I've got loads of questions/queries/problems!

FrenchMaid_2

The key is to make a habit of meal planning, I know it's not easy, but I also know that it is the only way to shop right.

First of all, make a list RIGHT NOW of all the things that you have at home and see what you can cook with them. If you still have stuff left that is in the fridge and might go off, freeze it, if you can't freeze it use it NOW.

Write a list of 10 meals you like, then write next to it all the ingredients you need to do these 10 meals, this is your starting block...

New habits have to be established and someone once told me that it takes 30 days to form a new habit.

How about an incentive? Currently you spend £200 on food a month, if you manage to do it with less money this month, then give yourself a treat with whatever you saved.

Another thing: Get the £200 out in cash and use it to pay for your shopping, it is funny how this works for most people to consider what they are buying. It has changed my shopping habit drastically. As a family of 3 with 3 cats we live on about £120 - £150 per month. My budget is £200 which I get out in cash, whatever is left of my budget goes into my special treats jar! I put this towards a holiday, a weekend away, etc. For me the incentive works....

mrbadexample

I can't be much help here, as although I've learned to cook (a bit), I've not really managed to make it cheap.

:idea: But I think it would be a good idea for you to try to live for one month (pick February - it's soonest and shortest ) only eating supermarket value brands. That gives you about 3 weeks to eat all the good stuff you've already bought. Then only buy value stuff. Do if for a month, and see if you die. If you don't, you can see how much you've saved.

Hawthorn

With the green beans, drop them into salted boiling water, return to the boil and let simmer for just a couple of minutes. This way, they don't go too soggy

FZwanab

A couple of things, when I make bol. sauce I don't use 2 tins of chopped tomatoes anymore, but only use one and add beef stock to add more liquid so its not too dry, it gives it a nice flavour. This is in addition to the usual ingredients mentioned above.

For the green beans, I noticed in France when I bought ordinary frozen green beans in the packet was a disc of frozen garlic butter. You melt the garlic butter and fry the green beans in it for approx 9 mins. the result was delicious. I suppose you could fry them in butter if you don't like garlic.

Its very easy to make garlic butter, crush some garlic put it into a cup, add a knob of butter and add some chopped parsley, (dried or fresh) and microvave for about 30 seconds (or put it in a pot and let it melt down), this can then be added to the green beans to fry them, brushed onto a pizza base or nann bread and topped with grated mozzerella and voila yummy garlic bread.

freyasmum

southernscouser wrote: »

Well ok. :rotfl:

Flatten a chicken breast with a hammer type thing. Spread a couple of teaspoons of red pesto in the middle with some sliced sun dried tomatoes, and a couple of slices of mozzarella. Fold the chiken into a parcel type thing and wrap with stretched out streaky bacon.

Whack on a baking tray and in the oven for 25-30 mins at 200c.

Serve with rosti potato and spinach. Yum.

Can I invite myself for dinner tomorrow? :A


I'm hopeless at meal planning, no matter how many times I've tried - I manage it for a week or two and then fall back off the wagon :rolleyes: What I find works better is to have a store-cupboard and stocked freezer. I can then have what I want, when I want it (oo-er missus ) But what you like, but buy it on offer - buy your mince and freeze it in you-sized portions, for example.

southernscouser

Thank you for everyones replies. Apologies if I don't reply to you all individually but I am taking everything on board.

In case you were wondering, I had spag bol for dinner tonight. And last night. :rolleyes: :rotfl:

Pink.

Sorry, but I've had to remove a post on this thread for copyright reasons as we can't post recipes on MSE that are published elsewhere for legal reasons. The recipe can be found here and was actually posted on that site by an Old Style regular.

Pink

LydiaJ

Non-stick pans...

My mum has some that have been going for 30 years or more. I remember when I was little having it made VERY clear to me that I must never ever ever ever use any metal implement in those non-stick pans, or they would get scratches and things would start sticking, and it would all be my fault!! It worked, too. Now I have a couple of them that are definitely over 10 years old, and still doing what they're supposed to do.

maman

Similar idea to FZwanab: I cook my frozen green beans in boiling water for a very short time (2/3 mins), drain them then run them under the cold tap. They plump up beautifully. When I'm ready to eat them I just fry them up in butter and chopped garlic and sometimes a chopped bacon rasher too. They are so good I'm going to buy an extra bag to go in my freezer as apparently veg prices are set to rocket soon.

london_saver

I havent totted up how much my spag bol costs. But instead of dolmio, my spag bol consists of:

Mince
onions
mushroooms
peppers (include any variation or combination of veg you like!)
one tin of chopped tomatoes (approx 20p)
a big dollop of tomato puree
a cheap jar of supermarket own brand pasta sauce (approx 60p)
salt/ pepper/ mixed herbs/ garlic/ dash of sugar (to take away some acidity of the tomatoes)

You dont need to spend £5 on dolmio, try everyone's suggestions, a tin of chopped tomatoes goes a lot further.