Eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge - part two

Nichelette

I enjoy reading everyones posts - I find it really motivational and can associate with the joy of finally getting things used up. My family also think I'm a bit mad as does OH, so I keep reminding him that this is part of why we're able to save. We were financially chalk and cheese but I have mostly got him to see the light, and he is now much better albeit still thinks I'm strange for freezing everything - bread he finds particularly upsetting :rotfl:.

Last night I sat down and did a meal plan for the next 3 weeks. I have a shopping list which has maybe 15-20 items on it but I can't get everything at once as a lot are perishable. I have done my best to plan using what I have and think I have done fairly well. I just need to actually stick to it now! I plan to make some things ahead at the weekends where I can to save me getting in from work and deciding I can't be bothered/am too hungry to cook 'proper' food.

I only plan for dinners but lunches are mostly soup for me (OH will have that too sometimes) or store cupboard things like tuna pasta. As stores are fairly full I should be able to make it to week 3 without having to buy too much extra lunch stuff.

Primrose

Ginmonster wrote: »

.........I saw someone suggest on another thread making an inventory of cupboards, fridge and freezer on a spreadsheet so you know exactly what you have of everything and don't buy things you already have. I might give it a try although it'll be a monster task to set up to begin with.

.

We did this for our big garage freezer when we defrosted it, and also for the fridge freezer in the kitchen. The idea was to gradually move stock from garage freezer to kitchen freezer so it would be more accessible and more easily used for menu planning. It works to a degree but you have to be incredibly disciplined about updating your spreadsheet every time an item gets transferred or used up and over time there is increasing slippage in the system ! Made me realise we just grow to much soft fruit. We never seem to use it up as we're not huge sugary dessert eaters so stock of it just continue to build up

It does help to be realistic about the sort of things you eat on a regular basis.

K9sandFelines

Ginmonster wrote: »

Hi K9sandfelines

It was me that was interested in the seitan recipe too. I'm a veggie that's trying to eat more vegan so it's always good to have new things to experiment with.

I don't think I could keep a notebook inventory at the moment as I'm not sure one exists that's big enough for the amount of different stuff I have in my cupboards (and stashed under the stairs)! It'll have to be a spreadsheet or an app for me.

HI Ginmoster
I see what you mean with the freezer book, I only list my actual freezer stuff, not cupboard stuff aswell. With the app you can also add different freezers, which is handy.

Save Dosh and Ginmonster
SEITAN RECIPE

One can of chickpeas drained (some recipes call for chickpea flour which I find easier)
One and a third cup of vital wheat gluten flour
Third cup of nutritional yeast
Two teaspoons of onion powder
One teaspoon of garlic powder
One teaspoon of chicken seasoning
Two teaspoons of sage
Half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Three tablespoons of soy sauce
One tablespoon of olive oil
250 ml of veggie broth or three teaspoons of bouillon

(Substitute herbs and spices to your taste. If you prefer a more smokey taste add smoked paprika, or liquid smoke. Or canon or curry spices to change up the flavours)

Mix altogether, form into a block and wrap in foil. Or form into patties, chunks etc.
Steam for one hour

Ginmonster

Thanks for the recipe K9sandfelines! I'll need to buy a few bits but I have a few of the ingredients already. I've never heard of chicken seasoning. Is that easily available in supermarkets?

FurryBeastOz

Going to make good use of the rugby bits I can't bear to watch and prep the veg for the week:D

Also a butternut squash chilli and some slow cooker rice pudding.:j

K9sandFelines

Sorry for taking over the thread, I can't multi-quote to save my life.

Updates since Weds...

Thurs
IN Nothing that I remember
OUT bread,avocado, mini sausage rolls (about15) and packed lunch bits, half a pack of duckstyle prices, handful of frozen edamame beans,shallot (as no spring onions) and quarter of a pepper, end of a packet of soba noodles and part of a new packet, plus a little of a jar of hoi sin sauce. Three chicken portions, rest of frozen sweet and sour sauce, rice (DD1 here for tea) and more Chinese dumplings out of freezer. More scones, Flora and cherry conserve and last of crispy cakes made to use up some stale cereal.

Fri
IN YS ice cream biscuits X 2 packs, pack of Bradbury apples, net of sweet clems,
avocado twin pack, and bananas
OUT lots of rice cakes, tub of houmous finished, more bread, crisps, clems, biscuits, handful of chocs, peanuts, tuna, pack of ice cream biscuits and last of bottle of coke.

Sat
IN YS twin pack baguettes x 3, ys cookie grab bags for packed lunch, YS Alpen, twin bar, did dabs and Maoms (from work, but manager forgot to knock discount off full price stuff). Also, three pack of pepper, napolina pizza bases and chicago town pizzas (for DD2) (as on a few lates next week), garlic baguette (could have used baguettes from work and forgot), fajita packet mix, and YS parsnips
OUT Half a bag of meatfree mince, pepper, red onion, half an avo, half a bag of tortilla chips, pack of wraps (from Approved foods), last of bag of mixed lettuce, last of wine and peanuts, and a few more cheeky chocolates.
Half of burrito mix is in fridge to make chilli or more burritos etc with

Today
IN Shop from Ocado ... I won't list everything as this post is already long enough. Spent £42.01 plus got free £20 worth of food.
OUT Last of loaf, last of vegan cheese slices and start of new pack, last of tuna steaks used that were cooked for cat (as he's bit unwell) and last of tuna for DD1 from fridge, more clems and chips.

That's it up to now. Phew it got long!!

Ginmonster

Used more stuff up today : lunch was veggie sausages, roasted spuds and parsnips, fried sprouts and Xmas pud with custard for pudding. Fat and happy now. :-)

Tea will be veggie haggis toasties.

117pauline

Katkin
This will be only the second delivery from them. I took too advantage of the £19 2.5kg chicken breasts. They weren't full of water. I agree about the sausage casings but we really liked their meatballs.

My cupboards are definitely more under control at last. I now can boast of NO out of date items. And we survived!!!!!

There are still a couple of items in the freezer that I am struggling to use up. Note to self - freeze items in sensible and useable portions.

My menu plan system has really helped this week as I have not been very well. It's meant we haven't resorted to toast or takeaway options. Also I haven't had that niggly nagging voice in my head because I managed.

K9sandFelines

Ginmonster wrote: »

Thanks for the recipe K9sandfelines! I'll need to buy a few bits but I have a few of the ingredients already. I've never heard of chicken seasoning. Is that easily available in supermarkets?

You're welcome. KTC sell a hot and spicy chicken mix in Asda or Morrisons, which is what I use. It's a massive tub so should last you ages but tbh, I have also done other recipes without it. You could leave it out and add whatever other herbs and spices you have in.

zafiro1984

Ginmonster wrote: »

Used more stuff up today : lunch was veggie sausages, roasted spuds and parsnips, fried sprouts and Xmas pud with custard for pudding. Fat and happy now. :-)

Tea will be veggie haggis toasties.

I've just come indoors after a couple of hours tidying the veg plot to do a pudding for tea when I saw your Xmas pud and custard posting. I'd forgotten I still had some left in freezer so that's easy to do, so now I'll be able to have a nice cup of warming tea instead before I venture out again for another hour or so in the freezing cold and dark - roll on the 28th when I can open the doors again, life will become a whole lot easier.