Weezl and friends Phase 3 - sitting pretty with Kitty

MadDogWoman_2

My Christmas Dinner

There weren't any instructions on when to add the vegetable water to the gravy so I put it in at the same time as the cider.

I'm very pleased with myself as I have never made gravy that way before - usually it's bisto, cornflour, cube or liquid stock.

It was delicious, I took leftovers for my lunch today.

I rescued the crackling as I popped it in the oven with the stuffing.

Question: Mushroon Soup, the bread is it the homemade one?

NualaBuala

HI Weezl and Co :wave:

I don't think you need to address this issue unless you strongly feel you want to. I agree with alec eiffel that most people who encounter the site will have an interest already.

I have a higher food budget but am never averse to saving a few quid! So I take what's useful from it for my circumstances - which is plenty! No matter what one's budget, it's a great tool to plan healthy menus. In my case the extra spending might be things like using the fancy olive oil I've already got and buying extra fruit. Also, I buy organic and Fair Trade where I can which pushes my budget up - but overall the planner would save me money and gives me great ideas for nutritious cheap recipes.:T:T:T

Also - I will be trying the brownies but I haven't got the chocolate in so it will have to wait till I make it to the shops.

alec_eiffel

weezl74 wrote: »

Hi alec, I'm really grateful for your thoughtful post, and it's VERY heartening to know that you have been an interested lurker.

I did change the frequently asked questions part earlier today, thinking I might as well (in case you think I have just disregarded your view!) but now that you have said that I will certainly consider if there is a better way to word this or indeed if it should be removed.

Please if you have other thoughts, do please post them, this is an open team which welcomes all new input even if it's one post or 200!

Thanks I'll pipe up if I think I've anything to add. I think I just wanted to point out that although MSE has been the springboard of the project not everyone reads the forums here and so I didn't want anyone involved to feel bogged down by the discussion that's gone on.

Each visitor to the site will be there for their own reason, through choice, necessity, accident or maybe just a hungry vegetarian searching for a menu plan. So any discussions around the topic are really irrelevant to how you go on, we'll all bring our own views to the table regardless.

SusanC_2

weezl74 wrote: »

I am debating with the idea of adding the question 'I am not in the same level of hardship, is the site still useful for me?'

This raises a couple of concerns, would it be too obvious, and wouild it make higher spenders on groceries feel defensive.

Very interested in any views you have all of you

How about "I do not need to make my budget so low" or "I have a bit more than £25/person/month to spend" or "I don't want/need to reduce my food spend quite so low"? Not sure any of my suggestions are quite right but hopefully you get the gist.

Although I think something along the lines of "Can I benefit from/use the site if I'm not following the full plan?" may be better.

queen_of_string

Hi everyone, having had to abort the xmas dinner attempt last week, I went back yesterday to the stuffing recipe. Like another poster (poss pooh bear) I didn't fancy the fruit at all so thought I would try without. I also softened the onion in some boiling water. Sadly, even though I added 8 sage leaves, it really didn't taste of much. I will keep playing with it using the same basic ingredients and see if I can find something that works better for us. If the menu needs the fruit for nutritional reasons, maybe it could be more in the pudding.

poohbear59

MadDogWoman wrote: »

My Christmas Dinner

There weren't any instructions on when to add the vegetable water to the gravy so I put it in at the same time as the cider.

I'm very pleased with myself as I have never made gravy that way before - usually it's bisto, cornflour, cube or liquid stock.

It was delicious, I took leftovers for my lunch today.

I rescued the crackling as I popped it in the oven with the stuffing.

Question: Mushroon Soup, the bread is it the homemade one?

We enjoyed our Christmas dinner too.

I used homemade bread with the soup. I make it and freeze it already sliced.

Please feel free to ask anything about the Christmas week. Though I am only a few days ahead of you

VenusFlytrap_2

weezl74 wrote: »

Hi all
I am debating with the idea of adding the question 'I am not in the same level of hardship, is the site still useful for me?'

