From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

in_need_of_direction said:

Potato salad?

Great thinking inod - Thank you! 😁

Greying X

rtandon27

Brazilian potato salad with carrots & olives? 😉

Greying_Pilgrim

Mmm, that looks good rt - might have that on Thursday when the grocery money resets 😁I would need to buy some olives (which would be no hardship, we like olives 🥰).  If I made the Meat free Monday potato salad (which is oil, not mayo based), I could have potato salad x 2 without being too "samey"  - Thanks 😁

I got round to making the parsnip curry today.  I used all the parsnips up from the MrS offer - I had shoved one or two in other things, but there was a goodly amount to go in the curry.  It is currently cooling, and will be put in the freezer.  I suspect there will be enough for 2 pots, which would be enough for a curry plate portion on 2 separate nights.  Chickpeas are an optional extra in this curry, but I've plenty of black-eye beans, so I put a can of those in, instead - we like them, so no problem with the recipe not quite being as per.  As I'm freezing it, I didn't put the coconut milk in when I cooked it - I have coconut milk portioned out in the freezer, so will add it when we come to eat it.  

Cheese sangers and a bag of crisps munched for lunch.  

LG and DH went out on the bikes this morning before it got too hot. They are now sitting out in the shade, reading books 🥰

I'm going to do a bit of planning and thinking about how my grocery challenge (to myself) will shape up in May.  I will have in the ball park of £160, which isn't much.  I mean, I'm priveledged and ultimately have a 'safety' net, but want to see what we could achieve.  Usual parameters of no sack clothes and ashes, and no-one being pushed into malnutrition apply.  

Greying X

badmemory

When I picked up those 8p carrots I didn't realise just how many there were.  After the moisture warning I made sure none will be wasted.  I suspect many will have bought as cheap & then binned as unused.  Frankly I think that makes them very expensive.

kayannie

GP - does LG like lasagne? I make a baked bean lasagne that's cheap to make. Using a tin of beans, it feeds 2 & 3 & is tastier than it sounds. 
KA

Greying_Pilgrim

kayannie - yes, LG does like lasagne, although we don't have it very often.  But certainly anything on the 'pasta bake style' spectrum definitely gets a thumbs up from LG 😁

badmemory - I totally agree, if you don't store the veg properly, it will end up getting slung out.  I'm glad I got some potatoes, but there was no point in my getting kilos and kilos, as I can't store them cold/dark enough to avoid sprouting at this time of year. I'm grateful that the special offer was on, and that it has contributed to keeping some of our costs down.  

I have just been noting down  what offers MrS has for us, and seeing where the choices could fit into the plan.  There will be some options on Thursday, but I think where possible, I will try to delay a "big" shop - this will depend on the weather, natch.  I know what I'm like  and I'll spend big on day 1 and then wonder why the budget didn't last past day 10 🙄🤭

Tea was very pedestrian - but very nice; omlette, mash and baked beans.  Not wholly conducive with the weather, but filled a hole and used up some tatties (not in a particularly inspiring way - sorry Cherryfudge).  We will all have a ice-cream just now, as DH has done the washing up.

LG is starting to get ☹️ about returning to school.  This holiday certainly seems to have lasted.  I'm at least pleased that we've had no last minute nagging about completing work or tasks related to school, so getting the tasks done before the weekend has paid dividends 😁And all clothes are washed and ready for tomorrow, so getting that squared away at the start of the hols has helped immensely😁

I can't think of anything else to add, so will tootle off to do a bit more of my blanket knitting.  I managed to frog back 3 rows this afternoon, and then complete it properly and do an 8 row repeat as a result, so best to keep going whilst the motivation is with me 😁

Ta for popping by.  Appreciated.  Greying X

kayannie

GP - i'll tell you how I make my baked bean lasagne, if you fancy giving it a go.
I saute an onion & chopped garlic in a pan, add a tin of beans & a dollop of tomato ketchup. Put a sheet of lasagne in a dish, cover with half of baked bean mixture, sprinkle with grated cheese & repeat once more. Bake till it's cooked, about half an hour. Served with extra veg, I find this plenty for 2/3 people.
KA

Greying_Pilgrim

kayannie - thanks sweetie.  That sounds like a plan for a May dish 😁 Maybe not in the first few days, if the weather forecast is to be believed, but it certainly reads like a good, frugal, family pleaser.  Thank you for posting.

Bedding wash is on,  I want to get it out soonest to give it the max time to dry, as the duvet cover is brushed cotton.

Snap is packed.  Brekkie is munched.  School uniform set out, new shoes labelled.

Tea for this afternoon is planned.  Activity money all set.

Can't think of anything else MSE relevant at the mo, so I'll shuffle orf.  Ta for popping in.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Great start to the day, we got out the door to do the school run on time and the site manager opened the school gates early, so we're up and running with the day.

On the way to school, I spotted a lilac bush in full bloom - it smelt delicious and was a lovely purpley shade.

I was reading an interesting article about the Danish scheme to increase wholegrain uptake amongst citizens.  The food in the Danish Railways canteen sounded lush!  At least it seems like the project co-ordinators are really trying to make uptake easier - little things like working with rye bread producers to make loaves/bread slices in sizes/shapes that will fit in lunch boxes, or are more contemporary shapes.  And the realisation that a white loaf can get to something like 75% wholemeal flour before the taste/texture change is detectable.  Really interesting read - and thought provoking too.  What can I do to better our diets?  Whilst we do eat wholemeal bread for the majority of the time, there are no wholegrains in the pizza I make, and rice is 99% white.  We rarely eat pearl barley or spelt.

Tea last night worked well.  The SC cooked the plant-based balls and the tommie sauce without heating up the kitchen too much (although it's on the northern side of the house, so it never gets that warm). I pre-cooked the pasta and added it to the sauce when we got back from activity, and the two combined came out at a good serving temperature.  i microwaved some green beans to serve with.  

I'm going for a salad plate tonight.....  I'm not formulated a cast iron plan, but lentils, brown rice and beetroot will probably feature.  I've not got any mozarella or feta, so eggs may feature instead.  

Can't think of anything awe-inspiringly MSE to add at the mo, so I'll shuffle orf.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

Cherryfudge

The article sounds fascinating, do you have a link please?

We're 100% brown rice now, though we don't do so well with eliminating white flour. We found both of us get bloated and /or reflux with white rice but not with brown. I know flour affects me, but again, wholemeal is easier than white. I miss wholemeal SR flour, which doesn't seem to be a thing anymore, but I can always add baking powder to plain wholemeal.