Store cupboard challenge

EssexHebridean

Don't despair - you have plenty in stock to see you through.

If you stretch the chicken well you have enough in your freezer to do your main meals each day. I assume you do have enough cash in the pot to buy fresh milk? Anything else you can stretch to in the way of fresh fruit / veg would be a bonus.

I would suggest dividing out your basic veggies into weeks portions - so you know what you have to play with each week.

Breakfasts - you're most likely limited to cereal or Porridge but you can add sliced banana, dried fruit etc. That also has the advantage of helping you towards your five a day too. Lunches - aim for cheap but filling, so soups, pasta salads etc - would possibly be worth reserving some of your frozen peas to ad to these. Leftovers from main meal stews will make a marvellous soup so bulk out with extra veggies and aim to have enough left for the next days lunches too.

Cook your red cabbage up thinly sliced with a little water, splash of soy or teriaki and splash of vinegar. Add dried cranberries and cook until the whole lot is tender and the cranberries are plump. A little mixed spice, allspice or nutmeg would be delicious with this. Once it's cooled freeze into portions and it will make a lovely veg accompaniment to a main meal. It'll make your cabbage go further too!

Aim to stretch ingredients where you can - we use four sausages at a time between two of us but I "add value" by doing toad in the hole, sausage casserole etc. If you're doing stews / casseroles etc remember that a handful of porridge oats into the mix makes it go further. You might do better to cut the meat off the pork chops to use in a stew or sweet & sour type dish - again this will make a little meat go further.

Plenty more ideas still to come I've no doubt. Good luck & keep us posted.

mummytoash

the only money i have is for nappies. though i could use dried milk instead.

bigheadxx

Use the bacon bits to make spaghetti carbonara (make sauce with one egg, cheese and milk) mix in peas for extra nutrition

Cauliflower cheese with bacon bits mixed in

Chicken with leeks (chop the leeks and cook in the oven with milk and the chickens, melt cheese in towards the end)

Chees and potato pie, mashed potato with cheese and make a pastry crust

Soups are more filling than using the same ingredients to make a meal so a good hearty soup or casserole with lots of potatoes

mummytoash

dh wont eat soup tho. i like the idea with the cabbage n the brekkies.

HariboJunkie

Hi Mummytoash :hello:

I'm glad you have managed to find some money and fill up your storecupboard and freezer a bit since Tuesday when you posted this. I was wondering earlier how you were getting on.

Is there any way you will get some money in the next 4 weeks?

Boodle

mummytoash wrote: »

dh wont eat soup tho.

You could always make them a bit thicker and call it a stew instead I would have suggested flour but can't see any on the list, so try chucking in some blitzed up oats, tomato paste or just blitz up some of the soup then stir this back in to thicken the sauce up. You might get away with it by saying it was stew with bread and butter for lunch

Just noticed you have turkey gravy and thickening powder on the list so you could use these to thicken them up - and maybe even add dumplings using the mix you have in the cupboard too.

mummytoash

hi thats a good idea with the soup. over the next 4 weeks i have £590 but £500 is rent £60 for bills and the rest is for nappies and milk.

leiela

I won't go into details, for fear of breaking into tears but i've had a terrible few days, loads has happened and things are getting difficult. The result of which means that i have exactly £33 to last to the end of the month, now the good new’s is that i have well stocked cupboards and with some belt tightening im pretty sure i can ride it out till payday but doing so is going to involve some very very very tight meal planning.

I know that if really end up in trouble i have credit cards i can use so we won’t starve, but i’ve worked SOOooooo hard to budget and pay off the card’s that the thought of putting anything else on them just makes me cry... and makes me feel like im failing.

I looked in the cupboards’ this morning to try and work out how bad the situation was so i could plan and burst into tears, i know it needs doing, i know without it im going to be in trouble at the end of the month but mentally im just not fit to get this done and it seems an overwhelming task.

I also know that if i sit down work it out i’ll feel better because it will be one less worry, but i just can’t see to get it together enough to begin.

mum26

pop your list on here and let us all help xxx

MissB_2

Dont panic, there's loads of help and advice on here.
You'll do it just fine for making that last the month.
Think of it as a achallenge and one you're going to be able to complete with the knowledge given by the clever, kind and helpful people on here.

So,
How many are you trying to feed?
What's in the cupboards/freezer already?
What do you urgently need foodwise to bulk stuff out (potatoes, pasta...?) and non-food (wshing liquid, loo roll...?)? Those will be your biggest individual costs.

Start with those three questions and we'll see what advice we've got

Hugs, you'll be fine for stuff to eat.
The rest can be sorted somehow.
B
x x x