Last week in the UK - but what to eat?? Please help!

Keen_Young_Learner

Hi all! I'm hoping that some of you meal plan genuises can help me

Normally I'm pretty good at coming up with cheap meal plans but this time I'm stuck for inspiration. I'm leaving the UK very soon to move to China (aaargh!) and therefore am trying not to buy food that I'll have to throw away when I leave (spices, big bags of pasta, etc). This is my normal MS style, as cooking for one is difficult... Now that I'm buying for a short period of time, I don't seem to know how to do it!

So the question is this, how can I make a vaguely interesting meal plan (hopefully comprising cheese somewhere - can't get cheese in china :eek:) without having to buy a load of stuff that I won't be able to eat in one week? The meal plan needs to start on a Thursday and end on a Wednesday (but not including dinner on the Wednesday, however, lunch must feed 3...) - and, here's the crux, not use an oven (mine's packed up and it doesn't look like it'll work again before I leave) I do have a slow cooker though! Also: no freezer

I've got a giant box of cheerios (a present, I've got some brilliant friends) so breakfast is covered!

I don't want to spend more than 20 quid, which I know is very easily do-able, but I'd love to be able to buy a couple of treats, like wine/beer, maybe a pudding on Sunday...

So sorry for the ridiculously long post, I'm just really stumped and would absolutely love any ideas/advice you might have!

Storecupboard!

1 portion of pasta
Unlimited rice (was given 10kg as a present...having to give that away now!)
2 portions green lentils
probably about 3 portions couscous
1 tin cannelini beans
balsamic vinegar glaze
various indian spices (can make own gram masala)
tomato puree
tomato ketchup
chilli sauce
mustard
mayo (about 2 sandwiches worth I reckon)
tons of oils and so on (need eating)
1 tin mushroom soup
enough parmesan for a scattering over one portion
salt and pepper and all of that stuff
3 tomatoes
tons and tons of raspberry jam (2 big jars from granny - tricky to get to China!)

Thanks so much in advance for any advice!
KYL xxx

PasturesNew

I'd sack it all off and live off cheap supermarket sandwiches and oven chips for a week

Keen_Young_Learner

Haha, I have to say, the thought had crossed my mind! Would definitely be easier, and I'll probably do that in the couple of days after my parents take my stuff away (no pans then...)

But I do feel like I really need to use up those last bits of food. I can't give them to my family because they all live in Scotland and most of my friends would find little odd bits of food burdeonsome (which I definitely wouldn't but they're not really MSErs!) - so I really do want to try to incorporate those bits and bobs into meals... Just at a loss of where to!

Soworried

Where are you moving in China that does not sell cheese? I eat it all the time when I am there (Yunnan province). Mainly gouda.

It sounds great though, I would be too excited to eat.

Keen_Young_Learner

Hi Soworried!

I've just got back from Nanchang (Jiangxi) where I couldn't find cheese that I could afford... it seemed to me like a bit of a payday treat! I'm moving to Guangdong though - I might be able to get some a bit cheaper in HK. Do you have any tips for finding affordable western food in China? I would love to hear them!

I am so excited, but also nervous and full of trepidation...I'm going all on my own and I don't speak any Chinese! I know the people will be lovely though (I've been in touch with a few of them) so hopefully I'll be ok!

Soworried

I have not had the pleasure of going that far south. It is a beautiful country, I just wish work sent me there more often.

Street food is incredibly cheap and very nice. You will hear it and smell it before you see them. I want to sneak in your suitcase now.

Keen_Young_Learner

Aw Soworried, if only I'd known before! I just sent a huge box off to be delivered to Guangdong in 12 weeks, you could have stowed away! However, I don't think it'd be the most comfortable journey, haha!

Did you ever get sick from streetfood? I am quite a cautious traveller...

Soworried

You can not get sick of it in Yunnan, it has more diversity than anywhere else in China to my knowledge.
It sounds awful to type it on a mainly British forum but rabbit head is lovely and costs just 10p approx.
Like I say I have not been that far so please update us how it is going, I would love to know. x

DundeeDoll

Oo soworried i hope you stay with us and tell us your adventures. Re the food, you may end up spending more trying to make that palatable than just buying what you would normally eat. Though personally i'd have dahl and rice 2meals, couscous salad with the beans, chopped toms and balsamic for 3 meals, mushroom soup poured over the pasta for another meal, maybe with the parmesan sprinkled over

Soworried

DundeeDoll wrote: »

Oo soworried i hope you stay with us and tell us your adventures. Re the food, you may end up spending more trying to make that palatable than just buying what you would normally eat. Though personally i'd have dahl and rice 2meals, couscous salad with the beans, chopped toms and balsamic for 3 meals, mushroom soup poured over the pasta for another meal, maybe with the parmesan sprinkled over

You just have it with noodles, like ribs really. That is how it is served on the street. It is already cooked for that price, like a burger van type thing but a small store front.

I am not sure that negotiating a contract "adventures" would interest you or others.

zippychick

these threads may help

meal plannning how do you do it?

meal planning where do i start?

cheese and potato pie

macaroni cheese

cauliflower cheese

leftover cheese

cheese and onion pie

HM cheese scones

cheese and onion pasties

anyone got any rice recipes?

using leftover jam

jam tarts

cheap tasty puddings

old puddings

cheap cake recipes

i hope these help and you enjoy the rest of your holiday. Ill merge this after you've gone home

Zip