Let’s start with my son.

I love my kids, but they are reckless little shits who will destroy anything I buy them. This is why I refuse to pay full price for clothes and trainers — and how places like Vinted, charity shops, and bargain apps have saved my sanity (and my bank account).

Buying reduced food has been one of the simplest ways I’ve managed to keep our food costs down, especially when feeding a big family. I always check the yellow sticker section first, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I paid full price for a loaf of bread. At this point, full-price bread feels like a luxury item I no longer recognise.

Feeding a big family is no joke. You walk into the supermarket with £50 and leave wondering how a few yoghurts, pasta, and a bag of crisps cost so much. With five kids, if I didn’t budget our meals, we’d be living off air and vibes by midweek. But the truth is, cheap doesn’t have to mean boring. With a bit of planning (and some yellow-sticker hunting), I can get a week of dinners on the table for less than a fiver each. Here are 10 of our go-to family meals that save money without skimping on flavour.