Learning to be frugal in the kitchen

maddiemay

Baby steps is the way to go. Your last post shows many positives, can't remember if you have had time to list the freezer contents yet, but if not try to get it on paper and then post a few of the things at a time on here and some of us might be able to offer some ideas.:D

With regards to feeding the family, I have no experience there, so no help, but it might be worth jotting down on a pad/diary just what the difficult ones will eat, not suggesting that you all eat the same, but it might make the planning a little easier, I do understand the food problems with ASD are not easily resolved/if at all:(

Stop beating yourself up and just try and change one small thing this week, the soup and toastie idea was good, don't forget the good old jacket potato, endless topping variations/accompaniments - cheese/beans/left over mince/chilli/ tuna/ coleslaw/chopped up LO chicken in mayo with sweetcorn etc.

If oven is on bake a whole shelf of jacket potatoes, let surplus cool, wrap in foil and freeze, zap in microwave and fill as above, they are much nicer than just microwaved ones and make a quick meal. Just the 2 of us here, I bake a batch in the slow cooker until done and crispy and freeze.

pandamonium

Just dropping by to say don't worry too much about the picky eaters. If they will eat mince without the topping, just give them that, with bread, pasta or something. One of my kids lived on Weetabix and pasta and cheese for quite a long time. I was so worried that I took him to the doctors. The doctor weighed him and checked his height, then again two weeks later. He was four years old and grew half an inch and put on 2lbs in weight. I was told not to stress about his eating habits. He went through a chicken nugget phase too. His diet isn't amazing to this day, but he is over six foot and a healthy football playing 20 year old. This probably isn't that helpful regards saving money or improving your child's diet, but it might ease your mind a bit.

Panda x

MartagonLilies

Yes, I'm definitely feeling the support! It's lovely to talk to with others who understand. You all seem to know what you're doing too:)

I didn't didn't realise I should be posting my freezer contents on here:o It would help a lot!
Yes, we all do like jacket potatoes (other than DC2, of course:cool:) If I were to do them in the slow cooker, they go crispy you say?
The reassurance on picky eaters is helpful, in that it helps In not alone. I do worry about their health though. It can't be good surely, to never eat any fruit or veg?

pandamonium

DS eats peppers, sweetcorn, cucumber and spinach. Tomato based sauces are ok now too. For a long time fruit and veg were a compete no no. I guess his fibre and vitamin intake cam from the Weetabix! Apart from the odd cold and occasional tonsillitis he's a healthy lad.

I do feel your pain. I tried all the hiding stuff in sauces, chopping veg up small etc. In the end I gave up, and left veg in chunks so those who didn't like stuff could fish it out themselves (I have 4 children and cooking by the lowest common denominator would have probably meant we all lived on Weetabix, Pasta and cheese for a while ).

maddiemay

beenthere_donethat wrote: »

How do you cook them in the slow cooker please maddie? I've tried before but didn't like them so was interested to see how you do them

I prefer them done in the oven when I have it on, but OH will eat them however they come so I sometimes wash and dry well than stab the potatoes with a knife several times, then rub potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle with salt place the potatoes into a slow cooker, in a single layer, lid on and cook on High for 4 1/2 to 5 hours, or on Low for 7 1/2 to 8 hours until tender. Maybe that these are just not to your taste though:D

maddiemay

MartagonLilies wrote: »

Yes, I'm definitely feeling the support! It's lovely to talk to with others who understand. You all seem to know what you're doing too:)

I didn't didn't realise I should be posting my freezer contents on here:o It would help a lot!
Yes, we all do like jacket potatoes (other than DC2, of course:cool:) If I were to do them in the slow cooker, they go crispy you say?
The reassurance on picky eaters is helpful, in that it helps In not alone. I do worry about their health though. It can't be good surely, to never eat any fruit or veg?

Not as nice and crispy as oven, but for me much better than microwaved ones.

Do you put tinned tomatoes or passata into your mince? counts as veg.

monnagran

If your DS1 will eat the mince why not serve it with Yorkshire puddings or top it with scones and call it cobbler. I had a picky son too and was pretty picky myself as a child but most things can be got round. I wouldn't obsess too much about vegetables either. Most children go through a phase where vegetables are poison. When my grandaughterstarted to refuse to have any sort of veg on her plate my son introduced 'starters', which were always strips of carrot, cucumber, spring onions and such, with a dip. Sometimes the dip was hummus, or a tomato sauce, but sometimes it was just a splodge of mayonnaise. Apparently that was OK.

You are doing very well.. Relax. It doesnt matter how slowly you go, forward is still forward. (I read that somewhere. It's a comforting thought.)

suki1964

Oh the dreaded ' won't eat onions in shepherds pie child'. I have one of those, grandchild . He hasn't noticed the tiny bits of red onion though

Both my (step) kids and now grandkids have gone through/ going through the stage of not wanting veg, it's really not worth getting stressed other, they get over it. In the meantime I work with what they will eat, sweet corn, roasted carrots, baked beans, broccoli, peppers and tomatoes Roast dinners look weird but if they eat what's on their plates then I'm a happy bunny

Make the shepherds pie without veg so you know everyone will eat it then serve with baked beans , peas, sweet corn , carrots or whatever it is that least hassle so that all family members get a veg option they like. I microwave tinned veg on days like that. Perfectly nutritionally acceptable

I also microwave jacket potatoes, then finish off in a hot oven to crisp the skin. 3 large ones take 10 mins in micro and 10 in the oven.


You are doing fantastically already. Small baby steps are the only way to make changes that you can cope with and that the family will accept

Do post freezer contents, a few things at a time and between us all on here we are bound to come up with some quick, easy, fussy eater proof ideas

[Deleted User]

I don't know if it would work but most supermarkets stock onion granules in their own brand herbs and spices range, about £1 a jar and a heaped teaspoonful in mince gives the onion taste without there being visible onion pieces. The jars are not huge (being normal spice size) but the onion granules go a long way and can be used in any savoury dish. I don't taste a difference between the granules and fresh onion.

[Deleted User]

I cook jackets in the m'wave then crisp them off in my remoska once cooled down they can be wrapped in foil and frozen, instant meal with various toppings.