Who doesn't have a stock cupboard

Confuzzled

fester wrote: »

Ta.

Am I allowed to link yet? Well we'll see -

- oops, no I'm not ! - but if you google "lava practical guide vacuum packing" then it will probably be top of he list.

That is an ebook I found very useful (it is mentioned in that thread you gave the link for I think). A booklet all about vacuum packing stuff.

It was written by a firm who sell an expensive range of German machines - but applies to all vacuum packers.

cheers for that, found it and now have a copy on my desktop :T

with my new dehydrator a vacuum sealer seems a good idea, we do a lot of foraging around here and sometimes we have so much fruit i can't deal with it all fast enough but between the dehydrator and a vacuum sealer i think i could handle it!

http://www.lava-vacuum-packing.com/downloadebook.htm

EmmaHerts

I always keep my cupboard fully stocked with cans of beans, soups, tomatos and ravioli. Also items like cheap packet noodles, etc.

It has come in handy many times when we are too broke to go food shopping.

PhGage

This offer isn't available in my local Asda but for those who have branches that stock the larger sizes of East End pulses and beans, there is a 2 for £6 offer for the 2kg sizes which means that chickpeas can be £1.50 per kg along with mung beans and toor dhal etc. (If the link doesn't work, search for East End on Asda or MySupermarket.)

These prices are cheaper than a lot of online stores although people who live near a good selection of local asian shops might be able to get better deals.

bossymoo

PAH I have frozen tomato pur!e in ice cube trays before. Once frozen I popped em out into a sandwich bag. Did this with all sorts of weaning foods for my littlies.

I also freeze things like spaghetti hoops, they don't eat a full tin between them (and big tins cheaper than 2 small ones) so I line yoghurt pots with another sandwich bag, decant the rest and freeze.

My bottom freezer drawer is devoted to funny yoghurt shaped bags of stuff from hm BBQ sauce to bolognese, to leftover rice milk, lol

prepareathome

Thanks Bossymoo - just had notification my AF order will be here tomorrow, my first delivery from them so looking forward to seeing how they pack everything, condition of packs etc., and I will remember that about the tomato puree as those 850cans were a real bargain not even seen them in B&M where usually most things you can buy from AF are on sale and we use a lot of tomato puree as hubby likes everything tomato flavour, I like it but not that much so very often take my share of food out and then add it to his. I usually just buy the small cans as they work out the best value of what I can buy locally and keep a good stock of them in.

I have to admit something that many OSers will think awful I do not meal plan - well not in the way of sitting down and writing what we will have every night for a month or even a week. I rely totally on my store cupboard to make up what ever I feel I want to do or what hubby has requested on the day or day before at most.

I tried doing one but found even with choosing different things from the plan for that day instead of what I had put it annoyed me, I don't like having what we will eat all organised ahead. Obviously though I meal plan in my head in a way when buying for store cupboard but not in the way that I will pick things up YS or on offer then go and buy stuff to go with it in the next week or so. I will buy the YS item if we will eat it then mentally check what I have to go with it and then keep my eyes peeled for those things when they come on offer, but usually now of course what I need is to be found already in the store cupboard as its been built up and flourishing. Its not massive but I try to keep in at least one or two of everything I would need - just depends on money as to how many of each and space if its something that has to go in freezer. I will make a list of what I need usually in the way of fresh fruit or vegetables.

I love making up my own recipes - I will not be sure what I am going to make so will root around in freezer and maybe choose say lamb then I think how do I fancy it so root around store cupboards and fridge and see rice and think yes, then maybe raisins, some tinned pineapples, tinned/fresh mushrooms and other bits and bobs and come up some a meal - I might do a gravy with it or a sauce ( sauces usually tomato based but not always as have managed to persuade hubby that mushroom soup makes a nice sauce basis now). Seasoning will be added - might decide to throw in some chilli or just leave it with salt and pepper. I keep onion salt and onion granules in for odd times I haven't been out for a few weeks and run out of fresh onions - now I have dehydrator I will have dried onions in as well.

