I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

zafiro1984

Smegcat
Christmas bargains:-
Went on the MSE discount finder then through to the Amazon's website and ended up on the Amazons 'M&S outlet' page. Got a couple of real bargains for a friends youngster. A Water Slide and a Water Catterpillar. many more bargains on there - have a look, some are 85% off, mainly the discontinued lines.

I'm doing a 'santa bag' for her 2yr old instead of giving her a Christmas bonus. Thought of that bubble thing, a roll of wallpaper for hand/feet painting but has anyone got any other good ideas for other presents (got to be cheap). He's two next April but quite bright, an outdoor sort, tough, Dad's a rugby player. The reason for asking is my two offspring are now in their 40's and I'm well out of touch with 2yr olds.

Lynsey - I often wondered where everyone got their vouchers from, I'll now go and have a search. I really need those I can use on-line as I find it very difficult walking at the mo - accident, put my hips out, need mending

Kirri

Just used up a tin of chestnuts I'd bought last year, not sure what they were originally bought to use in. They were really nice - made spicy couscous, chestnut and veg burgers using up a bag of frozen onions (I think frozen 2 years ago?!) and a couple of carrots and a courgette that had been sat around a while from the allotment with chilli and garlic, also home grown. Made a big batch though so still no room in the freezer but one tin out of the cupboard at least and I have some 'ready meals' now!

Not replacing any tins/jars etc unless I need to specifically buy for a recipe in future. In the past I bought things I fancied or in case I wanted to use them in something and that's when they sit around in the cupboards for ages..

Was going to make gram flour flatbreads to use up the out of date gram flour but didn't have the energy to make them as well as the burgers! Might try them tomorrow with a spicy potato filling.

ms_night_ryder

Lynsey, I really can't bear the elite thread, most of the time they go ,on and on about nothing, it is so boring, I like the coupon threads.

Had pancakes and Strawberrys, decided I'm having a takeaway, either pizza or Chinese, really undecided, they do any pizza any size, they opened a dominoes at the bottom of my road.

Edwardia

Afternoon all.. glorious sunshine here, Thursday was dire, back door blew open three times.

zafiro1984 I got a really nice silk cushion recently from the M&S Outlet at Amazon for about £4 !

smegcat - I buy husband the organic Blue Dragon noodles, he likes them and they do him several lunches.

Lunch was Higgidy quiche taken from freezer last night. OH had an organic steak butty as he found an odd steak in bottom of the freezer.

bunbun2

well I haven't done very well with my posting on here have I:o I must try harder and post more regularly. I always think I have nothing to say or contribute.

the school my boys go to is collecting for Durham foodbank six times a year so I will send stuff in for that. I have pasta sauce, mushy peas and tinned pears to send.

I have read the posta about making clotted cream in the slow cooker with interest. I have some double cream with is use by tomorrow so may give it a try this evening. or I might freeze it to use another day. Can I just freeze it in the pot or do i have to whip it first?

Lynsey hope you and OH are feeling better. Have you got your M&S cake? I sent my OH a text about it when he was out and he replied saying he couldn't find it. Then he got home and said I only saw a mistletoe cake, doh!

Its a shame most of the offers are asda and morries as neither are that close for me. hopefully mr T and mr S will follow!

Lynsey

ms_night_ryder - I know what you mean about the elite thread, very fast. I just pop in for a look and a laugh and to learn the tricks.

bunbun2 - nice to see you posting. Plenty of paracetamols today, glad when this is over. All the supermarkets tend to follow each other, but Sainsbury's have had some brilliant clearance items of late.
Not got the Xmas cake yet, should have been today but can't be bothered. Maybe I'll get one on Monday, offer on until next Saturday, but subject to stock.
The free Heinz 5 Beanz are great for foodbanks. Just found out a cousin (now single mum) and her kids like them, so a massive drop off there soon along with other bits.

Pub meal was really nice, best in ages. 2 x gammon meals, 1 pint of cask ale (free) and lime and soda for just over £8.

Sending hubby to Sainsbury's to put the lottery on and look for cheap fruit, veg and any bread stuff. Only spent £1.30 today and not much over £20 for the week - if hubby is frugal it will be a cheap week.

Lynsey

Lynsey

Hubby got no bread stuff and no veg, but did get some cheap raspberries - looks like a raspberry cheesecake soon.
Also got some packs of prawns and packs of smoked salmon slices ............ but no bread or veg!!
£3.26 spent and £4.56 on the day and £24.91 for the week which wasn't bad.

Interesting reading about the problems with coupons in Asda and Morries, see what next week brings. Is does pay to get to know the good till staff though, we're quite lucky that way.

Took out some bbq pork belly slices for hubby tomorrow and I might just have some soup. Maybe porridge for breakfast??

Early night for myself, night, night.

Lynsey

Becky_2

I haven't managed to get hold of any bargains recently. Trying hard though to use up what we have got so my OH can make chilli for the freezer.

Here is my inventory list from our freezer. It has really helped to meal plan to have this list.

• 2 pizzas
• 7 breaded cod fillets
• oven chips
• 1 whole chicken
• 6 burgers
• smoked salmon 8 portions
• mince meat
• smoked pancetta
• king prawns
• 750 g smoked gammon
• apple sauce
• 4 chilli sausages
• 20 burger breads
• 22 homemade muffins

The freezer also contain around 20 portions of home made food.

We also have a smaller freezer where we keep our vegetables and fresh chillies but I know what is in there so no need for a list.

Have a nice weekend

zafiro1984

Morning all, and what a pleasant day it is, the sun is out. Apparently it's going to rain later but may have time to get the washing out.

Took a joint of beef out of frezer bought a few months ago at a silly low price, so that's a traditional roast for dinner. Lunch is frozen ham stock, frozen peas, a bit of frozen cream. Can't call it pea anf ham as it's no ham bits in it but I don't think hubby will notice, going to make some soda bread to go along with it which he loves.
There should be enough beef left over to create a few more dinners to be frozen.
Feeling quite upbeat today - must be the sun.

Becky2 - Brillient: One day I hope to be able to list the contents of my freezers - that's my goal and to keep the freezers more 'tidy' at the moment I'm just trying to live out of them and not replace anything. Got a long haul ahead and many mystery parcels.

blackandwhitebunny

I seem to be catching up only every two weeks at the moment I would really like to have that mysterious thing called a work / life balance. Unfortunately all our GCSE results were carp this year so we're at the grindstone even more
My freezer is jam packed again. Our local sains has had outdoor reared pork shoulder joints for £2.70 a kilo so I've had three big ones and I've also managed to pick up 3 X 2 sirloin steaks at £6 a kilo, so not much room for anything left.
Looking back at the posts, I've found my whole shopping style has changed. I've always shopped carefully and quite frugally but used to buy what I needed for a week, fortnight etc, usually finding the best bargain at that time. Now I bulk buy when on special, sometimes my shopping will be ten tins or packets of the same thing and not much else. Having a big store cupboard means that when I'm running low on one item such as pasta I start looking for a really good deal and then buy loads. I've also really got into using coupons, I've given loads of cleaning stuff away and still have lots and lots.
Lyndsey, that doesn't sound right about the food bank. Most of them need people to be referred by another agency and wouldn't ask for donations.
Fair share was collecting at sains yesterday so we used a nectar coupon to buy a bag full of things. I'm organizing a collection for one as part of our school charity drive, one of the staff goes to a church in coventry that runs one so we'll give to them. There isn't one closer to us that I can find.
Finally, if you're wondering what to do with all those pears... I often make an upside down cake with them but use a chocolate sponge. It's really good.:)