How I save money on my shopping

As a mum of two teenage girls, I have to make sure they eat healthily, whilst still saving money.  I tend to write a shopping list on the day before I go shopping, which for me is on a Sunday afternoon.

The first thing I do is check if I can make any meals from what I still have left from the previous week and see if anything needs to be used up.  I can usually find two meal (not always involving meat). Also there are websites around where you can put in what you have leftover and it comes up with suggestions of meals.

I also look in my cook books to see if there's anything I can make from leftovers, or to get inspiration for meals for the following week.

This weeks menu looks like this (sorry if the lists are not straight I'm new to this layout malarky!!)


                           Breakfast     Snack      Lunch        Dinner              Pudding            Snack           Snack

Monday            Kipper           Apple      Mugshot      Spaghetti       Strawberries       Yogurt         Grapes
                                                                   Choc Bar      Bolognese

Tuesday           Cereal           Banana     Scrambled   Sausage           Tinned                Noodles       Lolly
                          Milk                                 Eggs on       Mash                Pinapples
                                                                   Toast            Sweetcorn

Wednesday      Poached        Apple       Mugshot       Breaded        Pancakes       Yogurt         Apricot
                           Egg on                            Choc Bar       Fish            
                           Brown                                                     Homemade
                          Toast                                                       Chips & Peas


Thursday      Cereal           Banana      Ravioli             Chilli Con      Tinned          Noodles    Popcorn
                        Milk                               on Brown          Carni &          Peaches
                                                                Toast                 Brown Rice   


Friday           Kipper         Apple        Mugshot            Ham & Egg      Choc Ices     Yogurt      Apricot
                                                               Choc Bar           Salad              


Saturday       Boiled          Kiwi         Bagette               Tuna Pasta        Fab Lolly     Dip &        Popcorn
                       Egg &                            Tomato                Bake                                        Crisps
                       Brown                           Puree                      
                       Toast                            Choritzo
                                                             Cheese/Salad


Sunday        Kipper       Apple          Crumpets              Roast             Jelly            Yogurt      Lolly
                                                               Fruit Cake          Chicken
                                                                                             Brocolli
                                                                                             Carrots
                                                                                              Gravy

I agree it may not look particularly healthy, but I know if my children don't have snacks in the house they will just go out and get their own or moan about it. The menu is a compromise lots of fruit and veg and yes a bit of unhealthy stuff too. 

The noodles are egg noodles and I boil them in water, drain them, then fry them in frylight with an egg, an oxo cube and soy sauce. These were low in fat when I was at slimming world.  The mug shots are again low in fat, however, I know the penguin bars cancel that out! 

Kippers are good for you and so easy to cook.You used to be able to buy a big bag in Iceland, but unfortunately, they no longer do them so you have to buy them individually. However, Aldi never seem to do Kippers so will probably have toast and marmite on those days. 

We tend to have our evening meal quite early between four and five most weekdays which is why I have included two snacks. Most days we don't have the two though. On a Sunday we tend to have the roast in the middle of the day and a proper tea later in the evening (usually when something good comes on the telly).

Anyway, after looking in my fridge, freezer and cupboards I composed my shopping list and this is what I bought from Aldi. I also have added some baking bits as my daughter is going to attempt to make a rainbow cake, as a trial for her birthday cake next week, she saw it on the internet and is keen to try it. I also have sundry items such as cat food, toilet rolls and drinks (also some sweets my daughter added to the trolley when I wasn't looking!!).

Shopping Receipt:

E/E Cat Pouch x 2                               =   £3.58
Eggs 15 Pack Medium                        =   £1.25
Frozen Sweetcorn                               =   £0.85
Aldi Diet Cola   x 2                            =   £0.78
E/E Squash                                         =   £0.42
Squeezy Mayonnaise                         =   £0.79
Yogurt & Biscuit 6 pack                    =   £1.79
Ice Blitz (like Fabs)                            =   £1.00
Caster Sugar                                       =   £0.89
Icing Sugar x 2                                   =   £1.30
BB Light Margarine                           =   £0.79
Crisp Cereal                                        =   £1.19
Cupshotz (Like Mugshots)  x 3          =  £0.99
Mini Cheese Bakes                             =  £0.85
Seal Bars (Like Penguins)                  =  £0.72
E/E Penne Pasta                                  =  £0.29
E/E Tortilla Chips                               =  £0.46
Food Colouring x 4                             =  £3.12
Bubbly Bar                                          =  £0.62
Puffs & Monster Claws Crisps            =  £0.99
All Butter Angel Cake                         =  £0.85
E/E Lightly Fruited Slab Cake            =   £1.00
Part Baked Bagettes                             =  £0.45
E/E Bread Mixed Case (No Idea)        =  £0.36
Warburtons Crumpets                          =  £0.68
Luxury Toilet Tissue                            =  £1.45
Breaded Cod                                         =  £1.79
Small Whole Chicken                           =  £2.75
Pork Sausages                                       =  £1.29
Lean Ham                                              =  £1.45
Turkey Mince                                        = £1.79
Tinned Tomatoes                                   = £0.31
Tinned Carrots                                       = £0.19
Kiwi Fruit                                               = £0.69
Lighter Mature Cheese                           =  £1.55
Bananas 1kg                                           =  £0.68
Raspberries                                             =  £0.99
Strawberries                                            =  £1.35
Apricots                                                   =  £0.49
Cucumber                                                =  £0.34
Iceberg Lettuce                                        =  £0.34
E/E Apples                                               = £0.99

TOTAL                                                   = £44.45

I think this is pretty good for a weeks shopping, as I say the things I haven't included I already I already have. I also remembered to take my own carrier bags as it's a waste of money to pay for them!!  

I am personally not surprised that other supermarkets are starting to falter as their prices simply can't compare to Aldi.  

I welcome anyone's other comments or their own tips. 

Thank you,


Helen R.