The Modern but Old Style Homemakers Club

juliapenguin

Hooray for all the new people!

I can't believe how much it's helped me to have 'met up' with you all - even though it's only online. I was feeling so nervous about my job/health situation, but I feel so much more positive now that I have read all your helpful replies and encouragement. I was so looking forward to getting home tonight so that I could see if we had anyone new, and I've just added 12 more names.

It's so lovely that we all have different situations: some of us have health problems or care for someone else who has, some of us are retired, some of us are unemployed, some of us are caring for little kids, some are full-time homemakers by choice even though they don't have children. We can share our thoughts and challenges.

Great idea about a weekly focus - shall we start one tomorrow? Any ideas?

I'd also really like to do a meal-plan thing - it helps me so much to get ideas when I read about what other people are having.

Also, my brother (the one who has cancer ) has taken early retirement (at 55) but his wife is still working. They were saying tonight that he runs out of ideas for things to cook for tea - any ideas for good recipes for a beginner? He doesn't like anything spicy (unlike his dear sister!).

chirpychick

To the person who asked if anyone was happy with their stuff... when we ended up in our IVA i felt so awful because i had lots of clutter and stuff around, it was a guilt and i felt i didnt deserve any of it because i had gotten it through debt! So i went on a major declutter, gave away on freecycle, carboots, ebay and now i declutter about once every other month. I dont like too much stuff, i dont want to be materialistic. I now have a rule and only keep items which have special meaning or that i really really love!
I rarely buy new everything is second hand, carboots, ebay, charity shops, freecycle and all my clothes are from my mother in law and nan who are in their 70's lol (im 26) i never used to accept anything for free i felt ashamed and embarrassed and was generous to a fault and people really abused my generosity. Now im learning from that, i find it hard to accept from people still but i show my gratitude in other ways which are appreciated more and people seem more than happy to give me what they dont want as they know we will make good use.
Tomorrow we will be clearing out our loft which is something we do every year, we dont have much left now.
I dont really want anything that will make me feel guilty or ashamed of spending ever again, so i only buy what i NEED and when i have had the odd slip up i go straight to the shop and return it!
Thank you to the op for setting up this thread, its so great knowing others similar are out there!

juliapenguin

I had some fun at work, actually, being the examiner for some advanced students giving presentations - it's so funny listening to the things they say, and I have to be so careful not to giggle and embarrass them. One student was talking about 'heavy mentals' and how they cause pollution... The same students kept mentioning 'biofools' and how they are environmentally friendly.

Amazing how much more I'm enjoying my last few days at work (supply teaching) now that I've stopped worrying so much about how I'll cope at home if I don't get offered work which I can cope with (mental health problems, for those who haven't read my earlier posts). In fact, I feel completely comfortable with the idea of being at home now that I have my virtual friends here.

chirpychick

Juliapenguin i think everyone including myself has mentioned about meal plannings, perhaps that should be our weekly focus? going through cupboards and freezers, making a list of what we have and seeing how many meals we can make out of what we already have it?

for a good beginner recipe what about something like spaghetti bolognaise? i dont have a specific recipe but im sure others must, i usually just google it when i need it but i can do that for you tomorrow if you like-must go to bed now as ive been getting later and later and that is a sure fire way to set off my depression (late nights and staying in bed all day really sets me off!)

life_in_termoil

Just to start you all off and give you an idea.......

Breakfasts- cereals, toast, boiled eggs, poached eggs, scrambled eggs, beans on toast etc
Snacks - fruit, cake, muffins, scones, cookies etc

MEAL PLAN

Week 1
·burgers chips and beans
chicken noodle soup
make your own
pizza
chilli con carne, rice and tortillas
Maltese casserole
Mousakka (made with marrow instead of aubergine)

Week 2
· Lasagna and garlic bread
· Steak and chips (sons birthday)
· Make your own
· Salmon, new potatoes and veg
· Potato salad and sausages
· TAKE AWAY
· HM soup and hm bread

