Not much of a store cupboard... what to eat?

mlz1413

HoplessCase wrote: »

..

I have:
a jar of pasta bake,
a jar of pasta sauce,
pasta, mon, tues, fri
spaghetti, thurs
tin of meatballs, thurs
sausage casserole mix, wed
packet of smash, sat
tin of new potatoes, wed
some sliced cheese,
bread,
tin of tuna, fri
condensed mushroom soup, fri
tin of spaghetti, sat
some bacon tues
bit of salad in the fridge.

mon: macaroni cheese (need packet of cheese sauce mix)
tues: pasta, tomato and bacon (need tin of tomatoes)
wed: sausage, pot & veg casserole (need sausages & veg you like)
thurs: spaghetti & meatballs
fri: pasta bake - with tuna & mushroom soup
sat: sausages & mash with tinned spag (bal of sausages from wed)

I'm assuming you will use the bread, cheese slices and salad for lunches.

You have pasta and pasta sauces left for meals the next week.

Your not doing well on your 5 a day! but try buying tinned beans to make a chilli (search internet for bean chilli to get receipe)
also a cauliflower lasts a week so caulifower cheese will boost your veggie intake

most frozen meat will last defrosted in the fridge for 2-3 days at least. Also buy things like spicy sausage and pizza bases (if you don't make your own) for a pizza and wedges meal.

you can cook meat and then keep it another 2-3 days too, so if you buy a pack of chicken breasts use 2 from fresh then cook the remaining and use diced in curry's / pies / pastas just ensure it is well cooked through and piping hot when served.

EDIT: just thought do you eat eggs? omelettes, kedgree, pancakes. Eggs last for ages just check them in a glass or bowl of water if your worried. They float if their bad.

p079304

I have:
a jar of pasta bake, a jar of pasta sauce, pasta, spaghetti, tin of meatballs, sausage casserole mix, packet of smash, tin of new potatoes, some sliced cheese, bread, tin of tuna, condensed mushroom soup, tin of spaghetti, some bacon and a bit of salad in the fridge.
Any one able to help me figure out how to make this into a meal plan. I can see there's a few meals in there but all need me to go shopping so not sure what the cheapest meals would be.

Sorry as a new user I'm not allowed to post links. So I'll try to explain!
Go to supercook dot com and enter some your of your items.
Bon Appetite!

VfM4meplse

HoplessCase wrote: »

I have:
a jar of pasta bake, a jar of pasta sauce, pasta, spaghetti, tin of meatballs, sausage casserole mix, packet of smash, tin of new potatoes, some sliced cheese, bread, tin of tuna, condensed mushroom soup, tin of spaghetti, some bacon and a bit of salad in the fridge.

Are you sure that's all you have? Isn't there a box or two of cereal lurking somewhere in your cupboard? I often eat cereal in the evenings as it is quick and filling. It wouldn't matter if I were a millionaire or completely broke.

purpleivy

*Chattie* wrote: »

check your iphone for an app regarding recipes, I have a few on my phone somewhere

Not sure you can get an IPhone with the £200 the poster has left. Unless they already have one.

staircase2

HoplessCase wrote: »

I know it's actually quite simple but I am still impressed you can just list out ideas so easily - I always struggle trying to put meals together! Probably why I don't eat very well... :rotfl:

Learning to cook from scratch is the best way to get more food savvie - it will open you up to being more conscious of food (that makes it easy to make great meals from next to nothing)

Also good to spend money on stock ingredients you can keep in your cupboard - tins of tomatoes (to make pasta sauces/curries/chilli etc etc), dried pasta (only 9p per bag of Tescos value pasta! or 20p per bag of their value spaghetti! - hoorah!) Buy some dried herbs (or better still also buy some fresh growing herbs - tescos are cheap and you can repot them in a bigger pot and they will grow very happily!)

Learn how to make home made soup (EASY!)

Pretty much every single sauce or soup starts off the same (garlic and onions & Oil or butter!)

A good place to start is Jamie Oliver's website - PACKED with great easy to follow recipes.

The problem with pre-made sauces/soups etc is that they (generally) dont taste very good - and they cost much more than it would to make it from scratch!

If you need a freezer and cant afford one then keep an eye on your local freecycle in the hope that someone might be needing to get rid of their older one for free!

staircase2

HoplessCase wrote: »

I have IBS which means (for me) I have to limit the amount and types of veg I have but naughtily I just take the easy route and all too often just skip them completely!!! I also tend to work late quite often so by the time I get home it's no surprise to find me just eating toast!!

No WONDER you have IBS if youre not eating properly.

With something like that its even more important to eat well and make sure you get all the nutrients you need. Stress is a major contributory factor in IBS as fas as Im aware - and what you eat affects how stressed or relaxed you will be!

Drinking plenty of water also helps us deal with stress as does Vitamin C - and in the case of the nervous system B vitamins.

