Feast like Kings for €100 per week

Aldi's infamous saying is "Don't change your lifestyle, change your shop"
There is a  lot of truth to these words;  if you shop between Aldi, Lidl and a local butcher, you can eat very well indeed.
By shopping in both these shops, a family can reduce their weekly shopping bill, significantly, without
reducing the quality of food ingredients.  Their emphasis is on Mediterranean food products.
Aldi in particular sells a lot of Italian products.As well their vegetables tend to flow around whats in season.
Buying fruit and vegetables in season is much better value, more sustainable and healthier.

The trick when purchasing meat from a Butcher, is to look for cheaper cuts, which when braised for a couple of hours will taste very good!
 Having "meat" free days every second day is good for ones health and and also helps to ,  really
reduce cost .

Shopping lists are essential.
Try to plan  Menus on Friday evening, 15-20 minutes is all it takes.
 Saturday morning is a great time to go, aisles are generally free and make
sure you have had a good breakfast - then there will be no impulse buys!

Being organised and cooking one day ahead during the week when it is busy, is critical.
When you are heating up the evening meal, put aside 30 minutes before you sit down to eat, and  get the
next day's meal done.
Knowing that you have a proper evening meal ready, takes the pressure off.
Start cooking on Sunday for Monday and continue this throughout the week.

Homemade soups are great for lunch with Tahini/Olive Tapenade on bread or homemade savoury scones.

A square of 70% dark chocolate with a cup of tea is a great dessert!

Take all lunches into work. Make this  fun and again cook ahead:
 Pasta salads, scones, left over meat  sandwiches  with relishes and mayonnaise are the business.
 As well bring, your own coffee to work.

Everything must be cooked from scratch to keep within the €100 budget.
Making homemade jams/chutnies and relishes is really simple and great fun. Put aside a free Saturday or Sunday afteroon. For example in season rhubarb is available in shops. Buy a few extra bunches and make
the jam straightaway.


Below is one week's menus for a family of  Four. (Budget and foods tried and tested!)

Saturday 
lunch
Broccoli and Almond soup with a baguette.

Dinner
Homemade Pizza's  (Roasted pepper, feta, mozarella and Salami toppings).
Get the dough made by 3pm and put a warm place for a couple of hours to rise.

Sunday 

Breakfast
 Sunday Fry
Lidl - bacon (Great taste awards "Gold")
Aldi - Brannigan's 70% sausages.
Lidl - Croissants
Aldi - Organic Eggs

Lunch
Braised shoulder of Lamb  with onions, carrots, garlic and rosemary.
serve with Mashed potatoes and peas.
Lamb from Butcher.
All veg in season from Aldi/Lidl

Dinner
Tomato and Fennel  and lentil soup with  Grana Padona Scones.
(make soup that will keep you going until tuesday and scones to take into work) for the week as a 4pm snack)
Fennel is available in Lidl
Lentils are readily available in Super Valu or health stores.

Prepare Monday's evening Meal.

Monday

Breakfast
Porridge with raisins and banana
Branflakes/weetabix
Wholemeal toast with homemade jams.

Lunch
Left over lamb and potato  for children (take to childminder etc)
Plain yoghurt with fresh fruit
work lunch -cheese/ham/salami sandwiches (snack - Grana padona scones, fruit)

Dinner
Spinach and Chicory Lasagne with Bechamel and sage sauce.
Garlic bread
(chicory is available from Lidl - boil gently for 30 mins)

Prepare Tueday's evening meal and soup.
Make pasta salad for lunch.


Tuesday

Breakfast
Porridge/Branflakes and Weetabix
wholemeal toast

Lunch
Cauliflower Cheese soup with toast/wholemeal Pitta Bread and Tahini.
Yoghurt and fresh fruit
Work lunch - Sundried tomato pasta salad (scones and fruit snacks)

Dinner
Roast Chicken with roasted vegtables, couscous and bread sauce

Make chicken stock after dinner.and use for Paella.
Get wednesday dinnner ready.


Wednesday

Breakfast
Porridge/Brankflakes/weetabix

Lunch
Leftover chicken and veg for children.
Sundried tomato pasta salad (scones and fruit snacks).

Dinner
Paella with prawns, roasted red pepper,carrots and chicken stock.

Prepare dinner for Thursday.

Thursday

Breakfast
Porridge/cereal
Toast


Lunch
Leftover Paella for children
fruit and yoghurt
Green pesto and spinach pasta salad (make your own pesto), scones and fruit


Dinner
Oxtail (available from good butchers fresh) braised in red wine and shallots  with tagliatelle noodles, steamed carrots and peas.
1 oxtail is - €5 (buy 2)
Inexpensive red wine - €3.99 Lidl/aldi

Friday
Breakfast
Porridge/cereal
Toast

Lunch
Oxtail and pasta for children
Green pesto and spinach pasta  salad ,scones and fruit.

Dinner
Quiche Lorraine with baked potatoes and salad.
(readymake pastry from Alid is great, just make your own filler).

Enjoy!