Love food hate Waste Part two for 2018 :)

takingcontrolatlast

JackieO wrote: »

I agree 100% chinese takeaway boxes are brilliant, I have a stash from my eldest `~dd as they eat takeaways (I don't as I don't like chinese food, plus I prefer to make my own food and rarely if ever eat a takeaway)

I keep a couple that have had tomato based or baked bean based things in that have got slightly stained just for using with tomato based stuff :)In fact I have half a tin of baked beans in the fridge in one at the moment . Soup bags you can buy and reuse time and again as they wash out very well and with soup in can be wriggled about into those odd corners of the freezer. The foil containers I can never seem to get as clean as I would like and worry about food debris being stuck in the corners I have also a stash of small brown earthenware type dishes that I have bought over the years from boot sales etc and use them for making individual cottage pies for the freezer which can go straight from the freezer-oven/microwave -table I like to make meat pies in these and top with flaky pastry which go straight to the oven for cooking. Batch cooking is definitely the way to go if you are time limited ,or even if you just fancy a night or two off from the kitchen

Thanks so much JackieO I think you have just answered my question regarding cooking from frozen ! That's a good idea about individual pies - I could do this rather than one large cottage pie as we sometimes eat at different times due to work - so this is a good one for me to try

takingcontrolatlast

Working_Mum wrote: »

I asked my friends what they cook each week and garnered some inspiration there!

I have a notebook stuck to my fridge and keep a running shopping list which helps as I run out of things or am inspired I write it down on the list and use that for shopping.

I tend to have a batch cooking session every couple of weeks and stuff my freezer and then run it down from there - it works for us as I have two children who work random shifts and are always hungry!!

I make bolognaise, taco meat, chicken fajitas, shepherds pie, cook sausages, mash potato, onion gravy, soups, fritata, chilli, lasagne - I use takeaway boxes and plastic bags to store in the freezer and then just take out the night before and defrost in the fridge ready for use the next evening.

I cook a soup every week and this sits in my fridge very happily and lasts me the week for lunches etc. I hate food waste and I will eat up random leftovers regularly. As long as the meal is nutritionally balances I can cope

Good luck as you navigate this! It's great you're planning in this way and it will save you money and reduce waste.

Wow thanks working mum - you too have answered my freezer/defrost question - I should have read down before answering the question :rotfl:

Great advice. Silly question but this really is new to me... when you make the chicken fajittas - do you put the cooked meat, peppers, sauce in the wrap and when cool freeze them? I could actually do these individually

Some many good ideas x

joedenise

takingcontrolatlast wrote: »

Thanks Denise - I'll have a look in the shops to see what's on offer

The Chinese takeaway style boxes are really cheap in places like Poundland, I think £1 for 8 (or they were last time I bought some!)

Denise

-taff

You can defrost then heat up, or you can cook from frozen [ if you do it in the oven it's better than a saucepan because if you do it in a saucepan you end up mushing it a bit because only the bottom will cook first, however, now that you've asked, there's no reason you can't do it in a slow cooker]
Fajitas, I've frozen the stuff separately, and the wraps separately, never thought of doing them together. I suppose they'd be ok done like that then heated in the oven with some foil on the top to avoid crisping up the wraps. I tend to put zero fat yoghurt in mine though so they'd be no good heating up like that.
Or you could pour a salsa sauce over the top and call them chimichangas

takingcontrolatlast

Thanks everyone for the advice :beer:

Unfortunately I dont have a slow cooker - would you believe it! I've only just acquired a microwave as I moved house and it was built in! And I've never batched cooked cooked before (I'm in my early 50's)!!!!

Anyway meals planned for the week utilising items in the freezer and my plan is to attempt to batch cook chilli to begin with over the weekend.

When shopping I'll also look out for yellow stickers and items on offer. x

redlaces

Hello lovely OSers!

Does anyone know what to do with leftover milk? I don't drink it, and I bought it because a friend stayed who likes a splash of milk in her coffee (thinking on, I may invest in some little UHT packets for next time!)

Anyway, I don't want to waste it, I have most store cupboard ingredients in (although no butter and just 1 egg). Any ideas?

Thanks

joedenise

How about rice pudding? Something with a white or cheese sauce ?

Denise

melanzana

redlaces wrote: »

Hello lovely OSers!

Does anyone know what to do with leftover milk? I don't drink it, and I bought it because a friend stayed who likes a splash of milk in her coffee (thinking on, I may invest in some little UHT packets for next time!)

Anyway, I don't want to waste it, I have most store cupboard ingredients in (although no butter and just 1 egg). Any ideas?

Thanks

Freeze it in ice cube trays, or if you have a funnel, into those ice cube bags. Pop them out as needed.

It sounds a bit OTT to me for a splash of milk, but I get the thread.

pamsdish

I am the same redlaces, I usually make an egg custard.

redlaces

Thank you so much guys! I am going to go down the rice pudding route I think... I fancy a bit of a sweet treat today

I'm usually terrible for food waste and trying to be better. Just waiting for some feta and sundried tomato filo parcels to cook, all ingredients came from stores so I'm rather proud of my moneysaving strategy today that mean I get to eat yummy food for nothing!