It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

London_1

basketcase said:

halfamo said:

basketcase said:

Agreed, @arnoldy - although it does pre-suppose they'd know about a thermal box and how to use it.  Also that the person already, has or can afford to buy, a slow-cooker and/or a thermal box of some sort (or the knowledge and ability to make one.  And the supplies - eg do they have spare blankets etc for insulation?.  And even that they can afford the energy for the initial heating of the food...

Speaking of which, can the initial heating be done in a microwave?

I don't think it could be started in the microwave.  I have a thermal cooker and you need to get your contents upto a good rolling boil before packing it away.  It's about a minimum of 10 minutes on the heat. Microwaves do heat well but the heat falls away really quickly when you take out the food.

I thought that might be the case.

You can cook certain things in a vacuum flask....

Off to google...!

When we tent camped we made thermal outers for the pots so we could heat something through, put the pot in its outer  and cook something else while that continued on its own..  We used foiled bubble wrap and sticky tape to make the outers. You could also use ordinary bubble wrap if you put a layer of foil round first as the foil is just to protect the plastic bubble wrap  from melting.

And another basic question.  What sort of pot do you use - eg does it have to be airtight?

I used to use my pyrex casserole dishwith lid or my round yellow enamel casserole pot with lid I used duvet and pillows tucked tightly round the pot and I used my DDs toy box and the children would say "Mummy's put the dinner to bed"  

JackieO xx

Jellytotts

We managed to buy a hob based tagine cooking pot a few weeks ago using some vouchers we had for Amazon.  It’s a metal base pan with ceramic lid.  I used to have one years ago and always loved it.  Makes the food so moist and the lid seals with moisture like a slow cooker does, using it for a couple of hours on a very low gas hob means it’s cheaper than the slow cooker and I’m not smelling food all day (which I can find off putting).

enkeltliv

I use the crockpot with lid that exists in consort with the slow cooker.

The thermal conductivity of the ceramic means it is a superb insulator, whilst also possessing a high melting point making it heat resistant too.

YorksLass

Last week I bought a new 2-tier steamer (to replace an old and somewhat battered folding up one that I've had for years) and am using it today - potatoes in the bottom, cabbage in the first tier and already cooked lo green beans in the top tier, with cooked beef slices in onion gravy in the MW.  I've always kept an eye on the pennies but am finding I'm becoming even more mindful these days, not just on energy costs but also on costing out meals.

Today I've sliced and pickled a ys cucumber with thinly sliced onions for teatime pickles.  Four chutney-sized jars for approximately 20p per jar - no cooking involved!  

This week's soup is pea & ham using stock from last week's gammon joint, split peas, onion and carrot.  I also added the last bit of korma curry paste from an almost empty jar to add a bit of zing.  Cost around 10p a portion.

The weather is definitely getting cooler, especially in the mornings and evenings, although it's still mild during the day.  I've swapped my crop leggings for full length ones and am starting to layer up.  Socks and winter slippers have made a re-appearance for evenings when I'm not moving around.  Can't be putting the heating on just yet!  

twitcher1973

I work and am at home with 4 dependent children.  

We have saved 100 kwh energy the last 6 weeks by not having the lights on in the house at all - I have turned them all off at the consumer unit.  When it gets dark the kids have a battery camping lamp each and I have candles.  It has been good because they dont get up until it gets light now, and settle down to bed earlier.

From tonight I am turning off the electric altogether at 10.30pm and putting it back on when I get up for work at 5.30.am I have sorted out the freezer so there is nothing in there that will perish. I take a electric reading every sunday and will see how much more it saves me turning this off. 

I am on oil  heating/hot water so will not be filling up this winter  at 90+ pence a litre it is not affordable for a 1200 litre tank - I have open fires and will be using them instead. I have enough oil in the tank to have the boiler on for 1 hour on a sunday for another 2 months or so, little 'un can have a bath once a week and showers the rest if needed.  The showers are on eco now so they arent really hot, the kids dont stay in them as long now. The washing up gets done with a kettle of water. All these little things will add up and hopefully help lower the bills. I use an old fashioned spin dryer and have left the tumble dryer for the scrap man.  The spin dryer is great if you have to hang up indoors because its raining outside.

YorksLass

I have a separate spin dryer too that I still use for hand-wash items.  I've had it since my children were little - and they're now in their 40's.  I was going to get rid of it when I got an automatic but decided not to, the thought process being that if the washer died a death I could still hand-wash and spin.  

linz

I've just bought one of the multi cookers from Argos. A 14-in-1 Cleverchef one for £60. I like that I can now get rid of my steamer, slow cooker and breadmaker and have a bit more room. Will see if anyone wants them on Marketplace.

I can see it getting a lot of use this winter. I am going to keep my halogen oven though, just coz it's that bit bigger if I'm cooking a couple of things at the same time.

Paid for with Argos vouchers from Consumer Pulse so didn't cost a penny

Katiehound

linz said:

I've just bought one of the multi cookers from Argos. A 14-in-1 Cleverchef one for £60. I like that I can now get rid of my steamer, slow cooker and breadmaker and have a bit more room. Will see if anyone wants them on Marketplace.

I can see it getting a lot of use this winter. I am going to keep my halogen oven though, just coz it's that bit bigger if I'm cooking a couple of things at the same time.

 

I'm thinking you might want to keep the SC because it means that it can be gently cooking whilst you
are doing something else in the multicooker. I would have a long think about what you use/ when/ how before you give it all away! Not very MSE if you realise you need one of them back  & have to buy again.

linz

Katiehound said:

linz said:

I've just bought one of the multi cookers from Argos. A 14-in-1 Cleverchef one for £60. I like that I can now get rid of my steamer, slow cooker and breadmaker and have a bit more room. Will see if anyone wants them on Marketplace.

I can see it getting a lot of use this winter. I am going to keep my halogen oven though, just coz it's that bit bigger if I'm cooking a couple of things at the same time.

 

I'm thinking you might want to keep the SC because it means that it can be gently cooking whilst you
are doing something else in the multicooker. I would have a long think about what you use/ when/ how before you give it all away! Not very MSE if you realise you need one of them back  & have to buy again.

Good point, thankyou. Will keep hold of it and see how much I end up using it over the next few months. 

maryb

I don’t like the taste of slow cooker stews, they never seem right to me.  I often use a stove top pressure cooker which takes 20 minutes on a low heat from the time it comes to pressure to make the toughest beef meltingly tender. Gas is cheaper per kWh than electricity but there is usually some loss of efficiency   But very little with a pressure cooker because you need so little fuel once it comes to pressure 

Yesterday I cooked some shin of beef this way but for only 10 minutes, then transferred the meat to a le creuset type casserole.  I then thickened the cooking liquid and added that.  Brought it to a boil and tucked it into my thermal cooker for three hours.  Best stew I ever made and the best of both worlds - quick to prepare and very tender but the slow cooking afterwards added depth of flavor and meant I could get ahead and have the stew ready when I got back after an afternoon out.  

It also freed up the pressure cooker to cook potatoes for mash - cut them small, into the cooker on the trivet with 1/4 pint water, bring to pressure (very quick when there is just the minimum quantity of water in the cooker ) turn off the heat as soon as it starts hissing loudly and leave to depressurize in its own time.  Drain and mash.  I also did carrots at the same time in the basket on top of the potatoes.  I don’t think I could do a meal like this with any lower fuel consumption