This raises a couple of concerns, would it be too obvious, and wouild it make higher spenders on groceries feel defensive.

Aaaaarrrghhhh! Spent all afternoon replying to you Weezl between calls at work (naughty naughty I know! ), only for the stupid computer to lose my reply when I tried to post it!! Am now back home so here goes...

Basically yes, think a re-worded version of your question (more along the lines of, "Can the planner/CFR still be of use to me if I don't follow it to the letter?" as I think Sian & Susan C suggested) would be a good idea.

Don't worry about making high spenders on groceries feel defensive, that's their problem, not yours, and if they're looking at CFR they're obviously looking to make changes so don't think this is really a concern.

I see what Allegra is saying on this and would agree not to let what's said in Discussion Time dictate how the project progresses, if people think CFR is pointless and of no use to them, they'll never be part of its audience, so they're not worth bothering about either.

The core objective of CFR is to feed a family of 4 on £100 p/m and fulfill all their nutritional requirements, which has been achieved admirably - still don't think you guys (Weezl and the rest of the fabulous team) realise just how AMAZING what you have created is - the sheer amount of effort and research that has gone into it and how comprehensive every aspect of the planner is, is astounding and you should all be VERY VERY proud of yourselves, there is nothing out there quite like this and it's all down to your hard work! :T

Even though the original idea is to aim it at those in financial hardship, the 10,000 unique users the site has attracted so far (sure you quoted that figure a few days ago Weezl, feel free to correct me!), not to mention the interest that's been shown on these threads and across MSE (naysayers nonwithstanding!) and beyond, proves this project has reach outside of those who are following it to the letter because they HAVE to spend so little on food. IMO CFR still has plenty of value for those who just want to pick and choose recipes and adapt it to their specific needs.

There's nothing in the site's tone (or in these threads) that makes it seem as though it's exclusively for those in hardship, even though that is the core audience. CFR, with all the thoroughly tested recipes and myriad of practical advice, is a useful tool for lots of people, who for whatever reason, are looking to save money and eat more healthily - even if they're not following the whole plan. So think acknowleging in the FAQs the potential wider appeal of the ethos of CFR and its recipes, outside of following the planners devotedly, makes sense.

(As an aside, even though frugality is the focus think the health angle could be pushed much more when it comes to promoting the site - when it gets to that stage of course! - as the fact it is so cheap AND nutritionally sound is its unique selling point to my mind, think the healthy aspect could be the hook that persuades people who think cheap food = unhealthy to think differently and give it a chance!)

Ooops have rambled again, but hope you get my drift... know I'm a newbie to this so my opinion might not count for much, but hope this helps in some way and I'm on the right wavelength. If not please feel free to ignore me and tell me to keep it zipped!:rotfl:

artybear

Hi all,

Wow MDW that christmas dinner looks amazing, did you all enjoy it?

I was unsure about the question when Weezl mentioned it earlier but now think its quite a good idea, just maybe slightly reworded. I did read back but my mind has gone blank..so hope every ones well


xxxx

weezl74

venus thanks for your epic post what lovely things you think about the planner, and for picking up on it's usp too

i think cheap AND nutritionally sound is a great message to emphasise and we've done some press releases to hopefully awaken interest in that.

as to your last point no! please don't butt out it's really good to hear your views, keep em coming :T:T:T

MadDogWoman_2

Arty, we most certainly did, I didn't get to quiz DH on his thoughts as I had to go out to a Church meeting as soon as he got in from work last night, but there was a clean plate in the kitchen when I got home.

I'm definitely going to cook pork that way again, it's gorgeous, it's sooo tender I didn't need a knife to carve it, I just pulled at it with a fork.

I was thinking during my break at work as to whether it would work with beef (I'm not a fan of roast beef) as it's also kept the meat juicy.

With the joints being half price in Sainsbury's I might give it a go.

Tomorrow is Smoked Salmon Pasta - as it's another that looks quick and easy, DD has her dancing lesson tomorrow so will be tired again. It's a new taste for all of us

PB - thank you.