all suggestions welcome lifes getting tough right? im trying to shop on 200 a week for a family of 5 including a baby. so budget has to include nappies formula wipes etc. i need simple child friendly meals that a 1yr old will eat as well as us. we get through a lot of fresh fruit and vege so not a lot left for meat. even mince is expensive as i wont buy the fatty one rather strtech the premium with vege im really struggling to stick to budget and the cupboards arent full of stuff i can just make do with so the days before payday are a real mish mash . really bare. i need to get more organised and shop to a menu help super appreciated
cgvl,
May 11, 9:53pm
pasta eg macaroni, spirals or vege one. You can have it with a cheese sauce or use a tin of tomatoes and pour over top, eke it out with mince if you prefer or add a couple of rashers of bacon. 2 pieces of schnitzel finely sliced and make a stir fry, have with rice or noodles I made lentil patties last night .... 1 can lentils, 1 onion roughly chopped, pinch mixed herbs, lots of fresh parsley (omit if you haven't got), splash of worcester sauce, salt and pepper to taste, pulse in food processer to combine. I then added some left over mashed potato and any vege that I had. Add some breadcrumbs and a good handful of rolled oats. You can add an egg also but don't have the mix too moist. Form into balls or patties and refrigerate until firm. cook as per normal. I then served them over pasta with a tin of tomatoes as a sauce on top, You could make bigger and have on burger buns with lettuce etc as hamburgers.
Trying to think what else I do when sailing close to the wind with grocery money.
pheebs1,
May 11, 9:59pm
thanks for that! anyone have a weekly menu they would like to share?
pixiegirl,
May 11, 9:59pm
Hi pheebs1have just bumped up 3 threads for you to have a look at - one is Woe is me..... by darlingmole, the other is Budgets who needs them ..........by kob and third one is we dont have to buy it cause we can make it.. by juliewn.These are 3 great threads and hopefully should help you out.Also you can use the search at the top left hand page - just put in budgets or whatever you are searing for and choose "anytime" as date posted and it should bring up some more info for you.Good luck and keep us posted - you are definately not alone in your struggle as many people in the same boat.
pheebs1,
May 11, 10:07pm
so true! thanks again
donnabeth,
May 11, 10:25pm
Last night's dinner was cheap and tasty. The last two carrots, last end of swede, last wedge of cabbage, last florets of cauli and brocolli. To look at them it didn't feel inspiring, but I trimmed them neatly, steamed them perfectly and mashed the spuds until creamy with an extra dollop of butter and yoghurt. A $2 piece of lambsfry was sliced, shaken in a bag of seasoned flour and fried lightly with onions.
Whenever I'm on the 'bum end' days, i make sure that I pay attention and cook and present the meal perfectly. Sometimes a the 'luxury' finish on the potatoes, or a cheese sauce can change a meal into a feast. as for getting kids to eat; I wish I'd known my neighbour when my fussy kids were little. Every meal she cooks she says" Yum, Yum, we're having .....(e.g.liver and cabbage) tonight, it's so delicious I can hardly wait" Her wee girl eats anything with gusto.
ruby19,
May 11, 10:42pm
Garden Veg Pie 3-4 med-large potatoes, thinly sliced (mandolin is helpful here) 1/2 small broc cut into florets 1/2 small cauli cut into small florets 1 large carrot thinly sliced, 1.5 cup frozen peas 100g grated cheese
50 g butter 1 small onion finely diced 1/4 cup flour 1 tsp mustard powder freshly grated nutmeg 600ml milk 100g grated cheese S&P
Boil the sliced potatoes in salted water until just cooked. Drain steam the cauli, broc & carrots until tender. set aside.
Melt butter in small frying pan & saute onions until soft and golden but not browned. Add flour & mustard powder and stir over heat for 1 min, add milk gradually, bring to boil stirring until thickened. Add grated nutmeg & season, then stir in cheese until melted. Stir in the caul, broc, peas & carrots.
