Reverse Meal Planning

EssexHebridean

Completely agree that cooking is one of those things that the more you do, the better you get. Becoming an "instinctive" cook takes practise! 

Cottage pie one was noshed yesterday, and the second has now been topped with a mix of the three root mash that the first one had, and a small amount of additional potato mash I  made yesterday. That will be noshed this evening - I got a tub of red cabbage out of the freezer to accompany it.

I dealt with the last of the 5p sprouts - that gave us a portion each with lunch yesterday, and a couple of tubs for the freezer. 

joedenise

I had some chicken fajita mix left over and stuck it in the fridge a couple of days ago while I decided what to do with it.  It wasn't enough just to shove in a wrap so I'm cooking some pasta and will stir through that.  Will add some extra sweet chilli sauce whilst reheating.

rtandon27

Saturday's meals consisted of eggs & avo & bacon on bagels for brunch, and the remainder of a supermarket meal deal for dinner - all using up what we had in the house & making room in the fridge for this week's delivery

Sunday's meals consisted of poached eggs with toasted bagels for breakfast, ramen noodles with bokchoi & chicken for lunch and more room made in the freezer by using up some roasted chicken thighs & croquettes.  While the oven was on we tossed some sprouts in olive oil and roasted them off to go with the meal.

Feels good to have more room in the freezer - I'm aiming to have a drawer completely empty by the end of the month so that we can do a bulk dimsum order  and stock up when everything is on sale for Lunar New Year.  Have even kept back some air-pillow packing from the recycling to fill up the drawer as it empties.  We are having a mini-challenge to rotate between freezer/fresh/takeaway as circumstances currently mean we both would rather not cook whenever possible.

EssexHebridean

The current circumstances you find yourselves in really do highlight what an absolute blessing a freezer is, don't they RT. 

rtandon27

@EssexHebridean - spot on EH - present me is thanking past me for channeling my inner squirrel! - having a well stocked freezer is a blessing indeed 🐿️🥶

rtandon27

Monday's dinner was pickety bits, left over from xmas & new year festivities.  A part-bake baguette with the last of the Godminster mature cheddar, french charcuterie, cut up pears & cucumber, olives & dolmades.  So tasty and not one extra cent spent!

Tuesday we had our now habitual chippy dinner.  It's the only thing OH craves so we have been getting it once a week.  He funds this as it is not a cheap habit!

Lunch today was turkey-ham BLT butties - found the ham in the freezer already cooked and sliced which meant I saved 4 pounds not buying sandwich meat.  There are enough ingredients for another go on Friday

Today was a proper home dinner, chicken/leek/mushroom top-crust pie.  All ingredients from the freezer, fridge & stores.  A cook once, eat twice type of meal - we have two portions left for later in the week. On the side some wilted spinach and yogurt & wafers for afters.

I really do like seeing bit more room in the freezer each time we do meals that use up another ingredient and atm I'm not aiming to replace them.  We are in eat down the stores mode.

joedenise

DH decided a spur of the moment lunch out yesterday so today's lunch will be the LO fish pasta bake I'd got out of the freezer for yesterday's lunch.  Will top it with a bit more cheese before reheating it.

EssexHebridean

A chippy tea is definitely a thing I can imagine someone craving when their appetite needs a bit of encouragement! 

Last night's tea with us was both time and money frugal. A sachet of microwave rice (Sag Aloo flavoured) with one of the YS'd chicken breasts from Waitflower on the way home from Norfolk, three of which I had of course cooked simply seasoned and popped into the freezer individually wrapped, the last of the mushrooms I cooked last weekend (am LOVING having cooked mushrooms ready to go in the fridge!), a few of the 5p shallots sliced up, a few bits from a pickled chilli and garlic mix that the inlaws gave us as a gift some time back, and a tin of borlotti beans. All cooked together to heat everything through, it turned into a sort of cheaty byriani and was just what was required on a chilly damp winter evening where we'd got home a little later than usual. 

I'm off visiting a pal tonight so MrEH has a single portion of ragu from the freezer and will add some pasta. ANOTHER thing out of the freezer!

rtandon27

@EssexHebridean - ooo - I tried that saag aloo flavour the other week and it was tasty.  I did doctor it with a bit of yogurt as it was a bit overpowering for my tastebuds, but I can see it appearing in our house again, but mixed with a packet of the plain basmati to tame it a bit.  Much as I love fresh rice, those packs have been a life saver for me when OH can only have toast or worse rice pudding for dinner and I'm in need of a real meal!

The chippy dinner was actually tasty, I had a piece of cod, which while supposedly a regular size was enormous so I think they made a mistake in my favour.  Next time i must remember to get either their children's size or the lite bite version which is a more manageable portion!  I do wish that our chippy did a cone of chips like they do at the seaside, there is something about the smell of hot grease & vinegar in newspaper that is very nostalgic - and the wooden chip ford of course!

Tonight in theory we are having beef stew (from the freezer) & mash.  I say in theory as OH may not be hungry and I've just taken a work mate for his Four-O Bday lunch!

Suffolk_lass

Oh my word, where did this week go? Fortunately a bit or pre-prep meant we had Chilli (using broad beans, home-grown borlotti and baked beans from stores) and have one portion remaining. I would rather we eat than freeze on my continued campaign for freezer space. Maybe with Jacket potatoes for a simple Saturday supper. We also have enough ragu for a smallish pasta bake of just to have with pasta and that is this evening's plan, just to give Mr Sl a bit more variety. I have had soup twice as my main food, in an effort to reduce the amount I am eating before going back to fasting and a light meal to try and lost weight. I need to make more now and have room in freezers closer to the house to move courgettes!