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Please help me meal plan for the week ( 5 evening meals )

9 replies

SurferJet · 10/04/2016 09:29

Trying to save money on food bill plus want to improve our diet - so looking for fairly cheap healthy nutritious meals.

TIA.

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eastmidswarwicknightnanny · 11/04/2016 14:34

Make up 500gms mince with veg etc use some for spag bol, some for cottage pie and some as chilli with rice that's 3 dinners

Sausage casserole

Hm fish goujons and wedges use aldi frozen basa or cod fillets and aldi have 4 jackets for 35p so turn 2 into wedges.

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FurryDogMother · 11/04/2016 14:59

My plan for this week looks like this:

Monday: fish pie using frozen cod fillets and prawns
Tuesday: my version of cassoulet with Toulouse sausages and dried haricot beans
Weds: chicken curry made with chicken thigh pieces
Thurs: lambs' liver, bacon and onion with mashed spuds
Fri: jalapenos stuffed with Philadelphia, wrapped in value streaky bacon and baked until the bacon goes crispy, potato wedges
Sat: lasagne using a ragu bolognese I made a batch of last week, and froze
Sun: roast something (yet to be bought, probably pork belly) with roast spuds and whatever vegetables Tesco have on special offer

Any leftovers get portioned up and frozen for when I can't be bothered to cook. 'Tired' vegetables get made into veggie soup and frozen. I find lentils and other legumes are good for when we're really short of cash - tarka dall, or lentil soup, or used to bulk out mince in a chilli or shepherd's pie - it all works.

Other cheapish regulars are mushroom risotto, paella using chicken thighs, Irish stew with more veggies than meat pieces in it, tandoori chicken (thighs again) salad with cucumber and mint raita, cheese and onion (or cheese and broccoli, smoked salmon scraps and spinach, diced value bacon, peppers, whatever) home made quiche and salad, chicken chasseur if I have leftover (what's that?) white wine - those chicken thighs again - toad in the hole with onion gravy, sausage, onion, mushroom and pepper casserole, aubergine parmigiana, home made pizza, pork belly strips with BBQ glaze and beans, stuffed cabbage rolls using minced pork or beef, twice baked potatoes with cheese and spring onions, tinned tuna fishcakes, home made Boston baked beans, omelettes, a sort of kedgeree using salmon when it's on special offer, and various stir fries.

HTH!

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SurferJet · 11/04/2016 16:04

Thank you both so much, fantastic advice that I know will help me. really appreciate your time. Flowers

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SpareCrust · 11/04/2016 16:21

Sunday = roast with trimmings

Monday night = cold cuts from roast with veg or salad

Tuesday night = some sort of veggie pasta - home made pesto - not necessarily with basil - or primavera, or simple classic tomato sauce

Wednesday = some sort of sausage or chicken one-dish tray bake (again lots of veg which stretches the meat content).

Thurs night = always 100% veggie dish (usually lentil or chickpea curry of some sort) + make veg soup for weekend at same time ie chop veg in bulk

Fri night = fish - home made goujons, or grilled sardines, or tuna fishcakes, or salmon portions or fish pie (good quality frozen fish portions = no waste).

Sat = take away evening or 'ping' ready-meal supper (balanced by home made veg soup for lunch)

I find that rigorously sticking to veggie meals on Tues and Thurs keeps the costs down. (Ditto having leftovers from Sun roast on a Monday night - and everyone loves it!) Also tend to bake once a week for lunch box and after school biscuits and cakes which saves on costs. Lots of flapjacks and mini lemon drizzles and fruit muffins etc.

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Yellowsun11 · 24/04/2016 17:50

Saag aloo ( potatoe and spinich curry ) health and hubby takes left overs for work

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NewtoCornland · 22/05/2016 22:08

Towards the end of the month I always bring out the big guns of cheap meals Grin

Bacon and spinach spaghetti- ingredients from asda (or anywhere tbh)...cooking bacon 60p, cherry tomatoes 69p spaghetti 20p, frozen chopped spinach £1 (enough for 3 meals) half fat creme fraixhe 90p garlic 30p (only need one clove though so it lasts well!) This meal feeds 4 of us and is lovely and fresh.

Corned beef hash- potatoes £1.19 (2.5kg), Corned beef £1.50, beans 46p (I always use basics as there's more juice in them!) Onion 9p

Fish pie- potatoes from pack above, frozen white fish fillets £1.75 (will do 2 fish pies), frozen prawns £1.85 (does loads of pies but also does prawn jackets etc), peas 69p (does loads of things!), instant cheese and parsley granules (this is a bloody good cheat) £1.20 (I buy the tubs so last forever!)

Sausage pasta- rigatoni 59p, sausages 66p (they get de-skinned and chopped so no need for decent quality imo) fresh spinach £1, onion 9p, grated carrot 10p, veg stock, white sauce homemade, tomato puree 40p, 1/4 pint red wine £1.65 (buy tiny bottle, use half drink half, everyone's a winner Grin) cheese on top

Tuna pasta bake- tuna £1.20 (2 tins), fussilli 59p, broccoli 39p, 2 tubs fresh 3 cheese sauce £2.50, cheese and breadcrumbs on top

I have loads more but that should do for now! I can feed us 3 (DP and ds are massive eaters) for less than £30 a week.

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NewtoCornland · 22/05/2016 22:10

Wish there was an edit button!

The prices are tesco but could be anywhere.

The cooking bacon is 500g and I also use it for bacon sandwiches as it tastes perfectly fine.

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wobblywonderwoman · 22/05/2016 22:14

Wholemeal pitta bread with chilli

Pasta and pesto

Omelette bacon and mushroom

Burgers and mash with pepper sauce

Stir fry with chicken and veg

Thai curry

Sweet and Sour

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disappoint15 · 22/05/2016 22:17

Look at Resourceful Cook online which has meal plans priced per head - some are very good value.

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