NOW CLOSED: Tell Sainsbury's your top tips for cooking on a budget - you could win £200 of Sainsbury's vouchers

[AnnMumsnet]

Mumsnet have been asked by Sainsbury's to find out your top tips on cooking for your family on a budget. They have put together a basics range to help families who are looking to cut back on costs without compromising on quality and taste.

Sainsbury's want to know what are your tips for cooking good food for your family and watching the pennies.

Please post your tips below. Everyone who posts a tip on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky winner will receive £200 of Sainsbury's vouchers.

Many thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

[NorbertDentressangle]

Every couple of months have a "freezer blitz" and base meals around what you have in there.

I discovered this by accident when, last year, we were snowed in with no car for a week. Its amazing how many meals and extras you can create with bits and bobs that you've bought cheap/in bulk and frozen or extra portions that you've put in there and forgotten about.

It was a very cheap week as I only had to buy milk and a few extras!

[prettybird]

Lots of good tips on here - most of which I do already but I am still going to read it properly to get some new ideas :)

If it has not already been mentioned, use cheaper cuts of meat.

For example, Chicken thighs on the bone are very reasonably - and extremely tasty. I got a lovely recipe for sticky lemon roast chicken thighs from Mumsnet which is really quick and easy to prepare.

Buy chicken breasts with the skin still on - they are cheaper and it gives you the option for recipes with or without the skin. it takes seconds to pull the skin off.

Turkey is excellent value (as Mumsnet knows, with the demonstartion from Marco Pierre White). Turkey steaks can be bashed thin between cling film and cooked quickly on a griddle.

Use spice mills to add flavour cheaply (the aforementioned bashed griddled turkey steaks are very tasty with a grinding from "Khoisan Seaweed Salt mill")

[maxpower]

as other have said, meal plan and write (and stick to) a shopping list

check comparative prices (eg Xp per 100g) on the shelf labels to make sure you get the best value for money.

take advantage of offers for products you'd usually buy and that keep (or can be frozen)

make sure you're not wasting food by serving protions that are too big - bulking up meals with plenty of frozen veg (eg serve 2 instead of 3 sausages but put more veg on the plate so your eyes don't tell your brain that your dinner wasn't big enough)

prepared veg cost more that unprepared

make your own baby food - the jars are far more expensive per meal and don't taste of much

[prettybird]

Now had a chance to read the whole thread properly.

To those that are concerned re menu planning: I do flexible one that includes a couple of nights of "store cupboard staples", so that if plans change I can shuffle things around and not waste perishables.

Another couple of tips that I heard on Radio 2 that I quite liked (not sure if Sanibury's will like them as much ): once you've done your shopping (if it's a big shop), before you go to the check out, deliberately take out two items from your trolley. You're sure to have put in a couple of things that you don't really need.

Alternatively, if you are popping in to the supermarket to pick up something (eg milk), DON'T pick up a basket. That way, you are not tempted to buy a couple more things!

[BitterAndTwistedChoreDodger]

Whenever I cook with mince, I stretch it further by mixing in either porridge oats or finely chopped spinach, depending on the season. Lower fat too.

[JoyceBarnaby]

I definitely agree with the meal planning suggestions and the suggestion to eat more veggie meals.

Once a week we have a cheap 'store cupboard' meal, such as beans on cheese on toast or an omlette with various leftovers added. It's quick, easy and very cheap.

I think shopping online has really helped me manage my budget but instore, if your local supermarket has it, using a 'scan and go' handset really helps to keep track of spending.

My final bit of advice would be don't have children - the little feckers eat you out of house and home

[ivykaty44]

Sainsbury don't seemt o take advantage of the meal cards - if you havn't got a meal plan then if they made 7 cards with shopping lists on the back of each - way hay you would have an instant shopping list. Price the cards for per person and not for four - then at least you can work out your spend.

Even better put at least two of the cards and all the ingrediants at the front of the shop - so if you are popping in for a quick shop you have all you need together

[maxybrown]

we grew a lot of our own veg and potatoes last year - it was great fun and tasted great! Also buy things we can spread out over a couple of meals or more and see what we can make from any offers that are on - avoiding rubbish and trying to make cheap ish quality meals - one pot meals tend to last longer and go further

[NoHunIntended]

I've never meal-planned, and we are careful with money.
Anyway, my top tips on cooking for my family on a budget:

• win £200 vouchers from Sainsburys.
  
• don't eat meat or dairy
  
• bulk by when things are on special offer

[dietcokes]

Send your partner with a list. As my partner says he's too busy trying to find everything so he doesn't get tempted by the offers!

[SexyDomesticatedDab]

save yourself from wasting money - don't buy the new 'improved' £1 frozen cheesecakes from Sainsburys as they are now horrible. If you do buy them - and agree they are crap not very good then complain to the careline and ask them to go back to the old recipe.

[Starbear]

If you have a mircowave at work. Buy a wide neck Themos flask like this food flask That doesn't have the silly extra pots & cups as these end up being a bugger to clean. The evening meal the night before make 1 extra portion let go cold. Put the food in the flask and pop into the fridge uncovered to let it get really cold. Before Bed put the lid on and a post-it on the Front door to remember your lunch before heading off. After lunch at work, if you work at a desk give your self a break by washing up the flask and popping it back into your bag. Releives strain on eyes.
Meals that work, stir-frys and meat & veg stews (all stuff in) cottage pie put boiled veg on top. Simples!

[plusonemore]

buy extra large joint for roasting on sunday ~(pref butchers for quality, then use left overs for shep pies, pasties, pasta/new pot salads for lunchtimes

[ivykaty44]

I was thinking

it would be nice if you could fill in a form on he online shopping of foods you like and don't like and then the food shopping is delivered to you with the recipes you need to cook the meals that week. No food planning, no waste and not hassles all done for you and you pick the budget whether it is £10 per person for the week or £20 per person for the week etc

[Starbear]

ivykaty44 Now what would really work is little food stalls of cooked food like they have in Thailand with lovely fresh healthy food that costs a few pennies. Sit down with the family then off home and to bed

[Blatherskite]

Shop online. You're less likely to spot "bargains" as you're walking round and can see what you're spending as you go along.

If you have to go to the supermarket NEVER shop on an empty stomach as you'll buy extra and it'll all be treats.

Meal plan for the week and make a list of exactly what you'll need.

Buy loose veg so you don't end up wasting the extras.

Plan for leftovers. 1 chicken can make 3 or 4 meals if you've got the right things in the cupboard.

Bulk out bolognese with extra veg. I can make 1 500g pack of mince feed 4 of us for 3 or 4 meals by bulking out the mix with grated carrot and courgette, mushrooms, peppers, onions etc. Adds extra vitamins and minerals too and helps gets veg into DH the children

Check out deals and plan meals based on them to reduce waste. A huge bag of carrots is a good deal if you've planned roast dinners/crudites/carrot cake - not so good if they rot in the veg drawer.

Make use of your freezer to make the most of what you buy

[AnnMumsnet]

JarethTheGoblinKings name was pulled out of the hat as the lucky winner of £200 of Sainsbury vouchers. An email is on it's way to you!

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

WOOHOOOOOO!!!


thanks MN