Ok so I think I have a 'slight' problem...help

HenrysMummy

Good luck with your list Soworried.

TOday we had a free lunch. Managed to come across some free vegetables, so with these and a few onions and chickpeas made couscous for lunch today to take to work. Was lovely.

Tea tonight was omelette (sp?) for hubby and remaining couscous from lunch for me.

dingdongsaving

Rice and beans all screaming for chili! Any beans you fancy, a tin of toms, a squidge of tom. puree, some chili and cumin to taste and a glug of high quality oil.
Delicious on it's own, with rice, with nachos...maybe a dollop of sour cream/some grated cheese if you fancy it. YUM!

I also have to add that my store cupboards/pantry/freezer were a bit like your original list in September.

We started the school year saying we'd save as much as possible by Christmas just by eating from our stocks and buying the fresh bits and we have only just got to the point of buying food on a weekly basis for most meals!

It is AMAZING to have freedom from stockpiling...and I NEVER thought I'd say that. Our kitchen isn't heaving with food, nothing's lurking and going out of date, we can choose what we want to eat without feeling guilty that we're buying different/new ingredients at the shop when we have a million items at home and our son is much more involved in picking our meals each weel...before he'd just say "something from the cupboards" as he'd heard us say it so often and he couldn't see beyond the 1st row of goods so had no idea what his options were!

Now,we batch cook at least once or twice a week so we have a backup meal or 8 in the freezer at all times for if money got tight, time was short, we were under the weather or the weather got nasty, but otherwise we only buy reduced items beyond our planned shopping list each week.

We saved a small fortune from September to December while we used our stashes and are still saving by having such an easy amount of food to 'control' in the house.

Good luck!!!

bargainbetty

Can I just drop in to suggest that you can use the pearl barley to make a risotto-like dish too. You cook it in exactly the same way, adding stock until the barley is tender, but it's like a risotto stew. I use chunks of whatever meat is available, and stir in veggies towards the end of the cooking. Pork, chorizo, bacon, chicken, all work really well.

Oh, and the somerset pork packet mix would probably go quite well with the sausages.

Best wishes

Lilydog

This is v helpful...was just wondering what low fat/healthy thing I could have for tea tonight then realised I've got all the bits for kedgeree too, that and a veggie chilli tom night will be us sorted.
Leaving fish fingers and chips for a lazy Saturday tea...