Eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge - part two

littlesimplelivingcottage

Hello all, I've just started reading this thread to get ideas as I am wanting to go through my cupboards to make them more manageable but unsure on exactly how I should go about it! Do you make a physical list or is there some sort of computer thingy I can use to make it easier???? Should I just start with one cupboard and then go around the kitchen??

caronc

littlesimplelivingcottage wrote: »

Hello all, I've just started reading this thread to get ideas as I am wanting to go through my cupboards to make them more manageable but unsure on exactly how I should go about it! Do you make a physical list or is there some sort of computer thingy I can use to make it easier???? Should I just start with one cupboard and then go around the kitchen??

Welcome to the thread.:)
I use physical lists pinned on the freezers and inside the computer. They are easy then to update as things go/in or it. I type them so keep a copy so updating them when they get messy is easy. It works for me but I'm sure others will have different approaches.


In: nothing
Out: parmesan, rolls, tuna, brambles, 1/2 pack stuffed pasta

Used up: hallomi skewer, turned roasted toms into tomato sauce

t1redmonkey

caronc wrote: »

Hi t1redmonkey- it's scary how much builds up in stores. I suspect I could last several months.:eek:


In: nothing
Out: cupasoup, Greek pitta
Used up: slightly wrinkly red pepper

I think I'm actually going to make an inventory of everything I have in my cupboards/fridge/freezer this weekend and see exactly how many meals I can make out of what I have. I'm curious to see how long I could last on the food I've already got!

littlesimplelivingcottage

caronc wrote: »

Welcome to the thread.:)
I use physical lists pinned on the freezers and inside the computer. They are easy then to update as things go/in or it. I type them so keep a copy so updating them when they get messy is easy. It works for me but I'm sure others will have different approaches.


In: nothing
Out: parmesan, rolls, tuna, brambles, 1/2 pack stuffed pasta

Used up: hallomi skewer, turned roasted toms into tomato sauce

Thank you for this, that is a great idea! I really need to do this so I can clearly see what we have and start managing it better I'd love to have a pantry I could use and not just random stuff here and there!!!

caronc

Oh I would love an "old-fashioned" walk in pantry!


In: HM tomato sauce
Out: baked beans
Used up: Salad Nicoise, cheese spread, celery, corned beef

littlesimplelivingcottage

caronc wrote: »

Oh I would love an "old-fashioned" walk in pantry!


In: HM tomato sauce
Out: baked beans
Used up: Salad Nicoise, cheese spread, celery, corned beef

I'm with you on that!!! My house is so small I only have a cute 1950's store cupboard thing which is mostly filled with books, I need to sort it out so I can use it properly. I follow a lady on instagram (henhousehandmade) and she has the most wonderful walk in pantry!!

caronc

I would love to have a 50s cupboard like my Gran had but unfortunately I would need to sacrifice too much storage to get one!


In: corned beef stew
Out: pollock, cashew nuts, parmesan, sundried tomatoes, chickpeas

Used up: cream cheese, avocado, filo pastry

donnajt

hi all, been a long time since i posted, i lost my mum in march and i can't really tell you what i have been doing in the last 5 months

well my american fridge freezer broke down on the harry & meghan's wedding day, lost over £500 worth of food, thankfully frozen was insured and this paid for a lovely shiny new SMALLER one, but its full up already lol, so i intend to start making my meal plans again and using up what's in there so that I can buy more lol, only joking just being more efficient not only with fridge freezer but food stores in general

Hopeless_Case

littlesimplelivingcottage wrote: »

Hello all, I've just started reading this thread to get ideas as I am wanting to go through my cupboards to make them more manageable but unsure on exactly how I should go about it! Do you make a physical list or is there some sort of computer thingy I can use to make it easier???? Should I just start with one cupboard and then go around the kitchen??

I made a list of everything in my freezer(s) and store cupboards in May and made Excel spreadsheets, which worked really well for a couple of months, but I went to just one freezer a few weeks ago and didn't do it properly, I just stuffed things in wherever they would go, and now I'm not quite sure where everything is and realised I haven't been keeping my spreadsheets up to date!

I desperately need to defrost the freezer too, but it isn't getting any emptier, plus I've been stocking up for the winter with things like herbs, courgettes and blackberries, which I don't want to use up yet, so I'm going to wait til the weather gets a bit colder and take my chances with cool bags.

Nargleblast

I had in the freezer one pack of breaded chicken goujons, two small pieces of chicken in batter and a small pack of mini chicken fillets. None of these packs were big enough for a meal for three adults.

I put rice on to cook with a few peas and some bouillon powder to flavour. I cooked the goujons and the battered chicken in the microwave combi oven for twenty minutes. The fillets I chopped and stir fried with onion, pepper, leftover pineapple chunks, bit of garlic, five spice and soy sauce to make a sort of chicken and pineapple sweet and sour dish. I made a home made sweet and sour sauce from a recipe book.

The rice went into three bowls, the goujons and battered chicken around the outside of the rice, the chicken and pineapple mixture on top of the rice, the sweet and sour sauce poured around or on top as desired.

Voila! The Chateau Nargle Three Way Sweet and Sour Chicken And Rice.

Three things out of the freezer and pineapple chunks used up.