who would like a challenge?? this week ive got to spend on foodshopping...

[redbull]

£25 real tight money this week bloody bank taking us over drawn

any way dp is a meat and 2 veg bloke
ds is ASD so doesnt like crunchy textures,fruit and most veg
me ill eat most except for casserolls and fish

we shop at aldi and iceland TIA!!

That is mega-tight budget. Not sure I could do it tbh. Probably loads of pasta and potatoes with sauces made with cheap tins if chopped tomatoes, tinned tuna etc. Own brand baked beans are cheap. Have you tried your local market for fruit and veg?? Much, much cheaper (and often better quality) than supermarkets.

When we were ultra-skint we shopped at the market and the weight-and-save shop mostly. Managed to cut food bills in half by doing that. Also never ever bought alcohol of any description. Occasionally made a demi-john of fruit wine though when I had time.

panackalty - sliced pots, corned beef, pea's, onions all boiled into soup like proportions.

pasta bolognaise - mince, onion, mushrooms, cheapy bag of shop own pasta

beans with everything to fill up
plenty of potatos..boiled, mashed, baked, chipped, wedged

dont go anywhere near the cleaning/booze/not food aisles.

Poor man's bolognese - fry onion in pan, add tin chopped tomatoes, about 1/2 can crumbled corned beef, crubmle in a beef oxo cube, a little water & stir through.

Aldi & Iceland have good deals on at the min too - bags of veg etc £1, Iceland Lamb joint £4, own brand chicken portions £2 etc

What do you need to get? do you need breakfasts and lunches or do you just need evening meals?

Tell us what this has to cover AND what's in your cupboards right now? Do you have beans/tomatoes/any fresh or frozen veg/anything?

Last night I made a bolognese sauce using turkey mince (also healthier than beef!). The turkey mince was £1.17. Two tins of tomatoes - about 30p each, one pack of passata = 40p, one tin of cannellini beans = 40p. Made enough for four of us plus plenty more for freezing. Served with pasta and a grating of cheese. Equally nice with jacket spuds or rice. You can throw in veg too on a different night.

what food do you have in the house .... give me a list of kitchen cupboards and we'll make it work

ive got rice, spagetti pasta,pasta,beans,chopped tomatoes,dumpling mix,savory rice thingys, tinned tuna,sweet corn, olive oil, herbs,kidney beans,carrots

freezer:-bag peppers, casserole veg mix,steak,bacon chops,chicken,peas,brocoli and potatoe wedges

just need for dinner as ds will only have toast and bovril for brecky and dp is at work

Just get some potatoes & veggies - a small chicken, some mince (frozen will do) something like that. YOu've got enough in to do things like chilli, spag bol, chicken & broccoli pasta bake (get some cheese & a jar of shops own salsa), toasties, tuna pasta bake, jacket spuds etc

ive got rice, spagetti pasta,pasta,beans,chopped tomatoes,dumpling mix,savory rice thingys, tinned tuna,sweet corn, olive oil, herbs,kidney beans,carrots

freezer:-bag peppers, casserole veg mix,steak,bacon chops,chicken,peas,brocoli and potatoe wedges

assuming the steak is stewing steak

day 1: big casserole .. with the steak and casserole veg ... serve with brocolli and potato wedges

day 2: bacon chops, with egg, peppers and potato omelette .. serve with peas

... need to buy eggs .. 90p ... and potatoes .. 50p?

day 3: chicken ... shred and mix into the savoury rice .. herbs and seasoning

day 4: pasta, tuna, sweetcorn with mayonnaise

day 5: buy mincemeat (£2.99) .. make chilli con carne with the kidney beans and tomatoes (chilli powder and cumin) and serve with rice

HTH

rice,
spagetti
pasta
beans
chopped tomatoes
dumpling mix
savory rice thingys,
tinned tuna
sweet corn
olive oil herbs
kidney beans
carrots

freezer:-
bag peppers
casserole veg mix
steak
bacon chops
chicken
peas
brocoli
potatoe wedges

Ok, I reckon you've got quite a few meals there already without buying anything. With carrots, kidney beans and tin tomatoes you could make beefless bolognase and have it with pasta/spaghetti. Will find a recipe in a minute

You could have egg fried rice once night. Cook rice, peas and carrots (if you don't use all of them above) and then mix up an egg, start to cook it and add the rice

Buy another tin of tomatoes, mix with onions, garlic and herbs to make a pasta sauce. You could puree broccoli in there too if you wanted

Beans on toast

Omelette with peppers

tinned tuna, mix with mayo and use for lunches

So that's six meals with only buying a tin of tomatoes, garlic, an onion and some eggs.

I think I'd cook the bacon and add it to the casserole veg mix. Maybe bulk it out with some more tinned tomatoes.

If it's a whole chicken, roast it and have it with broccoli, buy some potatoes, more carrots and other veg.

When it's finished use leftovers for sandwiches.

Are you still there?

Here you go, you can add/take out depending on what you've got. And I make it with kidney beans, not brown lentils.

Beefless bolognase, can also be frozen:

Makes 8 adult portions

60 ml/4 tablespoons olive oil
175 g/6 oz button mushrooms, quartered
1 large onion, chopped
30 ml/2 tablespoons tomato puree
2 cloves garlic, crushed
150 ml/5 fl oz red wine
1 tablespoon chopped basil
15 ml/1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
scant teaspoon dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
225 g/8 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 x 400 g/l4 oz cans brown lentils, drained
1 stick celery, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

Heat the oil, add the onion, garlic, basil, oregano and bay leaf and fry until the onions are transparent. Add the carrot, celery and red pepper, cook for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms. When the mushrooms begin to wilt, stir in the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Allow to cool. Transfer to a food processor and blend coarsely (if you prefer a chunkier texture blend only half the mixture). Before serving, reheat and check seasoning.

thankyou every one you have gave me some great ideas much aprechited

oh I wish I could find a thread of mine from last year for you - I was in a similar situation - had £15 to do my shopping

buy mincemeat (£2.99)

£2.99!!! Blimey where do you buy your mincemeat!

here you are.

I have a fantastic bbc good food book called 101 cheap eats and its fab. if you ever see it buy it! It is based on normal storecupboard ingredients aswell

But if Redbull buys that much mince she can make spaghetti bolognaise and cottage pie and chili con carne.

Agree buy eggs and mince, also onions and garlic. I have very simple spag bol recipe if you want it.

Is it a whole chicken or pieces?

sorry I assumed she was paying £2.99 for 500g of mince

chicken breast frozen, but tomorrow going to buy large chicken from aldi for £2.99 and whats left over lasts for days for sarnys