Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

aless02

hiya weezl - I didn't miss the call for Recipecaling the bean curry a few days back. I'll try and go back to see if other recipes need it, but no guarantees as feeling a bit like death warmed over today .

I agree with what everyone else said...don't be so hard on yourself - you've done amazing, especially considering it's a project of LOVE in your SPARE TIME.

oldMcDonald

FrankieM wrote: »

weezl About the scrutiny on 'cheap' meal plans. I can remember Black Saturn posting her very low budget meal plan and being lambasted about the lack of fruit and veg and goodness knows what.
I wonder if we baulk against the idea, that in reality, we could spend alot less on food and it still be just as healthy or even perhaps more so, than someone who spends £500.

I remember that - it became quite an ugly thread.

In fairness, there was a lack of fruit and veg in her plan, but she said she and her children got bad tummies from F&V. It was a plan that worked for her.

FrankieM

weezl Just a quick thought on the sweet snacks v savoury snacks.

For my family, my children would happily eat more sweet snacks. Its my DH who is more savoury, so I would be inclined to just give him more of those type. Also I know that perhaps some of the cakes certain of my children would prefer than others, so I would give them their preference.
The same with the breakfasts, I think.

Does that make sense?

Sian_the_Green

For some reason I can't get the quote thing to work..

When you say there are people telling you to give up, what are they asking you to give up? The whole idea? The budget? The sweet snacks? Surely not the whole thing? I think that would be ridiculous and I don't think anyone who has read this thread from the start and who can see your good heart would say that. So if I'm Bob and Shirley and I need to cut back and I need to save my family all this money and I read your planner and think, ooh, that sounds good, but my family HAVE to have some cheese every day or they die (well, not really but they like it that much) I would adapt for my family, it is not a fault of the planner at all. I mean, just because people feel that certain things are now essential doesn't mean that they are.

If people find it hard to accept that it is 'healthy' because their definition is a little awry, perhaps it needs a different term in the planner, or people need to read what you count as healthy at the beginning. I can't see that anyone should have a problem. I have been talking to a friend of mine about you and last night she expressed complete incredulity that someone would say your planner was unhealthy!

You're fab!

ceridwen

weezl74 wrote: »

About white sugar having no nutritional value, I disagree. And I am happy to explain why and why I believe the planner is still healthy if anyone would like me to.

Then perhaps it would be good if you explain further re white sugar then...:) and it would be useful if you could give links to the websites/books that the information came from..

(ooh...gets headaches myself reading this conflicting nutritional info. Just been reading a website about how some peoples have managed to remain perfectly healthy and scurvy-free with no Vitamin C from fruit/veg at all - ie the Eskimos. Went off wondering whether a high-meat diet might actually be a very healthy one then - but Governments are hiding that fact because there are too many people on the planet for everyone to eat that way - all that land required for animals........). The more I read - the more I wonder if we are being persuaded to accept lower-grade food to cover the fact that there are now too many people for everyone to eat a high-grade diet.........
(whoops...sorrees...could be said to be "politics"....)

FrankieM

I completely agree with what sian said.

Who are these people saying these things to you and why can't they post their queries etc on the thread rather than giving, you personally, such a hard time, which is how it seems?

weezl74

ceridwen wrote: »

Then perhaps it would be good if you explain further re white sugar then...:) and it would be useful if you could give links to the websites/books that the information came from..

yes I will, of course I want people to be reassured.

I will only be able to spend 2 hours writing my essay on sugar tough , and so it won't be my full justification, or exhausively referenced and cited. I'm sorry about that.

If I agree to do this, will that be able to please be the point at which we can all agree to differ and I can carry on putting the planner together?

I'd love it if we could come to some kind of compromise so I don't have to give up. (since others don't want me to give up.) Would that be ok, or is there another compromise you can think of, I'm genuinely open to suggestions.

I'm genuinely trying to do the greatest good for the greatest number. That's all that's in my heart here.

I'll wait to hear if you think that's the best compromise before spending the time writing it all out. I hope that's ok:)

oldMcDonald

Sian_the_Green wrote: »

For some reason I can't get the quote thing to work..

When you say there are people telling you to give up, what are they asking you to give up? The whole idea? The budget? The sweet snacks? Surely not the whole thing? I think that would be ridiculous and I don't think anyone who has read this thread from the start and who can see your good heart would say that. So if I'm Bob and Shirley and I need to cut back and I need to save my family all this money and I read your planner and think, ooh, that sounds good, but my family HAVE to have some cheese every day or they die (well, not really but they like it that much) I would adapt for my family, it is not a fault of the planner at all. I mean, just because people feel that certain things are now essential doesn't mean that they are.

If people find it hard to accept that it is 'healthy' because their definition is a little awry, perhaps it needs a different term in the planner, or people need to read what you count as healthy at the beginning. I can't see that anyone should have a problem. I have been talking to a friend of mine about you and last night she expressed complete incredulity that someone would say your planner was unhealthy!

You're fab!

Great post, Sian The Green:T

I'm hoping that this plan is going to be the backbone for our meal plan. There may be some meals that we wouldn't eat, and on those days I would probably play around a bit with the main ingredients in B&S meal plan and see what I would come up with. I also have one or two non negotiables that I would add to the plan (TEA!!!).

The idea behind this is amazing - a plan that people could follow for £100 a month that is quite probably more nutritionally balanced than the diet they have beforehand. They can then stick to it, tweek it, or add in a few non negotiables and still be shaving a large amount off of their food bill.

This is a great thread and the amount of work that people are putting in is amazing - well done all of you and a huge thanks from me.

grandma247

Ceredwin I have made oat flour many times by putting it in the food processor. A coffee grinder should make it even finer.
Also you could use chickpea flour instead of soya, I think it is still safe.
Sorry I am a bit quiet at the moment I have a chesty cold so not doing much but I am reading.

grandma247

oldMcDonald wrote: »

The idea behind this is amazing - a plan that people could follow for £100 a month that is quite probably more nutritionally balanced than the diet they have beforehand. They can then stick to it, tweek it, or add in a few non negotiables and still be shaving a large amount off of their food bill.

It is a great plan and it is something I personally have thought about for many many years. Mainly for teaching my kids how to live on as little as possible but I do/did realise that loads of others could benefit too.
Perhaps you could write a forward with your aims on the finished product so people will understand what you are trying to do.
There will always be people who do not read all before replying but you can not do much about them and there will be many more people who will benefit.
I hope I am making some sense.
EDIT: Perhaps I should just go back to bed. I thought I was replying to Weezl. I meant for you to write a forward Weezle.