need help with food problem

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wendywoolley
wendywoolley Posts: 26
in Food and Nutrition
i lost my job about 1 year ago and me and my husband have been raising our 2 kids on just his wage and the small amount we get in benifits
because of this we buy very cheap food to spread over the month it seems bad as there is prob not alot of nutricional value in the food we eat and because of this and other factors i put on alot of weight.
how can i budget my money enough to get good food but still have enough to pay the bills and feed the family for a month as i find the supermarkets have put all there prices up
the other problem is that fresh food does not last long and has to be eaten within a few days in the end i eat alot of bad food with high calories so end up really hungry through out the rest of the day
any ideas

Replies

  • wendywoolley
    wendywoolley Posts: 26
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    please anyone
  • hjy319
    hjy319 Posts: 269 Member
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    I am not sure if this helps, but have you chacked into any co-ops in your area? I think farms in some areas will allow you to work and get some of the food to take home.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Look for vegetables that are in season, they should be a bit cheaper. And try not to buy too much in advance so that you don't have to throw any away.

    I like to make up a big pot of soup/ stew with whatever veg I have to hand - potatoes, carrots and onions form a good base. Add a handful of red lentils for protein. Or any other canned beans. Add a tin of tomatoes to make it a different flavour.

    Frozen veg are just as nutritious as fresh, and you can defrost and use just as much as you need.

    Own brand pasta is good value - make a sauce with tinned tomatoes, lots of veg, and reduce the amount of mince required.
  • Lotte34
    Lotte34 Posts: 429 Member
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    get yourself a veggie patch, any space you have in the garden, the windowsill, the front porch ANYWHERE fill it with edible plants. You can buy seeds dead cheap and you can grow almost anything. And then when you get to the point where you are growing too much you can sell the suplus. I have a tiny garden and I grow:
    nasturtium (very edible very nice to make tea or soup from)
    Carrots
    Aubergine
    Strawberries (in a pot in the kitchen)
    Chillis (in a pot in the kitchen)
    Potatoes ( in large sacks in the garden)
    Tomatoes

    the list goes on! It takes a month or two to get going but you can sustain yourself and your family for free if you do it properly

    All you need then is a cow to milk and a churn to make the butter/cheese

    Oh then get a patch of grain and start making your own bread

    Ok so maybe thats a bit OTT but the concept works, did you not watch the good life?
  • lururu
    lururu Posts: 123 Member
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    Have you tried making big batches of pasta sauce and freezing it in portions? You can get tins of tomatoes for 33p in some shops, tomato purée and passata. ASDA and TESCO do value packs of onions too. You can add lots of different things to the sauce, ASDa do big value packs of peppers, you can part cook them and freeze them too.
    I also like to make a red lentil and tomato soup, lentils are great because they are good for you and filling, you can use the soup to make pasta bakes. I make one with the cheap tinned tuna flakes and the value tinned sweetcorn, the whole family love it and the ingredients are healthy and cheap.
    If you buy a chicken that will last for two or three meals, a roast one day, stir fry or curry the next and stew that you can freeze.

    I can send you some of my value recipes if you like?
  • rpphillip
    rpphillip Posts: 230 Member
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    well I have 6 brothers and one sister there were 8 of us kids , then my mom,dad and grandmother all in one house. as I remember we ate a lot of soup beans and corn bread, veg, soup and then we had kool aid instead of coke, which is better anyway. we only drink milk with meals and we also had hamberger. but my mom would make them and we only got fast food on special nights. you might also check and see if there is a dollar store in your area, some of them sell food but be careful and check the due date. bless you and hope thing turn around for you and your family.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    I'm sorry you are on such hard times.

    One thing my grandmother used to do was grow her own veggies and can them in the summer and eat from them in the winter months. This was great because we always had nutritious food, and it was very cheap too. It does require some hard work, but it's worth it.

    I also second the suggestion of looking for a co-op or a community garden nearby.

    Good luck to you and your family!
  • Darrknys
    Darrknys Posts: 91
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    my husband and I were in a bind for a few months when I lost my job right before we got married. Top ramen noodles are great to add frozen veggies and cheap protein, like eggs or tofu, just don't use the seasoning that comes with the noodles.
    I like to stock up on brown rice. I cook about 6 cups at once, portion them out in 1 cups into zip lock bags and freeze them. The rice will last rather well for a few weeks. To defrost open bag, toss in microwave and cook for about a minute.
    We've pretty much went with mostly Asian style foods and cooking as it is generally cheap. Plus we make it at home, it's usually light on fat and processed junk.
    I also keep tuna in the cupboards as well for another good cheap protein. I buy this when it's cheaper.
    Oatmeal is filling for breakfast, cheap and good for you.
    Bags of potatoes are generally cheap as well, and depending on how you cook them, are good for you. Home made potato wedges, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, etc.
    I also stock up on good pasta and frozen veggies when it goes on sale for $1 or less.
    If you get bags of frozen items or things you need to freeze grab sandwich sized freezer bags. Then you can portion stuff out, or not, which will make your items last longer.
    If you can find an Asian market. I have one near me that I do most protein and produce at because it's a LOT less expensive than chain stores. Very helpful for me who has a husband with a black hole stomach...
    Good luck!

