Reverse Meal Planning

CCW007

Making cauliflower and broccoli soup to use up some sad looking veg - has used one broccoli head but barely made a dent in the cauliflower and I have two to use up!  

Dinner inspired by Joedenise will be mushroom and lentil stroganoff to use up some of the five bags of frozen mushrooms I found in the freezer!

This evening I plan to sort out the fridge and make a note of what needs using up so lots of "bottom of the fridge" soup this week I suspect.

Mrs_Cheshire

Hi all, I tided the freezer at the beginning of the month and made an inventory. I've then planned my month's meals around the contents of the freezer. Hopefully, by the end of the month, it'll be nearly empty and I can defrost the overflow one before filling ready for Christmas. 
The store cupboard is also pretty full so should be a relatively cheap month for us. 

Primrose

I can,t help wondering how many innovative restaurant chefs are reducing their wastage by a similar "bottom of the fridge" Manipur compilation policy. 

I was snacking on some roasted salted pistachio nuts earlier and almost regretted not having a coal fire so I could use their shells for firefighters !  I guess the compost heap will have to substitute.

Suffolk_lass

Both my big storage freezers are stuffed. We use 1-2 bags of prepped veg a week and I probably have six month's worth. I may have to rethink things a bit. I have the opportunity to make soup for 30 people for bonfire night and will use maybe 5 bags then. I will review at the end of November. I do so hate waste.

What is the Manipur compilation policy please @Primrose? I only know they had problems about ten years ago as waste was increasing so fast as society was changing and they tried to compost food waste but could not find a contractor to take it on

CCW007

Breakfast was smoothie made with freebie limes (1 done, 9 to go! I will freeze any left - they are fine for juicing but not good for zesting), lunch will be leftover soup from yesterday and dinner will be leftover mushroom stroganoff. 

Not sure what OH will eat but we have ham that needs using up and some very OOD but still soft bread so probably steer him towards that for lunch.

I froze loads of noodles from an Olio collection which weren't requested and couldn't be passed on after UB date - so need to start using them up; I expect lots of stir fry to feature.  Also got lots of frozen hummus so will be fine for that for a while - I use it as salad dressing or on crispbreads so get through quite a lot. 

ruby_eskimo

Tonight we're having gojuchang chicken bake using up some chicken thighs from the freezer with rice and frozen green beans.  Will be enough for about 4 portions so the extra will go in the freezer for another meal at some point.

joedenise

Taken a couple of chicken breasts out of the freezer and will use them in a traybake along with some of the veg from the fridge - off the top of I head I know there are some courgettes, an aubergine, peppers, celery.  Will also bung in some chopped potatoes and just roast them altogether rather than doing the potatoes separately.  Nice easy dinner, chuck it in and forget about it!

Currently have a bag of beef cubes and 3 home packed bags of chopped root veg in the oven to make a casserole.  Not sure how many portions I'll get from it but quite a few!  Will take a couple of portions away with us in the motorhome for one of the evening meals, the rest will be frozen for meals later.

Primrose

We find that one chicken breast will serve two of us when place on top of a tray of roasted vegetables, especially if it's a larger one.

rtandon27

mmmmm - with all the talk of stroganoff, we've decided to make it for Sunday dinner this week! YUM - Chicken & mushroom with a creme fraiche sauce, with whichever noodles happen to be in the stores.

Our meal plan for the week has been completely derailed as our new boiler installation, and subsequent plumbing took twice as long as expected.  We're surviving on sandwiches and ready meals for now, and will have to rejig the plan to include ingredients that did not get used up.  Tonight we will have Chinese ready meals with homecooked veg - steamed carrots and pan-fried onion with chard.  A bit of added nutrition never went amiss   Luckily most of the unused ingredients are either already stored in the freezer or can be easily prepped to live in the freezer until used up!

joedenise

Primrose said:

We find that one chicken breast will serve two of us when place on top of a tray of roasted vegetables, especially if it's a larger one.

I'm planning on making enough for 2 meals!  So one lot will get frozen as a "ready meal" for another day!  So yes, one breast is enough for both of us.