We don’t have much to spend our money on in lockdown, but our food shopping bills have skyrocketed.
Eating at home for every meal of every day takes a toll, particularly if you’re also making meals for vulnerable loved ones.
But one woman says smart shopping and batch cooking has been her saviour, and she managed to make 26 meals for her partner’s grandparents, and it only cost her £20 in total.
Cheryl Anderson, 39, from Huddersfield, decided to batch cook meals for her partner Darren’s grandparents – and she managed to give us all a masterclass in lockdown money-saving.
‘I decided to batch cook for Darren’s grandparents because I heard through his sister that his granddad was going to their local Tesco Express and buying ready meals,’ said the mum of three.
‘They are quite independent and active and used to have day trips to the markets and with Covid-19 they obviously haven’t been.
Cheryl has been with Darren for seven years and has three children with her previous partner. She says his grandparents accepted the kids immediately.
‘My current partner’s grandparents have never missed their birthday or Christmas and included them straight away – no questions, we all became part of their family,’ she told LatestDeals.co.uk.
‘His grandma is 83 and his granddad is 81 and still drives, so this lockdown is hard for them.
‘I cook a lot for family gatherings and I wanted to make sure that they knew I valued them, so decided to make them some food they could freeze.’
Cheryl headed to Aldi to stock up on ingredients for the batch cooking session.
‘I bought frozen chicken breasts, fresh mince, sausages and then “wonky” veg that takes a bit more time to prepare, but is still decent quality,’ Cheryl explains. ‘I bought the tubs from Home Bargains cheaply too.
‘I made shepherds pie, spaghetti bolognese, sausage and mash, stew and dumplings, chicken casserole and chicken curry.
‘I know they like those things, and they are easy dishes to make and can be bulked out to make cheaply.
Cheryl shops at Aldi and is used to bulking her meals out with plenty of vegetables.
‘They were very happy – my partner dropped them off and we stayed in the car and they both came to the front door to shout thank you,’ she says.
‘I spent around £20 and it was all for my partner’s grandparents so I imagine it saved them a fortune.
‘I think they were buying two meals for £5 and I made 26 for £20.
‘My main advice to those looking to do the same is to plan and look at what’s on offer and what’s cheap.
‘Buy the “wonky” veg, it might take longer to prep, but it’s all good food.
‘We were coping really well in lockdown as I was still going to work every day, however we are now in two weeks of isolation as my youngest daughter is showing symptoms.
‘Food shopping isn’t an issue though, as I have lots of meals prepped and well stocked freezers.’
Cheryl’s shopping list
- Frozen chicken breasts £3.50
- Mince £3.50
- Sausages £1.29
- Potatoes £1
- Carrots 60p
- Swede 80p
- Onions 80p x2 £1.60
- Tinned Tomatoes x5 28p each £1.40
- Peppers £1.45
- Parsnips 50p
- Gravy granules, beef and chicken £1.40
- Chicken and beef stock £1.60
- Mixed veg frozen £1
- Dumplings 49p
- Total: £20.13
Do you have clever shopping hacks that are saving you money in lockdown? We want to hear from you.
Get in touch: metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/19/woman-cooks-26-meals-grandparents-lockdown-cost-20-12724436/
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