Missy’s Surviving the storm so we can dance in the rain.

Bluegreen143

If you serve your chilli and rice with wraps to make burritos you don’t use as much of the chilli in the meal.

You could also start serving a cup of HM soup & bread before meals so people aren’t so hungry? 

missymoo81

Thanks @Bluegreen143 no one really eats soup apart from me unfortunately. Feeling very lazy today. I’ve done one load of washing and hung it up and another is in the machine. I really need to go shopping before 4 and everything shuts. It’s so bleak and rainy here it doesn’t make me want to go out. I should paint the kitchen. Maybe I’ll do that….. maybe.

slm6002

It is grey and miserable here too.  Like you the washing machine has been on a few times and washing hung up in the hope it will be dry by the morning for school.  I am not going out and am using freezer bits to make chicken casserole for dinner.  Not the kids favourite but it will fill them up and make them warm.

missymoo81

Glad it’s not just me @slm6002 I still
hsvent done much…… I will see if I can muster the energy to do at least some of the painting, edges maybe? So OH doesn’t think I’ve been a lazy bones all day 😳, he’s working a 12 hour day today so I do feel a bit lazy for not doing anything! I can’t be bothered to go shopping, so I’m going to grab some toilet roll and milk on the way to dropping the childrens stuff off later tonight, and

I’ve got some frozen chicken which I’m
thawing for dinner, fingers crossed for this lot that it isn’t bad! It was reduced so I put it in the freezer the day i bought it, and it doesn’t look green. But it’s drumsticks as was really cheap, so I will cook them in the oven then take all of the meat off and put it in a curry. And then freeze some to put on top of OH’s dinners, ones that I’m happy to be veggie but he’s not. 

I really do need to find a cheap way to get more fruit and veg into us though. I was doing some research on the Big C, can’t really bring myself to write ‘the word’ at the minute with my mum just being diagnosed. Both mine and OH’s parents have had/ got it, unfortunately his passed away. So I’m trying a preventative method as much as possible for us. So heathy diet and exercise is what all of the research said. We don’t drink much and don’t smoke etc. but the fruit and veg part and less meaty meals are definite things we can improve on. So any ideas on cheap veg etc I’m all ears.

RelievedSheff

Do you have a local market?

Fruit and veg is really cheap on market stalls.

joedenise

You need to buy fruit and veg in season as they will be the cheapest, at this time of year it’s root veg.  Roasted veg stirred through couscous is tasty and quite cheap.

Do a google search for a seasonal fruit and veg chart so you can see what is best throughout the year.

missymoo81

Hey @RelievedSheff we do but it’s in the city and everything is even more expensive than the supermarket there. @joedenise good thinking, we tend to have carrots and broccoli a lot. Frozen veg used to be cheaper but apart from peas everything else seems super expensive now.

How has your Sunday been? I did indeed pull my socks up and do something. I painted the kitchen, well one wall, it needs another coat, but I think I like it. Just waiting for OH to get home. 

Bluegreen143

While it’s expensive to buy avocados, asparagus, berries etc (still worth doing health-wise, but expensive!), carrots & swede, greens/cabbage, courgettes, frozen peas/sweetcorn, bananas, apples, satsumas etc are cheap. So I’d focus on those cheaper types of veg as much as possible then buy one or two of the pricier ones a week as a treat. 

Having less meat and more beans/lentils is cheap and healthy too. Rather than ditching the meat totally, you could do half and half. For your curry - I always add a can of chickpeas to chicken curry to bulk it out (also add veg too, like peppers, cauliflower, courgette if the recipe doesn’t have any!).

peb

Frozen veggies have increased by forty per cent in some cases but still often cheaper.  I get spinach, green beans, now cauliflower and going to try broccoli.  Root veg are inexpensive.   Fruit - mixed frozen berries and defrost for on top of porridge etc?

greenbee

Frozen fruit and veg is often better nutrionally too, as it is frozen soon after picking rather than travelling through the supermarket supply chain. The important thing is variety, so buy what’s cheap when it’s available and cook/freeze for future use. Pulses are great, and again, there is loads of variety. Herbs and spices help to make things more interesting and and provide variety.