A bad diet is only going to aggravate an already challenging condition.

archiebabes

I have IBS and am not supposed to eat fibre either. It can get very, very dull!

franwise

I realise I'm a bit late on this but buy a whole chicken, from a 1.5kg chicken I can make at least 7 one portion meals and you can make a stock with the carcass. Such a rip off buying breasts and other joints. And tastier and healthier than sausages (which to be honest need to be more expensive to taste of any actual meat), tesco's own british chicken is about £3-4 (more if you want free range but needs must). You pay £4 for four chicken breasts and that only gives you 4 meals!

If you roast the whole chicken with just a bit of butter, salt and pepper, garlic, onion and other herbs if you've got them lying around,(doesn't matter if not or jamie's trick of a whole lemon inside the chicken makes it very juicy) then have some of it roasted with some veg and the mash or new potatoes (or roast potatoes if you can be bothered.)

Then you have 6 more portions to put in pasta bake (add a bit of bacon and tin of toms, mozzarella or other cheese too ), then a casserole, can have some for lunches, or in a salad. Then tuna pasta as well. Once its cooked it keeps in the fridge for a week ish (cover it with cling film/tin foil) If you get some cheap pesto (about £1) its great in salads and pastas.

I have to say I'm struggling with the rest of your ingredients. Spaghetti carbonara is a quick and easy one, just need some craime fraiche or single cream (about £1) some eggs (which as someone else suggested are very versatile for omelettes, scrambled egg etc) and cheese, with some bacon and garlic. Can make a few portions and again it should keep for a couple of days in the fridge or can just make a new portion each time. You literally just boil the spaghetti, then fry the bacon and garlic. In a jug mix few dollups of craime fraiche and grated cheese, warm in the microwave for 30 secs, then mix in one egg, then mix all in with spaghetti, salt and pepper to taste (add nutmeg and parmesan when you're in wealthier times)

It sucks not having a freezer, when I run out of space I try to alternate meals so at least have something different every other day or every third day. Or have them with different accompaniments, so if I make a chilli, I have it one day with a wrap, then another time with jacket potato, then with rice. Beef mince is a really good ingredient for batch cooking.

Can I just ask though, tinned potatoes?? and ready made mash? you're wasting your money/taste buds there. along with tin meatballs and jar sauces. Tomato sauce with tin toms, garlic, onion, sprinkle of mixed herbs, salt and pepper and away you go. Fresh potatoes keep for a while in the cupboard or fridge (can just pull the sprouting bits off) and are then more versatile, not to mention taste loads better and aren't very expensive, so long as you don't get posh types.

short_bird

And, with IBS, is it worth contacting your GP to get access to a nutritionist who can help with the planning of home cooked meals that don't aggravate your situation??

Butterfly_Brain

HoplessCase wrote: »

Hi guys,

Everyone seems to have such clever money saving ideas over here I thought I would see if any one could make any suggestions...

I usually spend about £20 a week on food, this covers breakfasts, lunches and dinners for just me. I know some of you could probably feed an army on that! :eek: My main issue is I don't have a freezer so batch cooking means either eating the same thing every night for a week or food gets wasted.

But I only have £200 to last me the rest of the money and this needs to cover socialising, eating, possibly a weekend in Brighton (!) so really need some ideas to stretch my food.

I have:
a jar of pasta bake, a jar of pasta sauce, pasta, spaghetti, tin of meatballs, sausage casserole mix, packet of smash, tin of new potatoes, some sliced cheese, bread, tin of tuna, condensed mushroom soup, tin of spaghetti, some bacon and a bit of salad in the fridge.
Any one able to help me figure out how to make this into a meal plan. I can see there's a few meals in there but all need me to go shopping so not sure what the cheapest meals would be.

Anyway thanks in advance for any input :A

A bag of smart price/basics porridge will last you ages and only costs around 75p and is lovely served with a dollop of sp/basics honey or make your own yoghurt and have that with honey here's how.
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/hugh-fearnley-whittingstall/homemade-yoghurt

The tuna can be made into fishcakes using the instant mash (although proper potatoes are much better)
Or tuna with pasta using half of the tin of condensed mushroom soup and tuna pasties.

Spaghetti with meatballs

Pasta bake

spaghetti with lemon and peas and you can add tuna if you have some

savoury bread and butter pudding using the cheese, tomatoes and bacon bits.

Slice the tinned potatoes and fry them serve with a fried egg

Buy a pack of chicken thighs/legs for 99p they go a long way when the meat is stripped off

Buy some Risotto rice 99p a bag and if you are only feeding you it will do 4 meals easily just add stock or wine, garlic, mushrooms and herbs...... or try peas and lemon, leftover chicken etc. Risotto is so easy peasy to make.

Long grain rice so that you can make a cheap curry

Make meals using one type of meat every week so that you can make the most out of a pkt or joint

Chicken = Roast, risotto, stir fry, curry, stew, sandwiches (2.99 Aldi)

Gammon = boiled, roasted, with salad, sandwiches (2.99 Aldi)

Make your own pizza - not as hard as you may think

Eggs are cheap and have a long date code we get ours in Aldi £1.25 for 15 = frittata, boiled, poached, fried, scrambled or mashed with mayo for sandwiches