Cherry takes the reins

in_need_of_direction

I love liver but cannot even contemplate dealing with it in its raw state

Cherryfudge

in_need_of_direction said:

I love liver but cannot even contemplate dealing with it in its raw state

Yes, it should be an 'I'm a Celebrity' challenge.

Onebrokelady

I think it's sensible to stock up in a common sense manner at the moment,I went and did a big shop rather than my normal regular small shops that I do very few days,so I've bought the same amount of things I would normally but just in one shopping trip, when I went on Sunday there was plenty of rice and pasta plus tinned tomatoes on the shelves,I made a rough meal plan and just bought enough ingredients to make those meals,I think I'm ok for non perishables for around three weeks at the moment, I think this week we are going to see a ramping up of people stockpiling because the advice from the government is going to change, it's a sad thing to say but I find people on the whole are just selfish and will only think of themselves in this kind of situation 😟

Cherryfudge

I had a good night's sleep last night, waking at 9.27. The trouble was, I was due in a training session at ten! And I made it.
I'm due back in at three but in the meantime I've put a load of laundry on the line - it will be half dry by the time I need to leave. It's mild and very blustery: perfect so long as he washing stays anchored to the line. 
DS2 bought some huge bananas recently for no better reason than that they are huge, but they are getting spotty so I asked if I could use them. He said yes, so long as I don't make banana bread (which he finds hard to resist but reckons it's not healthy). Instead I have wrapped some croissant dough round a banana and dusted the cooked result with icing sugar. Highly recommended, especially if you need to gain weight.
I'm not telling DS2 yet in case he forbids me to use the rest of them!

Cherryfudge

Onebrokelady said:

I think it's sensible to stock up in a common sense manner at the moment,I went and did a big shop rather than my normal regular small shops that I do very few days,so I've bought the same amount of things I would normally but just in one shopping trip, when I went on Sunday there was plenty of rice and pasta plus tinned tomatoes on the shelves,I made a rough meal plan and just bought enough ingredients to make those meals,I think I'm ok for non perishables for around three weeks at the moment, I think this week we are going to see a ramping up of people stockpiling because the advice from the government is going to change, it's a sad thing to say but I find people on the whole are just selfish and will only think of themselves in this kind of situation 😟

That sounds like sensible advice OBL. I haven't really meal planned but I know I have carbs and protein enough for a couple of weeks at least if we are measured in their use. I'm trying to eat more fresh stuff now to save stocks of non perishable and besides, no one is stockpiling much in the way of fresh food. Our freezer is full as usual and if I get the chance I'm replacing fruit and veg from there but I remembered that in an emergency ground elder was originally introduced as a food supplement (Vitamin C, from memory, and possibly iron) and guess what? We've got some!
I'm going back to my wartime cookery books for ideas as pasta and tinned tomatoes weren't  much of a thing then. Incidentally I know there are threads on here about eating as though on rations, and one of the best ever forum threads was about living off 50p per person per day. She balanced her meals so that they were really nutritious as well. Will look her up when I have time.

Cherryfudge

Here we go: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1007423/50p-a-day-til-christmas-healthily-weezls-next-challenge/p1
And her original: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/826653/old-style-vs-the-usda-head-to-head-challenge

weezl, you were a legend. I wonder where you are now?

Sun_Addict

I rarely eat pasta, not sure why as I do like it. I have some in my cupboard but it's probably out of date.  Now tinned tomatoes/passata I would struggle to manage without as I use around 4 a week in my soups, curries, etc. I noticed the cheap chickpeas were out of stock on Mr M's website plus a lot of dried beans. Looks like we'll all be using up those storecupboard items that have been there a while, one bonus I suppose!

greenbee

Pasta doesn't really go out of date... the packs I used to buy in Italy use to say 'for US and UK only BBE' 

Cherryfudge

Sun_Addict said:

I rarely eat pasta, not sure why as I do like it. I have some in my cupboard but it's probably out of date.  Now tinned tomatoes/passata I would struggle to manage without as I use around 4 a week in my soups, curries, etc. I noticed the cheap chickpeas were out of stock on Mr M's website plus a lot of dried beans. Looks like we'll all be using up those storecupboard items that have been there a while, one bonus I suppose!

greenbee said:

Pasta doesn't really go out of date... the packs I used to buy in Italy use to say 'for US and UK only BBE' 

I found a bag of kidney beans in the bottom of the larder the other day and had a good look at the date - BBE Oct 2014! However after a bit of Googling I reckon they are useable if cooked for longer than it says on the packet. The bag is intact and there's no sign of any infestation or contamination. On the other hand I finally threw out some fancy pasta because the bag has been open since Adam was a lad, and I remember I bought it on a holiday when DS1 was 17. He's 29 this year.   Definitely past its best though I agree with both of you that dried goods are usually not worth a date stamp. 

Cherryfudge

So... apparently the first local case of Covid 19 has appeared. I can no longer say to myself that it's not in this area. Realistically of course it may have been around for a while, just without symptoms. One of my colleagues was definitely on edge waiting for the government's announcement, and that was before news came up of the local infection, but I feel I sort of have a responsibility to keep calm and carry on.

Between a training course this morning and a shift this evening I haven't spent anything today. I think I need to be strategic about shopping now and plan to shop for two or three days at a time to reduce the need to mix with crowds. I don't think I need to buy anything tomorrow, just invent myself a dinner to take to work from what we have in. I'd like to go for a run but I need to be more organised than usual if I do as I also want to get to work early and do more paperwork before my appraisal. I managed two hours extra this evening and got the main section out of the way and signed off - real progress. That's been four hours of my own time this week but needs must. We'll be on half our current income as of April so I don't want a drop in salary.

No money or decluttering things to report today, apart from I forgot to record I threw out some plastic pudding bowls into recycling the other day. I have a habit of saving them and never using them.

Tonight I'm thankful for making it to the training in time this morning and finishing that section of my paperwork tonight. Also for an extra weekend off and being asked to do some extra on Monday. And... (drum roll) after all these extra sleep in shifts I now have one of my very own on rota which is valuable as it's guaranteed.