My name is Caroline Mentzer, and I’m a Nutritionist, Herbalist and mum of two living in Oxford.

In 2015, I attempted to feed my family of three for a total of £100 a month. My mission was to use as much local (and organic) produce as possible whilst meeting government RDAs (recommended daily allowances) of essential vitamins and minerals. The aim of this experiment was to find out whether it would actually be possible to eat healthily on a budget at the same time as supporting the local community.

Through the year that we attempted this experiment, we didn’t always hit our target of £100, however we were never far off.  Most importantly, along the way we met many fabulous people and learned some valuable lessons that have stayed with us ever since.

In 2016 I had another baby. Now that he is a growing preschooler, our food bill has risen with his appetite. Here I continue to demonstrate how to feed a family of four on a budget and post local deals and my favourite and most successful recipes online for everyone to see.

It is a common misconception that farmers’ markets and veggie box schemes are expensive. Whilst this can sometimes be the case, Oxfordshire has some of the best local produce in the country and there are many deals to be found that are often cheaper than supermarket chains. For example, Rectory Farm sells 25 kilos of organic potatoes of just £9. That’s enough for 50 family meals!

I believe that healthy eating should be an integral part of family life. However, many parents do not have the time or resources to create healthy meals on a tight budget. Sadly, it is all too easy to buy low cost ready meals or go to fast food restaurants for a cheap and filling alternative. These foods contain high levels of salt, bad fats, sugar and sweeteners that contribute to high cholesterol, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Relieve the burden on the NHS

In the UK we are currently experiencing an obesity epidemic. One in five people are classified as obese, a proportion which has tripled in the last 20 years. Furthermore, 1 in 3 primary school children are now considered overweight. The economic burden of which is estimated to cost the NHS billions in the future.

Unless we do something radical to improve the health of the nation, the ever growing burden on our precious NHS will cause it to fold completely.

The answer = we need to get back to basics.

Education and prevention – is the only way

The only way to do this is to educate children how to cook healthy meals. I was fortunate enough to learn by observing my parents. However, if this valuable lesson doesn’t happen at home, many children grow up without knowing how to cook. This is a shame as children love cooking, creating and learning!

I believe that teaching all children at school how to prepare simple healthy family meals on a budget should be as important as learning to read and write. We need to instil a love and passion for healthy food from an early age to break the vicious cycle of bad eating, poor health, chronic illness and obesity.

I’d love to hear from any local suppliers that would like to share info on their produce on this site. Equally, if you’re someone who keeps an eye on local deals or you have a favourite family recipe you’d like to share, then please get in touch. Email me at carolinementzer@gmail.com  Thank you!

A quick note about calculations
The average household in the UK contains 2.4 people, and the average family has 1.7 children (2013 statistics). However, it is generally considered that the average family has two adults and two children. Therefore, all my calculations for this project are based on a family of four with two small children. If you have older or teenage children, portion size and budget will undoubtedly be larger. If you have a baby, it’ll be smaller. I hope that makes sense.