A MOTHER has left people totally divided after sharing her ‘poor single mum dinner’.
Sophie, a single mum from the UK, often shares clips of her ‘budget’ meals online – but one of her most recent videos has really got people talking.
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In the short clip shared on social media, we saw Sophie, who regularly does her food shopping in Aldi and Asda, serve up three plates of dinner.
She penned: “Dinner with a poor as f**k single mum.”
Whilst some will resort to a Pot Noodle, plain pasta or a jacket potato for a budget-friendly meal, Sophie served up sandwiches and crisps.
And no, these sandwiches weren’t like any old basic ham and tomato or cheese and pickle.
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In fact, Sophie dished up sandwiches containing green pesto, ham, halloumi and tomato.
Alongside the brown-bread sandwiches, which were buttered with Aldi’s own-brand butter, Sophie served a packet of Aldi’s Snackrite crisps.
‘THAT’S NOT POOR’
But the TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @h0me.life, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly gone viral and has since racked up a jaw-dropping 2.2 million views and over 1,400 comments.
Social media users were divided by Sophie’s dinner – whilst some claimed it wasn’t in fact a ‘poor dinner’, others questioned why she didn’t make a pasta dish instead.
One person said: “But those same ingredients could have been used to make pesto, halloumi and tomato pasta and it would have been a better meal. You can buy spaghetti for 50p in Lidl.”
Just one sandwich? I’ll be starving
TikTok user
Another added: “Halloumi is not poor.”
A third commented: “Banging but definitely not a poor dinner. Poor dinner is plain pasta or rice in my world.”
At the same time, many savagely slammed the meal and claimed that they would be ‘starving’ as a result of Sophie’s small portion.
How to save on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
One user wrote: “Just one sandwich? I’ll be starving.”
Whilst a second chimed in: “One ham piece? For dinner?”
As well as this, many were quick to criticise Sophie for not toasting the sandwiches, as one foodie claimed: “I feel like not toasting the bread was a crime.”
Nothing wrong with that, it’s better than going to bed hungry
TikTok user
Another agreed: “Upsets me that you didn’t toast those sandwiches.”
But despite this, many rushed to the comments to sympathise with Sophie – as they pointed out that there was ‘nothing wrong’ with her homemade sandwiches.
Support for single parents
THOUSANDS of single parents across the UK can get freebies and discounts to help them with the cost of living.
The price of energy, food and more has soared for households as wallets and purses are stretched.
Being a single parent is already hard enough, let alone in the current climate.
But you can get extra help if you’re in this situation, from cost of living payments to Bereavement Support payments.
All the help is worth up to £26,000 a year so is definitely worth looking into.
Cost of living payments: The Government is handing out cost of living payments collectively worth £1,350 between now and spring 2024.
This includes a £900 payment which has been split into three instalments.
Council tax reductions: You should check with your local council about what help you can get and to apply.
Sure Start Maternity Grant: Single mothers can get a £500 free cash through the Sure Start Maternity Grant.
Child benefit: If you are a parent responsible for a child under 16, or 20 and in full-time education or training, you can get extra cash help through child benefit.
The weekly rates are worth £24 for your eldest or only child, and then £15.90 for any additional children.
Healthy Start vouchers: Hundreds of thousands of parents across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are missing out on up to £442 free cash every year via the Healthy Start scheme.
The scheme is open to those on a low income and designed to help you pay for milk, vegetables, fruit and more.
NHS Low Income scheme: Under the NHS Low Income scheme you can get help paying prescriptions, dental treatment and more.
Free school meals: All children can automatically get free school meals if they’re in reception, year 1 or year 2 of a state school.
Tax-Free childcare: Single parents on Universal Credit can claim back up to 85% of the cost of childcare for children aged under 17.
But you must be working the equivalent of 16 hours a week at minimum wage.
Bereavement Support Payment: You might be entitled to a Bereavement Support payment if your partner has died.
But you have to have been under state pension age, currently 66, when they died.
15-30 hours of free childcare: The free childcare system is changing from April 2024, but as it stands in England, all parents of three and four-year-olds can claim 570 hours of free childcare a year, which equates to 15 hours a week.
One TikTok user penned: “As I’ve always been told, any dinner is better than no dinner.”
Another chimed in: “Nothing wrong with that, it’s better than going to bed hungry.”
Meanwhile, one parent shared: “You’re doing great! Nothing wrong with that.”
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