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I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

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  • Lynsey
    Lynsey Posts: 9,486 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    Kirri wrote: »
    Yes do it! It would be a shame to go over the £1200!!!

    It's only a number though. :D
    It would be nice as that was my original "thought" target. So close and will be "touch and go", depends what Son spends really. We could do it as not much needed, meat and Xmas veg really and bits to tide us over. Maybe I shouldn't have bought as much coffee!! lol
    I did want to max up on Xmas time "whoopsies" though, but could live without.

    Finished spending today and spent another £1.65 on milk and bread - weeks spends only £19.33 (days £6.67). I had 3 NSD's this week .................. too late was the cry!!
    Spent another 50p on foodbank Baxters soups (3 tins) using coupons. I was hoping for the sirloin glitch, but none left. I did get 2 L'Oreal deodorants free with coupons though - stocking fillers.
    Sods Law - went to Sainsbury's and got a £3 off £20 till spit, sadly Jameson offer has gone!! Maybe I'll get some stuff for Xmas there and use Nectar points, that would help staying under £1200.

    Hubby hasn't eaten the mackerel, I don't fancy it, so tomorrow's lunch ..................... for him. I've got 3 cupcakes I brought home from Groupon deal (freebie).

    Edwardia - I'm more or less in control and only really need meat and fresh veg and cream. A few pates and dips also.

    Lynsey
    **** Sealed Pot Challenge - Member #96 ****
    No. 9 target £600 - :staradmin (x21)
    No. 6 Total £740.00 - No. 7 £1000.00 - No. 8 £875.00 - No. 9 £700.00 (target met)
  • Edwardia
    Edwardia Posts: 9,170 Forumite
    Lynsey, we had mackerel fillets this week and as mackerel is such a strong flavoured oily fish, I suggested jalfrezi sauce (OH used Seeds of change organic) and have to say it worked very well.

    I need clotted cream on Friday or Saturday but as long as my order turns up Christmas Eve I think I'm done now.

    The Laverstoke Park Farm organic beef roasting joint (Ocado special offer) turned up today and it's shrink-wrapped and really bloody. In freezer for now but I really don't like defrosting very bloody meat in the fridge because it's basically marinating in blood ugh. Personally I just don't like the thought of all the bacteria. :mad:
  • Lynsey
    Lynsey Posts: 9,486 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    Edwardia - talking about beef, Tesco had large vacuum packed beef joints on offer for £4.98 per kilo. I would have bought one if I hadn't been on a budget, cooked it whole and froze in slices ................. maybe next year.

    Lynsey
    **** Sealed Pot Challenge - Member #96 ****
    No. 9 target £600 - :staradmin (x21)
    No. 6 Total £740.00 - No. 7 £1000.00 - No. 8 £875.00 - No. 9 £700.00 (target met)
  • Edwardia
    Edwardia Posts: 9,170 Forumite
    That's what we'll be doing for the buffet lunch Christmas Day. All the actual cooking is going on Christmas Eve ;) I got my joint for 9.59/kg (ouch) but it's gone up to 12.75/kg now:eek:
  • Can I ask, how does everyone wrap items for freezer storage? I used to use freezer paper in the US, but I've not been able to find it here thus far. I'm terribly afraid of ruin due to freezer burn. Thanks!
    ~Steph~
  • Can I ask, how does everyone wrap items for freezer storage? I used to use freezer paper in the US, but I've not been able to find it here thus far. I'm terribly afraid of ruin due to freezer burn. Thanks!

    Never heard of freezer paper, am looing forward to hearing more.

    HHx
  • Edwardia
    Edwardia Posts: 9,170 Forumite
    Freezer burn.. these days modern freezers have a Quick Freeze button so you can freeze down stuff quickly which prevents large ice crystals and minimises damage. Evidently manual defrost freezers are less prone to freezer burn than automatic defrost freezers.

    The icebox in a small fridge is really only good for storing pre-frozen burgers, not freezing down. There will be asterisks on the ice box ie *** which tell you how long you can store frozen food for. You'll also find these on the boxes of stuff like frozen burgers and fish fingers.

    Because most freezers aren't automatic defrost (though most fridges are) you shouldn't get a problem. On the other hand if you pack stuff really tight in a frost free automatic defrost fridge that is really cold it can actually freeze, even stuff like cans of Diet Coke !

    If you are freezing down stuff yourself try to get air out as much as poss if solid food. If liquid you do need to leave expansion room.

    Cheese and bread do tend to dry out in freezers but I've never yet had freezer burn in a UK domestic freezer, promise !
  • Edwardia
    Edwardia Posts: 9,170 Forumite
    Oh and freezer burn is just exterior surface damage because of the moisture evaporating and food drying out. It's not harmful and you can cut it off.

    You could try wrapping but clingfilm is not like Saran wrap (think you can get Saran Wrap from americansweets.co.uk) it just doesn't stick properly and is really flimsy. You could also use aluminum foil or waxed paper. Shops that might sell cheap stuff suitable for wrapping are Wilkinson https://www.wilkinsonplus.com 99p Stores https://www.99pstoresltd.com and supermarkets like Lidl, Aldi and ASDA. It should really be marked food grade, especially if you are going to microwave from frozen.

    Lakeland https://www.lakeland.co.uk sells lots of freezer accessories but is on the expensive side.

    Yeah think that's about all I can think of but really I've never seen it in my kitchen ;)
  • Can I ask, how does everyone wrap items for freezer storage? I used to use freezer paper in the US, but I've not been able to find it here thus far. I'm terribly afraid of ruin due to freezer burn. Thanks!
    You can get freezer paper but it is expensive & unnecessary, most people who buy it in the UK are using it for arts & crafts rather than in the freezer.
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reynolds-Freezer-Paper-Square-Feet/dp/B002OIE7JG/
    As long as items are sealed either in plastic containers or bags & the freezer is working correctly then freezer burn really shouldn't be an issue.
  • Edwardia wrote: »
    Oh and freezer burn is just exterior surface damage because of the moisture evaporating and food drying out. It's not harmful and you can cut it off.

    You could try wrapping but clingfilm is not like Saran wrap (think you can get Saran Wrap from americansweets.co.uk) it just doesn't stick properly and is really flimsy. You could also use aluminum foil or waxed paper. Shops that might sell cheap stuff suitable for wrapping are Wilkinson https://www.wilkinsonplus.com 99p Stores https://www.99pstoresltd.com and supermarkets like Lidl, Aldi and ASDA. It should really be marked food grade, especially if you are going to microwave from frozen.

    Lakeland https://www.lakeland.co.uk sells lots of freezer accessories but is on the expensive side.

    Yeah think that's about all I can think of but really I've never seen it in my kitchen ;)

    Can I ask, what do you use?
    Thank you for the advice!
    ~Steph~
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