Don't Throw Food Away Challenge 2012

mumsiemum

I have just done a list of beans and pulses I have accumulated over recent months/years :eek::eek::

2kg Broth soup mix
1.5kg Country soup mix (almost same as above)
1 tin Pinto Beans
1 tin Black Eyed Beans
3 tins green/brown lentils
300 g dried red lentils (I use these to bulk out spag bol)
1.5kg Green split peas (tried soup but colour was horrible!)
335g Black beans
580g Dried Chick Peas (Use these regularly to make hummous)
2kg Green Lentils (Very old)
265g Dried Black Eyed Beans
400g Dried pinto beans

There has to be enough here to make loads of meals - but I don't know where to start and would appreciate any suggestions/recommendations for meals. We do not have any dietry restrictions. I have slow cooker/breadmaker/oven & hob/microwave/magimix etc and do enjoy cooking, but not much experience with beans and pulses. I want the kids to try these meals which is why I would prefer recommnedations rather than me taking pot luck and ending up putting them off with my experimenting IYSWIM

So far I have made a puy lentil salad and will make a mixed bean chilli later today. I also tried Blackbean brownies but I think I must have made a mistake with the quantaties as they didn't taste that nice.

DundeeDoll

More work virtue to report. 2 tuna sarnies and 1/2 egg sarnie plus some fruit left in fridge over from meeting. Sign 'help yourself' so since i was last in building (by some) i did :-) Toasted them for supper serve wih green salad. Very nice, very OS. That's the end of the free sarnies (gave last panini to son and ate defrosted brown roll thursday. All of it would have been chucked.

DundeeDoll

Bean stew with a little sliced spice sausage is one of our staples. Green lentils very nice with ham. Beanbugers?

squeaky

Blimey - last day of March already!

I finally worked out the cost of my biscuit and golden syrup disaster... £1.85

Ouch!

Other than that I've been pretty good and estimate all the tiny odds and ends at fifty pence - and I reckon I'm being mean at that.

DTFAC: Y.T.D = £5.20, Mar £2.35

Oscar_the_Pug

I've lost track a bit this month - I think the only 'gone off'chuck outs we had were a little bit of ginger, a few slices of white sliced and half a jar of home made sweet chilli relish. I have absolutely no idea how to cost these either!

I've also chucked some leftovers from my plate where these were too small to reuse later on - as I'm trying to lose weight I'm not tracking these - I have to get out of the habit of finishing stuff on my plate for the sake of it, rather than because I'm actually still hungry.

I've also bought a compost bin, so our peelings, teabags etc can go in there rather than into landfill.

Onwards and upwards for April!

squeaky

First day of April

And we're in for a cold spell it seems, so I've used up all my salad bits and am ready for some nice warm stews and casseroles again

The new month starts here...

Firemunchkin

We didn't really follow the challenge throughout March as we were moving house and it was too difficult to plan a move (and job hunting) as well as be rigorous with our food and tracking our wastage. Having picked up some really good habits during Jan/Feb though we didn't throw too much away but more than we probably normally would have.

Now though, we've been in the new place for a couple of weeks so from Monday we're resuming normal service. Still keeping my wastage challenge at £5 - here goes!!

DundeeDoll

1 carrot to report :-( I forgot to take them out the plastic bag so just one going slimy and not spreading to the rest was a relief. Oh and some disgusting salty (!!) sweets from Lidl. Oh well you win some you lose some

Wellyboots6

I have a variety tin of biscuits that have gone pretty soft.

If I throw them then I don't need to count it as they were a gift, but I am really hoping someone can come up with some ideas of something exciting to do with them

There are about 20 biscuits left such as custard creams, malted milk, choc chip cookies, ginger nuts etc.

DawnW

katy721 wrote: »

I have a variety tin of biscuits that have gone pretty soft.

If I throw them then I don't need to count it as they were a gift, but I am really hoping someone can come up with some ideas of something exciting to do with them

There are about 20 biscuits left such as custard creams, malted milk, choc chip cookies, ginger nuts etc.

I would probably crumb them and make into a cheesecake base.