Please share your struggle meals?

Could you collect extra and freeze to keep you going a little longer. Have you signed up for the government healthy start vouchers online?

Stir fry/noodles/ramen with frozen or tinned veggies is good. I buy cheap quick cook udon thick noodles from lidl but pick whichever is cheapest for you 😊 and then you can do anything. Eg tiny bit of soy sauce, some water, stock cube, peanut butter, Chinese 5 spice (a little pot from lidl lasts ages), any veggies, if you’re feeling fancy could do a boiled egg, can put tuna in too, or whatever you have, frozen peas, sweetcorn. If you do it like ramen it can go further because its like a soup. Dont waste money on those sauces you can buy or the expensive fridge section noodles.

Soy sauce is expensive as a first purchase (like a big bottle can be £4) but it does last absolutely ages!

Follow “My First Meals” on Instagram, she did a series for meals you can both eat using cheap tinned food and not many ingredients, I can personally vouch for them being delicious!

Also oolio app or too good to go are good apps. Oolio shows you free stuff peoppe give away in your area. So many people might give food for free. All you need to do is pick them up. Many volunteers pick up food from supermarkets and upload onto oolio for those in need. Too good to go you pay a small fee for whatever is left from a coffee shop/ store at the end of the day and the bag is very generous.

Frozen berries are much more cost effective! In Tesco's you can get a couple of kilos for a couple of pounds. You could use those in porridge etc :) frozen veg is very cost effective as well, and do you buy reduced food at the end of the day? We tend to buy reduced meat and freeze it then defrost it as I need it x

Fish fingers, beans and mash. Jacket potatoes with toppings, eggy bread, soup, omelettes, tuna wraps, wrap pizzas (tortilla with toppings) cheese spread sandwiches. Hope this helps 💖

UC should top u up I don’t know what area you are from but I’m west London they have charities that donated full food shop . Iceland pretty good deals plus you should be entitled for food bank

Whereabouts in the UK are you based?

sorry I should have explained a little better! UC does cover a lot of the rent and some of the childcare. When I say on my own I meant without a partner to help. I get the money from them plus my earnings into my account, then I have to try make it stretch to cover everything x

the system is really flawed. There isn’t any top up. I’ve reported all costs and have told them how much I end up with left and they just say I need to work more hours, so I explained that I can’t afford more childcare so I can work more they just said “it is hard isn’t it” 🤷🏻‍♀️

They didn’t mention any local charities, they did say about the food bank but all I keep seeing is signs everywhere about how they’re short on food so I felt guilty going to one as we’re not homeless or unemployed or anything like that, just skint!

down south on Hampshire/surrey border

Thank you everyone for your suggestions, I will definitely use these ❤️

Don’t feel guilty about accessing a food bank, if you’re genuinely struggling to provide food for yourself and your child then you are absolutely entitled to the help. You’re just doing what’s best for your boy 💕

Mushroom bourgignon - just some sliced mushroom with frozen mixed vegetables added to gravy. You can buy a cheap gravy packet or just add water to flour and season it to your liking. I usually serve this over rice or mashed potatoes.

Health start card is the best, im not eligible for it but I think you may be? It’s a card you use to buy milk, fruit, veg & beans, also formula xx

What council does your home fall under?

Packet mash, gravy and veggies,
Frozen foods (iceland do a deal), pasta and cheese, baked beans on toast, rice veg and gravy, frozen fruits are very good. Home bargains is good for food as well. Is it okay if you message me? I may be able to help xxx

It’s a struggle trying to manage everything but you aren’t alone. Unfortunately many people don’t have enough money to live a comfortable life and when you have a child the stress off worryin can be really tough to deal with. You can message me privately and I will see what I can do to help you if you like x

Greek yogurt, Eggs with meat, milk, toast, berry mix (smoothies are the best you can literally put anything and everything in it)frozen foods for sure last.
Meals that can last for up to 2 days, protein packed meals. Such as minestrone soup, lasagna, beans, rice, fish, fajita chicken dinner, shredded beef sandwiches, tacos, always like having frozen burgers on hand they come in handy when don’t know what to cook…hope this helps a bit.
Best wishes to and yours ☺️🤍🤍

Canned veggies, eggs/ breakfast for dinner, oats are a great staple and you can make anything with them including a cheap dessert and savoury meals too!
My background is Indian and I know that Indian is very cost effective and can spread over a few days and also freezes well! Look up a few recipes or I’m happy to share some with you if you message me. India is mainly veggie based as well, so lots of lentils legumes veggies etc.
you’re doing great already mama, it’s a season and your baby will be so grateful for you in the future xx

Mac n cheese with random vegetables

I grew up poor and here’s some of my fave povo meals:

Cook some pasta as normal, let it cool and fully dry then fry it, add some scrambled egg and any spare veg you have add salt, pepper and and an oxo cube

Get some prerolled pastry, lay it out, put on it some tomatoes, a sprinkle of cheese and an egg. Bake till egg cooked.

Tbh you can do loads with pastry sheets. Literally just bake with whatever you have in, or make a weird pasty with literally any leftovers

Corn beef hash is cheap to make a delicious especially as we come up to winter.

For fruit try to keep it in season, see if you can find any local farms where you can go pick any fruit or veg that way it’s usually cheaper than the supermarket + a day out.

If you have any spare veg about to go off, make a quick soup and you can freeze it for extra tight days.

You could try spread out the berry flavour by making them into muffins or pancakes. Or buy frozen berries and defrost everyday

Don’t forget you can always go to a church or some libraries offer a free food pantry!! When I was still living at home my mom always had my siblings and I get things from those places just to keep dinner on the table