Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

weezl74 wrote: »

pinkhayley:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T

thank you so much for your PMd thoughts about the leftovers I think your ideas are superb, thank you so much, and you've done lots of MSE trawling too, which must've taken quite some time

The only thing I think it might be better not to include for shirley is what to do with leftover wine, as it may remind her of things she can't have!

Also, if you don't mind, I wonder if we can add to it as our testers run with the first month, so we can see what things actually DO crop up as leftovers and what our lovely creative testers do with them These can then be example ideas which may inspire shirley

How would you feel about posting it here so others can have a lookie too?

xxx

queen_of_string wrote: »

Pinkhayley

For planner specific left overs, I have so far discovered that the stuffing is even better the next day and makes a filling lunch on its own ( microwaved ) or with any left over veg/gravy.

The sweetcorn fritters are also ok the next day, but loose a bit in texture in the micro. They are some thing we are happy to snack on or have for lunch.

Oh, and any spare apple curd can be spread onto a rolled out piece of bread/pizza dough, rolled up like a swiss roll and sliced before proving and baking. Yummy appley roll type thingies

HTH

Thanks Weezl Happy to be of use at last!

If you are happy with it then I'm happy to post it for everyone to see (minus the wine tip, obviously :rotfl:). Do you want me to post it or will you?

Also, Queen of String has just posted some great tips specific to the planner (see above). Should these be added onto the list now?

I enjoyed compiling it and would definitely like to help out with some of the other bits on the to-do list as well

weezl74 wrote: »

Oh you're so diplomatic leaving out the years :rotfl:

Whoops - I reduced the years to weeks to make it seem shorter.

ETA: Completely on purpose you understand.

Hey everyone.

Some thoughts on nutrition. I don't want to be too contraversial, but a lot of what is currently percieved as nutritional fact has very little basis in science, and is pushed by people with a large vested interest in getting you to buy nutritional suplements. Sadly, this is swallowed whole by the media with very little scruitiny. So long as the planner contains a variety of food and food from all the major food groups, and lots of fruit and vegetables, I would argue that it is healthy.

I certainly think it is healthier than the diets consumed by many of the UK today. I certainly think the time and effort gone into the nutrition side of things is more than the average uk family put into their diet. The most important think imo is that there are enough calories for weight maintenance- as if this was not the case then there would be potentially serious health risks.

I'm going to make the chicken pie tomorrow or wednesday- would have been today but finished work late, so I was lazy. I will offer my services if there is anything I can do to help.

Well, here goes. Thank you for your contributions and please continue to PM me/post any more to add to the list.


When every penny counts it seems wasteful to throw good food in the bin when you have spent so much time and effort making it. Here are some handy tips compiled from the posters on this thread to help you make the most of your leftovers, save money and reduce wastage.


Before throwing anything out ask yourself whether it could be safely used another time as an ingredient for another dish or as a meal/snack in itself.


Get into the habit of checking what is in your fridge and cupboards and ensuring everything gets used up.


It can be easy to over estimate how much your family will eat, especially with foods such as pasta, rice and potatoes. Get into the habit of weighing these out to prevent wastage.


Try having that leftover portion for lunch the following day to prevent it going to waste.


If you have a microwave at work you could even pop it into a plastic container and take it with you.


Make friends with your freezer so if you do not fancy it the next day you may be able to freeze the leftovers for another time.


Clean, empty margarine tubs make excellent food storage containers and are perfect for storing your leftovers in. You may have empty ice cream tubs and plastic takeaway containers with lids which are also ideal for storing food in too.


You could use freezer bags for storing leftovers in the freezer.


Familiarise yourself and check your understanding on Best Before and Use By dates
Best Before- http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/foodlabels/labellingterms/bestbefore/
Use by- http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/foodlabels/labellingterms/useby/


Encourage your whole family to check for leftovers lurking in the fridge and to eat these first before reaching for other foods.


Any stale leftover bread can be whizzed into breadcrumbs in a food processor/blender which can be used for fish cakes, treacle tart and toppings for pasta dishes. Breadcrumbs can be stored in the freezer if you do not need them right away.


A poster reports that the stuffing is even better the next day and makes a filling lunch microwaved on its own or with any left over veg/gravy.


The sweetcorn fritters have been found to be good for snacks or as lunch if eaten the next day, but do lose a bit in texture if heated in the microwave.


Any spare apple curd can be spread onto a rolled out piece of bread/pizza dough, rolled up like a swiss roll and sliced before proving and baking to make yummy appley roll type thingies.





You can do the same with leftover pasta to make a Pasta Salad too.


If you find that you have cooked too many potatoes then you could make some gnocchi which will also freeze well.


Leftover vegetables can be stored in a container in the freezer which could then be used for making vegetable soups and curries.


Chop any leftover fresh herbs and store them in freezer bags in the freezer for using another time.


Further Resources


The following thread on the Old Style Board provides a wealth of ideas for your leftovers too.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=312206&highlight=leftovers


http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/ This website specialises in making the most of your leftover ingredients.


There are many books on the market which focus on making the most of your leftovers but try your local library for copies of these instead of buying them.

Well done Pinkhaley that all sounds good
Another thought if you have too much potatoes you could make some gnocchi which will freeze well. Dont know if that is any use to you xx