£100 a month food budget for two

[Jasoncmor]

Just talk to some uni students on how they survive

Cut out microwave meals for starters, then look at some recipe books and look for inspiration.
You can eat healthily for your budget easily, but it does depend on what you do and don't like.
You can do some meal prep, for example, we make a large batch of spag bol every 6 - 8 weeks, then stick it in the freezer, buying the larger pack of mince helps with the cost, then we buy a big bag of pasta from farmfoods or lidl.
Saying that, look at lidl to help reduce your costs, you'll be surprised on the quality for the price.
Buy frozen chicken, its cheaper than buying fresh, and you just have to remember to get it out the freezer in the morning, for when you get home.

 

[gronf]

You can imagine the intro for Ready Steady Cook...

"What have you got for us today, PiKe?"

"I've got bread, a pot noodle....**** all else."

 

[b00merang69]

 

[Uther]

I did some medieval peasant food the other month. Salmon fillets, peas pottage, sorrel sauce and some 'artisan' rye bread, all for £3 per person from Waitrose and in portions that were massive. That'd cost you a good £15-20 in a restaurant.
Given how much of their meals are now considered the fancy, expensive stuff, peasants clearly had the right idea!

I think I watched that episode on youtube!
We don't budget much food wise currently, but really it is an expense we are looking at. We do batch cook at a lot though, and even have two freezers so we can store stuff.

 

[ttaskmaster]

I think I watched that episode on youtube!

With Jason from Rebellion, yeh?
It's a common recipe, but he did present it well enough that I fancied giving it a go... and it's definitely worth it.
Chris Carr's website is a decent stepping stone to other ideas and resources, if you fancy such things. I liked how Jason gave her plenty of screen time and didn't really commandeer the presentation for himself, too!

We don't budget much food wise currently, but really it is an expense we are looking at. We do batch cook at a lot though, and even have two freezers so we can store stuff.

Not really tried batch-cooking. I doubt many of the things I cook would freeze well or taste half as good when reheated.

 

[krooton]

With Jason from Rebellion, yeh?
It's a common recipe, but he did present it well enough that I fancied giving it a go... and it's definitely worth it.
Chris Carr's website is a decent stepping stone to other ideas and resources, if you fancy such things. I liked how Jason gave her plenty of screen time and didn't really commandeer the presentation for himself, too!


Not really tried batch-cooking. I doubt many of the things I cook would freeze well or taste half as good when reheated.

We bulk cook and freeze:

Curry
Chilli
Cottage Pie
Macaroni Cheese
Lasagne
Pulled chicken/pork/beef
Pork Sausages
Burgers
Deboned chicken thighs, skin-on, Nandos marinade

All reheat brilliantly, and save crazy cash.

 

[ttaskmaster]

All reheat brilliantly, and save crazy cash.

Yeah, I'm so disingenuous that I'd probably give people food poisoning with half of those...

 

[jsmoke]

£100 for two per month is pushing it, that's war time rations.

As said make big batches and freeze. Apparently the fuller your freezer the less electric you use, top tip.

Your looking at pasta a lot. Fruit and veg is going to be tough on that budget. Try frozen veg.

Bread is your friend, lots of fibre and calories.

 

[ttaskmaster]

£100 for two per month is pushing it, that's war time rations.

Plenty of recipes available for that, though. Wife even has a book called We'll Eat Again with a load of 'em in. That Woolton Pie is pretty good, as it happens.
Besides, people post-war have gotten too fat anyway. We need rationing back again!!

 

[jpaul]

We bulk cook and freeze:
Curry
Chilli
Cottage Pie
Macaroni Cheese
Lasagne
Pulled chicken/pork/beef
Pork Sausages
Burgers
Deboned chicken thighs, skin-on, Nandos marinade

I just freeze the meat mixes ... pasta(usually wholwheat) dishes that have just been reheated(gently steamed) are a bit mush, and, well, frozen too ....
I don't think this meant sausages/burgers from scratch ... but freezing them after cooking ?

 

[krooton]

I just freeze the meat mixes ... pasta(usually wholwheat) dishes that have just been reheated(gently steamed) are a bit mush, and, well, frozen too ....
I don't think this meant sausages/burgers from scratch ... but freezing them after cooking ?

Yes, all of these are frozen after cooking, and either reheated in the oven/microwave/HotLogic Mini.

Hell, I have some frozen cooked pork sausages that I am about to reheat at work for lunch

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I am probably £100 a week for 2 and I don't exactly buy salmon, steaks, etc either. No idea how people manage on £25 a week.

I could easily spend £6 on alternative milks for example.

 

[Felix]

No idea how people manage on £25 a week.

I could easily spend £6 on alternative milks for example.

Because I don't spend £6 on alternative milks.

 

[Martynt74]

You mean you just drink cows milk like a peasant. How obscene!

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Because I don't spend £6 on alternative milks.

My point being £25 is literally nothing.

I could easily put 5-10 things in my basket and it would come to £25. Whenever the wife sends me out to go grab like 2 things we desperately need i end up spending £40 easily within a quick 10-15 min shop.

 

[Gray2233]

£25 can go a long way if you budget properly.

Honestly I could live for 2 weeks or more on £25 if needed, I could do 1 week comfortably.

 

[SPG]

Frozen veg is fantastic, 2-minutes in a microwave steamer and its done, tastes better, significantly cheaper and much less hassle. If you have a frying pan on the go for whatever your using a quick flash with a little butter for added nom nom nom.

 

[ttaskmaster]

£25 can go a long way if you budget properly.

How much of that is low quality cheap crap, though?

 

[jpaul]

Frozen veg is fantastic, 2-minutes in a microwave steamer and its done, tastes better, significantly cheaper

is it cheaper ? cauliflours are like £1, and seasonal pointy cabbages like 55p ... in general cabbage is a good value & tasty vegetable , but not freezable afaik.

 

[Gray2233]

How much of that is low quality cheap crap, though?

Not a lot, if any, I tend to cook in bulk. I don't buy ready meals par the very rare over the counter pizza, breakfast when I eat it is very cheap as I'll generally just have a piece of fruit or porridge, a bag of oats costs very little.

As for frozen veg, some of it cooks great from frozen but some of it doesn't imo.

Sprouts are £1 a KG frozen from most supermarkets and they're lovely, Broccoli is decent too at the same price/weight per bag, although I'm one of those people that likes sprouts to be a bit on the mushy side.