Today just haven't felt like cooking at all so just went and got some mince out of freezer and though in tomato puree, some onions, salt, pepper, beef stock cube and some sugar and that is the meat sauce for a spag bol for hubby, pasta cooking in microwave. 5 mins to throw it all together and by time pasta is ready so will meat sauce. I buy bags of the frozen lamb or beef mince that does not clump together especially to make up a quick spag bol, no need to worry about having to defrost it ready to use. For something like Shepard pie I will use fresh mince ( well bought fresh and I freeze it) as that is a meal I would have to start earlier as potatoes have to be made ready ( although have made it from the bags of frozen mince and tinned potatoes and tinned carrots plus seasoning if its been a really bad day or one where I am running late and its what we ( read really me) fancy. Taste is not bad at all, quite edible.

To me this is one of my main reasons for a store cupboard, can basically have anything I fancy that day or the next ( if things like chicken or fresh mince need to be defrosted) and I don't have to have a meal plan to ensure I always have everything I would want for that particular meal in.

Confuzzled

prepareathome wrote: »

I have to admit something that many OSers will think awful I do not meal plan - well not in the way of sitting down and writing what we will have every night for a month or even a week. I rely totally on my store cupboard to make up what ever I feel I want to do or what hubby has requested on the day or day before at most.

I tried doing one but found even with choosing different things from the plan for that day instead of what I had put it annoyed me, I don't like having what we will eat all organised ahead. ...

To me this is one of my main reasons for a store cupboard, can basically have anything I fancy that day or the next ( if things like chicken or fresh mince need to be defrosted) and I don't have to have a meal plan to ensure I always have everything I would want for that particular meal in.

i don't meal plan either, i cook like you do. i honestly don't have time but to cut back on waste i regularly go through the fridge/freezer and stores to do use it up meals. i have tons of spices and sauces too all gotten cheaply so i regularly throw things together.

last night was the first time in ages we had something 'typical' for dinner, beef, mash, peas and yorkshire puddings, i'd say we eat 'typical' meals perhaps at most once a week and stuff i make up the rest of the time. we have our fav variations and i restock accordingly.

when i look at new recipes i try to find ones that will use a lot of the stuff i already have and usually substitute things in it we don't have, do with out and only very rarely buy something special.

might not be to everyones tastes but i get compliments on my cooking a lot of the time and i can make you a meal from darned near anything edible that you'd probably eat and quite possibly enjoy

elona

Confesses guilty secret - I don't meal plan either. At least not in the sense of Monday is * Tuesday is ! etc.

I have what I call "stuff that makes stuff!" Cans of tomatoes, chicken pieces, mince, diced beef or lamb etc in freezer (usually YS) loads of veg, frozen pastry- noodles, rice or pasta from AF , stir fry sauces etc flour, lentils, pulses. I then decide depending on weather and who is home what I fancy cooking. Might be lasagne, spag bol, cottage pie, curry, veg and noodle dish, stir fry or salad, tortillas, fajitas, home made soup, meat pies, fish pie or just jacket spuds with beans and cheese or a toastie.

Everything does get used just not on strict plan - leftovers make hot lunch for DH and me next day or get frozen or make pack up for dd at work as salad or sandwich etc.

bossymoo

Me too. We sometimes have odd combinations, but tbh with just me and 2 toddlers, it doesn't matter. When the littlies choose what's for tea, it's always odd anyway, lol. DS likes cress, and would eat it on ravioli. DD would eat chopped binbag if it had gravy on it...

I just tend to look on a morning and get something to defrost or whatever then. Fridge well stocked now so thinking eggs for brekkie, picnic type lunch and some veggie rice for tea, poss with the sausages I cooked today.

prepareathome

Nice to know I am not the only non meal planner. Nothing ever gets wasted or left. Leftovers either used next day or frozen depending if they can be.

Stuff that makes stuff I like that, it sums it up exactly what is in my store cupboard, fridge and freezers:T

Popperwell

My meals are quite simple and I can even sometimes have the same thing for a few days...

But all cooking is easy to me and can be done so quickly.

I know this is about store rooms but we have talked about surviving and buying camping stoves, kettles, lanterns etc...I have never gobne camping and don't suppose I will now but I know tents have been mentioned.

Tesco's are selling two that they say two people can fit into(with sleeping bags)one is in a holdall and the other is said to be a pop up type...both are £19.98. At that price can you be robbed? Just wondering if I should part with some money and buy one...just in case but if I do I wonder which one I should consider. One has a window in part of the design and say it has a porch area(says it's ideal for backpackers)