I have no money, how am I going to feed the kids next week?

[coventgarden]

The kids are getting very fussy and are constantly eating. much more than normal. I ran out of money last week and have no idea what we will eat next week. The kids are driving me mad with the waste and now dc1 has just come in with ketchup on his face saying My face is bleeding, my face is bleeding. dc3 has just fallen and bust his lip so blood everywhere so I am sure he thinks he is funny, but with dc3 hurt, the food wastage and no money, I am not finding it funny.

Ask your family/friends to lend you some money so that you can buy food.

Hi, can you make soup. Soup is very cheap and extremely filling with lots of bread.

ps how irritating about the ketchup

well there are several issues here
1-the children constantly eating
2-you have no money to feed them next week
3-entertaining the children so they dont constantly eat or get up to mischief

they are constantly eating because they are bored i suspect, so you need to plan lots of free activities, and there will be plenty in your area, the library will tell you whats on and where, and there are parks etc, this solves issues 1 & 3

as for feeding them next week
do you have storecupboard ingredients & things in the freezer? you can always make meals out of next to nothing
if you have nothing you need to borrow say £30 from someone
you can feed a family on that if needs be

Car boot sale tomorrow morning, you can usually raise £50 without much effort.

Actually, they are not eating because they are bored.

Do you have a copper jar or forgotten change in old coats/bags, down the back of the couch?

If you shop wisely, you can get a fair bit even for £20.

Jacket potatoes/soup/roast with loads of potatoes/yorkie puds to fill them up. A gammon joint is cheap and will stretch a fair way.

Good idea. I have a jar I had been saving money for some shoes. I could use that as there is about £25 in it. Who needs shoes?

Agree with the others that you cant magic something out of nothing- so you do need to ask family/friends to help you out. The other issue is the fact they are becoming very fussy- how old are they?
You need to explain that they cant help themselves to things, that they need to eat what you give them because there isn't another choice and maybe explain why- that money is tight and you cant afford waste (if they are suitable age to understand of course)
Hope your situation improves soon, i know how tough it can be.

any loyalty card vouchers to use?

no money at all coming in next week?? child benefit etc....

okay- well if you shop carefully that £25 will go a fair way, think filling rather than healthy for just a little while.

I am doing a carboot sale tomorrow, can you not do similar. It will also give the kids something to do.

I think you can magic stuff up out of very little. Potatoes, onions, toms, oil, flour, eggs, in-season veggies. What's left in the freezer and the store cupboard. It is very, very possible.

Have any pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes, veg etc? Can make a fair bit from that and maybe onions, herbs, just don't use meat for a while. Even beans on toast, things like that if you have it.

made lovely soup last week, even if the DCs won't eat it, it will sustain you for pennies

two tins value tomatoes
glug of oil if you have , or use butter.marge
small onion, you can get smart price ones,if none in your larder
a veg stock cube if you have one
some water

heat oil or whatever you're using, add finely chopped onion and sautee, then add tomatoes, blend it down or mush with a fork , add some water so it's not too thick and the stock cube if using

if you should happen to have a parmesan rind in the freezer , throw it in

you can add other veg if you have any mouldering away. soup covers a multitude of sins

can be made to go further with lots of red lentils

jacket potatoes v v cheap
toasted sandwiches
cheese for protein
lentil soup
porridge oats

In fact with 25 and a menu plan you will get by.

Tell me filling things for growing kids, please. I also find it say no to them if they say they are hungry. has food issues

The child benefit will come the same day as dh gets paid..

If you literally have no money at all to feed the children then if you go to your social services office they will give you food vouchers which can be used in a supermarket near where you live.

Maybe if life has got this tough for you then some support from them might turn the situation around. And no they wouldnt want to take the kids off you.

pancakes!!

just an egg,flour and milk.....fills my lot up and they love them

what have you got in already?

Do you have any money at all. Can you buy reduced items in the supermarket?

Soup, porridge and pancakes are enormously filling.

I have looked through the cupboards and freezer and there is some food there, the kids will just have to be less fussy.

Will be some strange combinations .

What kind of basics to you have at the moment?
Oats are great- porridge for breakfast, homemade flapjack for a snack. They wont be hungry until lunch. Something on toast, with a yoghurt and fruit for lunch. More flapjack as an afternoon snack if needed. Oven chips, ham and fried egg for tea (not healthy but will fill them up!)
Or go back to old fashioned style cooking - toad in the hole, pies and mash, fish pie (not very seasonal but think of wintery stodgy food so they don't want to snack all the time)

we often make blinis for breakfast with whatever fruit we have in. I make syrup to go with it. DD thinks it is pure luxury but is little more than sugar, flour, eggs and fruit