A SINGLE father has shared how he feeds his family for just £2.15, leaving many open-mouthed.
The self-proclaimed “poor AF” dad, from London, who claimed to be ‘struggling’ as a result of the cost of living crisis, revealed how he makes food for his kids without having to break the bank.
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Posting on social media, the ‘poor’ content creator shared how turned a tin of chunky chicken in white sauce and a packet of pasta into a meal for three.
The dad shared his clip online with the caption ‘Feeding my children on a low budget.’
He then added: “Feeding a family of three on a £2.15 budget as a poor af single father.”
At the start of the short, very well edited video, the father revealed that he had just £2.15 to spend, as he gave his followers a close-up look at his pennies and 10p coins.
The father then headed to Asda to get his groceries – where he bagged a tin of chunky chicken in white sauce, which cost him just £1.70 from the chain’s Just Essentials range.
He then got his hands on a bag of cheese broccoli pasta and sauce, which was only 45p – costing him £2.15 in total.
Upon arriving home, the father started cooking his children’s dinner – he added the tinned chunky chicken to a saucepan and seasoned it with a generous helping of salt and a huge knob of butter.
Following this, he added the pasta packet, some water, and gave it a good stir.
He served up the dish on a piece of plain white bread and gave social media users a close-up look at the carb-heavy meal.
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @tok_savings, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed a jaw-dropping 219,000 views.
BIG DIVIDE
But social media users were left divided – whilst some thought the dinner looked “delicious”, not everyone was as complimentary.
One person said: “Looks amazing.”
Free cash schemes if you’re struggling
Many of us are still struggling with the high cost of living – but there’s help you can get.
New or expectant parents can get up to £442 a year to spend on food through Healthy Start scheme.
Some new parents can get £500 via the Sure Start Maternity Grant. The money is designed to help you cover the costs of having a child.
Councils also offer support through the welfare assistance schemes, to help cover the costs of essentials, from buying new furniture to food vouchers.
The amount you can get varies but an investigation by The Sun found that hard-up Brits can apply for help worth up to £1,000.
Discretionary Housing Payment is a pot of money handed out by councils to those struggling to keep a roof over their heads.
A scheme is available for those who find themselves unable to cover housing costs, though the exact amount varies as each local authority dishes out the cash on a case-by-case basis.
Many energy forms offer grants to help cash-tight customers. The exact amount varies depending on your supplier and you circumstances, but could be as much a £2,000.
Another added: “This looks delicious. Love your videos!”
A third commented: “That actually looks pretty good.”
However, at the same time, someone else claimed: “Looks like dog vomit.”
Tips for feeding your family for less
PREPARING tasty meals for a family doesn’t have to be expensive.
Clinical Nutritionist, Suzie Sawyer from Feel Alive UK, has shared how you can cut costs and feed a family of four for just £20 a week.
She advised: “It’s always best to plan meals for the week ahead, whether you’re on a budget, cooking for a hungry family or just looking after yourself.
“However, it’s essential if you’re feeding a family of four on a budget of £20 per week – that’s just £2.85 per day! While it might take a little more planning, it can definitely be achieved.”
LOOK FOR ‘UGLY’ FRUIT AND VEG: Suzie says Morrisons is a great place to start.
She says: “The supermarket chain, Morrisons, in particular have launched a range of ugly fruit and vegetables and also ‘wonky’ fruit.
“We have all come to expect perfect specimens in the supermarket, therefore the less attractive ones get left on the shelf.
“However, they are still packed with essential nutrients and are considerably cheaper in price.”
BUY SUPERMARKET BUDGET BRANDS: A simple yet effective way to feed a family of four on a budget, advises Suzie, is to buy supermarkets’ own budget brands.
She says: “Buy supermarket budget brands – they will generally contain the same levels of nutrients, although they may not taste quite as good.
“However, that could often be down to more sugar, salt or artificial flavours so they might even end up being healthier!”
BATCH COOK: Nutritionist Susie says shoppers should cook in bulk if they’re trying to feed a family of four on a budget.
“Cooking in bulk is a great way of saving money,” explains Suzie.
“For example, a lentil spaghetti bolognaise can be batch cooked and frozen. Many dishes, especially curries, actually taste better after freezing.”
CLEVER SHOPPING: Suzie says there can be a vast difference in price in differing supermarkets – but Morrisons is famous for its low prices.
She says: “There can be a vast difference in price between the big chains so do price match.
“Plus, it’s worth remembering that small corner shops are always going to be much more expensive.
“And there will always be a price benefit from buying in bulk with larger quantities.”
BUY DRIED VERSIONS RATHER THAN TINNED: The nutritionist says buying dried versions of items like beans and lentils – rather than tined – are great family food staples that come within a £20 budget.
Plus – Morrisons have a great range available in all their stores.
Suzie says: “Buy dried versions rather than tinned – I’m talking beans and lentils, which are great sources of protein.
“Buy them in bulk and soak them before using as per their instructions on the pack. Plus, you’ll not be eating salt and sugar generally added to canned food.”
BUY FRUIT AND VEGETABLES LOOSE: Suzie also recommends shoppers feeding a family of four for £20 a week by their fruit and vegetables loose.
She says: “It’s a great idea to check the per kilogram price on foods so you can buy the cheapest but these will generally be lower on loose fruits and veggies, rather than those pre-packaged.
“Plus, you don’t need to buy fruits and vegetables ready chopped (they’ll have lost nutrients in any case), cheese ready-grated or other produce pre-prepared.”
The clinical nutritionist also added that it’s important to note that it’s not easy to get all the nutrients the body needs on a daily basis, (bearing in mind there are 45), particularly on a tight budget.
A second chimed in: “The ‘meal’ looks awful.”
Whilst another user admitted: “All of a sudden I am not hungry anymore.”
‘DO SOME CLEANING’
Meanwhile, it wasn’t just the man’s food that left him horrified – as others picked up on his dirty hob too.
Cleaning hacks and tips
Here are some tips to help you clean your home like a pro:
Many were eager to advise the man to clean his home and claimed that cleaning is ‘free’.
One user recommended: “Bit of cleaning wouldn’t go a miss.”
A second advised: “You should do some cleaning.”
At the same time, another claimed: “Cleaning is free though.”
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