I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

Lynsey

Morning.

recovering_spendaholic wrote: »

Lynsey - your budgeting is really impressive - can I ask - Did you start of with a large stockpile before you started the budget? i just can't get my spending down below £70 a week and that is with a fairly decent stock of staples.

Jane - yes, had 2 full freezers full of stuff, otherwise it would not be possible with the annual budget. Something considered beforehand and I remember both myself and Bramble1 juggling with figures last December to try and decide what was a realistic budget, without being too silly. Had all the Xmas goodies, cheese crackers etc. and 1st 6 weeks spend was only £87.74. Some weeks seem easy and other weeks I find it an uphill struggle and question myself and ask, "What is the point??". I'm missing out on luxury stuff, definitely not an option. Packs of Mars bars etc. are out and I miss M&S cakes etc!!!
My spends may seem low, but the actual value of food will be around 3 times the amount spent I think, I really plan my spending to a degree and what is bought depends largely on what is reduced or on offer. It's a game really and I want to win!! The more effort I put in now should make it easier later in the year .............. as long as "whoopsies" don't dry up ................. they haven't for around a year now though, so keep them coming.

I haven't got "picky" kids to worry about either.

Toasted raisin loaf today and that beef in gravy later with mash, carrots and possibly peas??

Hope all feeling under the weather get better soon, take care.

Check out Sainsbury's later, see if any fruit and veg are massively reduced.

Lynsey

Lip_Stick

Morning all.. outside looks awful, again. Feel like having a duvet day, but off to mam's, and always feel too lazy for duvet days anyway lol. Had a better night's sleep last night.

Made savoury mince yesterday, and remembered to add some lentils which have disappeared into it. Used the last of them, so need to buy more. Got tea out of it, and another couple of meals each for me and ds went in the freezer. I told him he could mix his mince with his mash so he enjoyed making a mess, then insisted I had to do the same. It did taste rather nice tho lol.

Had a couple of squares of Cadbury's whole nut from last night for breakfast. Ds found it this morn so I had to chase him around for it and ended up giving him half. Dinner will be at mam's, bet it's chicken.

Not seen Kirri for a while, hope she's ok.

blackandwhitebunny

Save_Dosh wrote: »

Can i move in, you won't notice im there (hic) lol. .

If you'll do the ironing and cleaning

Edwardia wrote: »

It's actually difficult to find it - even in the meat aisle at ASDA only 1/3rd is actual meat not ready meals and out of that much of it burgers, meatballs and sausages.

Re: McDonalds.. unless the burgers state 100% beef they contain cereal fillers. Then there's the fries, burger buns and soft drinks so lots of carbs, not much protein which will make you feel full. Same thing for Chinese food. If you want to feel full longer eating protein does it.

I shop a lot (for myself, food lessons at school, breakfast club at school, cooking lessons for local authrotiy etc) and I find Sainsbugs is best if you want fresh ingredients, their basics range is very good for this. I find Asd* the worse, in our local branch even most of the veg are pre-prepared in some way. Morrisons isn't too bad but I do find a lot of their stuff is pre-packed in quite small quantities.

Re McD's I had the dubious pleasure a few years ago of spending a day in their burger factory and the actual patties are really 100% mince and it is actually very good quality meat that they use. There are loads of reasons why not to eat their food but the meat patties aren't one of them. They do add sugar to their buns and coat their chips in dextrose (a form of glucose) to make them crispy which most people don't realise.

Right, had bacon from freezer for breakfast. (bacon and peanut butter sandwiches ) and have taken out the last FR chicken for dinner. I'll have to look out for more - but they have been very scarce with ys lately.
I'll be off to Sainsbugs around 2.30pm as I need some bits for school and hopefully I'll find lots of ys fruit and veg. We got all the basics yesterday from the market but I often pick up some special bits for pence. Last week it was physallis, papaya and some very nice muscat grapes.:D

ms_night_ryder

Hey all.

Been cooking up a storm, I didn't make the koftas yesterday, but did them this morning had some for lunch, didn't make tzaziki as the garlic u had dried up, will get some today, also made themince for lasagne, will assemble when i get back home, off to.my grandmas for dinner , will stop In lidls on the way see if they have the chicken, as I have. Few fajita kits from oep glitch left, aking with pack of seasoning, meeting my cousin in m&s she wants to but my grandma the dressing gown she promised her 2 years ago lol she's only 19 bless her, so will get my grandma some flowers from there.

