Monthly meal planning thread/store cupboard record keeper

Flat_Eric

In my bid to save the pennies and get super organised, I have decided to set up a thread where I can plan my meals and record what I might have lurking in my freezer/fridge/cupboards that needs using up. Please feel free to join me :j

Flat_Eric

W/C Monday 4 June 2012

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W/C Monday 11 June 2012

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W/C Monday 18 June 2012

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W/C Monday 25 June 2012

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Skint_yet_Again

Flat Eric just to wish you good luck on your challenge. I am not organised enough to plan a month ahead, and due to my budget I do my shopping weekly so I wll continue to post on the weekly meal planning thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3981407

But I will watch your posts with interest .... may help me be more organised, and I may steal some of your meal ideas

Penny-Pincher!!

Have you thought about joining the monthly grocery challenge? Its basically what you want to do.

Good luck.

PP
xx

Flat_Eric

Skint_yet_Again wrote: »

Flat Eric just to wish you good luck on your challenge. I am not organised enough to plan a month ahead, and due to my budget I do my shopping weekly so I wll continue to post on the weekly meal planning thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3981407

But I will watch your posts with interest .... may help me be more organised, and I may steal some of your meal ideas

I'm not very organised either so I shall probably just plan a week in advance so this I suppose is very similar to the weekly challenge except that it will be easy to refer back to previous weeks.

Penny-Pincher!! wrote: »

Have you thought about joining the monthly grocery challenge? Its basically what you want to do.

Good luck.

PP
xx

Thank you :T Yes I do frequent the grocery challenge board - its fab :j but if I do this month in month out for a year, it will be interesting to see what I end up eating now compared to November !

Penny-Pincher!!

I think its always an eyeopener when we start writing down what we're spending on food if we've never done it before or not for a long time. Before finding MSE, we would think nothing of spending £120+ per week plus takeaways and there were only 2 adults and a small child:eek::eek::eek::eek:...shocking!

A few years back when we were paying off our debt then we had to go onto benefits for a while, we were able to cut back to £25pw which was very hard but we ate well and can't moan.

Now it averages to about £80pw which includes our petrol and we eat very well and I do keep a good store cupboard. There are now basically 3 adults with DD's BF being a regular visitor and at over 6 foot, he eats a lot!

I shop around for the best voucher code as Im unable to go out to do the weekly shop, but OH when he's able, does go to local SM's late to get any deals which can be frozen like any meat/poultry, milk, bread, cheese and butter. Generally I do an online shop every 10-14 days with little top ups if needed at Lidl which is local to us. This is usually cottage cheese, yogurts, fruit, veggies etc.

We also have a free meal weekly which is usually egg, chips and beans as we always have these in, or some nights we just have beans on toast or a baked spud.

I usually get our DW tablets from Amamzon and can get 168 5 in 1 tablets for £10 delivered which will cover 6 months. All other branded cleaning, bags, etc etc is bought at Poundland.

HTH.

PP
xx

maman

Flat_Eric wrote: »

I'm not very organised either so I shall probably just plan a week in advance so this I suppose is very similar to the weekly challenge except that it will be easy to refer back to previous weeks.



Thank you :T Yes I do frequent the grocery challenge board - its fab :j but if I do this month in month out for a year, it will be interesting to see what I end up eating now compared to November !

:wave: I generally do my weekly mealplans then throw them away but someone asked me a while ago what sort of meals we generally eat. I made a list and find it an excellent aide memoire when I'm stuck for ideas. It's only suppers as I don't plan my breakfasts or lunches in advance, just buy in various ingredients and choose on the day (unless it's LOs). A definite must is a freezer inventory (and cupboards too?) as I check that every week before I do my shopping so I'm only buying fresh stuff to go with meat/fish that I already have in BEFORE I buy anything new. Only exception would be really good offers/reductions on stuff I could freeze/swap for a planned meal.

sarahpenny

Sorry to hijack thread! PP, can I ask you...how do you find the really good bargains on Amazon? Like the DW tablets for instance.
Thanks.

Crocswearer

sarahpenny wrote: »

Sorry to hijack thread! PP, can I ask you...how do you find the really good bargains on Amazon? Like the DW tablets for instance.
Thanks.

Will Ebay do? http://stores.ebay.co.uk/mrsudssoapfactory

squidgychesspiece

maman wrote: »

A definite must is a freezer inventory (and cupboards too?) as I check that every week before I do my shopping so I'm only buying fresh stuff to go with meat/fish that I already have in BEFORE I buy anything new.

Freezer inventory is a great idea maman, an going to make one and pin it on the front! I suppose you could add dates too so you know how long things have been lurking in there!!

beemuzed

Freezer and fridge inventories are brilliant as they avoid things "disappearing" and really help when making up the shopping lists. I'm quite good at ticking things off as I use them. My problem is that I never remember to update them when buying things as I just want them away quickly...and then hey presto things get just as bad as before. Suppose knowing the problem is halfway to dealing with it...