Welcome!

Many people on twitter and wider social media know me from my Mum v Austerity blog where I campaign on many issues that families are facing under the austere times we live in. While I have campaigned on Foodbanks, School Uniforms, Unemployment, Days out on low incomes etc I have not yet tackled feeding a family on a budget - and this blog aims to rectify that.

Many other bloggers on parenting websites do offer recipes and tips for budget meals. However it was while I was scouring the internet for some recipe ideas to feed my large family which consists of Mum, Dad and 4 Boys aged 24, 21, 15 and 14, I found there were few ideas on how to feed larger families.More importantly how to feed larger families who may have big appetites like my sons!

My family are all traditional meat eaters and meat plays a big part in their diets. There are plenty of vegetarian recipes on the net and plenty of tiny portions. But my family like to come home to a cooked meal with generous portions and food that is filling. That has become harder since austerity kicked in and made many parents cut back on food. My husband and I are self employed but low paid and claim Working Tax Credits. My eldest son works and is a Care Assistant in a Nursing Home. My 2nd son has just returned full time to college to go on an Access to University course as he is fed up of seasonal and low paid work here on the N Wales coast. We are having to support him over the next year at least. Our 3rd and 4th sons are in High School doing GCSE's. Our youngest son is autistic and is very fussy with his food!

 So here is my challenge: I aim to feed Big Food to Big Families on a budget! I want to provide nutritious recipes without compromising on quantity /portion sizes! I want to use ingredients that aren't necessarily the best ones to use in the better supermarkets, but the ones families who are forced to make difficult choices may have to use. There will be no ciabatta bread, yaks milk or other "trendy" ingredients here. I also want to try and keep things as simple as possible. From my work with Foodbanks many people and families are struggling with cooking skills; skills that were once passed down in extended families years ago. Many people do not have the fancy culinary saucepans, the tools to make meals, so you may see me referencing other items that may do the job if someone does not have the fancier alternative. You may see me "guestimate"ingredients rather than weigh out on scales for example as I do in my own kitchen.

Stay with me for the journey!