Week 3
· Shepherds pie
· Feta and pepper pasta
· Make your own
· Vegatable risotto
· Toad in the hole
· Soup and hm bread
· Roast dinner

Week 4
· Sweet n sour chicken and rice
· Cheese and potato pie
· Make your own
· Omelette and chips
· Pasta carbonara
· Roast dinner

Week 5
· HM chicken kievs
· Soup and hm bread
· Make your own
· Bacon and eggs
· Fish fingers mash and beans
· Spring rolls, chips and sweet n sour sauce
· Braising steak and onions, mash and veg

Week 6
· Gammon and pineapple
· Chicken pittas
· Make your own
· Turkey soup and hm bread
· Calzone
· Chicken curry and rice
· Roast dinner

Week 7
· Ploughmans lunch
· Chicken supreme and rice
· Make your own
· Soup and hm bread
· Chicken pie
· TAKE AWAY
· Corned beef hash

Week 8
· Soup and hm bread
· Mince and onions
· Make your own
· Chicken wraps
· Meat and potato pie
· Chicken fried rice and curry sauce
· Roast dinner

Week 9
· Soup and hm bread
· Egg and chips
· Make your own
· Chilli con carne
· Chicken burgers, wedges and sweetcorn
· Beef stew and dumplings
· Cheese stuffed chicken

Week 10
· Chicken escalopes
· Tacos
· Make your own
· Roast gammon
· HM soup and hm bread (pea and ham)
· Pork chops
· Mediterranean lamb tray bake

Week 11
· Spanish frittata
· Italian chicken
· Make your own
· HM soup and hm bread
· Bangers and beans
· Roast dinner
· Macaroni cheese

Week 12
· Beef with pepper chutney
· Hm soup and hm bread
· Make your own
· Chicken bake
· Moroccan tagine
· Veggi burgers
· Chicken stir fry

We are having 1 soup night and 1 make your own night per week. I have allowed the occasional take away as a treat.

lunches are sandwiches or something on toast or packed lunches when the kids go back to school.

I managed to create this list by going through my freezers/cupboards and fridge. I usually bulk bake/cook one day a week.

im currently on week 3 so tomorrow and sunday we should be having toad in the hole and a chicken roast dinner. But seen as though we are out in the afternoon tomorrow I will treat the kids to a macdonalds instead of toad in the hole. The sausages will then be used for lunches (sausage butties!)

juliapenguin

chirpychick wrote: »

Juliapenguin i think everyone including myself has mentioned about meal plannings, perhaps that should be our weekly focus? going through cupboards and freezers, making a list of what we have and seeing how many meals we can make out of what we already have it?

for a good beginner recipe what about something like spaghetti bolognaise? i dont have a specific recipe but im sure others must, i usually just google it when i need it but i can do that for you tomorrow if you like-must go to bed now as ive been getting later and later and that is a sure fire way to set off my depression (late nights and staying in bed all day really sets me off!)

Great ideas - focus for the week, spag bol and sleep - it sets of my anxiety/depression too. I'll do a big post in coloured letters about our weekly focus. Thanks xxxx

life_in_termoil

My meal plan doesnt have set things on set days, its centred round my work rota and as I work different days each week its easier just to choose from the plan and we always have a make your own day when im at work.

juliapenguin

We aren't allowed to post meal plans here so....

Week 1 Challenge: Thinking about Meal Planning

Let's talk about why meal planning is good even if you are at home all day.
Is it better to have a well-stocked storecupboard or shop every day, given that you're at home and have more time to do shopping? Which saves more money.

juliapenguin

life_in_termoil wrote: »

My meal plan doesnt have set things on set days, its centred round my work rota and as I work different days each week its easier just to choose from the plan and we always have a make your own day when im at work.

Maybe you could just post up the meals that you plan to have, not necessarily attached to a particular day?

I'm really excited about meal planning - I've not done it for years and that's probably why we spend so much money on food...

life_in_termoil

I'll give you a helping hand if you get stuck! x
Now get them freezers emptied, a list wrote and lets see what we can make with the contents from your home shop!!