Store cupboard challenge

Fozz

I am trying to shop more on a weekly basis, I too was buying all the reduced stuff I could and filling the freezer, but I was spending too much. I felt like I was shopping to feed the freezer rather than the family IYSWIM.
Now I shop from week to week with a budget and fill the freezer space with things like cooked rice, pastry mix, frozen sarnies for packed lunches, my own "ready meals" etc, just stuff to make my life easier really!
It's a hard habit to break though, if I see reduced stuff my fingers are itching to pick it up, but I just say to myself " do I really need this right now?"

nesssie1702

My freezer is full to bursting just now and I too have been guilty of buying items that are reduced to clear to stick in there. My excuse is that we live on an island and there are times when the ferry doesn't sail - but it's never that bad!!

Going to be eating out of the freezer for a while now, methinks, so that we can clear some space just now and then start to fill it again before the winter comes (and the second phase of swine flu?!)

Barneysmom

Me and DH plan to go to M&S for a chicken on the tenner meal deal, but I've been thinking about allthe stuff that's in the freezer already. I went to Mr.M's the other day to use the £5 Sun voucher, we spent a fair bit so it's not like we are short of food.

No, I have to be stricter on myself, I am weak!

Our cupboards are at bursting piont, we've had to put a load of beans, tomatoes and dog food in the spare bedroom.

We've got to plan the use pof next week's £5 voucher with military precision and not steer from the course! We've got loads of butter, 4 or 5 tubs of Anchor Spreadable and Welsh butter, so it'll be bread and milk plus cleaning products next week.
I say that now, but how to avoid the offers?

fedupandskint

Right then time to make a pledge out loud to myself. I've just called into Aldi and collected some 49p veg - courgettes, tomatoes, butternut squash plus some cheap cheese.

I will not buy any food next week at all and will live of what is in the firdge, larder and freezer. Buying food is my worst expense despite how much I want to to not buy it and reign in my spending.

Will aim for a week first.

Good luck everyone else!

Barneysmom

fedupandskint, have you got bread and milk?

I'm going to have to go out for a bit, I'm sick of the banging from next door, the old man died and whoever inherited is making a heck of a racket knocking walls through.

fedupandskint

Barneysmom wrote: »

fedupandskint, have you got bread and milk?

I'm going to have to go out for a bit, I'm sick of the banging from next door, the old man died and whoever inherited is making a heck of a racket knocking walls through.

Hi Barneysmom,

I don't eat bread and I bought a 4pter yesterday so should be ok on this front until the weekend (finger's crossed!)

Sorry you are experiencing so much noise, that would do my head in too! Good luck on finding peace and quiet!

Tigerlilley1980

The king prawn concoction went down a treat. We always those jars of chicken tonight in the cupboard and I never use them lol! Good to know they work well with other stuff aswell though. Went to Mr T's today and spent £8 and got loads of cheap stuff so hopefully we will be ok until next Wednesday. They are doing big blocks of cheese for 1.59 so thats OH's sandwiches sorted all week.

Does anyone have any good recipes for couscous, I buy the unflavoured version and normally add garlic and lemon juice to it, but need some inspiration. Tonight we are having homemade pasta sauce with mushrooms and bacon mmmmm. Tiger x

fedupandskint

Tigerlilley1980 wrote: »

Does anyone have any good recipes for couscous, I buy the unflavoured version and normally add garlic and lemon juice to it, but need some inspiration. Tonight we are having homemade pasta sauce with mushrooms and bacon mmmmm. Tiger x

Hope you enjoy the pasta sauce, I'm sure it will be lovely

Couscous - have you tried roasting some veg and mixing in some fresh herbs and olive oil and lemon dressing in? HTH

nicki_2

Tigerlilley1980 wrote: »

Does anyone have any good recipes for couscous, I buy the unflavoured version and normally add garlic and lemon juice to it, but need some inspiration. Tonight we are having homemade pasta sauce with mushrooms and bacon mmmmm. Tiger x

I'd be interested in this as well - ATM I'm buying the pre-flavoured ones in a pack from Aldi - although tasty, not exactly cheap

I've just made an inventory of all the main food stuffs I've got in. I'm giving myself until 9pm(ish) to come up with some meals which I can easily see, then I'll be posting the remains on here for some help :rotfl::rotfl:

queen_of_string

I am getting there slowly. Now 11 weeks til we move and less than 30 meals left in the freezer. Chest freezer is starting to look a bit bare, might be able to see the base in places soon. I am really struggling with the walking past bargains thing. Am only allowing myself to buy veg/fruit and biscuits/cakes and sandwich fillings and only if reduced 50% or more. Finding it hard to walk past other stuff butI know I will find it even harder to bin anything that doesnt get eaten. Weakened and bought 2 lots of meat yesterday, but am going to re join the grocery challenge on monday and set a really low limit to rein me in hopefully.