Butter an oven proof dish and add half the potatoes to cover the bottom of dish, pour over the veg in cheese sauce, top with remaining potatoes, and sprinkle with grated cheese. pop into preheated 180oC oven and bake until golden approx 25 min.
This can be a side dish or a main meal, and great for using up small amounts of veg left hanging around in fridge.
pheebs1,
May 11, 10:43pm
love that "bum ends" someone should write a bum ends recipe book! well done you and thanks
ruby19,
May 11, 10:43pm
This is amazing since there are so little ingredients.
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 2 large onions, chopped 1.5 cups dried split green peas, picked over and rinsed 5 cups water 2-3 tsp vegata vegetable stock powder* a few pinches of smoked paprika
Add olive oil to a big pot over med-high heat. Stir in onions cook until the onions soften, just a minute or two. Add the split peas and water and paprika. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the peas are cooked through. Puree the soup that is still remaining in the pot. If you need to thin the soup out with more water (or stock) do so a bit at a time. Season to taste. * I add 2 tsp of stock powder to the water to start, then taste at the end and add a little more powder if needed to enhance the flavour. You can add lemon juice at end if liked.
ruby19,
May 11, 10:44pm
Vegetarian Chilli 2 Tbsp O/oil 2 onions, chopped 2 peppers chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 chilli finely chopped ( to taste) 2 cups corn 2 carrots cubed 2 courgettes cubed 2 tsp chilli pdr ( to taste) 1 tbsp cumin 1 tbsp coriander 1 1/4tsp salt 1 tsp paprika 800g tinned tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato paste 1/3 cup red wine 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp cocoa pdr 1 tin of kidney beans or beans of choice 1 cup veggie stock fresh coriander leaves salt and pepper Heat oil in large pot. Add onions, garlic, peppers and chilli`s cook stirring until soft. Add courgette, corn and carrots and cook stirring for another 5 min. Add the chilli pdr, cumin, coriander, paprika, salt and stir over the heat for 1 min. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, veg stock, sugar, cocoa pdr, and beans. Season. Simmer for about 1 hr. Stir in fresh coriander before serving. Serves 6-8 You could use what veggies you have on hand.
supercook,
May 12, 12:12am
I know the feeling we are on tight budget as we have very little work being self employed due to depressed construction industry. We have alot of soup pumpkins are real cheap. If we have a roast chicken make homemade chicken stock. Try not to waste anything. I home bake own biscuits and slices for school lunches. Make own pizza base. If we have light meal for dinner I may make a dessert apple crumble, rice pudding or pavlova.
cgvl,
May 12, 12:25am
here is my cheap week shop done at PnS. this is for 2 adults 1 roasting fowl (4.99) carrots celery potatoes pumpkin onions green vege (whatever is cheap) mince schnitzel (1piece) bread burger buns or dinner rolls cheese marge bacon (prefer streaky) eggs (tray) flour milk sausages. meals: chicken put into a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 chopped onion and 1-2 stalks celery including the green tops and a chopped carrot, bay leaf and if you have a sprig of fresh thyme and parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Boil for a couple of hours or until the meat falls off the bones. Remove carcass (bones) and pour liquid through a strainer into a bowl, put all the meat to one side. let the liquid get cold (refrigerate overnight), skim off the fat which will form a solid layer on top. This is your chicken stock and can be used in any recipe calling for stock or as a base for soups. The meat, divide it into 2 or 3,have one lot as chicken with vegies, another make homemade enchilada's (easy recipe to follow) and if you have a 3rd lot add it to some of the stock with vegies and soup mix to make a chicken soup.
