I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

Lynsey

Kirri, don't rush out for the Lidl olive oil.
Just been and the normal price is £2.25 for 750ml - £3 litre.
The XXL event normally gives extra free, but 1 litre is £2.99, so only 1p saved!!!!!!
I've just opened my last bottle of olive oil and decided to wait, the £2.25 for 750ml will still be an option and last year they had the olive oil on half-price for only £1.12 for 750ml. I've got enough for a few weeks and fingers crossed for the half-price stuff.

Only bought 2 packs of bacon for £1.29 each - so £2.58 spent.

Lynsey

Kirri

Fruit bread toast for breakfast

Then had to go into town, went in Asda on way back but even the reductions were expensive, £2.12 for 2 x breaded Quorn fillets! Only got some fruit and veg in the end but had to buy a whole pack of clementines as they had none loose, hate being forced to buy a larger portion than I want. Nearly tempted by sprouts for 20p but they looked a bit past their best. Even the value foil was more expensive than Morrisons so will wait till I go there Tuesday. Frozen Quorn offers had finished so as I was passing I went in Farmfoods... on the way back but they only had it at 2 for £3 and I didn't want 2 packs so left it. Didn't need it as such anyway but makes a nice/easy change.

Not sure what I'm having for lunch/dinner yet - got more of the kale and a lemon to use, maybe pancakes and stirfry again.. though tempted to make bread and use some of the split peas up in a dip, decisions, decisions..

Kirri

Lynsey wrote: »

Kirri, don't rush out for the Lidl olive oil.
Just been and the normal price is £2.25 for 750ml - £3 litre.
The XXL event normally gives extra free, but 1 litre is £2.99, so only 1p saved!!!!!!
I've just opened my last bottle of olive oil and decided to wait, the £2.25 for 750ml will still be an option and last year they had the olive oil on half-price for only £1.12 for 750ml. I've got enough for a few weeks and fingers crossed for the half-price stuff.

Only bought 2 packs of bacon for £1.29 each - so £2.58 spent.

Lynsey

Is the Lidl olive oil in a glass bottle? I saw Asda had 1 litre for £3 this morning but was in a plastic bottle and I prefer glass if poss and they only had the mild one. I'm almost out of it but I do have sunflower/ground nut/toasted sesame/rapeseed oil I can use up in the meantime I guess!! I shall also check if Morrisons have any on offer on Tuesday (or maybe Wednesday seeing as the spend will go into Feb then!!).

Lynsey

Yes, in a dark glass bottle Kirri.
I've got at least 8 litres of veg and sunflower oil, so no hurry for oil.
I like olive oil for topping pizzas and frying slice potatoes - lovely taste. Use for roast veg also, mixed with a little veg oil.

Lynsey

Kirri

Yes, hmm I do need some, sure my pizza's won't taste the same if I use another oil! I use it in bean dips too.

I decided to have pancakes for lunch as noticed the soya milk was on it's last day. Used the last lemon. Added some bran by accident (meant to add a small amount of brown SR instead) and so had a slightly unusual flavour. Will use rest in yorkshires tonight and breakfast tomorrow.

Just making a lemon curd bakewell too, used the zest of the lemon I had for pancakes. Had out of date plain flour (Sept 10 :eek: ) and out of date butter (23 Jan - not bad!) for the pastry. For the filling I used out of date marge (Dec), sugar, eggs, out of date ground almonds (Nov), SR flour. Got some out of date lemon curd (opened in Aug and should have been used by Sept...) and god knows how old the flaked almonds are as they were in a jar.. Only thing I finished totally was the ground almonds and obviously I had another pack waiting in the cupboard tut tut..

Apart from the baking basics ie flour/sugar I will buy any other ingredients only as I need them in the future and make sure I use them up before the date

Lynsey

Kirri wrote: »

Yes, hmm I do need some, sure my pizza's won't taste the same if I use another oil! I use it in bean dips too.

