Really need help with making this last as long as possible

RedCola

Hello, I posted another thread on this board about learning to be frugal and have some fab advice on there. I was advised to post a list of what we have in food wise, and so wanted to do that, just on a new thread. Hope thats ok
We are a family of 5 and the food needs to cover all of our meals and do my eldest packed lunch.
I really can only spend the bare minimum for a long time, so any help would be appreciated. It does seem a rather long list, I am struggling though to see what mealsto make and what I need to buy in.

Cupboard

Noodles 3 nests
Jasmine rice 1kg
Pearl barley!
Penne [STRIKE]2kg[/STRIKE] 1kg
Pasta shells 200g
Macaroni 500g
Spaghetti
Couscous
Dried red lentils
Long grain rice 1kg
Cannelloni tubes!
Lasagne 4 boxes
Sunflower & olive oil & frylight

White/ balsamic/ rice vinegars
Fish sauce
Oyster sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Tabasco
Stock cubes & pots chicken/pork/ fish/beef/ vegetable
Gravy granules
Wide range of herbs & spices
Mixed bag of chilli, garlic, shallots, lemongrass & galangal
Lemons & Limes

[STRIKE]Brown sliced bread[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]White sliced bread[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Wholemeal pitta bread[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]White pitta bread[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Wholemeal rolls[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]White rolls[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]Square flat bread[/STRIKE]
White sliced bread
Wholemeal rolls
Mini croissants
Scones

Chopped tomatoes. [STRIKE]5[/STRIKE] 4 tins
Baked beans [STRIKE]4[/STRIKE] 3 tins
Passata
Dried butterbeans
Stuffing mix
Bag & Bake British chicken casserole
Bag & Bake New York BBQ chicken
Knorr Creamy baked cod mix
Swartz slowcooker mix (Chicken curry)

Sugar free jelly sachet
[STRIKE]Angel delight mixes[/STRIKE]
Fruit & Seed flapjack mix
Birds Trifle mix
Basics sponge mix
Custard powder
Chocolate brownie packet mix
Strong white bread flour
Self raising flour
Plain flour
Corn flour
Ground mix spices
Cocoa
Geletine sachets & fine leaf geletine sheets
Dried yeast
Baking powder
Castor sugar
Icing sugar
Brown sugar
Light Muscovado
Molasses
Dark chocolate

Selection of pickles; beetroot, Branstons, onions, gherkins etc
Marmalades, jams, marmite, choc spread, peanut butter
Tea, coffee, sugar
Porridge oats,Swiss style muesli

Eggs
Potatoes

Freezer

Minced pork 525g
6 Smoked gammon steaks
2 unsmoked gammon steaks
2 lamb loin chops
Braising steak
Unsmoked bacon
2 mini chicken breast fillets
1kg diced beef
Smoky chipotle chilli sausages
Hot & spicy sausages
Pork, mozzarella, tomato & basil sausages
[STRIKE]4 Beef grillsteaks[/STRIKE]
Crabsticks
White fish fillets
Tuna steaks

Sliced mushrooms
Broccoli florets
Whole green beans
Mixed veg
Sliced cabbage
Corn on the cob
Diced sweet potato
Sliced leeks
[STRIKE]Handful of peas[/STRIKE]
Sweetcorn
Peas

Sliced apples
Mixed summer berries
White grapes

[STRIKE]2 Chicken dippers
4 fish fingers[/STRIKE]
Onion rings
Birds eye mash tags
Hash browns
Breaded garlic mushrooms
4 hotdog rolls
1 burger bun
1 bake it loaf

Neopolitan icecream
Mini twisters

Fridge

Cheese triangles
Ready to eat chicken & herb lattice slices
Half bag of grated cheddar
[STRIKE]Few pizza slices[/STRIKE]dd
Polish sausage slices
Ham
[STRIKE]Small portion leftover pasta[/STRIKE]
Salad
Blueberries
Mixed bag of Kale, spinach, pak choi & jagallo nero
Grated carrot
Baby carrots
[STRIKE]Buttered herby new potatoes[/STRIKE]
Chocolate mousse
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Flat peaches
Watermelon slices
Packs of apple, grapes & cheese
Pre sliced mushrooms
Celery sticks


Menus:

Monday
Lunch:
DH & I: Bacon, eggs, tomatoes, toast & jazzed up beans( baked beans we jazz up!)
DS1- Marmite & cucumber sarnies, chocolate mousse, carrot, banana & squash
DS2- Free school Meal
DD- Cheese, grape & cucumber selection box

HappyMJ

You have a couple weeks worth of food there. How much are you proposing to spend on your groceries in the future? If you spend regular amounts such as £100 per week no matter what (for 5 people that should be sufficient) then you won't be reducing your current stock to nothing. Then if one week you can only afford £50 then you still have plenty of food in.

