The all new using what you have from your Freezer, Cupboard or Shed (Barn)

Mamaofmanybudgets

Great thread! 
It's Time (read impending financial doom) for me to start eating through the cupboard/freezer. 

Admittedly there isn't much in there. However there's enough to be getting on with to help bring the budget down.

I get fearful of using it all up incase it's needed at a later date. Does anyone else have these fears. How do you deal with that?
I need to use our stockpile to lower my budget but then worry about there not being a stockpile and having to build it back up with no money. 

Cherryfudge

Hi, @Mamaofmanybudgets. I'm sorry to hear you've hit a rough patch. I hope it doesn't last long, but there's loads of support here so make yourself at home and read up on what other people do to make it all work.

I am another who saves things up for a rainier day, whereas my DH thinks if something is available, it needs using up.

I read in one of the Brother Cadfael stories about the housewife of the Middle Ages keeping the larder under lock and key. That would have been me! There's a balance though: if things get past their best, it's either a penance or a danger to eat them. My opinion (JMO!) is: eat from stores but replace what you can when you can and build in little treats when you can. At one point I had no money to speak of and alternated between plain rice and spiced rice, which was more about eating something than balanced nutrition but it got me through a (thankfully short) tough time.

There might be something like a Community Pantry in your area: there's one near here but it's not taking on new members at the moment. However, it saves food from going to waste and you pay for instance £5 for 10 items. If you're not already involved with something like this, it might be worth looking out for (there's an online register but not all Community Pantries are in it). There are also apps like Olio which can be useful for some people.

Watty1

Thanks for the welcome @Cherryfudge     I think I could cope with the amount of "stuff" in my cupboards if it were all useable stuff but a lot seems to have been bought on a whim (as you will know from my diary) and then months later I'm wondering how to use it!

Pork and apples in the slow cooker for dinner tonight.  I don't really like pork that much but I'm popping it in the slow cooker with onions and eating apples that needed using up and some chicken stock.

I have a lot of tinned sardines in tomato sauce. My boyfriend hates sardines    And I opened a tin the other day to have on toast and I'm not sure I really like them.   Any suggestions for using up?  My current plan is to drop at the food bank but I'm open to trying something possibly. (I know that isn't really the spirit of the thread but I need to get my kitchen to a point I can cook with food I will eat not this collection of random stuff).

LotsOfTea

There's absolutely nothing wrong with donating things you don't really like to the food bank as long as they're in date. It helps you get back your cupboard space and also helps people in need so that's a win-win! Once you've cleared the decks you can get to a state where the store cupboard is full of just the things you use and need. I'll get there one day too hopefully! My problem is that lots of the tins I'm trying to use up are past their best before dates and although fine to eat can't be donated as quite understandably food banks only take in date food.

wumph

Was thinking of buying a ready cooked chick breast to chop and shred for freezer ( easy to just take out individual cooked portion to use) but then decided to check what raw I had in freezer. Found I had more small chick breasts indiv wrapped in there so took out,  but lots of herbs/spices on,  put in oven bag and AF all in one go.  Then chopped a couple and shredded the rest and re-packed. Takes up less room and shredded is handy for adding to lots of things. Have bag of the chopped mixed with a butter chick sauce which have had in cupboard for about a year + some green pepper, spinach and maybe s/corn. There will be at least 2 servings so will have to put some in freezer as I had 2 faggots with jkt pot yesterday and only needed 1 so other in container for tomorrow. Been busy updating my finance spreadsheet so not difficult cooking needed.

cornishchick

I regularly do a week of no buy, just use what's in the stores, normally the last week of the month. 
it helps stretch my budget and mostly keeps the freezer  and stores rotated, but I struggle with bread substitutes, 
has anyone tried the little wraps or anything similar? 

Cairnpapple

On sardines - I buy the ones in oil and have them with rice,  frozen veg and cranberry sauce. Tomato ones could go through pasta maybe? Or on top of a risotto?

wumph

and the mackerel,  in chilli sauce/curry sauce etc, I get the Morrisons brand,  I love on toast for lunch but also with salad and rice/pasta. Not a fishy person, tinned fish and ready cooked shrimps or crab sticks for me. Pilchards too but such a big can so do not eat often.

rtandon27

cornishchick said:

I regularly do a week of no buy, just use what's in the stores, normally the last week of the month. 
it helps stretch my budget and mostly keeps the freezer  and stores rotated, but I struggle with bread substitutes, 
has anyone tried the little wraps or anything similar? 

We usually keep a pack of long life tortillas on the shelf for when we run out of bread.  The big brand name ones are shelf stable for a few months due to the way they are sealed.  Their mini corn ones are quite nice as well if you fancy a change.  They heat up well on a dry frying pan.  Also a cheap & cheerful option is homemade yogurt flatbreads or any homemade flat bread, which is flour, oil & water/yogurt.  Made on the stove top instead of the oven like bread so less energy used!

Frugalistamama

I'm glad to hear there are a few of us on here who have food hoarder tendencies! @Watty1 I also buy on a whim, I've got a collection of random food items! I also tend to over shop a bargain.

Last night we had leftovers, one had curry and rice, 2 had ravioli, one had spaghetti and meatballs! All with a side of those spring greens. The kids weren't too happy with the greens 🤣 I thought they were delicious. Tonight is pizza with bases from the freezer, leftover pasta sauce and various bits from the fridge. A few chips and salad.