£10-15 a week food challenge - any advice and pointers?

recovering_spendaholic

I agree with Mrs M about the frozen mushrooms and peppers - they are really cheap and IMO don't taste any different when added to dishes. I also sometimes buy the frozen diced onion which is, I know, terribly lazy but sometimes a whole onion is too much if I am making something just for me so I find the 70p for the frozen bag is more moneysaving.

whatatwit

BlueNose1984 wrote: »

Yes I have a freezer though I am a tad annoyed the smaller one is being used as storage system for my lodger's mate :rolleyes:

Thanks for these pointers. It saves buying loads of stuff that would only go off or get wasted/given away.

I shop at Lidl and there is good bargains, but I think my one is a tad expensive. Somerfield has some good bargains, any recommendations?

:eek: I presume it is not your lodger's mate that is being stored in the freezer.

Buying dried stuff, such as lentils or chickpeas that can be soaked and then used to bulk out meals is a great way of reducing the food bill and increasing fibre intake.

Also have a scout around the supermarkets reduced sections, I have picked up some great bargains in Asda

basil01_2

To keep costs down I'd stick to simple but wholesome foods.

Cooking meals that bulk out easly with extra rice, pasta, bread, veggies and tin tomatoes.

I'd recommend baking a nice loaf of bread and serving this along side your main meal, as this can make a simple stew into a feast.

lightisfading

From what I've read its fine to reheat rice as long as you a) cool it quickly before putting in freezer/fridge (ie not leave it out all night), then use it next day unless frozen, and make sure its piping hot when you do.

djbd1973

lightisfading wrote: »

From what I've read its fine to reheat rice as long as you a) cool it quickly before putting in freezer/fridge (ie not leave it out all night), then use it next day unless frozen, and make sure its piping hot when you do.

True, but for the price of the rice, I personally would not take the chance at all and I would only cook the amount of rice that I felt I was going to eat at the time. It doesn't take long to wash and then cook. Depends in my opinion, in how you store your rice, and where you buy it from (and how it was stored on its journey to you). I wouldnt' be able to tell if rice I bought had the bacteria living in it or not. Sorry to sound like a scaremonger.

patchwork_cat

About the rice as a kid my dad would regularly order a takeaway - put it in the hostess trolley and turn off on going to bed. My fav. breakfast would be cold fried rice from the trolley! He was a Dr! I am sure we can all quote our 90 year old Uncle who smoked 40 a day for 60 years, but the risk is only theoretical.

mouseymousey99

Have also found buying some things frozen means they last longer. I like green beans and spinach. You can use the spinach to make Indian things like sag aloo (with some tatties you may have leftover from something else). Agree re the chickpeas, but only if you have a pressure cooker - otherwise you will use lots of fuel cooking them up.The ethnic shelf in Tesco has some tins for about 24p. Jacket spuds are brill, put something else in the oven while you are cooking them. You can make your own bread much cheaper than you can buy or you could use the 19p dreadful stuff. Depends what sort of things you like to eat really. Huge bag of dried pasta for about £2. My advice would be to look at the ethnic shops and use your local market if you have one. Eggs are another good buy.

djbd1973

patchwork_cat wrote: »

About the rice as a kid my dad would regularly order a takeaway - put it in the hostess trolley and turn off on going to bed. My fav. breakfast would be cold fried rice from the trolley! He was a Dr! I am sure we can all quote our 90 year old Uncle who smoked 40 a day for 60 years, but the risk is only theoretical.

Its only theoretical if you don't get ill from it.

patchwork_cat

HAve you ever got ill from it djbd1973?

culpepper

I look at it that thoroughly heating leftovers is the safe way to go.
Look at all the ready meals that have rice or whatever in them.
They are parcooked or thoroughly cooked in advance and you are advised to heat them through for 20 minutes or more.
Ofcourse refridgerate overnight.