Eat well for 30€ per week

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Is it possible to eat a healthy balanced diet for 7 days per week for a man on 30€? If so how. I want to know what I need to eat a balanced diet every week as cheaply as possible. Now I don't need any extra things like coffee or snacks. Just three good full meals per day!

mike65

Easy peasy frankly

Don't be a snob. Shop at lidl/aldi buy as much fresh produce from either as you can. Make your own meals rather than pre-prepared/out of the bag type products. If you
look through the first few pages of this http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=610 forum you'll see loads of recipes for value meals.

Its perfectly possible for one person to eat well for about 4 euro a day.

Breakfast - Bixies and all bran with prunes (keeps you regular!)
prunes 80c per can,
bixies about 10c per buiscut,
All Bran (not in lidl) about 3 euro a pack.

Lunch - sandwiches every day or broth with sandwich (broth from evening meal below)
Sliced brown bread from 65c per pan in lidl (the cheapest brand is actually quiet nice to my mouth),
Strong cheddar cheese (purple pack) 2.95
Tomatoes 1 euro for three
Onions - 1.50 per bag (last for a few weeks)
450g spread 1 euro


Evening meal, fresh veg with chicken breast and dumpling broth (three hearty servings, if that sound too much spoon out some broth for lunchtime meal or freeze)

4 large chicken breasts about 5 euro, use one and a half
Atora suet 2 euro per pack (good for about 15 dumplings)
Veg (carrots/celery/onion/tinned tomatoes) 5 euro should last for a few weeks.

Other stuff
Potatoes 3 kg bag 1.50
2 tins of baked beans 80 cents
frozen peas 1.50
Bag of Pasta 1.00
Pasta sauce 1.00 euro + (depending on brand)
Tin of tuna 0.90
Eggs 6 from 1.10 (1.60 for guilt free eggs)
Mayo 1.00

I reckon you could do a pasta/tuna bake (two meals), Poached chicken with potatoes, peas to use up the remaining breasts. Omlete cheese/onion on toast (hey why not?)

I haven't added that up and certain items will last for more than one week.

BaZmO*

I think the key is not to look at what you can get for €30 for a week, but what you can get for €120 for a month. It's economy of scale that makes it so much easier. But you really need to plan out what you're going to have each day.

Bulk buy the likes of potatoes, rice, pasta, tinned tomatoes, vegetables, meat (which can be frozen) etc., and make stews, casseroles, shepherds pies, curries, chilli, soups, etc. and divide into individual portions and freeze. The savings you make when you make big batches are phenomenal. It also has the added bonus that you can utilise the days when you're in the humour to cook (not that the likes of a stew or a shepherd's pie take much effort) to cook a lot. And best of all, for the days when you're not really in the humour to cook, you can take something really tasty and nutritional from the freezer and have it cooked in no time at all.

Also, look out for special offers in supermarkets. Mike mentioned that Onions cost 1.50 per bag, but I was in Lidl the other day and they were 50c per bag. There's loads of stuff like that, you just need to keep your eye out for the bargains.

mike65

Those were posh onions! Prices can vary dramaticly its true, lidl have Monday and Thursday specials and if you are paying attention (subscribe to the lidl newsletter) 25-50% savings can be made on veg, meat, fruit, etc.

Diary Day

Try fruit and veg at markets. It's much better quality and much cheaper!

Speedsie

Diary Day wrote: »

Try fruit and veg at markets. It's much better quality and much cheaper!

Too true, I bought a sack of yellow onions yesterday for E9, and they last for ages.