Is it possible to feed a family of 3 on a budget of £50 a week?

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

I'm sure it is but I always seem to end up spending more, and needing to go to the shop every night for bread/milk etc. I have just figured out my budget and I'm going to have a maximum of £50 to spend on all food/cleaning products, per week.

There's me (veggie who eats fish) dp who needs packed lunches for work, and ds (2) who is a bit fussy and mainly seems to live on fruit and bread products anyway.

So far I'm thinking iceland £1 ready meals for us every night, with better things for ds, and cereal, fruit and sandwiches for us all during the day. Any other tips for ultra cheap shopping?

This is a really good website with things like 7 evening meals for 4 people for £26..

The Resourceful Cook

For those who are having to reduce their budgets I can recommend the old style boards on www.moneysavingexpert.com
There are thousands of recipes and suggestions for menu plans.

This is so useful! Glad it has been bumped back up the list.

I think a meal planner is fantastic to stick to a budget. It cuts out so much wastage and impulse buys.

I tend to do an on-line delivery every fortnight for all the big things and then top up fresh produce in between. Again, helps me stop buying things I don't really need.

This has inspired me to make the effort to go back to wilko/pound shop for cleaning products as does make such a difference.

BOM, just doing my meal planner at the moment and used your link to "the resourceful cook". Brilliant website! Thanks for that.

Great isn't it! I'm good at low budget meals but rubbish at how much of everything to buy and how to make meals that use similar ingredients - that website is great for getting you to choose exactly the right and only the necessary items.

Did anyone else see the article in the papers this morning on frozen vs fresh food?

Apparently switching to frozen over fresh can save the average family around £400 a year! (About £8 a week). This includes fish, vegtable, pizza etc.

It also cuts down on waste. They estimated about 17% of fresh food gets thrown away across the UK (although not by MN's I'm sure .)

I have been buying frozen vegtables and also fish when on offer for a few months now and it has cut down our bills. Especially easier to take out exactly what you need each time.

I saw it - the only reason i don't do it is that I love the look of a fridge, fruit bowl and vegetable rack bulging with fresh produce - that is ridiculous isn't it?

Apparently unless you're eating your vegetables on day of purchase you may as well buy frozen as it has more goodness.

I draw the line at Aunt Bessies potatoes though. Criminal.

Also watching this thread with interest for ideas, even if it is very old!

Butternut squash is cheap in Aldi £1 - you can use 1/3 on roasting, 1/3 on delias soup Butternut and leek, and 1/3 on another roast/risotto etc.

Pulses are cheap too and bulk out meals.

I also avoid throwing out food.