I mentioned making garlic flavoured olive oil, but in Italy years ago, I had a pizza drizzled with what I believe was oregano flavoured oil (before going in oven) and it was the best I've ever, ever had. Again, I was hoping just to put some dried oregano in some olive oil and leave for a while, but suggestions say you need to cook it first and then decant. Too much work, I'll wait to see if it's on offer anywhere first. I use loads of dried oregano on shop bought pizzas when I cook and drizzle the olive oil over.

Lynsey

kraftykat

Going to make a stew tonight.

Using spuds from the big bag I bought for £2, yellow stickered beef, carrots & onions from the bottom of the fridge and I'll throw in a big handful of the frozen julienne carrot & swede I have as it tastes fine in a stew, but it's not great on it's own as a veg (fresh would prob be much nicer).

Have a really bad cold again, just over flu & laryngitis at christmas. Don't feel like cooking, but if I don't no-one else will

kezlehan

New to this, but as I do all the cooking for myself and my parents, I'm really trying to lower our costs.
I'm taking it slowly week by week, and did my first week meal plan last night.
As we aren't used to stocking up the freezer and cupboards, we had to buy pretty much everything for all the meals. However, I shopped around and really did save money.
For example, we needed Oregano and Marjoram. Realised Holland and Barrett are still doing the penny sale, so I bought 1 for £1.79 and got the other for 1p. I'd have spent £3 ish for both in tesco. So really chuffed there.
Also, we bought loads of frozen veg that I can use in soups, and also just to serve with the plentiful amount of Quorn we bought. Planning on making a carrot and coriander soup over the weekend which lasts 2 meals. Also making a tomato sauce which serves 8. So plenty left over.
Also got a bargain of 5 frozen fish fillets for £2.79 from Jack Fultons, which will last more than one meal, and just as good as fresh in my opinion really. Bought 2 packs.
In total we spent £30 on a week and a halfs worth of meals plus having loads of stuff left over. We won't use all the veg, Quorn mince lasts us 2 meals, the herbs will last ages, frozen onions lasts us over a month, packet of pasta does a good handful of meals, and we have enough fish to feed a small army!
Really proud of myself that I actually took the time to sit down and calculate where everything was cheaper, and to actually plan meals, rather than just buying what we fancy on the day, which can sometimes end up at over £10 a meal!
I know it's not as good as most of you, but it's a start! And can't wait to see next weeks shop be even cheaper as we'll have stuff left over!
Nearly everything we got is freezable, our freezer is full! So exciting! Definitely eating out of the freezer this week!

Lynsey

Morning.
Welcome kezlehan and

Really proud of myself

stands out. Good that you feel that way for your efforts - good luck and nice to see that you are already looking at cheaper weeks, even from next week.

I'm feeling lousy, eyes streaming and blocked up.
Paracetamols for breakfast and probably lunch and tea!!
Spent another 80p last night on some sweet mince pies (30p) and a stollen cake (50p). They are ongoing reduced prices at my Sainsbury's and Not "whoopsies".
Coffee and a piece of stollen for breakfast. Took some pork chops out for tea tonight and got just enough veg to make a dinner.
Pop into Lidl later for cheese, hope they have some left - too wrecked to go there early.

Kirri - Sainsbury's have some infused garlic virgin olive oil on offer for £1.32 per 250ml (£5.28 litre). Hoping to pick a bottle up next time I'm in a big Sainsbury's - give it a try.

Not really looking for "whoopsies" today, I'm going to try and clear a freezer drawer - easier said than done!!

Have a great weekend - be good.

Lynsey

vintage43

Lynsey wrote: »

Kirri - Sainsbury's have some infused garlic virgin olive oil on offer for £1.32 per 250ml (£5.28 litre). Hoping to pick a bottle up next time I'm in a big Sainsbury's - give it a try.

Lynsey

Hi all,
Lynsey, have you tried making your own garlic oil, we made lots of different types just before xmas, the kids really enjoyed making it, we just used a large bottle of sunflower oil then popped cloves of garlic in one bottle and chillies, rosemary in another then decanted the sunflower oil over them, they taste fabby and really cheap to make, best to let them stand for a week or so with a shake every now and again before use, the garlic oil has proved the most popular in our house.
:j cost pennies:money: