Being off the road has also affected grocery spending haven't been able to do a big shop and have to keep nipping to the local Tesco which is never a good thing. I am more of an aldi/ Lidl kinda girl, unfortunately there is no local store and I would not be able to carry it anyway. So I have had to make do with the local shops, as well as using up odds and ends. Though it did actually make me meal plan .
This week menu was
Monday: Beans/ Spaghetti on toast
Tuesday: Roasted new potatoes, Roasted Veg and garlic chicken
Wednesday: Home made burgers/ Salad
Thursday: Homemade pizza using Frugal in Bucks pizza dough recipe ant believe how easy this is to make had already tried the recipe on the previous Saturday so knew it would be a success with the children. I just chucked what ever we had in on the top and used a jar or tesco value pasta sauce (40p) to coat the bases with (must get round to making a load and freezing it for next time) and put a few veggies on too. I made 3 good size pizzas which fed us all though they were slightly misshaped.
Friday : Take a way night had to get a sitter to mind the little darlings as mine and my OH shifts over lapped and I couldn't expect her to cook as well as mind the kids
Saturday: Jacket potatoes with various fillings
Sunday :Roast gammon dinner.
I am going to batch cook and freeze next week that takeaway isn't getting any more money off me in the near future. Off out to buy some eggs later too so I can get cracking on some baking some treats for the children's lunches next week. Trying to stick to the cash only theme for food hoping it will get easier when I am mobile again will save me so much time and money when I can track down the bargains! I am off to hunt down some more quick and cheap recipes that the kids will eat
to save valuable time on a work nights x Whats your cheap and easy meal ideas?
Shame about your car and having to use Taxis but its only short term and we have to do the best we can when faced with this kind of problem, the most important thing is to get to work and home safely especially when its late at night.
ReplyDeleteYou have made a great start with the menu plannng and making your own pizza's, homemade are far better than the bought ones even if they are misshapen, who cares what they look like they taste great.
I have just been to the butchers for next month and I bought 5lb minced beef and tomorrow I will batch cook, there are only 2 of us so if you wanted to do roughly the same your quantities would be loads more. I will make enough bolognaise sauce for 2 meals then I will only have to cook some pasta. 2 large Lasagnes which will cut into 8 portions = 4 meals we will have this with salad and garlic bread. 2 shepherds pies just veggies to cook and 2 meals of chilli with lots of red beans with Rice to boil later. With the extra pork casseroles and spicy stew I made last week and a couple of large chickens I bought today that lot will pretty much feed us for the month with the addition of pizza, quiche and a curry. Any leftovers will be eaten the next day at lunch time.
It will take you some thinking about, maybe try cooking for 1 week and making double quantity which will give you enough for the following week, once you get your head round it it will become second nature. Don't worry about your cooking skills as frugal family foods are simple to prepare and cook, besides your baking always looks yummy! Simple tray bakes and flapjacks are always a good standby for lunch boxes.
When my kids were at home a good standy was to always have some nice cooked sausages in the freezer, they loved pasta with a jar of sauce and a few chopped sausages in and grated cheese on top.
The important thing is to start with something simple so you don't get flustered and give up. Good luck
Karen x
Thanks for your reply You have me all inspired now tomorrow I am going to make scouse and bolognaise and put half in the freezer. Think I will try a tray as well the usual fairy cakes and pop some in the freezer.
ReplyDeleteOn monday I think I will batch cook a chicken casserole have got most of the stuff in for that and again freeze half.
Think I will have to buy a lot more tubs to freeze stuff in and get my thinking cap on as what to batch cook then maybe a shepards pie.
I really have to work on my organisational skills to get this batch cooking up and running. Do you know if you can freeze pizza dough or would it be ruined?
My daughter in law makes the dough and cooks it then when its cold freezes it. I don't see why you can't make up a pizza then freeze it, thats how you can buy them at the supermarket. Then a quick defrost and into a hot oven to cook.
DeleteDon't forget to save those big margarine and ice cream tubs for freezing casseroles in :-)
Excellent advice as always karen. I think that's what I will do as another part of my batch cooking. I already save icecream tubs and will start saving the margarine tubs too. I never have enough.
ReplyDelete