i need to do a weeks shopping for about £15, only food everything else sorted, what do i buy??

[lucysmam]

as i'm on a super-duper tight budget this week. stuff like beans, tinned toms and mince, tea bags etc (basic stuff really) have to be included as well, but i'd like to still be able to do something a bit interesting and exciting with the limited budget i have. also, i dont have a freezer at the mo so all needs to be either fresh, able to refrigerate for a week or cupboard type stuff.

thanks in advance for any suggestions xx

[lucysmam]

katvic, have never seen those tins but am off to asda again tomorrow so may well have a look for something along those lines to try out. cheers for the idea

[overthemill]

margarethe - fab link. now all we need is the conversion table for cups and a bit of translation for the usa words!

does anyone on here get anything from their local council like cheaper allotments, veg box etc? i know some schemes are around

[lucysmam]

overthemill, nothing like that around here so far as I could find. So am going to get some planters next year I think and have a go at growing some bits

[overthemill]

sometimes the council will let people have a quarter or half allotment which is cheaper and less work!! this is where there are spare allotments and also they promote healthy living!
may be worth asking the council?

[lucysmam]

oh, thats good to know. isn't it a bit late for planting now though?

[overthemill]

well i think there are things you can put in about now to take you through (cabbage? onions?).

some things will crop this year and some next (I am no expert but hoping to do this myself!)

I have found this place which sells 'ready made gardens' obv too expensive but shows what you can plant around now i think

look here for example

[overthemill]

and
here

i reckon its a good time to find out about allotments at the very least! i'm going to ask for giftt vouchers from teh gardening centre for xmas

[lucysmam]

ready made gardens! they look good but yeah too expensive! have saved the second one though, looks like it'd be useful if i do plant something this year. i only left it because i thought it was getting too late in the year but my enthusiasm has been renewed and will do some investigating. even if i do only end up with a few planters & some onions it'd be worth it to try and see how i get on. will ring council about allotments this afternoon after asda as well, didnt know you could just have a half and there are some not far from me so that would be even better.

i like bath stuff for xmas because my dad always buys expensive stuff we cant afford so might stick to that for now but mil could maybe get me something like that if i am still as enthusiastic nearer the time. Cheers overthemill, i would have never thought about allottments/growing onions and stuff like them

[overthemill]

lucysmum - that's what i love about mumsnet - we all know different things!

[lucysmam]

fab isn't it! I've learned so much over the past few weeks I wouldn't have known otherwise

[rebelmum1]

Fresh home made burgers from my butcher cost only 40p each. Other options are toad in the hole, corned beef hash. As a treat I would have a roast chicken with pots and flagelot beans. Chicken will make 2 meals and you can make a stock from the carcass. Omlette is a winner, and simple lunches and teas like sardines on toast and poached egg on toast. Shop at Netto! I also do a tuna rice salad, quick easy and economical.

[rebelmum1]

Yes plant! plant! plant! potatoes, toms, lettuce, onion and garlic. Get yer cabbages in! You can buy ready started ones if you are rushing.

[rebelmum1]

I bought my kitchen garden book from a carboot for a £1 and I haven't looked back.

[lucysmam]

rebelmum1, daft question but will toms grow at this time of year? & garlic's something i never thought of growing.

we shop at netto and asda, have found smartprice prices not hugely different to netto's own stuff. plus its like a day out for lo as it takes an hour on the bus each way.

another daft question, nearest garden centre would mean a lift from mil or fil, where could i get seeds from if not there?

[overthemill]

you can buy seeds online and at most supermarkets.
also gardening clubs often split packs (yiu often get 100s in a pack!)
and allotment societies do this too i think

[rebelmum1]

No sorry you need to be planting toms inside in early spring, likewise get your first early pots in around this time. Garlic is an autumn one I think need to check this. Late summer you can get purple sprouting brocolli and cabbages in now. Garlic is a good one as it's a staple.

[rebelmum1]

I get a lift to a garden centre to start you off, they might have cabbage plants ready to go in and wotnot. number one is to get a good book and plan it all. number 2 get a trip to a garden centre for things that can go in now, number 3 order all the spring and autumn veg online. Carboots are great too for veg plants.

[EachPeachPearMum]

This is such a good thread- loads of tasty ideas on here!

[soremummy]

if you have a wilkinsons near you they sell seeds off around about now so you could get some for next year, how did it go with the nappies in the end?

[lucysmam]

soremummy i cut up an old towel and used that with bits of cut up towel for a liner a few times and left her without for the rest of the time. worked ok so am now considering investing in some cloth ones so i'm not struggling in future. had forgotten about that!

will pop to wilko's next time im in town.

rebelmum1, could you recommend a book that's not too expensive or that i might find on ebay?

[soremummy]

I probably have some seeds that I can stick in post for you I know I have a couple of packs of salad leaves that grow quick you can cat me and I will post on to you

[lucysmam]

cat??? have no idea what that is soremummy

[scorpio1]

tuna rice salad - recipe please?

[overthemill]

cat - contact another mumsnetter - tp right of screen!

[lucysmam]

ta overthemill, will do when i get back from asda if thats ok with you soremummy as fil has to get to work soon