Our Family Meal Plan for Week of 08/03/2013 - £58 The Bargain Hunters Edition

It's the second week of the School Holidays and we managed to get through the week with enough food to last us until our grocery delivery - but only just.  I think my 3 girls are all having Spring growth spurts because they seem to eat anything which doesn't move fast enough to escape.

I visited the local greengrocer and was able to pick up some specials on Sunday afternoon.  Quite a lot of their fruit and vegetables were discounted so they could be sold before their scheduled Monday delivery.  I bought some 400g punnets of large ripe strawberries for 50p each, 2kg of bananas for £1, 2kg of eating apples for £1, 2kg of carrots for £1, 1kg of tomatoes for £1, 3 cucumbers and 2 bunches of spring onions for 30p each, and a 5kg bag of baking potatoes for £2.  It was £9.50 well spent as most of the fruit and vegetables weren't too ripe or old so should last us the week.  I must admit carrying home the bag of potatoes for 2 miles was a good workout, although using a firemans lift approach helped.  My 3 daughters and husband carried the rest of the produce home between them, great team work.

I have decided to once again keep the dinners fairly low faff and have chosen lunches which can be portable should the need arise.  It is my husband's birthday on Thursday so I shall be baking a chocolate creation of epic proportions for him, and he of course gets to choose the dinner we have to celebrate his ageing.  He really wanted roast lamb with all the trimmings so I have been on the hunt for a cheap lamb joint so as not to blow our budget.  I traipsed over to my local supermarket around 9pm twice in three days to check out the bargains before closing and on the second visit managed to purchase a 2.4kg whole NZ lamb leg for £3, reduced from over £12.  Hubby was most pleased as he gets his birthday dinner for a bargain price, hurrah!

Breakfasts will be porridge or cereal with fruit for afters.  Snacks will be yoghurt for morning tea with a small baked treat and more fruit for afternoon tea.

Lunches

All lunches will be accompanied by crudites and homemade herby yoghurt dip.  Whatever Fritters, toasted sandwiches, baked beans on toast, wraps, twice baked potatoes and mini frittatas will all feature on our lunch menu this week.

Whatever Fritters

1 cup “whatever” filling you like (banana, diced apple, sweetcorn, grated vegetables, leftover ham - not all together!)

1 cup plain flour or wholemeal flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg, lightly beaten

about 200ml milk

Sift the dry ingredients in to a bowl then add egg and enough milk to make a smooth batter. Stir in whatever' filling you like.

Cook in a pan with a little sizzling butter until golden on both sides and cooked through. Banana or apple fritters are great for a breakfast treat. Savoury fritters can be served a salad for lunch or dinner.

Dinners

Chickpea and Vege Casserole - Meatfree Monday

1 onion, roughly diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 peppers, diced (any colour will do)
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
3 carrots, finely sliced
2 courgettes, sliced
2 potatoes, diced
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200ml vegetable stock
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried

Heat a little oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat  Saute the onion, garlic until softened but not coloured.  Add the peppers, celery, carrots, courgettes and potatoes.  Cook for another 5 minutes adding a little water if the vegetables start to catch on the bottom of the pan.

Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.  Cover with a lid then turn the heat down and simmer the casserole for about 45 minutes, check there is enough liquid in the casserole once or twice during cooking adding more if necessary.  Season to taste then serve.  We'll be having ours with homemade flatbreads.

Fishcakes with Wedges and Vegetables - Tuesday

1 can tuna or salmon in spring water, drained

3 medium potatoes, cooked and mashed

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1 tsp lemon juice

1 spring onion, white and green parts very finely chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tblsp oil

Mix together all the ingredients except the oil. Spread a little flour on a board, tip the mixture out, shape into a rectangle and cut into eight pieces. Shape each piece into round, flat patties. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Brown the fishcakes on both sides and serve with a salad or steamed mixed vegetables.

