Have you changed your shopping/cooking habits because of the credit crunch?

[carriemumsnet]

The Press Association are doing about story about parents' reaction to the current economic climate and whether it's changed their food shopping/ cooking habits.

We said we'd ask you... So have you started using more lentils and less beef, cut back on sweets and snacks, started growing your own polenta? Has it made you eat more healthily?

They want your thoughts before end of play Tuesday...

Over to you Thanks

God you're getting nosy mnhq.

I revert back to my thread yonks ago about how much information you keep about us and how you use it?

This recession I have been mostly shopping at Aldi - it's fab. But do top-up shopping at Morrisons (it's near where I work) and the co-op corner shop at the bottom of the road.

I used to do a weekly Ocado/Tesco shop.

We've just moved back to London from the US and I am currently revelling in the delights of a British supermarket - so no, not much has changed for us (if anything we are buying more, as we're so excited about seeing British brands again).

We do a weekly shop at Sainsburys for the basics and heavy stuff, then I often pick up the protein part of that night's dinner from Waitrose on my way home.

I can't see us ever having veggie meals on a regular basis as we're both dedicated carnivores...and still plenty of wine being drunk here too.

Yes, now we have a very careful planned menu in which we aim to get 3/4 or more meals from every meat purchase and never throw away anything from the veggie box.

Still go to our brilliant butcher as meat is better value over the whole week than Lidl - but I did check them out and they are only worth it if you want flashfry type meat - but see above

Mutton chops! a great bargain.

Making own cleaning products

Reusing foil and clingwrap, and freezer bags. No more wipes; much washing of dishcloths.

Much more mending/darning of uniforms.

All biscuits/puddings are now homemade and as freegan as possible -eg we've all been out in the hedgerows harvesting the haws, blackberries and crabapples

I make bread for us all, buy flour in sacks (cheaper that way)

At least two veg only meals every week, and many others where meat is almost a flavouring.

No eating out at all. Anywhere. No drinking out either, not even coffee.

No holidays for the forseeable

All this has cut the food and household bill by 30-40%

The arguements have gone up in our house because I find myself berating DH when he has seconds of anything now..his seconds are another meal for me of the kids later on if put in the fridge.It used to be an argument about DH's health but was only light hearted.Now its a more serious argument about finances and making things stretch further

On the upside the credit crunch coupled with my ever expanding arse inspired me to do a month long detox in September, no booze, chocolate, crisps, low carbs and mostly eating salad, steamed veg and sometimes steamed fish or chicken.This saved me lots of money on food (and my daily Starbucks)and also have lost nearly a stone I feel much better and am going to keep it up (if not quite so stringently).(Also except last night when we went out and had a few too many..but that was a one off )

I'm digging at the back of my freezer and using stuff that has been there far too long. I've cut down on amounts I serve and if I think Dd 21months may not eat two weetabix(well ~ the basics equivalent), then I only put out 1 and give her more if she is still hungry. The bargain I set with Ds about these basic weetabix was that he could have 4 as they are slightly smaller...I've cut him down to three now. I often only have 2.
I'm making home made soups again now and using up left overs with more conviction. Catering for my family on just £25 a week has done it for me. Not sure how long I can make the freezer contents last and once it's all gone, it'll get so much worse for us

Last week I used potatoes that were practically taking root in the fridge. They were the creamiest spuds ever! and I didn't add anything to them! Normally, I'd have binned them.

I'm going to start shopping at 8pm in future too...heading for the reduced cabinet.

on shopping more generally - I saved £15 a month by pulling my finger out and changing my mobile phone contract to one that actually suited how I used it.