28-05-2025
We're a family of six and got three days of budget-friendly meals in Dunnes Stores for just €42 – here's how we did it
AN Irish mum has revealed how she feeds her family of six for three days with a €42 Dunnes Stores shop.
The savvy parent took to
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An Irish parent feeds her family of six for three days for under €50
Credit: Social Media Collect
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The savvy mum took to Instagram to show how others can do it too
Credit: Social Media Collect
Audrey Mitchell, known on
And she showed how it's possible to feed a large
Audrey said: "Come along with me to my local Dunnes where I'm going to show you a family meal that I do out of mince that lasts three to four days.
"Don't come for me over portion sizes my kids are little but eat well - and this worked perfectly for us!
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"I just wanted to share because I know how many busy parents are out there trying to stretch their budget and still make good meals."
To start, Audrey showed off all of the goods she needed to make the meals.
She picked up four packs of mince, Dolmio tomato sauce,
The first meal Audrey makes is a large lasagna with a side salad.
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She said: "One meal I do is a big large lasagna that myself and my husband mostly eat with a side salad."
Up next, the savvy mum makes spaghetti bolognaise with garlic bread - feeding all six of the family.
I'm an Irish mum & I feed my family of six for three days with €26 shop
And the third meal is a pasta dish with meatballs that is a big hit with her children.
This meal feeds the family of six for the third day, all while sticking to a
She said: "Another meal would be meatballs with pasta - of which the kids really like.
"I also freeze a meal of the pasta so this meal stretches for three to four days.
In total the meal costs €52 - but
Audrey added: "So it worked out at about €2.30 per meal - or even less.
"I make my own homemade cheese sauce and my own homemade meatballs out of it.
"I just wanted to show you the different variety you get from only cooking mince."
People took to the comment section to share their thoughts on the savvy shopping.
One person wrote: "I need to start doing this."
Another mother said: "We always do this too."
While another added: "Love these."
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The savvy shopper made three different types of meals for her family
Credit: Social Media Collect
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The savvy shopper hopes to help other parents tying to stretch their budget
Credit: Garrett White - Commissioned by The Sun Dublin
Why police were called to first Dunnes Stores opening
BETWEEN the weekly food shops and bargain fashion - Dunnes Stores is a staple retailer in Irish households.
But this wasn't always the case, and when the initial branch of the shop opened its doors in 1944 it caused quite the stir
On March 31 of the year,
Locals quickly learned of the grand opening and flooded into the store in what the retailer's archives recall as a 'shopping frenzy.'
The bargain clothing on sale inside the new store at 'pre-war prices' was one of the factors cited for the buzz.
During the chaos a window was forced in and
Cops worked to deal with the eager crowds and keep shoppers calm and safe before they made it into the store for their first Dunnes experience.
Fast forward some 80 years, the business now employs over 18,000 people and although an opening of a Dunnes branch hasn't caused quite as much stir since the very first one, it has cemented its place as
Dunnes Stores now has 138 stores across Europe:
118 in the Republic of Ireland,
15 in Northern Ireland
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