Spending Too Much
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Does anyone else find that so much money just goes on food? Anyone have any ways of planning meals ect to stop food waste and stop me buying bits out for lunch
We make a list of weeks meals, with who chooses it. Then write list off that. If you make up a lunch at home or avoid going to shops when likely to be hungry should help with buying food out
Imnotcheap Thank you very much. That sounds ideal! Definitely a case of needed to get organised for the week! And very true, do you factor in extra food on your list for lunches?
Imnotcheap Yes going into a supermarket when hungry is not a good idea at all. Been there,done that lol.
We write a meal plan for the week, so we know exactly what we are having and what we need to buy. I make lunch to take to work. Take a look at the Feed your family for £20 website or fb page. Lots of cost effective recipes. We eat any leftovers the next day and we freeze things too. We will buy yellow sticker items and then freeze them and use them later on.
MrsCraig Thank you ever so much! We definitely need to get organised, otherwise it’s so easy to get carried away! I will have a look at that page thank you so much. We did our first freezing venture last week when some chicken in our fridge was about to go out of date! Still trying to get used to all of the rules with freezing yellow sticker meat!
Razzledazz2 freeze yellow sticker meat as soon as you get it home if not using it that day and just defrost as normal. The website/fb page is really good.
Our shopping spend could probably be around £30-£35 a week, but my daughter is on the spectrum and will only eat certain things. I've tried putting aldi/asda in a heinze bottle, but she sniffs it out like a hunting dog 
it kills me spending so much money on something that's gone within days
cjevans It sounds as if the foods she won't eat are not actually ESSENTIALS if she won't eat the cheaper non-essentials have you tried letting her do without?
cjevans We also have a son on the spectrum who is exactly like this… he also doesn’t like new foods or recipes! It’s so so difficult! But if it could be around £30-£35 that’s brilliant we need to push ours right down!!
Do you mean if out of home spending or during a work lunch break? Which ever it is you know what you need to do really. PREPARE
I use Olio and Food to Go. Am also freshly commited to no take outs and more cook at home.Much less meat and more beans,pulses,pasta etc.I have an allotment so be growing my own spuds and greens soon.I need to eat less anyway!
MelissaLee1 sounds brilliant! Definitely saves a lot of money cooking at home and reducing meat! And brilliant we used to have an allotment they are great we use our garden now!
Yellow stickers, freeze meat in amounts you actually need, not the whole packet when some might be wasted/not eaten. Buy in bulk and freeze in portions. Bread can be frozen and the required number of slices removed the night before for lunch. Put the difference between yellow sticker and what you would have paid full price in a piggy bank believe me it adds up and will pay for next Christmas or a holiday. There are two of us and 'piggy' for 2022 had just been emptied £928.94 
lilyflower We are trying our first yellow sticker frozen meat meal today we froze some chicken just before Christmas as it was going to go out of date and we didn’t want to waste it. Took it out of the freezer into the fridge yesterday it’s almost defrosted now so will be cooking it and having it for dinner tonight! Freezing bread is a brilliant idea as it wastes so fast! That is also a brilliant way to save very savvy thank you ever so much for your advice will be trying it all seems like you have nailed it!
Razzledazz2 I buy most things via yellow stickers. Root veg will keep for at least another week, the tomatoes/radish/celery/peppers/lettuce in y fridge were all bought double yellow Christmas eve and all still useable. Eggs are often reduced with a week still to use or can be frozen to use as scrambled, omelettes etc (beat and freeze in in required quantities) for up to 3 months. Milk - divide into daily useable amounts leaving a little room to expand. Anything you're not sure of just ask
I know I have enough in my home to last quite a few weeks but we always tend to buy more, so now and again I have a good clear out, especially the freezer, this saves us going shopping for a while, apart from milk.
When buying tin food or staples like pasta, consider buying the lowest range, they’re usually produced in the same factories and as the higher ranges and similar ingredients.
There are a couple of apps/websites (supercook and Magic fridge are popular) where you can list ingredients you already have and it will give you meal ideas and recipes. Which can be great for using up stuff you already have.
Midnightflower oh wow that is so brilliant I had no clue about this thank you so much shall be trying. brilliant for making sure leftovers are used up!
I like to think i'm pretty good with our food shopping, nothing goes to waste which pleases me, i'm always on top of any use by dates in the fridge and meal plan around these.
HEDGEHOGS that’s brilliant at the moment we don’t really have any waste (as I’m a stickle for it) but we do still somehow seem to be spending excessive amounts on food?!
I never seem to be able to get near the ‘yellow sticker’ items - some people can get quite physical when the reduced items come out. It’s got me to the stage where I think people should only be allowed a certain quantity of the yellow sticker items if there are a lot of people wanting them - even putting items near the tiles if there are a lot of one item.
suevernon1968 I have never tried really to get hold of yellow sticker items, but the stores local to me a very quiet so perhaps they will be okay?
Razzledazz2 it’s always worth a look - specially if you can freeze the reduced items
I have just started trying to buy only what I need but when things are in the sale I can't help myself
AmyPitchers I am the exact same it’s so difficult I spot a bargain and buy it just because it is cheap! I’ve started now to implement a it’s cheap but do I need it and when will I use it. Really am trying!
Write a list of exactly what you need from the shop each week and stick to that. Make sure the list accounts for every meal for everyone in your household.
rubydooby very good plan, lots of others also recommend this so this week we tried it and was hard to stick to the list but definitely so far seen a reduction in waste and cost!
There are some amazing apps with recipes for meal planning. Freezer dump bags for the slow cooker and so easy and I find much less waste so money saving too!
chloenix Will have to look in these apps to meal plan they sound super helpful with managing it. We just have started freezer dump bags don’t know why we didn’t before brilliant idea thank you!
dawarwick salads, fresh fruit and vegetables I would say. We keep them in the fridge but they seem to go off before we can use them all!
loooo666 thank you for this as this is one area where we have the most food waste and money wasted!
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