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

EssexHebridean

-taff said:

@sammy_kaye18 have you tried omlette wraps? Make a very thin omlette with some spring onions, a few other bits and pieces, whatever you have really, bit of cheese, chopped pepper, bit of slmi, whatever, and roll that up either in a wrap or by itself. It's an easy make.

A trick for this is to pop a “proper” (ie bread) wrap onto the top of the uncooked side of the omelette so it settles into the uncooked egg a little - then continue to cook a little more gently than normal until cooked through - it makes it an easier eat and also adds carbs for a more balanced breakfast which would obviously be needed if for the boys heading off for a days biking. You can flip it over and grate cheese onto the cooked side to melt a little and heat/slightly crisp the wrap too which is lush. 

I’d add a vote for cauliflower cheese - or better still - and to turn it into a meal not a side, cauli cheese pasta bake - addition of bacon optional. (Top off with breadcrumbs and extra grated cheese part way through cooking, you could do the same thing but with broccoli too - or half and half broccoli and cauli. (Use your usual portion size of pasta or adjust down slightly). 

Also roasted cauli with Indian spices is delicious - and makes a nice veggie side to a chicken dinner, you could even do the chicken marinaded in yogurt and Indian spices to add coherence to the flavours perhaps? (Sorry - not sure if you are actually a veggie or whether the veggie curry was just in order to use up what you had!) 
Broccoli and stilton soup? 

I’m tempted to do Frugal February on my blog again - although it might have to come with a few more exclusions this time round because I definitely have a trip to Lincoln planned for some stage in the month, and there will also likely be House buying/selling related expenses too to consider. I did it regularly for a few years though and it went down well at the time - there is no way it would be as “frugal” now as it was then though - prices being what they are! Hmmm…might think about that.

EssexHebridean

zcrat41 said:

On the subject of memberships does anyone have any tips for Hampton Court Palace. It'll be £120 for our family of four to visit at Easter which seems ridiculous. We're driving so can't use the tfl offer (staying in our caravan nearby). 

Broccoli ideas:
soup
greek broccoli salad
broccoli and cauliflower cheese
broccoli quiche

The £122 price gives you membership and enables visiting anywhere else in the Historic Royal Palaces group through the remainder of the year I think - so if you could get the benefit of that then it might be worth considering. If you’re staying in the area then it’s a simple trip into London to add the Tower of London to your itinerary, for example. (Just spotted this has already been suggested 👍🏼) 

littlemoney

elsien said:

This is not a complaint, more a question. I requested a cauliflower swome leeks, a pack of broccoli and a pack of tenderstem broccoli from Olio. 

They clearly had a huge surplus so I got three of each. In a single person household. With a freezer that I’m already playing freezer Tetris with. I have donated some but I’m still left with a packet of leeks,  all the broccoli and two cauliflowers. Suggestions for use that’s not going to waste it?
There’s only so much vegetable curry one woman can eat.

Broccoli will keep at least 2-3 weeks if you treat it like a flower. I cut the end off the stem and put it in a mug of water in the fridge. Just refresh the water and retrim the end, the same as flowers.

littlemoney

Instead of cauliflower cheese, I do a a main meal of any vegetable cheese. Whatever vegetables I have plus potato all covered in a cheese sauce. Very useful when reheating left over vegetables as the cheese sauce makes it all moist.

sammy_kaye18

EssexHebridean said:

-taff said:

@sammy_kaye18 have you tried omlette wraps? Make a very thin omlette with some spring onions, a few other bits and pieces, whatever you have really, bit of cheese, chopped pepper, bit of slmi, whatever, and roll that up either in a wrap or by itself. It's an easy make.

A trick for this is to pop a “proper” (ie bread) wrap onto the top of the uncooked side of the omelette so it settles into the uncooked egg a little - then continue to cook a little more gently than normal until cooked through - it makes it an easier eat and also adds carbs for a more balanced breakfast which would obviously be needed if for the boys heading off for a days biking. You can flip it over and grate cheese onto the cooked side to melt a little and heat/slightly crisp the wrap too which is lush. 

That definitely sounds like a breakfast my boys can get behind. Thinking that with a grating of cheese and some bacon lardons, and then a few hashbrowns will have them right as rain for their day ahead. Plus I have a cheap flask from Argos (think it was £7-8) that holds a few cups of tea or coffee so a warm drink too for them! 

superstylin

*edited with corrections!

Hi all, normally a lurker here but just in case it's of any use, the CSSC club is for civil servants and public sector workers and for £59.88 a year allows free entry into English heritage sites for you and your family. 

https://www.cssc.co.uk/english-heritage

zcrat41

Ah ha - thank you for spotting what I hadn't - a whole year of HRP makes that slightly more palatable. I still think £71 for a family is a lot of money - and I'm a HUGE history fan! 

Will def be taking our own food and drinks - that's they joy of a caravan holiday! I literally almost cry if I have to buy us a sandwich lunch out - £43 last time at an emergency M&S motorway stop!!! 

sammy_kaye18

zcrat41 said:

Will def be taking our own food and drinks - that's they joy of a caravan holiday! I literally almost cry if I have to buy us a sandwich lunch out - £43 last time at an emergency M&S motorway stop!!! 

i know that pain. 
We took our kids to a local farm/zoo attraction in South Wales near where we live, and it cost us £92 to get in for two adults and two children, and on top of that we figured food would be reasonable prices - WRONG - it was almost £5 for a hot dog! We havent made that mistake again so from now on wherever we go, we make sure to take a picnic - or if the place allows it we take a disposable BBQ with rolls, sausages and burgers. 

ladyholly

Just a small suggestion for those on outing with wanting picnics. My Mum used to take a cold roast chicken, tomatoes, bread and butter, a few of her amasing currant buns ( cakes type), fruit. I am sure there was other stuff but as I was only about 8 I really cant remember. It means there are no soggy sandwiches and is reasonabley healthy. I am go back to the 1960s and we were out and about in Europe as my Dad was stationed in Germany in Germany. These days Yoghurt could replace cake.

In the 1950s we went to Clacton for the day and took a picnic. Mum reckoned there were 2 loaves worth of sandwiches plus all the other picnic stuff and by lunchtime we had eaten the lot so a cafe visit had to be made. Not a big family - Mum, Dad, my sister aged about 11 and me aged about 4. Not big eaters at all.

Bluegreen143

Reminds me of going on holiday as a student, instead of eating for breakfast or lunch, each morning we would buy fancy ham, cherry tomatoes, some kind of bread, sliced cheese and apples to share between us that day. No need to pre-prepare any of it, we’d just tear the baguettes up as we ate. If my children liked ham I would do this now!