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

ceridwen

Kaz2904 wrote: »

Have to answer this as I read it (only got this far lol!). I work night shifts. I am still able to eat a healthy diet and cook for my family. A resource like this would make it far far easier for me because I wouldn't even have to think, it would just be a case of checking the menu plan and getting on with it.
.

Part of my thinking about this is the "thinking time" required to get a healthy diet together.

During my busy spells I believe it is the actual "thinking time" that is one of the main problems. Just simply not having the mindspace/time available to sit down and think:
- what recipes am I going to do?
- what ingredients am I short of (so stick on the shopping list)?

It would be very useful to me certainly during said busy spells to just have, say, a months meal planner (obviously to suit my own tastes..) with:
- troublefree/easy meals to do
- a list of ingredients to shop for - broken down into categories: 1. fruit/veg. 2. health food shop (ie nuts/pulses/grains) 3. supermarket stuff

and all I'd have to do is check I had the missing ingredients or (for fresh ones) write in my diary at the beginning of each week what I needed to buy that week. Then - from there - just look up, for instance, "Week 2, Day 2" when I was thinking "Whats for dinner tonight?" and get on with it - safe in the knowledge that it wouldnt take more than 30 minutes in total if it was a weekday night or 1 hour maximum for weekends.

canidothis

canidothis wrote: »

Now trying to work out whether I want a sloppy corned beef hash, or a dry one

Decided to do a bubble and squeak type hash, fried an onion added cooked spud, carrot and peas and served with baked beans - very nice :T There was some leftover so I raced out to the kitchen before it was used as 2nds, Ive made it into cakes and am thinking of serving them with sweetcorn HM flatbread and might even have a go at HM Mayo - am thinking that Shirley might find this easy as all the hard work was done last night - and I feel really good that Ive created another meal for the plan out of leftovers.

Good news Weezl about not having the blood clot - does that mean you can concentrate on resting now without having to do daily trips to hospital?

ceridwen

canidothis wrote: »

Good news Weezl about not having the blood clot - does that mean you can concentrate on resting now without having to do daily trips to hospital?

..and I'm wondering that too...

Though I believe there is a hospital trip tomorrow anyway - to see if Kester has turned yet?

canidothis

How do you all get yr DHs to get interested in this project and help with costings etc? I had to laugh last night- normally we buy a sack of spuds which can last up to 3 months and last night was working out the difference between a supermarket bag and a sack, how many meals they both would make and how much it would all cost, iykwim and all I got from DH was 'its too late for this s***':o

Anyway on a fritter note - I made pakoras a few weeks ago and was thinking could we not add onions and sliced potato with the sweetcorn to make a more substantial fritter - or does that stop it being a fritter?:(

jenid

weezl74 wrote: »

susanC a friend from another thread posted an interesting link to an article in the times:



It makes me think about how much it is to ask of Shirley when she works full time. I've done full time work plus all the bread baking and batch cooking, but not with children....


Hmmmmn interesting!

I think we should ask Bob to help out!! And two strapping teenagers should have the elbow power for a bit of bread kneeding, especially if it means they get more to eat!

Glad you don't have a blood clot Weezl, keep taking care of yourself.

weezl74

ceridwen wrote: »

Though I believe there is a hospital trip tomorrow anyway - to see if Kester has turned yet?

Yep! Seeing midwife to check it out tomorrow thanks for remembering

canidothis wrote: »

How do you all get yr DHs to get interested in this project and help with costings etc? I had to laugh last night- normally we buy a sack of spuds which can last up to 3 months and last night was working out the difference between a supermarket bag and a sack, how many meals they both would make and how much it would all cost, iykwim and all I got from DH was 'its too late for this s***':o

Fascinating question Canidothis :A

I guess it depends a bit on the personality type of the different DHs.

My DH is an idealist with a very generous good heart. For him therefore, to understand that I'm doing this to try to help and give to people is motivating.

So he read my epic posts about what I was worried about in the UK and what I'd like to do.

And now if I say: 'lovely, how much extra potato will we need to add to that dinner to make the whole plate add up to 50p' or somesuch, he tends now to just help unquestioningly.

I guess for each of us, we'll have to appeal to our families in a way that's tailor-made to the type of person they are?

For me I am more motivated by the detail and by saving us cash . So he would've needed to say to me, 'weezl let's test these recipes, if this thread is right about the costings we can halve our food bill!' that would have appealed to me

This is another point which we will need to look at after we have a useful meal planner and costings. If it's only Bob who's scared about the money, then he'll need to get shirley and the kids on board. And I guess that's part of the challenge too.

Hmmmmmmn, I wonder if Mark88man might write a little something about his experience of needing to get his OH and 4 kids on board with their challenge and how he's gone about that. That could be very handy. Possibly then another thread title after we've done this bit of project called:

'How do I get my family on board?- your 10 top tips for winning them over to frugality!'

There have been a few on OS which Penny and Pink might merge if we asked, and maybe the new thread could attract more tips?

I hope this isn't too outspoken, but the reason I haven't found those threads very useful before is that they are entitled something like 'can't get DH to see OS ways:mad:!' with a poor original poster who needs help.

However it seems that something in the question or the thread starter seems to trigger lots of folk to respond at the level of: Hugs to you/ my DH is like this too and it drives me mad/ mine's not he's lovely/have you thought of tipping the value ketchup into the Heinz bottle and he'll never know! etc etc.

It's not that I don't think that's therapeutic/comforting, but it's not quite the resource I'd like to offer Bob and Shirley in terms of a positive, proactive approach to winning the hearts and minds (Ooooh get me, Tony Blair!) of the whole family.

phizzimum

jenid wrote: »

I think we should ask Bob to help out!! And two strapping teenagers should have the elbow power for a bit of bread kneeding, especially if it means they get more to eat!

Glad you don't have a blood clot Weezl, keep taking care of yourself.

they could have a competition to see who makes the best loaf - that should get them motivated! make a big fuss over whoever "wins" and they'll view themselves as the chief breadmaker of the family

phizzimum

oops! cross posted with you weezl - not really the helpful "positive praise" advice you wanted (hangs head in shame)

having said that, I am very lucky with DH's attitude (although he complained about the cheap sausagemeat - he did admit he would eat it if we were skint) and the girls never cease to amaze me (but they are totally obsessed with food and cooking - must be greedy like me!)

will try and think of some more helpful suggestions!

weezl74

phizzimum wrote: »

oops! cross posted with you weezl - not really the helpful "positive praise" advice you wanted (hangs head in shame)

having said that, I am very lucky with DH's attitude (although he complained about the cheap sausagemeat - he did admit he would eat it if we were skint) and the girls never cease to amaze me (but they are totally obsessed with food and cooking - must be greedy like me!)

will try and think of some more helpful suggestions!

no I think it was a good tip, thank you!

I also know that BOB (t'other Bob) has been doing sterling work in getting her children on board and sometimes, but sometimes not, the 'buy in ' of her OH. So BOB if you'd be up for putting some of your tips forward for a potential other thread to collect ideas, that would be great

phizzimum

I think what makes it easier with my DH is that we both have a similar attitude to money and he's very adventurous when it comes to trying new recipes and types of food. He loves his meat, but he doesn't mind eating chick peas or lentils. I can't take any credit for this - he left home at 16 and lived on thin air so he came to me pretty well-trained.