Mum-of-two shares how she feeds her whole family for just £47 a month – and the recipes are so easy
A MUM-OF-two has shared how she feeds her whole family on a budget and even prepares meals and snacks for an entire month.
The home cook explained that her kids both have "different dietary requirements" and that her and her husband eat differently - but still managed to do it all for just £47.
Mary Bells shared a snap in the Facebook Group and showed off her very impressive approach to batch cooking.
But despite the different meals needed to suit her family, the thrifty home cook still managed whip up a wide range of delicious and super easy meals.
Along with the photo, she wrote: "No more cooking for me for a month!!
"When you have two kids with different dietary requirements, your on a diet and both you and your husband are off to uni/college next week, it’s time to batch cook the hell out of life!
Mary's meals and snacks
- Chicken curry x2
- Lemon chicken
- Pork and asparagus 5 spice
- Chicken and chorizo pasta x3
- Mushy pea curry x4
- Bombay pots x2
- Mild chicken curry x4
- Mushroom curry x2
- Lasagna x2
- Bolognaise x3
- Cottage pie
- Cottage hot pot
- Thai red curry x2
- Cowboy hot pot
- Roasted veg x12 portions
- Pre-made roast pots x4 portions
- Kofta kebabs
- 2 gluten free banana and choc cakes
- 2 normal banana cakes
- Carrot cake
- Lotus cheesecake
- Hummus x 4
- 3 mixed soups
- Breakfast granola bars
"All made with bargain meat and veg brought from the bargain isle so a grand total of £47 this will feed four of us for at least 30 days!
"That’s September sorted, sorry kitchen but I won’t be back for some time."
Mary also shared a list of all the tasty meals she cooked, and even offered tips on how easy some are to prepare after being inundated with requests.
Other members of the group were blown away by the simplicity of the recipes, and also Mary's enviable organisational skills.
"Incredible!! You are one amazing woman!" one woman said.
And another agreed: "Wow this is great super woman"
While a third said: "Omg come do me some! Well done that's amazing x"
Mary's easy recipes
Mushy pea curry
- Blend 3 tins of mushy peas with curry powder, ginger, garlic, chilli and some paprika.
- In another pan soften onions and any other veg of your choice.
- Add the peas, a tin of chopped toms, 1 tin of lentils and a large table spoon of tomato purée. You can add meat if you like but we prefer veggie.
Five spice pork and asparagus
- In a dish marinate the pork with 2 tbls of cornflour, 2 tsp of 5 spice, soy sauce to liking - marinate for 2 hours.
- In a pan add onions and another teaspoon of 5 spice, add pork and cook: add asparagus, and 200ml of pork stock simmer till it produces a thick sauce.
Chorizo and chicken pasta bake
- I add the pasta when we eat it so I just make the sauce.
In a pan cook chopped chorizo with onion, garlic and chilli, add chicken, seal and add veg of choice. - Then tin of chopped toms, Tom purée, and chicken stock.
Lemon chicken
- Squeeze 2 lemons (keep hold of the lemon) add the rind of half a lemon, light soy sauce, 250ml of chicken stock and 2tsp of cornflour.
- Cook chicken with chilli, ginger and garlic, add all the sauce and 2 left over lemon, simmer till thickened.
- Remove the lemons and add spring onions.
Cowboy hot pot
- Chop a back of bacon and approx 6-8 sausages into chunks.
- Brown off with onion, smoked paprika and paprika (to taste)
- Add any veg, 2 tins of beans, Tom purée (1 tsp) and serve with potatoes
Thai red curry
- Add chicken, onions, red chilles, garlic, lemongrass, ginger to a pan.
- When cooked add any veg, tin of tomatoes and then a tin of coconut milk.
Due to popular demand, the savvy home cook has started her own batch cooking Facebook group, , which has already racked up a couple thousand members.
Other busy parents were incredibly keen to learn her ways so that they too can be organised in the kitchen.
Mary later added that that all her dishes are glass, Pyrex with lids from Ikea and The Range.
She also added that she has two chest freezers, so she's able to store them for the month.
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