newbie advice

nodwah

mrsspendalot wrote: »

we have a yard - no garden. we live in a small town terrace

grow some alpine strawberries in pots, the kids will love them. (I'm always going on about these)

redspot24

mrsspendalot wrote: »

garlic puree - yep, could use proper garlic, just buy that because I don't have a garlic press thing..

Just a quickie - you don't have to have a garlic press; chopping with a knife is just as easy with cloves of garlic as the press is an absolute pain in the **** to clean. Gave up using mine a long time ago.

mrsspendalot

OK thanks for that ... will give it a try then

sammy_kaye18

Hi Mrsspendalot!!!

Im spending £80 a month on food for 2 adults, 1 x 3 year old and a small dog (jack russell)

I would agree with more points that alot of people have already put - id think about buying potatoes rather than chips -you'll be surprised what you dont miss when you dont have them i havent had chips in ages and to be honest i dont miss them - my son and bf dont miss them either. Plus some of the cheaper sauces (salad cream/ketchup ) i think the cheaper stuf actually tastes nicer too

also someone on here had a recipe for homemade crisps and it was made from i think carrots, potatoes and something else and they were baked in the oven for a little bit and they were fab - i cant think who gave me the recipe!!!!

Also as far as trying to grow your own veg/fruit goes - try things in hanging baskets - im giving tomatoes, strawberries , carrots, lettuces , cucumber, peas and runner beans a go this year and i live in a flat!!!!!!! Tomatoes and strawberries can be grown in hanging baskets, carrots in a tub and also the peas/beans and cucmbers grow up things so they could be in tubs with canes in and you'll havea crop all year!!! so that could save on your food bill - once you've paid the initial money for seeds, compost and a tub for them - not alot when you think your one off payment will be saving you months of veggie payments!

competitionscafe

redspot24 wrote: »

Just a quickie - you don't have to have a garlic press; chopping with a knife is just as easy with cloves of garlic as the press is an absolute pain in the **** to clean. Gave up using mine a long time ago.

Me too - I also read somewhere (and have since been told the same thing by a couple of people) that using a garlic press/crusher affects the flavour of the garlic and it is better just to crush it by hand? Anyway, I just use the handle of a cooks knife and that works a treat (a bit of salt helps too).

This is what Anthony Bourdain wrote:

"Use fresh garlic. Slice thinly -- like in Goodfellas -- or chop it fresh. Always do it by hand. That garbage that comes out of a garlic press is not food. Ditto the vile sludge in jars."

chergar

I am in the same situation myself, I am a sahm dh works long hours and we have two children aged 4 & 1. I enjoy cooking but run out of ideas, I prefer to cook something the whole family can eat.

I admit we waste an awful lot of money on micro meals etc as hubby works til 8-9 sometimes and he finds it easier to throw something in micro/oven rather than have to wait for a meal to be cooked, I have cooked stew/spag bol etc that just needs heating when he comes in but he is really a pizza/chicken pieces type of person and I have really tried to change him but....!!!

The kids eat anything (lo prefers to feed herself but only finger foods as she can't use knife/fork/spoon yet (she's 1)) I find I mostly make fish fingers, chicken goujons etc for them (i am really funny about fresh chicken and waste so much). I am not keen on freezing either as i think I have a phobia I do freeze but then think it looks "off" so bin it.

Sorry to hijack your post but I could do with some of the same advice.

lynzpower

well done Ms Spendalot, it certainly seems like youve pulled it together for the next week!

the only further advice I can give is could you use Bath foam as shwel gel. We did this and couldnt believe how much onger a big bottle of tescos own ( not value, the next one) bubble bath lasted as shower gel and was cheaper than shower gel! At the end of the day its all liquid soap!

mrsspendalot

Thanks again for the tips .... I am taking them all on board

I made chicken soup out of the leftover chicken etc from Sunday/ Monday's tea and we had that last night with some crusty bread - was very very nice. Hubby is on lates for the rest of the week so it is just me and the kids to feed, so we only normally have simple things. I have to get some more milk and bread, but that is it until the weekend shop

vix1978_2

lynzpower wrote: »

well done Ms Spendalot, it certainly seems like youve pulled it together for the next week!

the only further advice I can give is could you use Bath foam as shwel gel. We did this and couldnt believe how much onger a big bottle of tescos own ( not value, the next one) bubble bath lasted as shower gel and was cheaper than shower gel! At the end of the day its all liquid soap!

I've nor posted on this board before, although I've certainly lurked and I have to say why did I never think of this? I have loads of bubble bath that I rarely use and I never once thought of using it as shower gel. Something for the future to use up stocks.

debtworrier

nodwah wrote: »

Pink winged, do you know any threads for cheap meals for fussy kids? I have two and unfortunately they don't like the same things

In my family Mum put her foot down. We kids (3) were each allowed ONE thing that we wouldn't be offered: we'd get a fish finger or a sausage or something as substitute. Otherwise we were allowed to not eat it (none of that "you'll sit there until you do" nonsense that just makes kids stubborn IMO), but nothing else would be offered instead. Yeah, we moaned a bit at first, but Mum and Dad backed each other up, and we all just got over "fussy eating."

The things now that I recognize they did right were:

Mum and Dad had obviously talked this over beforehand and agreed what they were going to do.

Mum sat us all down around the table and calmly told us what the new rules were going to be.

They knew they were being fair and reasonable, and were not prepared to let us muck them about - and we were also hard up and *had* to stick to a tight food budget.