Help needed

A question about : Help needed

Hi I don't no where to start well First of I'm currently waiting for an e.s.a claim to go through recieved a text on Saturday from dwp to say claim being processed but nothing since .so at present I'm living of child benefit my child is 7 and I'm currently pregnant
I guess I just need some ideas food wise I get the child Ben every tue going shopping today but will need 5 gas and 5 electric
So I will have ten pound for food guess in posting for advice because what I buy never seems to feed us both for the week I have been going with out so my child can eat
My child tax credits should be sorted shortly just not sure when i made a claim in November but somehow it was lost anyway it's getting dealt with now .
I have cereal for breakfasts
Jam
3 noodle snacks
2 chicken noodles
Half a bag of chips

I have toiletries and toilet roll so no toiletries needed

I no milks a definate but what else any help appreciated
Thankyou

Best answers:

• Should add my claim for esa is a transfer from job seekers so it's not a completely new claim just unsure how long it takes so trying to get in a routine etc incase it takes a while
• Hi there, I don't know much about ESA but good luck, hope it all gets sorted soon.
  Food banks are set up for just this sort of situation, you should be able to get a referral from the job Centre, Citizens advice or if it is a church based one you can probably just turn up.
  Do you have flour, eggs etc? Any markets nearby where you might be able to get reduced fruit and veg? Pulses are good for protein, cheap tins of beans, chickpeas etc?
  Obviously your child is a priority and so I would hope food bank would be available, let us know how you get on
• It's a mind field never had to claim before splitting with my ex .i have used a food bank back in November as was waiting for jsa unsure if I can use again I will look into it though .
  No flour etc I think once I get sorted I wil be doing and incase of emergency style food box and hiding it .going to head to the co op soon as they usually reduce at 8 am I managed to get mince for a pound last week I no it's do able I'm just buying the wrong things
  Thanks for the reply
• Check out 'A girl called Jack' blog, she fed her self & her son on Ј10 a week
• I'll have a look now thanks
• Hi. Can you get to a supermarket at about 6 or 7 pm, to get the reductions, yellow stickers? The later you go the cheaper it gets. At 8 or 9 pm you can get 90% off.
  I would say forget meat, convenience foods, cakes, biscuits, fizzy pop, sweets, crisps, all junk food, and concentrate on lots of veg. Make a big pan of veg stew on the top of the cooker, add stock cubes/gravy mix, it will last 3 or 4 days, keep in the fridge. Eat with bread. Don't use the oven, costs too much. Look for cheap pasta in the discount stores, B & M, Home Bargains. Porridge for breakfast, keeps you full for longer, 75p for a 1kg bag. Tins of baked beans for 24p, tins of rice pudding for 15p. Far too much choice in food out there, ignore most of it, just stick to the basics. Hope you get your benefits sorted out.
  Ilona
• I agree with Ilona.Keep it simple.For example,porridge is probably the cheapest meal going,and it's easy to make,nutritious and warming.
  Have you thought about getting some powdered milk?You can make as much or as little as you need,meaning it won't go off like ordinary milk.You'll probably spend less too.
  I hope that you have some luck at the food bank.
  Good luck with getting everything sorted out ASAP.
• Hello Newtothis, my son is 33 this year but when he was in single figures, we had just moved to a new home in the north and due to the move I had no job so had to make things stretch. There were two dishes we all seemed to like:
  1. Vegetable casserole
  Select vegetables yoou like from these: swede, potato, leek, onion parsnip, carrot. Peel thinly and chop, but keep separate. Fry off in a little oil in separate batches, and transfer to casserole. When all done, put a little flour in the pan mix together and try to get all the "burnt" bits out of the frying pan - plenty of flavour there! slowly add hot veg stock until all mixed, add this to casserole, add more veg stock to cover, add a good squirt of tomato puree and season. Leave it to bubble in the oven (covered), about gas mark 4 ish for a few hours until cooked and the taste is heavenly. Serve with bread to mop up the gravy. You could add dumplings made from suet, flour and water. Dumplings should be added to the last 30 minutes and the cover left off so they can rise. Bet your child would love to make the dumplings for you!
