Make Do, Mend & Minimise in 2025 (and 2024)

Cherryfudge

@Green_hopeful, those sound like such positive things for all the people concerned. And extra £100 a week is brilliant!

@Sarahspangles, I'm rather in awe of you minimising baking stocks and the like! Mine grow back as if using something up had given me a sneaky command to go and Buy More. Would you be able to share your method for candied peel, please? I've tried to make it and can't remember what I did, but it was a failure.

As for me, life is too busy again. However, make do: I made the last of the Christmas cheap veg (a red cabbage) which had been standing in water to extend its life, into a cabbage, rice and beans dish. This saves it going to waste and was a substitute for what I'd planned that day. It also lasted me a few days though I was a bit concerned for the last portion and threw it out for safety's sake.

Mend: nothing that I can think of recently.

Minimise: four shirts have been donated, and four pairs of socks have gone to the rag bag for recycling. I've put in some time minimising weeds too.

Sarahspangles

Cherryfudge said:

@Sarahspangles, I'm rather in awe of you minimising baking stocks and the like! Mine grow back as if using something up had given me a sneaky command to go and Buy More. Would you be able to share your method for candied peel, please? I've tried to make it and can't remember what I did, but it was a failure.

I’m using the Jamie Oliver recipe, and if there’s any syrup left at the end it’s nice dripped over yoghurt! https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit/homemade-candied-peel/

I have restocked the baking cupboard, but with ingredients for the stuff OH likes to scoff after his long bike rides, like flapjack. He used to bring home very sugary versions but I cut the sugar by half when I bake. I’ve still got some treacle and ginger left, which is destined for an unseasonal batch of parkin, but that keeps well.

Cherryfudge

Thanks @Sarahspangles, that looks like something for me to try! DH gets through a  great many oranges so there's no shortage of peel especially when L1dl has their grapefruit discount!

P.S. The time is never wrong for parkin.  

Green_hopeful

Minimise I accidentally bought loads of carrots and celery. I sent my husband to get some and then forgot about it and bought them myself. I made soffrito with some onions. I lightly fry it before freezing in large yoghurt tubs. It uses up the veg and makes it really easy for making meals. Loads of things start with onions celery and carrots. 

YorksLass

I think parkin is acceptable any time of year too!  The hardest part is waiting for it to go "sticky" before eating.       It freezes well too if you want to limit consumption.   

Nothing happening here on the MMM front as DS and I are in the middle of decorating my living room that looks like a bomb site.  We've moved out everything that can be moved out and now I haven't a clue where anything is.  On the positive side I shall be thinking carefully about what goes back in - my clutter days are over!  One thing I will be doing is hanging all the photos together in a group on one wall rather than having them dotted about on different surfaces - it will make a focal point and have more impact.  Not to mention making dusting quicker and easier.  

Katiehound

Any one minimising empty blister packs to Boots?

I had a bag full and fed them in one by one through the narrow slots: very tedious!
A member of staff told me to ask for one of them next time and they can lift the lid at the back & tip the load in, in just one quick go! (I am not scanning for reward points so I just want rid)
I've also minimised toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes & a serum tube (those cut in half to completely empty!) - they go in the other bin in the shop.

I am trying to minimise the freezer. Have been home for 10 days and not bought any meat or fish- eating what I have. Yesterday made a Quiche lorraine with cheap frozen bacon. Once all the bacon has gone (2 more weighed bags for QL or egg & bacon flan) I will try to avoid as I realise it is really not healthy with all the nitrites- qualifies as Ultra processed.

2 thawed sausages about to be cooked for stuffed mushrooms tomorrow's breakfast- stuffed with sausage, spinach & cream cheese

2Scratters

Make do - a recent visit up into the loft to move some things around and find some summer clothes to swap around. I came a pair of jeans that looked familiar, it turns out I already have a pair in use of the same size these are a size down than my normal that to me is a double win win. 

Mend - that will be darning a sock of mine that I made a hole in last week, gutted.

Minimise - this is ongoing at a slow pace but am always on the lookout for items. Today I have UU 5 items of surplus stock and a couple more may be done in time for the bin collection on Tuesday 

Have a good weekend all

2 Scratters xx

Green_hopeful

@Katiehound we were collecting blister packs for recycling at superdrug but our shop doesn’t have a recycling point. I saw the Boots one last week and signed up but actually I just want to get rid of them so I am going to take a batch at a time. 

Katiehound

I know you can only recycle at Superdrug if they have a pharmacy: ours doesn't.
I haven't signed up at Boots- no smart phone and rarely shop there, so like you just getting rid! A friend has given me a carrier bag full (someone locally was collecting them for fund raising?- but now they aren't!!) looks like I shall be popping into Boots very regularly until the hoarded stuff has gone!

mandy47

Make do
Meals for the next few days will be from a turkey crown that I bought reduced after xmas also frees up some freezer space. Dessert will be a lemon curd take on bread and butter pud. Again cream and curd from the freezer.

Mended.
Finished sanding and painting a couple of window sills. 

Minimised.
Old washer taken by scrap man.
2 suitcases from loft clear out left at the bottom of the drive were taken in less than 5 mins. Large bag of coat hangers disposed of from loft. Plenty more to go from loft.