‘I learned how to feed my family for less than £6 a day as a single mum once ridden with debt’

A resourceful mum-of-two has revealed how she keeps her family’s food and household bills to less than £200 a month.

Mette Kristiansen says she still serves colourful, home-cooked meals and introduces her sons, Joshua, 12, and Noah, eight, to new foods despite spending far less than many families on groceries.

The 42-year-old turned budget cooking into a way of life after falling into debt when her youngest son, who is autistic, was born.

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Determined to make every penny count, Mette began hunting for yellow-sticker bargains and getting creative in the kitchen.

And now her average monthly spend on food and household essentials is just £174.30.

“When I had my youngest son, I had to give up my job which I absolutely loved and had hoped to keep for much longer, his needs meant that I couldn’t simply place him in nursery,” Mette, a Danish-born single mother living in Basingstoke, Hampshire, told What’s The Jam.

“At the same time, my relationship with my ex-husband deteriorated, and I struggled both emotionally and financially.

“I suddenly found myself falling into debt every month.

“I discovered that many supermarkets heavily discounted food at the end of the day so I would buy a random assortment of reduced items and challenge myself to turn them into enjoyable meals by thinking creatively.

“The purpose was to show that it is possible to create delicious, affordable meals using reduced-to-clear products.”

Mette, who works part-time at a local community centre, regularly transforms unusual food pantry finds into family meals and is known among friends and neighbours for rescuing unwanted food.

That includes products that are past their best-before dates.

She said: “I later discovered the food pantries in Basingstoke and became a regular visitor.

“I noticed that there were often unusual frozen items that nobody else wanted.

“I would take them home and find ways to reinvent them.

“It has been a process of trial and error, but over time it has mostly been a success.”

Mette shares meal plans, tips and money-saving tricks on her Facebook page, A Foodie Mum on a Budget.

One recent meal showed exactly how her approach works.

Using reduced-price beef, discounted vegetables, free surplus produce and pantry staples, she cooked a noodle dish for herself and her two sons for just £4.78.

The ingredients included reduced-to-clear beef costing £2.74, two eggs for 36p, noodles for 59p, carrots costing 5p, mangetout at 60p, peppers for 8p, onions for 5p and a chilli topping for 15p.

Several ingredients, including bok choi, cabbage, lemons and coriander, were sourced for free.

There were even leftovers.

Mette said: “The leftover noodles have already been requested for breakfast tomorrow morning by the boys.

“The price breakdowns on my posts reflect what I actually paid for ingredients.

“I also collect food through Olio, which I count as free.

“Because of the way I source much of my food, some costs are estimates, but I always try to make them as accurate as possible.

“This approach has also helped my boys develop a much wider range of tastes.

“In fact, my oldest recently tried a raw oyster.

“I also did a week of only using Aldi products and fed me and the boys for £25.

“It was fun to do.

“Though I had to think differently as I could only rely on what I got at the shop.

“I’m a big believer in meal planning and checking what you got in.”

Mette says her frugal approach helped her clear her debts and regain financial stability.

She said: “Over time, I managed to clear my credit card balances and build a small emergency fund for unexpected expenses.

“I also wanted to be able to afford experiences for my boys.

“Both of them are passionate about history, so we visit historical sites and landmarks whenever we can.

“I’m able to do this guilt-free because I save money on our everyday food shopping.”

She also believes her creative cooking has helped her sons develop a healthy relationship with food.

She said: “Health is another major motivation.

“I live with fibromyalgia and several other health conditions, and I want to be around for my two amazing boys for as long as possible.

“I also want them to develop a healthy relationship with food.

“I struggled with eating disorders throughout my teenage years, and I never want them to go through the same experience.

“The boys enjoys healthy and unhealthy things to eat, they don’t have a massive sweet tooth, except for chocolate and macaroons.

“Hence, I decided to learn how to make them myself.

“Again it saves lots of money.

“Last year, I worked out that our average monthly spend on food and household essentials was just £174.30.

“Budget cooking started out as a necessity, but over the years it has become something much bigger.

“It helped me pay off debt, build financial security, create opportunities for my boys, and introduce my family to foods and experiences we may never otherwise have tried.

“Most importantly, it has shown me that good food doesn’t have to be expensive.

“Sometimes all it takes is a bit of creativity, a willingness to try something new, and the confidence to think outside the box.”

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