I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

Florenceem

Save_Dosh wrote: »

I love to hear about everyones bargains, but i thought we were supposed to be trying to challenge ourselves to eat out of our stores, and freezer, rather than restocking. Im not complaining, but really struggling to not buy and all this talk of food is just going to send me running to the shops

I am not going out to buy stuff for the freezer. However I am baking to avoid buying crumbles/pies/quiches and cakes so these baking results go in the freezer. I got out a tub of plums - baking result - enough crumble to last for a fortnight - just the two of us here. So the crumble goes in the freezer. Likewise a small bag of salmon bits was made into a quiche for three days meals.

Florenceem

Soworried wrote: »

Another sneeking in asking to join.

I have lot's of food in but struggle to actually use any of it if you know what I mean. I really need to pull my belt in at the minute so if I could actually start using up what I have it will be a big help.
We are a family of 4, me, OH and two teenagers who eat none stop. Think locusts

I am good at cooking & baking but think this is part of the problem. I'll spend hours baking, freezing but then not use them :cool:

I need a challenge to help focus me more, any tips would be great

Why do you cook and bake and then not use the results?

Florenceem

pixiefairydust wrote: »

:wave: Afternoon all! Thank you for your useful tips! Have been and "squished" the loo roll as suggested Cheerfulness4, thanks for that one - they are all looking at me as though I am bonkers but if it saves me buying any more ...

Have been having a Nigella moment and have made chocolate muffins, shortbread biscuits and date & walnut muffins so lunch boxes are sorted next week - might freeze half otherwise they start to get a bit sick + tired of muffins come Tuesday!

I do wish everyone else would eat vegetables in my house .. we could eat soo much cheaper if they did but unfortunately OH and his two children won't touch any veg apart from carrots or tinned processed peas .. yeuch and only want oven chips with every meal ..:eek:

What to do with six (nice) sausages that are defrosting in the fridge for dinner tonight .. only three of us for dinner tonight ..

Make sausage pie - freeze some or likewise TITH?

[Deleted User]

Florenceem wrote: »

I am not going out to buy stuff for the freezer. However I am baking to avoid buying crumbles/pies/quiches and cakes so these baking results go in the freezer. I got out a tub of plums - baking result - enough crumble to last for a fortnight - just the two of us here. So the crumble goes in the freezer. Likewise a small bag of salmon bits was made into a quiche for three days meals.

No, you really do stick to your stores and am learning some tips from you. Florence, you are only 8 years older than me, yet all my budgeting i have only learnt over the past few years, wish i knew what i know now, then, if that makes sense, i would be so much better off. I think they should have some of the people on these OS boards running the exchequer, it couldn't be much worse.

Soworried

Florenceem wrote: »

Why do you cook and bake and then not use the results?

I'll use today as an example. When I got up I made some dough straight away. I made buns with this. This would not be a problem but I already have around 30 buns in the freezer
Then I froze some chocolate cake that I made yesterday and set about making more. It would have lasted a few more days.
I even went and bought a second freezer :cool:

I'm determind to stop and start using what I have. I'm actually proud of myself today that I took sausages out of the freezer. I need to not make anything unless we really do not have any already.

The short answer to your question is I'm stupid

pixiefairydust

Now that is a brilliant idea Florenceem! I always end up doing toad in the hole or sausage casserole .. am off to make pastry (mashed potato was the other option for the top but have no potatoes:eek:) .. thank you! My OH idea was with chips and a fried egg .. have given up trying to change him!!

Florenceem

Save_Dosh wrote: »

No, you really do stick to your stores and am learning some tips from you. Florence, you are only 8 years older than me, yet all my budgeting i have only learnt over the past few years, wish i knew what i know now, then, if that makes sense, i would be so much better off. I think they should have some of the people on these OS boards running the exchequer, it couldn't be much worse.

When I was growing up - Dad didn't let Mum go out to work so we had just one not large wage coming in. There was my DSand I - Mum shopped 6 days a week - no fridge/milk from milkman. The only baking I remember Mum doing was apple pie with HM pastry on a Sunday and fairy cakes using Viota cake mix in a box.
When I was a SAHM with 6 children - the best way to stretch the grocery cash was - baking/cooking from scratch. I taught myself from books - made all the cakes/biscuits/scones/jams and chutney.
That way I had more money for washing powder/cleaning stuff and milk.

blackandwhitebunny

cleggie wrote: »

I am going on holiday for the 1st time EVER with the kids in June, so have got the money for that put aside, due to getting an unexpected sum of money a few weeks back.
But i really need to stop spending money, especially on food! I am also keeping away from the grabbit section of this forum!!

Well done on that, I'm sure you'll all have a great time.

pixiefairydust wrote: »

What to do with six (nice) sausages that are defrosting in the fridge for dinner tonight .. only three of us for dinner tonight ..

You could make a pasta bake, you could probably get more than enough for three and freeze the rest for another day.

Soworried wrote: »

I'll use today as an example. When I got up I made some dough straight away. I made buns with this. This would not be a problem but I already have around 30 buns in the freezer

Maybe you need to start meal planning and include what you have frozen on your meal plan, then you should be reminded to get it out the previous day. A freezer inventory is also a good way to go.

I bargain hunt all the time. My idea is to use up what I have but replace it with bargains that I have found, sort of a rolling over store cupboard.

Florenceem

pixiefairydust wrote: »

Now that is a brilliant idea Florenceem! I always end up doing toad in the hole or sausage casserole .. am off to make pastry (mashed potato was the other option for the top but have no potatoes:eek:) .. thank you! My OH idea was with chips and a fried egg .. have given up trying to change him!!

You can stretch the sausage into a bigger pie by taking out of the skins - mash up with fork. Mix with a made up - cheap pack of sage/onion stuffing/cooked lentils. Add some extra herbs/seasoning. Line pie dish with pastry - add layer of sliced tomato/chopped onion/mushrooms/pepper then put half the saus/stuffing mix. Slice 2 hard boiled eggs and place on top of saus/stuffing mix then add rest of S/S mix and pastry lid. Really tasty/ filling economical pie.

Florenceem

Soworried wrote: »

I'll use today as an example. When I got up I made some dough straight away. I made buns with this. This would not be a problem but I already have around 30 buns in the freezer
Then I froze some chocolate cake that I made yesterday and set about making more. It would have lasted a few more days.
I even went and bought a second freezer :cool:

I'm determind to stop and start using what I have. I'm actually proud of myself today that I took sausages out of the freezer. I need to not make anything unless we really do not have any already.

The short answer to your question is I'm stupid

No problem having 2 freezers. You are not stupid. I baked something every day when my 6 children were growing up - oven was always full. I would keep out some of the baking results - freeze the rest - keep a notebook - all contents of freezers - listed & dated.
I kept the Peek Freans biscuit tin each Christmas - always had two of these on the kitchen side - contained a variety of home baking each day. Children came home - had a drink and something out of the tin before playing/homework.