Weezl and friends Phase 2 -giving it a whirl for Shirl! Testing meal plan for a month

slowlyfading

Just de-lurking to say that I think you're all doing an amazing job and I am following the thread with interest! I'm still at uni and there's me during the week and BF at weekends, so I'm just watching to see how it all goes before maybe attempting some of the recipes myself. The only snag is that I have half a shelf in the fridge, 1 drawer in the freezer and one cupboard to call my own at the mo!

weezl74

evening

Thanks for the feedback shanks, your ex seems pretty willing to try this stuff out, which is commendable

I hope the outcome of the interview is exactly right, as in, if it's right for you to work there, that you'll get it IYSWIM?

4 on 4 off nights sounds like it could be tough though potty does horrid shifts too and I think they can mess with your head when you don't see much daylight!

hoping everyone is full enough with the carbonara... DH and I were most worried about portion sizes with this one, hence the bread

weezl74

slowlyfading wrote: »

Just de-lurking to say that I think you're all doing an amazing job and I am following the thread with interest! I'm still at uni and there's me during the week and BF at weekends, so I'm just watching to see how it all goes before maybe attempting some of the recipes myself. The only snag is that I have half a shelf in the fridge, 1 drawer in the freezer and one cupboard to call my own at the mo!

Hi slowlyfading, thanks for delurking I think this is a good point and I hope we can write something for people who are having to face storage issues to do the planner... Hmmmmn I wonder who I can pick on to write that

slowlyfading

weezl74 wrote: »

Hi slowlyfading, thanks for delurking I think this is a good point and I hope we can write something for people who are having to face storage issues to do the planner... Hmmmmn I wonder who I can pick on to write that

I think that it is something to consider - I know most people are in a house and have more storage but, for me especially, batch cooking even for a week is not really an option Hence why I don't post and just lurk!

weezl74

SF if ever you had any spare mins a few bullet points of how you manage your food budget at the moment with such limited space would be v gratefully received, and I'd pop it in the resource for shirley

I hope some of our recipes are still useful to you

princess_loki

artybear wrote: »

Also I was worried that my landlady would be around, as I'm better at sorting myself out on my own and always feel guilty when I'm in the kitchen even though I pay to be here!! (on a side note anyone with lodgers do you get annoyed when they use the kitchen?)

hi arty,

i have always had lodgers - some who have had to ask me how to turn the oven on after living here for over 6months and some that cook all the time. the way i work it is the same as the tv... if it is something important like the rugby or using the oven for cakes or a roast then just mention it a day (or even an hour) before so that everyone can work around what is happening.

there is nothing worse than coming home from work starving expecting to knock up a quick stirfry and finding the kitchen in chaos!

my new lodger (of just 3 days) has asked a friend round for sunday dinner - i already know so not a problem BUT it could be a problem if i found out on sunday and had already invited my own friends!

basically communication is everything :T

loki x

slowlyfading

I can do that now if you'd like

My staples in the weekly shop are:

• small portion of lean mince
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• broccoli head
• small bag of new pots
• 2 pints skimmed milk
• whichever yogurts are on offer
• bag of satsumas
• 5 bananas
• 5 apples
• carton of grapes
• seeded batch loaf
• some ham/chicken slices
• 3 cans SP baked beans
• 2 cans SP tomato soup

Then the things I have, but aren't needed weekly:

• 1 box green tea
• 1 box green tea with lemon
• 1 box lady grey tea
• 1 box normal tea
• 1 small bag of granulated sugar.
• 1 jar SP honey.
• $pecial K/Ready Br3k
• Bag of sultanas
• Flor@
• A$da's Onion Chutney
• Small block of SP mild cheddar.
• Small bag of pasta.

My cereal, which is the only thing I eat in a morning, sits on top of my cupboard, along with some Ready Br3k for when it's cold in a morning I normally have 5 or 10 (I am precise in that) grapes on my cereal or sultanas on the hot cereal.

