How to survive on what’s in the store cupboard (plus a little money)

ceridwen

Another vote for the "always have a good storecupboard full of goods to make meals with" School of Thought.

We all have differing ideas as to what exactly constitutes a Basic List of items for that store cupboard - but I do think it makes sense for all of us to sit down and work out what our own personal Basic List is and how much of those items we are likely to use over the course of the next month. Then - we make sure our stocks are up to that level and, any time we use a can or packet of the Basic List stocks it goes down on the shopping list for instant replacement.

That way - we could manage for a month if we had to at any point with very little buying of food during that time and just add items as they got used up to a "buy at the end of the month or whenever the next bit of salary comes in" list. I've had to do that many times in the past myself...

threemuttleys

Yup big fan of having a good cupboard/fridge/freezer. Not only because it makes it easier to meal plan, but helps to avoid the " we are skint, but cant be @rsed to cook, so lets order takeaway" patheticness!

.. I've just done our "stand by/use up the weird looking things in the freezer shop"

For us, money is very tight, (expecting a bambino in October) so trying to save for me going on mat, and for baby in general (oh is going overboard in what he wants for nursery...kinda sweet tho!).

I always try to ensure that we have milk (loads cos im drinking a pt+ a day) butter, eggs again, loads...(im craving scrambled eggs!) cereal, bread or bread flour, basic cupboard bits (herbs/spices, oils,gravy,stock cubes, risotto/long/paella rice, beans, pasta, couple of jars of pasta sauce, variety of dried pulses and porridge oats, ready to roll pastry (not very os, but given up trying to make it myself!)tinned toms/passata) selection of fruit/veg/salad (not much dinner, can be made to look like more with some careful salad arrangement!) and spuds!!!

In the spirit of cutting down, We are learning to use things properly, nothing gets wasted anymore (if its too far gone then the dogs get it...lucky sods) We now buy cheaper cuts of meat (bought a huge beef brisket from butcher, it has done so far, 2 roast dinners, loads of sandwiches, been added to stews/chillis/pasta, and still have 1/2 left sitting in the freezer) I try stock up on CoOp chickens when on special (their "happy hens") Ive learned to make things that I never thought I could (dumplings...omg, almost as good as me mams....so proud of self!) which help stretch a meal out a bit further.

Plus when I go do my "ambient shop" I do it online, yes I miss the ys, BUT means that I dont get distracted and add things we really dont need.

I never buy things that I can make in no time at all ( so biscuits/cakes/cookies etc take moments to make (and im sad enough to enjoy it) crumbles etc are always handmade now) sausage rolls can be make cheaper (and much nicer) with a bit of saus meat from butcher and some nice flaky pastry. The only exception is bread...I have a BM, but dont like it, and dont always have time to make a proper loaf (terrible!)

thriftlady_2

I absolutely agree that the way to avoid having nothing to eat is to keep a well-stocked storecupboard.

But, if people are asking how to make the limited contents of their cupboards last until payday then it's a bit pointless telling them they need a well-stocked storecupboard isn't it?

threemuttleys

very true TL, but if they have one in the first place

But if things are tight/end of month...then meals like
"something" on toast,
Jackets and something,
pasta with tin of toms/herbs/salt/sugar/pepper
Toasted Sandwiches with salad/veggies
Soups (hm if possible)

westcoastscot

threemuttleys, you just gave me my first smile of the day - much needed today! When you said you were going "on mat" for a minute I thought it was a new trendy way of giving birth :rotfl:
WCS

emilyka

westcoastscot wrote: »

threemuttleys, you just gave me my first smile of the day - much needed today! When you said you were going "on mat" for a minute I thought it was a new trendy way of giving birth :rotfl:
WCS

:rotfl:Hahaha, I read that one twice too, is 'on mat' comparable to a birthing pool? lol.