    *Addition: I just noticed you are in England, I'm not too sure about the Asian market thing over there, but could also be helpful for others as well
    Oh and BEANS! I stock up on black, kidney, white and garbanzo when I can too. Also cheap and good for you =D
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
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    Try farmer's markets for bulk produce and perhaps share with a friend, neighbour, family to avoid wastage.
    Same with meat, bulk pack. make up big batches and freeze.
    Only buy food that's in season so you know it's nutritionally sound.
    You are what you eat - if you don't eat well, you'll end up paying the doctor eventually anyway.
    There is a website called the pennywise platter you might find more help on there!
    Good luck!
  • trinitymel1982
    trinitymel1982 Posts: 39
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    get yourself a veggie patch, any space you have in the garden, the windowsill, the front porch ANYWHERE fill it with edible plants. You can buy seeds dead cheap and you can grow almost anything. And then when you get to the point where you are growing too much you can sell the suplus. I have a tiny garden and I grow:
    nasturtium (very edible very nice to make tea or soup from)
    Carrots
    Aubergine
    Strawberries (in a pot in the kitchen)
    Chillis (in a pot in the kitchen)
    Potatoes ( in large sacks in the garden)
    Tomatoes

    the list goes on! It takes a month or two to get going but you can sustain yourself and your family for free if you do it properly

    All you need then is a cow to milk and a churn to make the butter/cheese

    Oh then get a patch of grain and start making your own bread

    Ok so maybe thats a bit OTT but the concept works, did you not watch the good life?


    this :)
  • starrybirdy
    starrybirdy Posts: 18 Member
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    I lost my job earlier this month through cut backs and am job hunting at the moment - I'm the same situation - not much money for special foods

    I'm cooking on budget - I shop at Aldi some of their own makes are as good as the real ones but a lot cheaper and they do fruit/veg deals which can save money

    also iceland are pretty cheap and even oven chips and breaded chickenfish or thin crisy pizza in the right size portions with salad needn't be too calorie consuming in the right size portions

    and a bag of frozen veg for a £1 in most shops can go a long way with a roasted chicken and I buy a small sack of potatoes good for mash / roasties/jackets not that pricey

    some of the supermarkets do cheap sauces too that are pretty decent smartprice form asda or eatsmart bolognese sauce isnt bad on cals and can go in pasta or spice up with chill powder to make a cheap savoury mince
  • Darrknys
    Darrknys Posts: 91
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    This is amazing for regrowing your green onions. I just did it. They regrow freakishly fast FYI:
    http://www.thekitchn.com/re-growing-green-onions-grow-your-scallions-back-on-your-windowsill-165274

    There are other great articles on the site, like this:
    http://www.thekitchn.com/what-are-some-lunches-that-freeze-well-recipe-questions-165893
  • starrybirdy
    starrybirdy Posts: 18 Member
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    some good tips for saving money foodwise here:
    http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/food/waste-food/saving-money-food.htm
  • suelegal
    suelegal Posts: 1,282 Member
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    I'm agreeing with the folks who are suggesting you grow some of your own food. Additionally how about if you make your food from scratch. I know it's much less expensive to buy 5 or 10 lb of flour for instance, and make bread, and pasta etc than to buy all of that regularly, and it's fun to make! Bread machines and pasta makers can be found on freecycle for your area and at no cost at all! Start looking at recipes for wholesome filling meals, soups, stews etc. that you can make in advance and freeze!
  • Darrknys
    Darrknys Posts: 91
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    http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2008/06/19/seven-ideas-for-preparing-food-at-home-cheaply-with-minimal-space-and-resources/
  • JaclynnGail
    JaclynnGail Posts: 204 Member
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    There's an organization in my town that sells local produce and local meats for a super cheap price if you do any sort of volunteer work. You just submit a form online saying what kind of volunteer work you do, and they take it on faith (no references or anything needed) and you can submit orders. You then pick your order up at a designated place once a month or whatever it is...my parents do it and are always coming home with a huge sack of fruits and vegetables, as well as turkey breasts, chicken...lots of good stuff. It's not based on finances at all...just a way to pay back to people who volunteer in the community. I don't know if they have these elsewhere, but it might be worth looking into.

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