my cuboard list

brindles01

If you cannot be organised and plan a meal list, why don't you just look in your cupboard on a daily basis and see what meal you could rustle up with all your food before you even put your coat on to go shopping, at the same time telling yourself that you really DON'T need to go to the shops for more food. Try to keep all that lovely money in your purse and put all that food in your family's bellies. You will soon break the 'habit' of food shopping for the sake of it.

CoD_2

second the making biscuits at home, I make cupcakes once a week, 4oz, sugar 4oz self raising flour, 4oz marg, 2 eggs, mix, bake, makes at least 12. and must cost about 40p? biscuits are also cheap.

I really would stop buying all the coke, not only is it expensive but it rots your teeth, is super high in sugar and if given to kids must make them a wee bit hyper.

do you have a slow cooker? cheap cuts of meat are fabulous in this, stews can also be bulked up with lentils or barley, and of course lots of cheap root veg. as its coming into winter its the time for lots of thick soups stews etc

chocolate sponge and apple pies are also easy to make crumble being even easier than pie as you don't have to make pastry. crumble mix you don't need a packet x easily made from oats, flour, marg, sugar, does your 7 year old like to cook? can they help out?

if you make meals in the slow cooker you could have a range of meals ready made at home and then frozen for when you don't have the time or inclination to cook. my freezer has pies, lasagne, casserole, bolognese , soup ready for when i just can't be doing with cooking, but saves a £20 trip to takeaway for MSG loaded stuff.

I hope i don't sound too bossy, have read your threads here and on the other board and wish you the best with this. you don't need to buy stuff for a couple of weeks with what you have in atm.

oh and would the kids mind if you bought natural yog and added say honey or fruit to it instead of buying the rolo yoghurts? i think they're quite expensive for not very much.

Hope this helps

CoD x

earwig

hi every one thanks for all your ideas to answer a few qestions i am the coke freak in this house it the only thing i drink but it is diet and caffeene free the cakes and biscutes i have to admit again i am the main culprit of this my kids dont really eat that much of it as i dont want them getting my bad habbits the menus what have been done are great so i will give them a go can any tell me how to make pastry as my dd loves flan and i know how to make it but i usally use ready made pastry and i dont have none so if i could make my own pastry i could make her a flan for her pack up thanks

squeaky

One of the very best places for cakes and biscuits, pies and pastry is the be-ro website. It's chock full of bullet proof recipes. If you find it useful you can order all of the recipes in a handy booklet from the "About us" link on their home page. It's highly recommended, honest


be-ro recipe inspiration

be-ro "about us"

LearningToSave.

theres a store cupboard challenge going for this month.....i cant do links in here!!can anyone help?? but no you dont need to go shopping and it would be great to see you join in!!!

squeaky

November store cupboard challenge!!

LearningToSave.

thankyou oh wise technically minded one!!

squeaky

You can find out all about doing links using the guide written by sra. It's dead easy, honest, and once you've done it you'll wonder what all the fuss was about

MSE A-Z Links