With regards to cooking for those who don't have a well stocked cupboard I would suggest listing what you do have (hopefully enough to make a few bits with) and working out what you can make using the store items. It's worth thinking that if you have £15 you can get the below from Mr T:

8 hot dogs in brine (45p)
2 x tins tuna (50p each= £1)
500g Pearl Barley (39p)
4 x Value chopped tomatoes (33p x 4= £1.32)
8 x large potatoes £1
1 bag market value onions (75p)
Loaf of bread (47p)
1kg frozen brocolli (76p)
2 pt Milk (86p)
Market value leeks (£1.29)
1 bag of 20 frozen sausages (£1.34)
1kg Pasta (£1.19)
6 eggs (91p)
Bacon (£1)
Mature cheese (1.99 for 250g)
Finger rolls (64p)

So thats a cost of £15.36 and I can see the following meals out of that:

-Tuna sandwiches
-Leek and Potato soup with pearl barley
-Bacon and Pearl Barley broth
-Pasta Carbonara
-Pasta with a tomato and sausage sauce
-Spanish Omlette with brocoli and cheese
-Macaroni cheese
-Pasta in a tomato and bacon sauce
-Pasta in a tomato sauce with cheese
-Jacket potato with tuna
-Sausages and Mash with brocoli
-Pasta giardino
-Eggs on toast
-Sausage and egg sandwiches

You would have left overs on things like pasta and sausages and mash so these could be easily duplicated or stretched to make at leave 20 meals for two. Okay, so not all storage cupboard items but all can either be frozen or kept in the storage cupboard.

Once you hit payday after that I would suggest starting your own storage cupboard and freezer stock so you have enough to survive on for at least a month. I guess it's all about playing a game and getting creative!!

Em x

Robm1955

I once saw a site, where you could type in what you have in your fridge/cupboard, and it would come up with recipe suggestions. Has anyone seen such a site? I can't remember what it was called.

attentionseeker1

Well, after the Easter period of DIYing etc I now have a very nice looking flat but no money left in the bank account! Very annoyed with myself as I normally budget carefully but definitely got carried away and lost track this time.

The problem is, our storecupboards have run right down, and we have been trying to run the freezer down too to defrost it so very little to work with. If anyone has any ideas on what I could make out of the following and what essentials I will have to buy to tide us over until next Saturday, I would be very grateful. (Could spare 5-10 pounds but will also need to buy milk out of that) :think:

We like to normally eat a lot of fruit/veg and don't eat ready meals/processed foods at all as we cook everything from scratch (it's just me and OH who has big appetite though)

1x chicken mini-fillets pack
2x tins chickpeas
10x eggs
1x tin white crab meat but OH doesn't eat crab

2 x large bags pasta
1 x medium bag rice
enough bread flour for a couple of medium loaves
2 small potatoes
1 x box atora suet
porridge for breakfasts

1 x bag frozen peas
1 x Savoy cabbage (some being used tonight for HM coleslaw)
5 x carrots (some being used tonight for HM coleslaw)
1/2 lettuce
1 bag onions
1/2 bag frozen spinach
1 x tin kidney beans
1 x tin baked beans

1/2 large bag each of SR and normal flour
1 x block butter
1 x bag rolled oats
baking powder, yeast, mixed nuts, icing sugar etc

crackers
150g cheddar cheese

Plus every Indian spice known to man, a few herbs, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, stock cubes, oils and vinegars etc

I have some leftover chicken for tonight but that still leaves 7 days!!!!

Grimbal

ok, a few ideas are:

1.chickpea & spinach curry with rice
2. potato, pea & onion frittata with baked beans
3. pasta with olive oil, garlic & chilli flakes -sprinkle with grated cheese (actually _really_ nice!)
4. minestrone soup (if you have a tin of toms?) made with an onion, carrots, cabbage, pasta & kidney beans - go mad and make dumplings to go with it too if you like !!)
5. oatcakes with scrambled eggs - shamelessly googled this recipe
6. chicken & spinach pie (use some of the milk you bought to make white sauce & perhaps buy a bag of cheap frozen chips?)
7. cheese & onion omelette or quiche, chips & salad
8. pot-luck crumble: chop up remaining veggies & sweat off till tender.Add a tin toms/stock & reduce. Make a crumble topping with flour, butter & oats. top with any remaining cheese

so, for all above you would need extra:
1 or 2 tin of toms
milk
a tomato, a bit of cucumber etc to go with lettuce for a salad
frozen chips
maybe a couple more eggs depending on what meals you want from the above
will keep thinking!
Liz
x

tessie_bear

chicken stew maybe with dumplings
beans on toast
quiche
omelette
cheese and potato pie
egg and chips and beans...youll need to get chips
crab/egg salad
buy some mince and make a chilli...serve with rice
hth