setting my grocery budget,y 'almost eight' son and I. Advice appreciated x

HOWMUCH

Cheel, I'd look inside the freezer first and see what you have then make your menu around items you already have. x

Pollycat

These tips may help the pennies go further:

When I menu plan (I sit down every 3 weeks or so) I'll consider buying a family pack of mushrooms and same of peppers.
They'll be on the menu in goulash, then tuna risotto, then in a pasta dish and usually finish up as extra topping on a pizza.

I buy packs of mince - sometimes packaged in 400gms, sometimes in 500gms, sometimes 750gms.
I don't use the whole pack in whatever I'm cooking.
I know that 3/4lb (340gms) will be plenty for a shepherd's pie for 2 so I buy more than 1 pack and split them into 340gm packs and Hey! Presto! 2 x 500gm packs become 3 packs. I usually end up with enough to make 2 x 4oz burgers so that's a free meal.

When you can afford it, consider buying the large half-price joints of beef.
I cut slices off for braising in the slow-cooker and cube the rest, sorting the really good bits for goulash, the OK bits for stew and the smaller scrappier bits for pie filling.

cheel

Thanks how much! That's what I've ended up doing! It was too hard the other way around! Lol! I do like to make my life difficult!:wall:

Thanks pollycat. I've never made goulash, will look it up. Do you freeze fresh mushrooms? I didn't kbow you could but its a very good idea if you can. Will look that up too!

Cheel xx

cheel

Right so I've made a list of freezer contents into a book which hopefully I have left enough room to record ins and outs for a while.

Now I'm emptying all the cupboards ( thankfully only three) to record in there too.

Just realised that my son will need sandwiches next week, and had opened a pack of his funny face meat on weds. There are five slices so I've wrapped and frozen them just in time!!

Pollycat

cheel wrote: »

Thanks pollycat. I've never made goulash, will look it up. Do you freeze fresh mushrooms? I didn't kbow you could but its a very good idea if you can. Will look that up too!

Cheel xx

I cook my goulash in the slow cooker, pork, chicken or beef.
I always add creme fraiche before serving as that lifts it from an ordinary casserole.
Also I always add hot paprika for that spicy taste.
Just ask if you're unsure of any ingredients. I've made it so often I don't use a recipe so it's different every time.

I tend to buy a bigger pot of creme fraiche & use the other half in stroganoff.

I don't freeze mushrooms, I store them in the garage in the plastic box but with kitchen towel on the bottom and covering them.

cheel

Wow! I've a lot in what I thought was an emptying freezer, and empty cupboards! That is far from an accurate perception.

I am out of bread. But I think its perfectly possible to do the whole week or more with only a little top up of the fresh things, yogurts, butter, milk, a tin of baked beans, fruit and veg (not potatoes) loo roll,fabric conditioner, bread, self raising flour, oats and tomato puree.

Some crisps would be nice as would some choc (for me, son had loads!!)

So now I just have to do the actual plan. Phew!!!

maman

Pollycat wrote: »

Always remember to label what you put into the freezer.
.

I use masking tape to label things in the freezer. That's what I do for HM ready meals. When I'm portioning up meat, I take it out of the bulky packaging and cut the label off. The label goes in the see-through bag with the meat.

cheel wrote: »

Do you freeze fresh mushrooms? I didn't kbow you could but its a very good idea if you can. Will look that up too!

Cheel xx

You can freeze mushrooms. I slice them and open freeze (lay them separately on a plate/tray before bagging to stop them sticking together) them. They're fine for casseroles.

cheel

I know I've not done my actual meal plan yet but I'm a small bit proud of myself.

A couple of months ago the thought of taking all tho in hand would have made me feel awful. But now I'm actually enjoying the feeling of progress..... . Once son is in bed I'm going to sit with my little stocks book. Write a meal plan using mainly things I have. Then look at my money and write a shopping list. I might stagger the fruit and veg into two shops as son sometimes eats loads and sometimes hardly none. He does love cantelope melon tho. So if there is money left that's what ill get as a yummy treat at the end of the week.

Yes I must label!

I also must be making sons birthday cake. My friend keeps chicken and she's just given me 18 eggs. Loads for cake and buns for his whole class and probably a quiche or something too!

cheel

Right, rather amazingly I've got from the freezer and cupboards 15 days of main meals and 2 cooked breakfasts!!!

Obviously I need to buy fresh bits and one bag of spuds. Ok now to check out lunches and breakfasts.

Pollycat

cheel wrote: »

I know I've not done my actual meal plan yet but I'm a small bit proud of myself.

Don't be a 'small bit proud of yourself'. Be VERY proud of yourself! :T