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

Frugalistamama

I don't want to cook tonight and have leftovers so the kids will have tacos with some salad and my husband and I will have some leftover chicken and potatoes from the weekend. I try to cook every other day if possible so make enough for leftover. 

greent

Loving the idea of Shelf-tember! 😄

Very slow progress here - any space I make un the freezers seems to be immediately filled by apples and pears (and I still have many kilos to process and pick - and I've given some awat)

I did get out 4 chicken breasts from the freezer yesterday to coat with panko (I bought a kilo bag at the end of last year- it's quie large!) - I split them first and then bashed them thin so there's now 2 tubs of leftover chicken in the fridge 🙄 as DH was unwell by dinner time (prepped late morning) along with a tub of baby roasted potatoes. I had a piece of chicken for dinner (not hungry) and will have some with salad for lunch tomorrow. I think DD is coming round to watch bake off tomorrow night, so will palm some chicken and potatoes off on her for the following day and see if DS1 wants to have chicken wrap for lunch tomorrow.

I also made a pear and apple crumble yesterday (so much fruit here!) and used ras-el-hanout (about 10 years old...) instead of mixed spice - worked well 1 portion of it left, which DS1 can have tomorrow night.

LotsOfTea

I've used up another pot of soup from the freezer and started a tin of prunes from the zombie apocalypse stores to have with my yoghurt and oats for breakfast. I bought a load of different tinned fruits back when I was worrying that Brexit would mess up food supplies and have been trying to use them up as they are all past their best before dates now. Some have been better than others as far as taste goes. Prunes are absolutely delicious! 

I've also made a huge pot of veg chilli which used up a load of fresh veg (peppers, runner beans, butternut squash, carrots, sweet potato and sweetcorn) as well as some veggie mince from the freezer and some tinned tomatoes and kidney beans. And a huge pot of curry which used half a truly enormous spaghetti squash and a tin each of chickpeas, lentils and coconut milk. I've frozen some of this as I don't think we'll get through it all otherwise but I'm just off to make some soup with the other half of the squash. Progress is being made although I'm not entirely sure I've got any more room in the freezer as I keep putting stuff back in!

Frugalistamama

 I've got some leftovers to use up so lunch will be chicken and rice and dinner will be a mix of homemade pizza and freezer pizza as there is not enough for all of us, probably served with some salad and garlic bread i got with a meal deal in my supermarket order.

I'm going to make some Dahl for my lunches next week using lentils that need using  and I will put some spinach in it that needs using up. 

I might also make some more of those oat and coconut cookies to use up that old coconut. Might get the kids to do that one with me!!

Cherryfudge

Glad you mentioned Dhal, @Frugalistamama, I have loads of lentils, we also have spinach to use up and we like something with some Indian spices in, so I could get inventive.  

The great using-up-ery hasn't progressed far this week. I don't expect massive cheers for using up a tub of cream cheese, but I'm fairly pleased I didn't have to throw any out, and have start another block of cheese from the freezer. We are also onto another jar of greengage jam - still loads to go but most is in the freezer.

I also bought a large tub of peanut butter then discovered a nearly full jar in the cupboard, BB end October so that will get used first. I don't think I've cleared that cupboard in a while, as I also found three part-jars of honey. It's the cheapest so I melted it down into one jar, and it shouldn't affect the quality.

Lunch today was supermarket fish (L1dl do a nice breaded haddock) with cous cous, peas and home grown tomatoes. I must grow those yellow cherry tomatoes again, they are delicious.

greent

Just finished up some leftover couscous  from the fridge for lunch (alongside a 20p pack of chicken tikka bites) Have pulled 3 bits of chicken from freezer for dinner- will serve with mini roasted potaroes and salad.

 Have used a few things from freezer this week - and found a couple of random things to take into work for lunches to get them used up. Need to create the space for fruit!!🍐🍏🍐🍎🍐

Cherryfudge

I made carrot cake muffins this evening, using up some oddments of carrots (but I still have an unopened bag in the fridge, they were a bargain... you know how it goes). I added some hazelnuts but still have a lot of those left over too. I chucked out a few walnuts that didn't smell right, and am gradually reducing some duplicates of things like flour.

Tomorrow dhal is on the menu, thanks to @Frugalistamama.  

Cherryfudge

This evening's dhal was based on an Australian recipe that I found on Instagram, but I ad libbed and added sweet potato, onion, spinach and carrot, plus a couple of tsp of garam masala. I liked it but Dh wasn't madly keen so guess what I'll be having for dinner on work days this week?

 I've washed and frozen the rest of the spinach - it was a big bag marked down to 40p from £1.65, so I couldn't let such a bargain be wasted, now could I? Of course, had I paid full price, I'd have had to have been even more careful. There was also a small amount of fresh coriander left so that will be in the freezer soon too.

Frugalistamama

@Cherryfudge I didn't get around to the Dahl but I think I will tomorrow now as I really craven it now I know you've got some!! 

My friend who is married to someone from India said she makes some with peas and halloumi added!! Sounds yummy.

I stopped in at Lidl on Saturday night and found chicken breast at 50% off so I got nearly 2kg (50g off 2 kg) for about £6.90! I know I'm not supposed to be stocking but really.... I couldn't leave it. 3 packs of 650g came home with me and is nicely tucked in the freezer. Plus my hubby paid...so not technically out of the food budget but guess I should add it.

Cherryfudge

That was definitely worth getting, @Frugalistamama. Our local Olio shows Iceland's discounts and I notice the chicken goes very quickly.