cgvl,
May 12, 12:30am
the enchilada recipe: make some pancakes a little thicker than crepes. chop a small onion finely and saute in a little oil until soft add the chopped chicken and a tin of tomatoes, heat through. Keep aside some of the tomato. place about 1Tbsp of mix onto the pancake and roll up, continue until all used. pour over the reserved tomato and top with grated cheese. Into a hot oven until cheese has melted. can be served on there own or with a salad. Can also add chilli if you want them hotter. and mushrooms if family eat them
kinna54,
May 12, 3:11am
Buying a big chook on special goes a long way, but I never spend much over $11. I can get a good roast meal from that and chicken chow mein next day. Bangers & mash is reasonable if you shop around for sausage prices. Fish pie is cheap, good ol mince can be served a hundred ways. Meat loaves are good, and can be sliced for lunches. Also a good one is nana's toastie bake: Sliced budget or cheap bread buttered, 1 can spaghetti or baked beans, any sliced left over veges, 3-4 rashers bacon,or some slices of shaved ham cut up, or1 or 2cooked sliced sausages and a bit of cheese to just sprinkle over the top. Place bread butter side down in a lge non stick dish, spread over the can of beans or spaghettti, left over veg (cooked potato, pumpkin, peas whatever)bacon or meat, top with a sprinkle of cheese.Cook at 180c until cooked thru. Good sunday night tea or weekend lunch. I make lots of pizzas (make my own bases) and rice dishes. Fried rice goes a long way.
kob,
May 12, 3:11am
I love the bum end theory too, heres my quick fire pizza recipe.You have 6 to feed so I would suggest maybe makig this as a double ill do one tray sizings and just double it 3 cups of normal flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder S&P about1 tsp of each, mix toget and make a well add 3/4 of a cup of oil and the same of milk mix together and kneed for a couple of minutes, roll out to fit and oven tray. IN a cup mix together 1/2 cup of tomato sauce , 2 tablespoons of brown (or white) sugar, 1 teaspooon of ginger then S&P and a dash of both worchester & soya sauce, stir and lay over pizza base, then add what ever you got, it could be pinepple, some ham, some tomatoes, some onions some bacon, mushrooms really what ever you got I have made it many times with just the sauce mix, onion and grated cheese, cover it with grated cheese and spinkle S&P on top and if you have it oregano then bake for 45 mins on 180 C , using a knife before you cook it just put tiny holes in the base so it doesnt puff up to much during cookingmake another tray of chips , thinly slicing scrubbed potatoes and then once cut place in a bowl and sprinkle on parsley S&P olive oil(or anysort) and somerosemary, with your hands massage in then place on a second oven tray, place chips on it and bake with the pizza, they should all be ready at the same time and and a great cheap feed for the 6 of you, you can even make more of the pizza sauce mix and heat in microwave or stove top till thick and use as a dipping sauce
lythande1,
May 12, 3:16am
Buy the fatty one and pou off the fat once you've fried it and before you add your herbs and bits. And as you say, shop to a menu. And shop around. Supermarkets are not cheap for veges, fruit or meat. I buy meat 3 times a year in bulk, veges and fruit either grown ourselves or from the vege shops, and I know all of them, who is cheapest for what. Ditto other stuff, washing powder and loo paper - The Warehouse. And so on. Make more stuff, buy ingredients in bulk, it's cheaper. get a bigger freezer.
