Budget meal ideas?

[Cuilidh]

Hi Kim - are down here now?  Welcome back home.

[Frozzie]

Yes down under.. Arrived in one piece... Off shopping today with mum and dad for some basics and the kids presents..they are choosi,g their bikes and some odds and ends i promised them..

[mcmich]

Nice Kim. They will feel more at home if they have some toys etc. 

[Halex]

DJ,

I feel for you.

My parents went through the war so were used to rations etc.

We would have roast chicken one week, then roast lamb. All bits were used for meals in the week as well. A lot of meals were bulked out with dads veg patch. My mum never wasted anythng. Left overs we redone knto another meal always.

On our budget with my family, i try to stay to this

1 soup
1 veg meal
1 mince meal, tacos are good
1 rice/pasta meal
1 night of mix & matxh left overs

Eggs are a good cheap meal here in aus.  Egg fried rice with using up bits of veggies is really cheap.

I make all our bread & that is a huge saving. Making pasta too is cheap, fresh pasta tossed with herbs, parmessan & a little evvo yum & very cheap

Cant type anymore atm, hope this helps too.
H

[mcmich]

I don't know how open DH and yourself are to vegetarian meals? They are very economical and very filling.
DH and I try to have 3 vegetarian meals a week.
Some favourites are:

Chickpea & pumpkin curry
Quirky Jo's lentil bolognese
Lentil patties
mixed nut roast
frittata
spinach & ricotta cannelloni
roast veg lasagna

As budget allows you can always add diced bacon, ham or shredded left over meat to these recipes.

[judydawn]

DJ, it is so easy to cook up a pile of drumsticks (eg the hoisin recipe on here) then remove all the meat from the bone and add it back to the sauce.  You will find DH will then eat it, it's the bone that they don't like more than the actual drumstick meat.

When I had to watch both sides of our pennies many years ago I would stretch 500-600g mince to 4 meals by using half to make chow mein and serving it with mashed potato one night and chips another night with the other half of the mince I would make a mince stew, adding heaps of vegies then topping it with mashed potato - a cottage pie.  Great winter food.

[droverjess]

Thankyou all again. Great ideas.

[Bonsai]

Mexican type food (enchiladas or tacos) are cheap and easy to put together. I have often used left over spag Bol with a bit of extra seasoning. Not exactly authentic but who cares?  The steamed sausages with tasty onion gravy is cheap and way yummier than it sounds.  Big salads with a meat topping plus a bread roll is good but don't think you are having salad weather now.

[djinni373]

DJ I hope things start going your way very soon
Great thread. Really great ideas and suggestions. The only thing I can think to add is this website that someone put in another thread a while back.
It has lots of great moneysaving ideas and recipes. I think this is where the miracle spray came from

[obbie]

I love that website too
 Debt free cashed up and laughing.

 Yes Miracle spray is from there.

I buy Super Food Ideas Magazine here. great ideas and recipes that are cheaper. they have a app..

[droverjess]

Well we had hotpot tonight with leftover beef and gravy. 3 meals from the Sunday roast.

[astarra]

Sounds great DJ
How are things going for you now?

[droverjess]

Thanks Astarra.
Well tonight I can't sleep. DH away at sisters, and lots going on with job-hunting, some of it very different. Can't say more at present, but can't sleep either. So many irons in fire, all so different and some totally new. He is in a meeting tomorrow.
Something may come up trumps or not, it's a bit like a jeopardy game because if one is offered and its not the first choice do you take it in case nothing else comes up ( probably yes on situation/recesssion grounds). Scary.
One Interview two weeks ago and heard nothing at all! Life is a perpetual roller coaster just now. Very grateful for friendship on here, thank you.

[Wonder]

Hang in there DJ. it sounds like you are really covering all bases and prepared to try some new things as well which is great. Here's hoping for good news soon.

[mmsie]

I am doing the $100 challenge which has at least halved my food shopping, sometimes more than halved it.

My main ways have been:
-Half the meat content in any dish
-Freeze all left overs (rice for hubbys lunches, sauce for a lunch size portion, fruit that is nearly over ripe)
-Up the veggies that are in season / stop buying out of season & overseas produce
-Go to the farmers market / grocers for veg
-Buy bulk of sugar, flour, quinoa, couscous etc
-Menu plan to ensure no food is wasted
-Always plan to have something from the freezer and pantry
-Make my own pasta in the TM

Pasta is almost free - flour and an egg with a dash of salt and oil (I would previously buy fresh lasagne sheets which were $4.50 a pack & I would have thrown the wastage in the bin).

By tweaking so many things a little bit it has made a huge difference, I also picked some free fresh fruit from someone's garden (with their permission) to make in to jam which has enabled me to trade with my neighbour for lettuce & herbs! And I have jam to gift to people at Xmas.

Good luck DJ xx