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

Pollycat

RobM99 said:

I'm one for looking for the best bargains now, not because I need to but out of principle, really. I've always looked for VFM (Value For Money), some think I'm 'tight' but not really the case.  If I think "Ooh, that's worth the money" then OK I'll pay. I'd rather pay £100 n a meal out and think "That was fabulous!" rather than £20 and think "Oh. Not much good, that".  Not often  obviously but you see the point.

I've always looked for bargains, probably as a result of having a childhood where there wasn't a lot of money (as the eldest of 3) and then an ex-husband who was clueless with money and put us in some pretty scary situations.

Although I don't need to, I do buy from charity shops and in sales.
I've always looked for YS items and menu planned and batch cooked.
We don't eat out much as I enjoy cooking and we have a very varied menu plan.

Yesterday I cooked a pork shoulder joint that I picked up for £4.00 YS.
We had one dinner yesterday, will have another today and I've put 3 more portions in the freezer.
So that makes 40p per meal for the protein.
Supplemented with home made roast potatoes (extra gone in the freezer), carrots (some left over for mashing to add to a shepherds pie topping), sprouts - all used, romanaesco (bought and frozen for Christmas dinner and made extra), green cabbage (lots left over, will be blanched and used for shepherds pie topping) and an Aldi pack of sage and onion stuffing that made 11 balls (I'm the only one who eats it). The rest will go in the freezer and be used on later dinners of on chicken or pork sandwiches.

Last week I made 9 portions of soup from some left over veg (potatoes, swede, carrot, leek, onion). Just prepped it and left it in the slow cooker.

I'm in my late 60s and think sadly, some of the younger generation don't have much idea what to do with leftovers or raw ingredients.

piesagittariusstick

Hello all! Yet another expectedly chilly and gloomy day ahead of us. Still no heating on, but I'm afraid this weekend my own woolen jumper, no matter how hideous yet warm it is, just won't cut it. The same goes for my usual "checkered blanket burrito" home edition these days. So, I guess the heating season will start on Saturday in my little household. 

Pollycat

I bought some fleece lined leggings from Primark last year. I'm wearing those with an old Ralph Lauren oversize sweatshirt on top of a polo shirt.
Socks and trainers.
I'm warm enough for now.

Katiehound

Did anyone else watch Jamie's £1 meal programme?

I don't want to start a TV war but I thought he had some good ideas- 'thou no doubt the prices quoted have already increased as they were based on power/ food bought in September. If it makes folk think that will be a success!

Liked the curry in the microwave idea- but hate curry!! so not sure if/ how you could change those flavours. Sorry I have moderately bland tastes- Italian, Chinese perfect... anything else it possibly doesn't like me!!
Pork loaf looked good too

London_1

yes I watched it on catch up.some good ideas, but many that we use as normal on here for most of us frugulers Good to see he is thinking about ways to save money ,I just wish he was a bit less ... arm waving and exuberant perhaps. I'm more of a gentle soul and enjoy HFW's programmes as he is a bit quieter but good ideas none the less.
JackieO xx

-taff

@Katiehound All cooking can be extrapolated to anything other dish as long as it't either based on cooking method or similar ingredients/ingredients that go together. I should start a cookery class on inventive cooking in some respoects [I'm pretty good at a chuck in now]. If you can make a soup, you can make a stew and any kind of soup, any kind of stew, it's just chop, cook some bits first, add everything else, liquid and leave cook. If you can make a pie filling, you can make any pie, and for those not good at pastry, get the ready made stuff but I do promise you, it's easy, half fat to flour, add sugar if it's sweet. This goes for any fruit tart as well, the totally covered kind, the lattice kind etc. If you can chop vegetables, you can make roast vegetables and/or meat in the oven or frying pan or whatever gadjet you have. If you have a slow cooker [always baragins on fb mplace for those] then even the cheapest meats can be cooked long, slow and cheaply for good meals. If you can fry stuff, liver and bacon is a gorgeous meal with mash and you don't have to boil potatoes, they can go in the microwave whole, cook, then scoop out the flesh. Use the skins for making something else or mash them in too.

If you can afford to buy food [ and that is by no means certain these days, but if you can't, look out for a community larder/fridge] thencooking is a motorway network of methods and ideas.

Katiehound

Thanks -Taff

I can & have cooked   pretty much anything- pastry, bread, pies, roasts etc but these days everything seems to come with peppers & chillies (and curry) and not only do I dislike the tastes but the chances are it will (and does!) make me ill.

 So, I am looking for suggestions of other flavourings which would go with say veggies but ring the changes. 

At the moment top of the list is cottage pie & anything made with cooking apples!
Yes, I am playing with the slow cooker and use the remoska most days.

Luckily I can afford food but like many on here I was brought up to be frugal so that is (and has always been) a good place to start. One of my friends told me years ago that it was no fun going shopping with me! I always said- you've got it already, why spend more money  etc....
With another friend we love trawling charity shops, car boots & ys. Who doesn't love a bargain!!

littlegreenparrot

Katiehound said:

Thanks -Taff

I can & have cooked   pretty much anything- pastry, bread, pies, roasts etc but these days everything seems to come with peppers & chillies (and curry) and not only do I dislike the tastes but the chances are it will (and does!) make me ill.

 So, I am looking for suggestions of other flavourings which would go with say veggies but ring the changes. 

About a year ago I bought a jar of Za'atar from Oxfam, and would now never be without it. 

I often use it when roasting veg, definitely worth a try if you havn't tried it before.
Its not hot, and its not curry so hopefully would work for you,  

EssexHebridean

Sumac too - as a "sprinkle over" various things - I use it a lot with things like couscous - mind you that applies to za'atar too! If you enjoy middle eastern flavours then Ras al Hanout too - yum! (Oh and smoked paprika which is probably my number 1 "wouldn't be without"!) 

Elisheba

If you are worried about not liking flavours, then you can always break up a veggie stock cube - that adds a fair bit of flavour and no worries about it being hot of spicy. Pesto as well, and you can mix it with some yogurt to go further. Or for a cold dish make your own vinaigrette.  Marmite also adds some wonderful flavour to veggie dishes.

I do recommend smoked paprika though - its a sort of BBQ flavour. I've not tried za'atar, Sumak or ras al hanout but will put them on my list  .