I would look at the dates on the food you have and prepare what is going to go out of date first.

RedCola

Yes, it is a lot of food! I have about £10 or so a week for a while. Have to pay large amounts out this month. In a few months we will be in a better situation, but for now its tight. I dont want to eat all the meat etc in the first week as I dont think we can afford it for a while.

bargainbetty

You could aim for a few casseroles and pasta bakes with lots of veggies to bulk out smaller amounts of meat. Can your eldest take cold pasta salads for pack up lunches? Very filling and easy to make from your stores.

Make up your desserts for puddings and snacks - you can save lot that way.

Barley and minced pork would make a huge batch of orzotto http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/pearl-barley-spinach-and-pork-mince-orzotto-con-spinaci-e-macinato-di-maiale

Reheats very well and can be padded out with veggies.

You have breakfasts in the form of muesli and porridge, plus toast with spreads and jams.

Start by drawing up a plan for each day - breakfast, lunch and dinner, and make a plan for evening meals that can be made bigger to cover a couple of lunches or double portions. Stew with dumplings goes further than just stew!

Good luck

AnnieO1234

My main advice would be to look at what you normally eat, presumably a lot of italian dishes for example, and then look at ways of bulking those choices out.

That can include using things like lentils, barley, carrots etc at 50/50 to your usual meat. What I would do is double the recipe up as far as toms etc go, then half it once cooked and freeze the other half. You could also make a massive batch of say a tomato base which could then be used in a variety of dishes.

Another thing to consider would be adding soup or bread to your mains (both very cheap to make from scratch) and reducing the amount of main dish served.

Take a look around your local supermarket at the reduced section, take advantage of local markets too as well as frozen vegetables. These can really bulk out a meal but at little cost. Just the other day I picked up 3 courgettes for 15p - I've used one but plan on making a basic med roast veg dish to go in the freezer with some other odds and sods from the fridge that need using up.

Look for links on google for frugal and thrifty life hacks.

You are in a very enviable position compared with many who seek similar help on this board, just know that it won't last forever and it may even broaden your families horizons a little too.

Xxx

RedCola

The orzotto looks quite nice, I may give it a go. Will have a look at the reduced section of the supermarket tomorrow and see what I can do.
I dont feel enviable at all, though I see what you mean, as we do have a very large amount in. I am struggling with the massive fall in income and the dramatic rise of outgoings. I really cant find the time for cooking and am finding the situation we have got ourselves into v. hard.
I dont know how I am going to do this, and I just have to.

RAS

Strongly recommend a wonder bag if you have time to make one.

You have enough carbs for 2-3 weeks of meals.

Hunt for fresh stuff on the YS aisle.

RedCola wrote: »

Cupboard

Noodles 3 nests - depends on the nests - how many meals do you think?
Jasmine rice 1kg - 13 portions = 2 meals+
Pearl barley!
Penne 2kg - 24 portions = 5 meals
Pasta shells 200g - cook and use for pasta salads for packed lunches (this shape works well)
Macaroni 500g - 6 portions = 1 meal
Spaghetti - how much:?
Dried butterbeans - how much? Cowboy casserole with bacon, gammon or sausage
Couscous - another thing to makeup for lunch?
Long grain rice 1kg - 13 portions = 2 meals +
Cannelloni tubes!
Lasagne 4 boxes - 4-8 meals
Sunflower & olive oil & frylight
White/ balsamic/ rice vinegars
Fish sauce
Oyster sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce
Tabasco
Stock cubes & pots chicken/pork/ fish/beef/ vegetable
Gravy granules
Wide range of herbs & spices

Brown sliced bread
White sliced bread
Wholemeal pitta bread
White pitta bread
Wholemeal rolls
White rolls

Chopped tomatoes. 5tins - for pasta bakes
Baked beans 4 tins - use for breakfasts?
Passata - pasta bakes
Stuffing mix
Bag & Bake British chicken casserole
Bag & Bake New York BBQ chicken
Knorr Creamy baked cod mix
Swartz slowcooker mix
Chicken curry