Red Lentil Bolognese - Wednesday

Roast Lamb with Roast Vegetables, Steamed Greens and Yorkshire Puddings - Thursday

Lamb Pasties (using leftover lamb and roast veges) - Friday

Shepherds Pie (using leftover roast lamb) - Saturday

Fish Stew - Sunday

1 onion, roughly diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 peppers, deseeded and diced
2 sticks celery, finely sliced
3 carrots, finely sliced
500g white fish fillets, frozen
400g tin chopped tomatoes
500ml fish stock
250ml white wine
2 bay leaves (fresh or dried)

Heat a little oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat.  Saute the onion, garlic, peppers, celery and carrots until the onions and peppers start to soften.  Add all the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil then cover.  Turn down the heat and simmer the stew for 30 - 35 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the fish is cooked through.  Season to taste then serve.  We'll be having ours with steamed greens and potato mash.

Shopping List

There are no lentils on the grocery list as we had some in the cupboard to use up likewise rice, sugar, oats, herbs and seasoning/sauces.  School holidays are a fab time to clear out the store cupboard and use up any lingering grocery items.

Greengrocers
4 x 400g punnets large ripe strawberries 50p
2kg bananas for £1
2kg eating apples for £1
2kg carrots £1
1kg  tomatoes for £1
3 x cucumbers 30p each
2 bunches spring onions 30p each
5kg bag baking potatoes for £2
TOTAL    £9.50 

Reduced end of night bargain from supermarket

2,4kg Whole Lamb leg £3

Online grocery delivery (Asda) 29 items costing £45.75

Packets and Cereals

1x   ASDA Chosen by You Wheat Bisks (48x18g)                 £3.08

1x   ASDA Spaghetti (500g)                                                    50p     was 85p

2x   Asda Wholefoods Strong White Bread Flour (1.5Kg)       £1.60

2x   ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour (1.5Kg)                            £2.52

1x   ASDA Smartprice Plain White Flour (1.5Kg)                    45p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Self Raising Flour (1.5Kg)                  45p

1x   ASDA Chosen by You Puff Pastry (500g)                       £1.00

1x   Asda Home Baking Easy Bake Yeast (6 per pack - 42g)      65p

Dairy and Eggs

4x   ASDA Chosen by You Assorted (6x125g)  £4.00

5x   ASDA British Semi Skimmed Milk 4 Pints (2.27L)           £5.00

1x   Stork (500g)                                                                  £1.00

1x   ASDA Smartprice Low Fat Natural Yogurt (500g)           45p

3x   Suffolk Farm Medium Free Range Eggs (6)                    £3.00

2x   Cathedral City Mature Cheddar (350g)                            £5.00 any 2 FOR £5.00

Tins, Jars and Cooking

1x   ASDA Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce (4x410g)             £1.24

1x   ASDA Wild Pacific Pink Salmon (418g)                           £2.17

4x   ASDA Smartprice Chopped Tomatoes (400g)                 £1.24

1x   ASDA Smartprice Mayonnaise (500ml)                           45p

1x   Kallo Organic Vegetable Stock Cubes (6x11g)                72p

1x   ASDA Chick Peas in Water (400g)                                  70p

1x   ASDA Double Concentrated Tomato Puree (200g)         55p

Frozen

1x   ASDA Whitefish Fillets (500g)                                          £2.00

Fruit and Vegetables

2x   ASDA Lemons Loose                                                       60p

2x   ASDA Round Lettuce                                                      £1.00

2x   ASDA Celery                                                                  £1.78

2x   ASDA Garlic Loose                                                          60p

1x   ASDA Smartprice Peppers (700g)                                   £1.75

1x   ASDA Courgettes (3)                                                      £1.00

1x   ASDA Smartprice Brown Onions (2Kg)                           £1.16

Prices and special offers reflect those of the online grocery website My Supermarket, and are correct as of 7th April 2013.  Prices may vary in different in-store locations.

Don't forget to check out the At Home With Mrs M linky for lots of other fab Meal Plans.

10 comments Basics, Budgeting Tips, Dinners, Fish, Lamb, Lunches, Meal Plan, Meatfree Monday, Vegetarian