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What can i make with this motley collection?

caroline1973lefty
caroline1973lefty Posts: 358
First Post First Anniversary I've been Money Tipped!
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edited 3 November 2015 at 4:14PM in Old style MoneySaving
I wonder if OS-ers can help me? I'm moving home in a month and so I really want to try and live off my cupboards - because the move (agency fees etc) is going to leave me pretty skint for a while and because I don't really want to move lots of food, somehow.

But I need help, recipe ideas. I want to get better at using what I have - I've had a tendency to hoard for the apocalypse a bit (which in my tiny flat, is not a good plan!) and I've just gone through and chucked out pretty much everything that was out of date, and it was a lot, because I couldn't even really see it in my cramped cupboards! (including various quite expensive 'health' foods, oops...)

Oh, and I'd like to get back in practice of making more than pasta and beans on toast, cos I'm moving in with my boyfriend - who is a good cook, much better than me, but I don't want him to have to do ALL the cooking! I do actually like cooking (ideally, healthy stuff - though i actually eat pretty much anything) but I'm better at reading recipe books and not very good at planning in advance :o

Anyway here is the list of what I currently have, post clear out... All suggestions appreciated!

Brown basmati rice (bulk)
Wholemeal spelt pasta (bulk)
Moong dal (yellow split lentils) (bulk)
Pumpkin seeds (bulk)
Walnuts (bulk)
Tamari (bulk)
1 bottle passata
1 jar organic tomato pesto
1 packet dried fancy mushrooms
3 tins baked beans
About 6 tinsof pulses – green lentils, pinto, aduki, kidney beans
Seaweed (dulse, nori sprinkles)
Barley
Buckwheat
Brown lentils
Red lentils
Green lentils
Sesame seeds
Haricot beans
Black turtle beans
Canellini beans
Aduki beans
Bulghur wheat
Quinoa
Couscous
Risotto rice
Oatmeal
Peanut butter
Marmite
1 jar jalapenos
3 tins salmon
1 tin pilchards
2 tins posh sardines in oil
5 jars salmon paste
1 jar crab paste
Olive oil
Sunflower oil
Cider vinegar (bulk)
Balsamic vinegar
Malt vinegar
Sherry vinegar
Yeast
Most spices and some dried herbs
Stock cubes
1 jar madras curry paste
Ketchup
Brown sauce
Woucestershire sauce
Mushroom ketchup
Anchovy sauce
Gravy browning
Sweet chilli dipping sauce
Hot pepper sauce
Kelpamare swiss seasoning
Tabasco sauce
Miso paste
Lime juice
Lemon juice
Rice flour
Honey
Granulated sugar
Molasses sugar
Carob
Cocoa
Molasses syrup
Golden Syrup
Sweetened chestnut puree
Loads of different teas, coffee

Plus what I have fresh at the moment:
1 small block cheddar
1 small block feta cheese
Bit of parmesan
Big jar Dijon mustard
Several jams – lime, cherry
Ghee
Mayonnaise
Beetroot
Courgettes
Cabbage
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Celery
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"The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed" - Ghandi
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Comments

  • HappyMJ
    HappyMJ Posts: 21,115
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    I wonder if OS-ers can help me? I'm moving home in a month and so I really want to try and live off my cupboards - because the move (agency fees etc) is going to leave me pretty skint for a while and because I don't really want to move lots of food, somehow.

    But I need help, recipe ideas. I want to get better at using what I have - I've had a tendency to hoard for the apocalypse a bit (which in my tiny flat, is not a good plan!) and I've just gone through and chucked out pretty much everything that was out of date, and it was a lot, because I couldn't even really see it in my cramped cupboards! (including various quite expensive 'health' foods, oops...)

    Why throw anything out? Anything in the cupboard doesn't have a use-by date it's just a best before date. The food is still edible and in the majority of cases doesn't taste much different at all. I've had many things years out of date and it was exactly the same if I'd had it within a year of manufacture.
    :footie:
    :p Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S) :p Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money. :p
  • Hi, yes, that has always been my general way of doing things before, I know that BBE is not cast in stone and chucking food is very UN Old Style.... but some things definitely looked a bit dodgy/definitely deteriorated. I did keep some stuff that I was positive was still fine. But I think I need to have a fresh start to build up my cooking confidence and not give myself any excuses not to cook (I have found myself thinking 'oh, i can't find anything in my cramped cupboards/ i'm not really sure if that 2 year out of date thingummy is ok to use, i'll just have pasta and pesto again instead...)
    "The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed" - Ghandi
  • RAS
    RAS Posts: 32,538
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    I would suggest that you concentrate on using up the heavier tins, jars and anything that is open, might spill in the move. And perhaps things like the walnuts (pesto?) which go off relatively quickly,
    The person who has not made a mistake, has made nothing
  • If I should have posted somewhere else, perhaps one of the board mods could move? Sorry if I have done this wrong. I get a bit het up at my own lack of domestic godessness :sad:
    "The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed" - Ghandi
  • PasturesNew
    PasturesNew Posts: 70,698
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    I can't assist with recipes, a lot of that stuff I've never even heard of - and another chunk I've never had.

    But, one observation is that you've not been shopping like a single person household. I've a very limited/repeated range of stuff in my cupboard because it's for me and I have to use everything. I can only buy something if I KNOW I'll be able to use it, use it again, use it all, within a reasonable amount of time.

    e.g. you've "several" jams. I only ever allow myself to have one jar. I can't buy a second jar until I've got through the first one.... which takes about a year. That's why I've not got "several" jars in my cupboard.... in fact, I emptied the last jar about 2 weeks ago, so will buy another jar some time in the next 3-4 months.
  • katkin
    katkin Posts: 1,020
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    You have loads of meals in stock. Have a look at http://agirlcalledjack.com/

    I'm thinking specifically about those 5 jars of salmon paste and her Creamy Salmon Pasta with a Chilli-Lemon Kick. I'm sure its just as nice with couscous and rice as with pasta.

    Don't buy anything, but put your stash into google and see what recipes come up. Adapt and be flexible until you can eat that food stock down.

    All it takes is a bit of self discipline and determination. Think of the money you'll save.

    Best of luck.
  • wondercollie
    wondercollie Posts: 1,591
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    Use up some of the jam by baking. Filling between cake layers, or in the miffed of muffins got a surprise taste.

    Make a spicy chilli or goulash type stew with a couple of the different types of beans. Vegetarian or add fresh meat
  • Try cookipedia, just put in what you have and it will find a recipe. You have a lot of vegan style foods so look at vegan and vegetarian recipes.
    Bulgar wheat pancakes are lovely
    Blessed are the cracked for they are the ones that let in the light
    C.R.A.P R.O.L.L.Z. Member #35 Butterfly Brain + OH - Foraging Fixers
    Not Buying it 2015!
  • Thanks all, really helpful. I actually have 'A Girl Called Jack' (and lots of other recipe books from spendthrift days) so dug it out and made the salmon chili thing... yum! It's true, I've not been shopping like a single person... but i made a list of recipes from that book, today i went in and bought just a few tiny cheap things (like tomato puree) that will get used up in recipes only from shopping list, the lady said 'ah, you come in here for one thing and buy all sorts' and i smiled and said 'no i only bought stuff from my list' and she said 'cor, that's unusual' and i felt smug! will check out those websites too.
    "The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed" - Ghandi
  • cyantist
    cyantist Posts: 560 Forumite
    I'm always pleased with myself when I manage to stick to a list.

    An obvious thing would be mushroom risotto.

    Then quinoa, feta cheese, courgette and beetroot salad.
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