  2. Home made pizzas
  In a small saucepan, place a tin of chopped tomoatoes, any herbs you like - there's a mixture called "Italian Herbs", that would be good. Salt and pepper, tomato puree and a scant teaspoon of sugar. Let this simmer uncovered until it becomes thick.
  Use a scone recipe to make the dough, and spread it out in the (oiled and floured) roasting pan - it doesn't have to be round!
  Swirl the tomato mixture on the dough, top with grated cheese. Bake until cooked through.
  Big hit with children and a good source of vitamins I should think, as I believe tinned veg can keep their constituents better than fresh, if allowed to get old.
• There is a Ј7 a week thread on the board, have a look at that, even though it is a few years old it might give you a few cheap meal ideas
  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=4084527
• I agree with elona about porridge being the most filling breakfast or try Morrisons cornflakes at only 31p a box.
  Definitely look at buying eggs they are only Ј1 for fifteen in farmfoods Ј1.25 in Aldi a good cheap source of protein and you can make so many things with them.
  When we were struggling, pasta with HM pasta sauce with mozzarella was cheap and easy so was macaroni cheese with veggies added to it to bulk it out.
  Make a big pot of pasta sauce and freeze into meal sized portions, this way it is as easy as opening a jar but healthier
  The basic recipe was 3 cans of tomatoes 31p ea Aldi,
  4 cloves garlic works out to about 8p (a pack of four bulbs is 59p in the aldi super six this week and garlic freezes well)
  A couple of Tblsps of Tomato puree 15p
  2 to 3 tsps of cheap mixed herbs or to your taste 25p a pot in Asda so about 8p worth plus a little pepper and a tsp of sugar
  Gently fry the garlic taking care not to burn it, then add everything else and simmer gently until it thickens up. Cool and put into containers and freeze
  Total cost for 3 meals for four of us Ј1.24 so it would do at least six meals for two that works out to 21p a meal. Pasta (20p a packet) approx 10p per meal add half a ball of mozzarella (43p a ball) 21p, and allow it to go gooey before serving for a cheap, tasty and filling meal.
  Total cost per meal for two people is 52p
  Aldi do a pack of two part baked baguettes and they are big so you could easily cut one in half, slather it with a little HM pasta sauce (about 5p worth) and Ѕ a ball of mozzarella for a quick pizza total cost 47p for two people and you will still have a baguette left for a sandwich or another pizza the following week.
  Pepperoni is also cheap, just 79p a pack in Aldi. Use it in a pasta meal, on a baguette pizza or ordinary pizza, it is also lovely on top of macaroni cheese.
  You could make a gnocchi it is just flour and mashed potato, just boil until it comes to the surface, serve with any sauce you wish
  Aldi currently have SG rice at 49p for 500g that would easily do two of you four rissotto's or even a nice HM rice pudding for a treat.
  I agree with dried milk it does go a long way, it is cheapest in Tesco. The best way to make it pallatable especially for cereal is to make it up, add a little vanilla essence and chill it well.
  I also find that it makes the best yorkshire puddings.
• Additionally porridge oats can be added to stews etc. They thicken them and increase the food value enormously.
  Lentils of various sorts are great as are beans etc. As others have said skip the meat.
  If you have a freezer remember frozen veg can be cheaper still and won't go off.
  200g of Frozen Broad Beans, Sweetcorn and Peas with some mixed herbs processed with a tablespoon (25g) of plain flour can make the basis for some good vegeburgers.
  Potatoes cut in wedges make a good replacement for chips if you like them. Bake for 30 mins after rubbing with some oil.
  Definitely check out the foodbank situation. And if there are any additional funds for support for food for you as you're pregnant.
• Hi
  Do you have a foodbank near you?