WHAT WE ATE + SPENT IN A WEEK: HOSTING ON A BUDGET! 💷🍴📆

[@oliviasherman5670]

Amazing frugality and conscientious. Thank you for sharing. You're an inspiration. Keep going

[@thewholehome]

You're so welcome, and thank you! I'm glad it's helpful to see it. It takes work and determination but it's worth it on so many fronts.

[@coraclouden2506]

I agree about sourdough 'discard' - it shouldn't be thrown away. I really like it in banana bread, which I make if the bananas have ripened before I've got round to eating them. I also like to see the meals you put together - I think I sometimes get hung up on having to make what others would consider a 'normal' meal

[@thewholehome]

Normal meals are overrated 😆

[@Amanda-hc3rf]

Thank you. ❤ This was a lot of information and I can imagine a lot of work. Much appreciated. I cracked up with the one leaf😂 I work in childcare. I love how their little minds work...or don't😂

[@thewholehome]

Cracked me up too 😂 she was so proud of her effort! And you’re so welcome - I just snap lots of little videos for the week and talk about it all later which makes it easier to put together - glad it’s useful! ❤️

[@layde1]

Wow!

[@thewholehome]

Sorry for my slow reply! Thanks for watching!

[@jessMleahLL]

Thank you for all your hard work on putting together this video. Super helpful to see how you did it. We actually have a seperate 'hospitality' budget, where we set aside an extra £15 a month for hosting, as it gives that freedom to do more treat meals with guests/feed more people without stressing about the cost. But it's great to see how you managed to do it even without that extra. Would be interested in seeing how you balance out the overall monthly budget over the next few weeks (sound like the ocado offer came at a perfect time!) given, like you said, your budget is already fairly tight!

[@thewholehome]

I'm a huge fan of really splitting up the budget for clarity so I love that extra budget you have. I find it easier to pull from one cos every month looks different hosting wise but I think splitting it up where it makes sense it so helpful! I know as I was editing I wished I didn't end it on just the week - I need to do an "end of the month" week one of these to show the final week where we're keeping costs low! This month it's a combo - we have more in the garden/able to forage at this time of year so I actually cancelled our veg box for a week. We just pulled up potatoes, and we're harvesting lots of greens so that will save a good bit. Then I switched out a few things from organic for some extra frugal meals which I wouldn't do all the time. And I took more time to look for what foods were on sale before building my meal plan and really adjusting to that. As well as the basics of adding only our more budget meals to the meal plan. So I don't have video of it - but hopefully that helps a bit!

[@jessMleahLL]

@@thewholehome We do rollover budgets, so anything that doesn't get spent from hospitality this month will rollover into next, which really helps for months when there's a lot of visitors/celebrations! Thanks for sharing how you managed to adjust, it all makes a lot of sense, it's great that you were able to enjoy some homegrown veg and save on the veg box. And though I don't like doing it, sometimes switching out a few items from organic to conventional is the best way to stay in budget. I shop at Waitrose and Sainsbury's same as you, and was super happy to discover the Yeo Super Thick Greek Recipe is on nectar offer until the end of the month. So good both for yoghurt and as sour cream like you use it :)

[@thewholehome]

Ours is technically rollover but nothing (from this category) ever gets to roll over 😂

[@ayshasunaina7092]

We had been eating more than we are used to this week and your voice came at the right time. I am In sha Allah planning to keep it as homemade and less waste possible for the next 10 days x

[@thewholehome]

I'm so glad it came at the right time - I hope you got some useful things for the next 10 days. Plan it out well is my biggest advice! x

[@rmw1g08]

I love this video so much, thanks for taking the time to make it. The only blockage I feel that would stop me from replicating this is that my almost 3 year old is stubborn about trying new foods and isn't keen on tomatoes unless it's on a pizza base 🙃 I'm sure you've probably done this before, but if you've got advice around widening your kids' palates then I'd love to hear it from you because it seems like your children eat really well!

[@thewholehome]

You’re so welcome! Ah the kids piece can be so hard - and I never want to answer it too confidently cos I have three test cases but only three. And all kids are so different! That said, what we’ve done has worked well for our three different ones and I know the general approach has worked for lots of people. Also, kids just do have phases. All of mine have had phases and I just don’t make too much of a fuss. I don’t push foods on them and make it a massive deal, we just say, “we’re going to try it but you don’t have to like it… oh it’s ok, maybe you’ll like it next time.” And then we serve that ingredient a few different ways and keep on trying periodically. I have one that doesn’t like fresh tomatoes and squash and at this point we’ve tried a lot and they still struggle so I just say we’ll keep working on them. But coming to meals hungry is a big one - we don’t snack and it really helps. It can be a journey to eliminate it but it’s so so worth it. We also all eat together as much as we can and eat the same things and celebrate them. Also involving them in the prep is a massive help, and if you can grow anything even in a pot then that massively helps too in getting buy in and excitement. That’s a simple answer for a massive topic but I hope it helps a little bit.

[@rmw1g08]

@@thewholehome this is really helpful, thank you so much! Yes I think (I know!) we rely too much on snacky foods... Which doesn't help when we get to the table and he's not interested in what's been served. I find the food situation stressful and disheartening, and get periodically freaked out about it. Good shout on growing something in the garden, however small... I'm definitely going to commit to this.

[@ozlemb.3464]

Thank you ❤

[@thewholehome]

You’re so welcome! Hope it’s helpful.

[@Paheena1]

What do you cook down for your pizza sauce? Having a hard time understanding the “p” word you’re saying and cc isnt catching it either. 8:00

[@thewholehome]

Hi! Yes it’s passata - just tomato purée not concentrated. I cook it down with butter, salt, garlic and sometimes herbs. It makes a richer, less watery sauce which we love.