Also cut up a pineapple I had in the fridge, ao thus weeks food looks good, was told Tuesday will be my last dat at work, so home from Wednesday onwards will be paid up until middle of July so its all good.

tiff

Hope this is the right place to jump in and say I'm loving my freezer. Only had this chest freezer a couple of months, got it from Gumtree for £35 then had to pay £140 to get electricity to the shed its in. I almost had it filled a few weeks ago but we have been eating from the freezer bargains to make room for more. Going out about 2pm to see what I can find.

I bought some Mu cheddar cheese slices this week for half price so put them in the freezer, we use them for when we have burgers then make cheese toasties with the rest.

My job is market research which means I work in lots of different stores, this week was a Tesco Express which I hit in the afternoon, only a few items reduced but by more than half price so I grabbed those when I finished working. I cant see me paying full price for bread and we use a lot of it for sandwiches, got some bargain french sticks last week that I cut up into single portions and froze.

kittywight

never thought id say this, but the cupboards and freezer are starting to look empty

well not empty, still loads more food than a "normal" person lol

been living off the stockpile for a while now, due to low income and paying off a holiday

lets just hope i can get some cash together to stock it back up again

today using organic pasta and a jar of pasta sauce out of cupboard and some peppers and meatballs that have been in the freezer since before xmas

blackandwhitebunny

I need to keep out of Sainsbobs on Sunday afternoons if I'm ever to reduce the freezer.:o
4 x 2 lamb chops 94p each (and they're nice big chunky ones)
2 x 6 chicken drumsticks 59p each
2 x 2 big gressingham duck breasts £1.64 each
1 small beef roasting joint £1.64 from £6 odd
2 each Punnets of peaches and plums, 1 melon, 4 pack organic pears, organic baby gem lettuce and bags of 8 oranges all at 25p each so plenty for me and my friends at work.

We managed to get everything in the freezer by taking it out of the packages and rebagging.
They need to make freezer tetris an olympic sport. I'm sure we can get a winning team off this thread. Florenceem sounds like a likely captain:D

tiff

Gutted, got to the fresh meat reduced section to find a lady had grabbed all the Simply Cook meals and the man with the reducing gun was reducing them all by half for her, she must have had about 20! I managed some rainbow trout fillets for 70p and also some sausage and mash ready meals for 62p which are handy for when the kids are eating elsewhere. Did get loads and loads of lovely bread for 28p each.

recovering_spendaholic

Lip_stick - i absolutely love mince and mash all mixed up - haven't had it for ages! kids are both out today so might even make it for my tea tonight!

The weather today is absolutely vile! It's like winter and the rain hasn't stopped pouring down since last night.

Haven't had anything to eat today yet - wasn't hungry, but am feeling like something to eat now! Will probably have some beans on toast.

Another nsd for me today but hopefully I will be able to get to the shops tomorrow and get some basics that we have run out of.

Just had soup and ryvitas asnd cheese for lunch and have just gone into the kitchen and put on a pan of mince for tea - that way there will be loads left for when DD2 gets home if she hasn't had any tea.

I decided last night that I am going to see if I can go for a month without eating any bread - I eat so much bread and it stops me eating other healthier foods. We'll see if I can mange it!!

Florenceem

Lynsey wrote: »

Morning.



Jane - yes, had 2 full freezers full of stuff, otherwise it would not be possible with the annual budget. Something considered beforehand and I remember both myself and Bramble1 juggling with figures last December to try and decide what was a realistic budget, without being too silly. Had all the Xmas goodies, cheese crackers etc. and 1st 6 weeks spend was only £87.74. Some weeks seem easy and other weeks I find it an uphill struggle and question myself and ask, "What is the point??". I'm missing out on luxury stuff, definitely not an option. Packs of Mars bars etc. are out and I miss M&S cakes etc!!!
My spends may seem low, but the actual value of food will be around 3 times the amount spent I think, I really plan my spending to a degree and what is bought depends largely on what is reduced or on offer. It's a game really and I want to win!! The more effort I put in now should make it easier later in the year .............. as long as "whoopsies" don't dry up ................. they haven't for around a year now though, so keep them coming.

I haven't got "picky" kids to worry about either.

Toasted raisin loaf today and that beef in gravy later with mash, carrots and possibly peas??

Hope all feeling under the weather get better soon, take care.

Check out Sainsbury's later, see if any fruit and veg are massively reduced.

Lynsey
Keep telling yourself - it is worth it.

I too started off on the GC with stocks so my spends are small. I do put money by each week for Christmas and Birthday presents - for those I buy - most of my gifts are hand crafted. I make all the cards too. Just a few £ a week mounts up for December.