kob,
May 12, 3:19am
just an unrelated non food enquiry, when things get tight for me I review everything,bank accounts make sure your on the cheapest bank acc at your bank, check if your in credit with your power bill and if you are get a refund, if you pay in advance for your phone thats a great thing, sky cut it off for three months its called a sky holiday they dont cut it off you just get channel 1,2 & 3 plus prime & the maori channel caosts $5 a month this is an instant saving . plus review insurances sometimes we get abit carried away and when things need slimming down perhaps a basic package until things get better again.You say babywipes and nappies etc etc not being forward but could you not buy some , muslin from a fabric shop and make reusable ones its as cheap as chips to buy or just get some bright yellow flannels and make sure everyone is aware they are for baby, saves another shopping purchase, and as for disbosibles do you perhaps have any friends that can help you with cloth nappies and this saves on garbage as well.Milk for babies, you can use normal milk and buy a thing called Karilake from the chemist boil together and bottles ( please check with your plunket nurse first) I used this with my 2nd baby, also go back to basics dont buy anything premade, all sauce mixes, tinned products can all be made chaeck out the three threads that were suggested to you and you will be amazed, even soap poweder in liquid form can be made for about 80 cents a litre. so check them out but those are a few of my nail bitting tips when things get tough around here
pheebs1,
May 12, 8:34am
kob your pizza sauce sounds interesting, beats the plian old tomatoe huh. i boils a can of chopped toamtoes with a little sugar till its a thicker sauce. make a 99 cent can go a lot further than a $3 jar of paste
kob,
May 12, 5:19pm
yes its called bbq sauce you can put it on chops or steak before cooking or just mke up and heat and use as a sauce on the table its really versitile
pheebs1,
May 12, 9:28pm
all suggestions welcome lifes getting tough right! im trying to shop on 200 a week for a family of 5 including a baby. so budget has to include nappies formula wipes etc. i need simple child friendly meals that a 1yr old will eat as well as us. we get through a lot of fresh fruit and vege so not a lot left for meat. even mince is expensive as i wont buy the fatty one rather strtech the premium with vege im really struggling to stick to budget and the cupboards arent full of stuff i can just make do with so the days before payday are a real mish mash . really bare. i need to get more organised and shop to a menu help super appreciated
rj5,
May 12, 9:29pm
Fried rice goes a long way and rice is cheap - you can add some bacon to it or chicken if cheap, then onions, garlic, soya sauce, any veges, fried egg etc and its filling
cgvl,
May 12, 9:53pm
pasta eg macaroni, spirals or vege one. You can have it with a cheese sauce or use a tin of tomatoes and pour over top, eke it out with mince if you prefer or add a couple of rashers of bacon. 2 pieces of schnitzel finely sliced and make a stir fry, have with rice or noodles I made lentil patties last night . 1 can lentils, 1 onion roughly chopped, pinch mixed herbs, lots of fresh parsley (omit if you haven't got), splash of worcester sauce, salt and pepper to taste, pulse in food processer to combine. I then added some left over mashed potato and any vege that I had. Add some breadcrumbs and a good handful of rolled oats. You can add an egg also but don't have the mix too moist. Form into balls or patties and refrigerate until firm. cook as per normal. I then served them over pasta with a tin of tomatoes as a sauce on top, You could make bigger and have on burger buns with lettuce etc as hamburgers.
Trying to think what else I do when sailing close to the wind with grocery money.
pheebs1,
May 12, 9:59pm
thanks for that! anyone have a weekly menu they would like to share!
pixiegirl,
May 12, 9:59pm
Hi pheebs1have just bumped up 3 threads for you to have a look at - one is Woe is me. by darlingmole, the other is Budgets who needs them .by kob and third one is we dont have to buy it cause we can make it. by juliewn.These are 3 great threads and hopefully should help you out.Also you can use the search at the top left hand page - just put in budgets or whatever you are searing for and choose "anytime" as date posted and it should bring up some more info for you.Good luck and keep us posted - you are definately not alone in your struggle as many people in the same boat.
donnabeth,
May 12, 10:25pm
Last night's dinner was cheap and tasty. The last two carrots, last end of swede, last wedge of cabbage, last florets of cauli and brocolli. To look at them it didn't feel inspiring, but I trimmed them neatly, steamed them perfectly and mashed the spuds until creamy with an extra dollop of butter and yoghurt. A $2 piece of lambsfry was sliced, shaken in a bag of seasoned flour and fried lightly with onions.
Whenever I'm on the 'bum end' days, i make sure that I pay attention and cook and present the meal perfectly. Sometimes a the 'luxury' finish on the potatoes, or a cheese sauce can change a meal into a feast. as for getting kids to eat; I wish I'd known my neighbour when my fussy kids were little. Every meal she cooks she says" Yum, Yum, we're having .(e.g.liver and cabbage) tonight, it's so delicious I can hardly wait" Her wee girl eats anything with gusto.
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