Easy Storecupboard Meal Plan Ideas?

bbsparkles · 3 March 2009 at 2:25PM

Hi everyone, My little sister emailed me today asking about easy healthy meals she can make for herself. She lives alone and claims that she never manages to use up fresh fruit and veg before it goes off, has no time to prepare 'complicated' meals and lives off of ready meals, as a result she has all sorts of tummy troubles.

I wanted to come up with a list of recipes for her that are constructed of storecupboard/freezer ingredients, so they will be unlikely to go off before she eats them. I immediately thought of all you lovely folk on here who provide me with constant inspiration and who have fulfilled the role of a community in teaching me how to cook, clean and better take care of my family.

So I wondered if any of you could help with some recipe ideas? She isn't a vegetarian but eats very little meat as it also gives her trouble with her digestion.

Home-cooked meals made with lots of frozen/tinned fruit and veg has to be better than heavily processed ready meals, and maybe once she gets used to cooking more we will be able to upgrade her to a bit of fresh fruit and veg!

Thanks.

OrkneyStar · 3 March 2009 at 2:39PM

Why don't you ask her what she likes to eat. Then sit down with a list of meals for 7 days and work out what she would need. Then, the good bit, see how she can adapt recipes to use similar ingredients but not taste samey!
You could have a look on the meal plans thread too as there are loads of ideas on there.
Good luck

tjp70 · 3 March 2009 at 6:50PM

There are lots of recipes on the March Grocery Challenge thread (page 1). You could have a look through those for inspiration.

Cornishpixie_2 · 3 March 2009 at 7:25PM

Could you both make a store cupboard list. Pasta, spagetti, rice, couscous, tinned tomato's (to make cheap, healthy pasta sauce), tuna. Then perhaps chicken, minced beef, fish portions, frozen peas and sweetcorn. Fridge: potatos, cheese, spread, milk, natural yoghurt and onions. Then buy fresh fruit and veg every other day to incorporate into meals. I.E. few carrots in with spag bol., Pasta and tom sauce with a few roasted vegetables. cheese omlette with peas and sweetcorn. Poached fish in milk with couscous and a few cherry toms. Jacket pot with cottage cheese or tuna mayo with bit of salad or veg. Fruit and museli or natural yog for breakfast. I woulds maybe also keep some UHT milk in the cupboard and a few tins of fruit to add to jelly. Oh and also if she has a freezer their is very little that can't be frozen. Any veg on the turn can still be cooked turned into soup then frozen or will keep in fridge for a few days to use for lunchs. HTH:)

notenoughcash · 3 March 2009 at 7:55PM

I've just done this with a newly-single friend. Just as a few basics (and assuming she likes all of these) I have her cooking just twice a week but a proper meal every day.

A big pan of pasta sauce: (minced beef or turkey optional) chunky chopped courgettes, mushrooms, onions, a couple of tins of value tomatoes, bit of salt & pepper, a few herbs and some garlic. Split it into pots and freeze.

Whole (rubber) chicken: a small one about £2 will do, sunday roast then use rest of meat to make individual mash-topped chicken & veg pies to freeze.

Jacket potatoes topped with value beans or tuna (realy cheap, really healthy)

Lasagne: make a big batch (pasta sauce as above) and basic white sauce, make a few individual and freeze.

Stir-fries are cheap and easy too, I think Mr Ts do a value ready-to-cook bag for £1.

And plenty of pasta n sauce, savoury rice etc in the cupboard.

Hope this helps some.

LeeSouthEast · 3 March 2009 at 9:04PM

A couple of my core healthy favourites:

Stir Fry (Makes about 5 servings)

325g Mushrooms (70p)
1 large onion (30p)
Pepper/Sunshine stir fry vegetable mix from Tesco (£1 currently)
Frozen garden peas (10p)
Carrots (10p)
1 diced chicken breast - frozen (30p)
2 chow mein sauces (80p)
Pack of red Chillies (80p) (optional!)
3 garlic cloves crushed (10p?)
2 packs of stir-fry noodles (50p in the right place)
2tbsp vegetable oil (2p)

Brown the onions then the chicken in the oil for a few minutes, stir-fry the sunshine veggies for 6 minutes, then add everything else bar the noodles. Stir and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Microwave the noodles, add in, and simmer for 2 minutes. Serve into dishes and refrigerate/freeze what you're not using that day. Microwaves nicely for up to 5 days after making at 800w for 4 minutes (refrigerated) or 7 minutes (from frozen).

1,500 calories for the whole batch, 300 cal and 76p per serving.

Vegetarian Tomato Pasta (8 servings. Ish.)

400g wholegrain pasta (£1.50)
325g mushrooms (70p)
150g quorn mince (25p?)
2 tins of tomatoes (40p)
2 chopped chillies (20p - optional)
1 large onion (30p)
4 garlic cloves crushed (12p?)
Basil (2p?)
Oregano (2p?)
Sweetcorn (10p?)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (2p?)

Brown the onions and quorn, then throw everything else bar the pasta in. Cook both well and add together. Divide. 3000 calories in total, 375 cal and 45p per serving.

clutterydrawer · 3 March 2009 at 9:32PM

I have no actual recipe ideas but it sounds like she needs a lesson in meal planning. if she's not using up her fruit and veg, she must be buying it without planning what its for. good luck though!

bbsparkles · 4 March 2009 at 12:28AM

Thanks everyone. Some really good ideas here. She definitely needs to do a store cupboard inventory. We go food shopping together once a week and she seems to shop by habit, always picks up the same things, regardless of how many duplcates she might have in the cupboard at home.

Thanks for the recipes LeeSouthEast, I have copied them to show her.

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Easy Storecupboard Meal Plan Ideas?

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