in chicken pieces are much cheaper than boneless - if you cook these slowly, the meat just falls off the bone, so easier than doing the boning yourself while raw, although I do usually pull the skin off if using in a curry, although these cuts with the skin still on are good for things like tray bake roasts and fake Nandos type meals.

Only other suggestion depending on what you have available locally and if you have a decent freezer - near us there's a semi wholesale farm shop where if you buy a large pack it works out much cheaper - eg 5 kilos of mince brings the price down to about 2/3 of the price per kilo if just buying 500 g.

Lidl also has the app, so get freebies (including fruit) & then 10% off. Use all the apps / points, cashback etc to your advantage.

Do your employers have a discount scheme at all (discounted vouchers)?

You can add red lentils or pearl barley to mince dishes (pre soak) and they bulk out but disappear completely.

Know your prices, buy what you use on offer. I think sainsburys/ nectar app can be cheaper now they price match aldi - look at their pork shoulder large joints @ only £3.99 kg.

Another tip is each time you save money / get a discount, transfer that money to your savings - you'll be amazed how quickly it adds up!

Years ago it was usual to serve bread and butter with the meal to bulk out the meat. Serve less meat and more gravy and people can fill up on the bread. Costco isn’t necessarily the cheapest way to buy meat. You don’t mention jacket potatoes on your list of meals.

We've started buying our meat from a lorry that parks up in the carpark of our local rugby club. They are proper butchers who know all the names of the different cuts. If it's the end of the day they will often chuck in a few extras like sausages and black pudding. They have the cheapest meat around because they don't have any overheads like rent.

Thank you.

All great ideas.

I've downloaded the too good to go app may save there.

Regarding meat its not the case of won't it's the case of my kids literally won't eat most veggie type dinners. So would be wasted. I've tried numerous times.

I've also set up save the change on our bank account as won't notice them small amounts.

Can you do stew with beans in a slow cooker?

If your children will eat baked beans then bulk out with those (eg I'll make a bolognese in bulk and freeze in 2 person portions. Then if I want a quick meal I defrost one, add a tn of baked beans and top with mash for a quick cottaqe pie. When I make bolognese I blitz the carrots and celery plus any other random veg stuff (broccoli stalks usually feature) and add with the mince. A teaspoon or two of marmite means it tastes just as meaty and the blitzed veg disappears into the sauce so its invsible.

If your family will eat eggs then a frittata is a good way of stretching meat or fish - make a 6 egg frittata with 2 cooked flaked salon fillets plus a cooked green veg (spinach or broccoli or peas) and that will feed 4/5 quite easily with a side of salad and some bread and cost less than a fillet each. (Take a slice out before serving and keep in the fridge for lunch the next day.)

Op you appear to eat similar to things that we do. We also eat pork chops, shepherds pie, teriyaki chicken thighs and rice, jacket spuds, Nando’s chicken in a bag, hm pork and apple burgers, hm breaded chicken burgers. Hope some of that helps increase your list. Buying the biggest tray of chicken, and eating pork mince helps as does meal planning but I still spend a lot due to all the other bits and bobs on the list.

Buy a large bag of potatoes in a paper bag that are unwashed. We find 12.5 kg last us about 3-4 weeks. Family of four.

We do buy frozen chips on top of that.