£20 left until 15 May

Try to go to as many peoples houses as you can, then use up your own food when thats all used try to get a job until payday in a takeaway. you get a free meal
In all seriousness it seems you have plenty to survive on, you are probably panicked 'cause all you can think of is £20.00 it's a money diet..don't buy packs of veg it may well get wasted so just buy what you need and no more
Promise me? If you can do it til 15th May challenge yourself to do it again. also plan your meals each day to go with what you have already, if you fancy pizza make one with your sub rolls, tin toms. cheese slice and 2 mushrooms, so what if checkout girl looks at you strangley for checking through 2 mushrooms :T
Tina x x

Beans on toast for lunch? 15 p for a tin of beans?
Get some eggs for an omelette?
Tuna pasta bake?
Have a look on www.hillbillyhousewife.com so you can get some good ideas off the recipes there, the rice mixes are really good.
HTH

:grouphug: I hope you feel better soon - when I'm down I find it difficult to cook for myself too, as it's just me I need to worry about.
I just wondered if you had any vitamins in the cupboard - if you're anything like me you've got some that you don't take as regularly as you should! I know that when I eat a regular 3 meals a day AND take my vitamins I feel miles better in myself. Along with keeping in contact with friends and a bit of exercise. Also I found this book 'The Food and Mood Handbook' really interesting - there are a few books like this. Also on the MIND website there is some interesting links between food and mood. Good mood food can be really cheap - cottage cheese in sweet potato (yum), turkey stir-fry, or sardines on toast all have lots of mood-boosting nutrients in. (And oats are a natural anti-depressant too!).

Quick Question-Do you have a slow cooker?

PP
xx

Hi Again

Basically you need enough meals to cover 18/19 meals:eek: ....only joking hun. With what you have already and assuming you have a SC-think I could do it ok. This is what I would do:

2 pork chops-I would put chop, put in SC and make some kids of cassarole, adding a tin of tomatoes, onion, frozen veg. Could add a dumpling or two? If you have spuds, you could dice and put these in there or serve with rice or the pasta you have. Could always pad out with a tin of baked beans. This should make enough for 4 good portions and could be frozen to have on non consecutive days.

2 salmon tail pieces-depends on size of them really. I would serve one with lemon and butter flaked into some pasta and the other whole coated with maybe aubergine paste?? with a huge baked spud. Depending on size this is 2-4 portions

2 lamb neck fillets-Again I would do some kind of stew in SC similar to pork chops and cook slowly to get all meat off. Add whatever you have and serve with mash....any left overs could be used as a soup. SHould be about 4 portions depending on size again. Can be frozen.

1 mediterranean salsa breaded salmon-this i would enjoy by itself with either new potatoes and salad or with pasta and butter. How big is the piece? Could it stretch 2 days or a main and a small lunch with a spud?

2 sausages-basic sausage, mash and beans

1 chicken breast-Probably would curry it. Slice into thin slices. Need an onion, curry paste or similar, tin of toms, tins of beans to pad out? Add any veg to it and serve with rice. This should make at least 2-3 good sized portions. Or 2 big portions and 2 smaller for baked spuds at lunch?

1 whole mackerel-how about fishcakes, or fish pie or even a fish quiche? Should do about 3 good sized meals.

1 tuna steak-I like these well seasoned with lemon and butter served with new spuds or jacket spuds. How big is it? If enough left, you caould flake into pasta or rice and make another lunch from it.

4 kidneys-Dont eat these, but how big are they? You should be able to pad out with other ingredients and make 2 meals served with rice/pasta or spuds.

2 large lamb shanks-I would again put these in the SC and add whatever I had. Most spices work well with lamb. You could get all the meat off and use for curries/soups/stew etc-should make 4-6 meals if you add enough other items to it.

HTH. I would think buying potatoes and frozen veg to pad items out would be a good idea. Cheap tins of beans and toms are lifesavers. Also, pop to local supermarkets late if possible and you can grab some excellent bargains for pennies. Maybe you could make a large veggi chilli and take into work this with a baked spud or cook up some rice and pasta you have and eat this. Not much of a varied diet but will get you through the next 2 weeks hopefuly.

Good Luck.
PP
xx