Sugar free jelly sachet
Angel delight mixes
Fruit & Seed flapjack mix
Birds Trifle mix
Basics sponge mix
Custard powder
Chocolate brownie packet mix
Strong white bread flour
Self raising flour
Plain flour
Corn flour
Ground mix spices
Cocoa
Geletine sachets & fine leaf geletine sheets
Dried yeast
Baking powder
Castor sugar
Icing sugar
Brown sugar
Light Muscovado
Molasses
Dark chocolate

Selection of pickles; beetroot, Branstons, onions, gherkins etc
Marmalades, jams, marmite, choc spread, peanut butter
Tea, coffee, sugar
Porridge oats,Swiss style museli

Freezer

Minced pork 525g
6 Smoked gammon steaks
2 unsmoked gammon steaks
2 lamb loin chops
Braising steak
Unsmoked bacon
2 mini chicken breast fillets
1kg diced beef
Smoky chipotle chilli sausages
Hot & spicy sausages
Pork, mozzarella, tomato & basil sausages
4 Beef grillsteaks
Crabsticks
White fish fillets
Tuna steaks

Sliced mushrooms
Broccoli florets
Whole green beans
Mixed veg
Sliced cabbage
Corn on the cob
Diced sweet potato
Sliced leeks
[STRIKE]Handful of peas[/STRIKE]

Sliced apples
Mixed summer berries
White grapes

[STRIKE]2 Chicken dippers
4 fish fingers[/STRIKE]
Onion rings
Birds eye mash tags
Breaded garlic mushrooms
4 hotdog rolls
1 burger bun
1 bake it loaf

Neopolitan icecream
Mini twisters

Fridge

Cheese triangles
Half bag of grated cheddar
Few pizza slices
Polish sausage slices
Ham
Small portion leftover pasta
Salad

You have a LOT of gammon, bacon, sausage, ham etc. and a lot of pasta.

You can make tomato based sauces and meatball some of the sausage?

This is Maria's cheapest carbonara

Make a white sauce. Add nutmeg (more than you think). They can be had for 10p.

Put the required number or portions of pasta onto boil - this is nice with spaghetti.

Line a grill pan. Take some bacon (preferably streaky) and grill until the fat runs. Gammon would do if sliced thinly. Then add some smashed black peppercorns and heat through.

Drain the pasta and pour onto the white sauce. Or plate up the pasta and pour white sauce over. Add a portion of bacon/gammon and peppercorns.

Lovely.

Buy some very cheap lidl kidney beans and make a batch of chilli with some of the diced beef. Eat with rice.

Stirfry beef with rice and any veggies you can get (carrots are cheap enough)

Chicken and leek pie?

FairyPrincessk

Presuming the kids will eat it, these are a few meals I'd make that won't require buying anything:
1. a leek and bacon risotto
2. Broccoli Macaroni Cheese
3. One "pick and mix meal" to use up the leftovers in the fridge and any leftovers from this week's food. Everyone picks what they want and it is heated up.
4.Either chicken, pearl barley and mixed veg, or tomato soup and bread (make with tinned tomatoes), slice up the odd buns in the freezer coat in butter and garlic and serve as 'mini garlic breads' rather than buying in anything. Serve a pudding to round it off.
5. Porridge with sliced apples for breakfasts
6. Ham salad sandwiches for lunch for 12 y.o.

LameWolf

I can't help much as far as meal ideas are concerned, as I'm vegetarian, but one thing I would recommend is now you've done a full inventory, keep it up to date, and also have the exact amount of everything listed, not just (for instance) "some" white rolls, but how many of them.

Whenever you use something, mark it off (or reduce the number you have in stock by the amount used) and when you shop, add all you buy to your inventory.

I've been doing this for some time - I have it all on a spreadsheet, with columns for packets/jars/tins, and for each of the 4 drawers in the freezer, and it's so much easier to look at that than to either try and remember what's already in, or scrat around looking in all the cupboards.

RedCola

Great ideas, thank you. Though not sure what a wonderbag is?

Will sit down later & come up with a meal plan

Husband is working tonight, so just me and the kids.we had an odd bits dinner to use it up:
Me; leftover pasta with salad
DS1; leftover pizza with hashtags & peas
DS2; fishfinger sarnies with hashtags & peas
DD; chicken dippers with hashtags & peas
They had Angel Delight for dessert & I saved a portion for dds lunch tomorrow

mumtoomany

Wonder bag, see "mortgage free in three" blog. You can make one from there. Also good for cheap meal ideas, Good Luck, Mumtoomany.