Im doing it :)

mad_panda

For the past month I have been controlling the shopping alot more and just noticed my weekly shop has dropped to around £30-40 instead of £60.

Cut back on crud, go in with a shopping list and check the prices of everything.

Best bit is I don't have to miss out on what I had before, well sometimes.

Started going for Tesco's cereal brand rather than the main brand, looked today and my usual cereal was cheaper and for a much larger box. Usually on sale close to £3, got it for £1.60.
Looked for biscuits the other week and quite like the Tesco Value ones. Taste fine, spotted yummy jaffa cakes reduced to 50p.

Started making my cooked meals last. Made chilli con carne last night and having it again tonight.

Can anyone tell me, if I cook a meal on one night, how many consecutive days can I reheat and use it for? Cooked from frozen mince, so can't refreeze.

Just needing to find some more tips to bring it down.
Also noticed discount brands which taste really good.

mad_panda

Oh and asking yourself questions, especially if it is on offer seems to work.....do I need this, will I use it this week, is it worth buying or is there something cheaper that is just as good.

Haffiana

You can indeed refreeze cooked meals made with frozen mince...

saterkey

I tend to use/reheat the dinner the next day only. I dont freeze anything that has been made with frozen/defrosted meat.

Keep up the good work, its a case of chipping away here and there and changing habits, they make a good difference. Find cheaper ways of entertaining, use more second hand goods etc.

Good luck.

PolarBearGirl

I would quite happily cook on Sunday and reheat on Tuesday or even Wednesday at a push, so long as I'd refrigerated as soon as it had cooled down. Veggie things and soup tend to be ok for longer than meat based.

I think you can refreeze something made from frozen mince once it's been cooked, but you can't defrost cooked mince, warm it through and then refreeze, but I have to say I probably wouldn't.

Congrats to you for getting organised

prepareathome

So long as the state of the food has changed - that is if if was frozen then defrosted and cooked, so changed from frozen to cooked - it can safely be refrozen but when you defrost and heat it up it cannot be reheated. Personally I always only leave meat dishes in fridge one day before using then, but I know many leave them longer, so if I cook enough for two meals and I know we will not eat it the next night again I will freeze the second meal. If you cook fresh meat it of course can be frozen but when defrosted and reheated don't leave it in fridge to reheat next day, although eating it cold should be ok but do not freeze it again - its state has not changed, it was cooked meat before you reheated it and it still is.

Janice2

We don't have the leftovers the next night - since joining this site I now always make double (or triple!) quantities of things like curry, bolognese, chilli, (these I bulk out the meat with lots of veggies to make them even more economical). I freeze the extras straight away, then defrost as & when we are going to eat them. I love the fact that I have a stock of healthy, home-made dinners ready to eat.... and of course, that I'm saving money.

I also look for the extras to go with the main dinners in the whoopsie/reduced section of supermarkets & freeze them on day of purchase to use as & when - the things like naan breads, samosas, garlic breads, spring rolls, etc etc, so quite often I'll have a whole meal in the freezer ready to go.

Personally I wouldn't re-freeze meat that had already been frozen, but I am probably being over-cautious.

Well done on your money-saving mission so far