The bread lives in the freezer - I take out 2 slices on an evening to make my sandwich for work the next day. My sandwich is either ham, chicken or cheese with the chutney, depending on what I've bought/if there was anything on offer.

The tins are stocked in the cupboard, along with the honey, and two of the boxes of tea. (I must admit, I am a herbal tea addict and only drink normal tea on occasion. However, my BF only likes normal tea, so that's why I have it!) The sugar and the sultanas are also in the cupboard, as is the fruit. (If i am running low on space, the bananas and apples go in my bedroom - remember I am living in halls! ) The onion and potatoes go in the cupboard as well, as does the carrot and broccoli.

The mince, yogurts, grapes, milk and ham/chicken slices go in the fridge, carefully balanced on my half-a-shelf. The Flor@, Onion chutney and cheese is also in there.

I go shopping on a satuday, always I make something with the mince on the sunday, which uses up the carrot, onion, mince and some of the broccoli. It's normally a kind of hot pot, with some sliced pots on top.

For evening meals during the week, I have either soup or beans on toast. Writing this down, I realise I don't have a lot of variation in my diet There is a reason behind that, but this is not the place to wander off on that.

Is this any use? I'm not the best cook in the world either - I'm trying to get better. The food does vary on a weekend as I have a BF who has to have meat with nearly every meal, but haven't included that as I don't need to worry about storing it for more than an afternoon. But that can include chicken breasts and more veg, for example. All of which gets piled up in the fridge and cupboard until eaten

princess_loki

artybear wrote: »

GGrrrr...its not your fault in my case at all Weezl I think my landlady just likes the benefits of a lodger in terms of financial value but actually sharing the house she is not so keen on doing so.

arty, as the landlady and someone that batch cooks a lot when i had three adults in the house i got another fridge freezer and had to sacrifice the dining table. it was better to do that (and more frugal long term) than have stuff go off or people complaining. is there anywhere you could put a small fridge with an ice box or would that be a complete no no as far as landlady is concerned? you could get one from freegle and stick it in the garage?

loki x

artybear

Thanks princess loki-Im only here for less than another three months so probably no use in asking.

Shes a nice lady-but im the first lodger shes ever had and you can tell. For example the kitchen table at the mo has all her bank/mortgage statements on as well as loads of money. I feel uncomfortable moving stuff like this as its quite personal so therefore I eat in my bedroom and couldnt use the table to batch cook.

Also she tends to sit in the lounge which has a woodburning stove in so I'm always freezing in my bedroom and it seems silly putting the heating on when theres a roaring fire, however she doesnt really like me sitting in there with her.

I think that because I spend alot of time at mr arty's she hasnt had to adjust (we once went 6weeks without seeing each other as I tend to go to his in the eve and she works in the day) and I have only had friends over once in the 9months I have lived here as dont want to impose.

Sorry-I think the lack of fridge space today just made me realise how much I want a little kitchen of my own, even if I have to be like Allegra and store food everywhere else:D:rotfl:

Back on topic-approx how long does the carbonara take to prepare and cook?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

poohbear59

weezl74 wrote: »

poohbear, hello I've been thinking about your lads not liking porridge....

I think with just buying 1 extra bag of SR flour you could use the ready oats and that and the raisins to make breakfast muffins? Could that help?

xxx

I will give the muffins a try. I was wondering about the chance to make some oaty biscuits, something like twinks. I need to find the snack list too. They do prefer savoury. I think it is just the way they have been brought up:o

Last night the omelette went down really well. DH was hungry at bedtime and looking for toast or biscuits. He had carrot cake and seems to like it.

Today I was out so I think they all just ate things from cupboards and freezer, that we already had in stock, for lunch: though a lot of the nut butter seems to have gone.

Tonight we had pasta Alfredo, it fed five adults easily. They all really enjoyed it again.

ETA We didn't have the carbonara because someone ate the cheese. Good thing I deliberately didn't buy the full amount for the month as I guessed that might happen. I made it without cheddar.