Simplifying household stock and introducing routines

This is a great thread.
I can't cope with too much choice - the range of stuff in the supermarket is ridiculous. I have been buying and trying new things, but often ended up throwing them away, so I have now decided that on the whole I will go for tried and tested (by me). I'm on my own so I can eat the same thing two or three days running if I want to, and if it's something that can be batch cooked, I can do that (when I'm in the mood). When the weather is hot, I enjoy simple meals like sandwiches and cooked meat or fish with salad, but I'm happier to cook when the weather is cooler. I have also decided not to buy salad dressings or stir fry sauces (except mayonnaise) - they always look as if they'll be tasty but coat the foot in a gloop. I prefer a simple home made vinaigrette and a dash of fresh ginger/garlic/soy/lemon and lime juice. I have written down a master shopping list which I will try to stick to, but will allow for treats. I generally use soda/white vinegar/lemon juice for cleaning, but I am still using up some commercial products from my sister's house when we cleared that (she had about ten of everything), and all my soft cloths are cut up tee shirts (including some that belonged to my dad who died over 5 years ago.

LameWolf wrote: »

Our local Aldi does have vegetable stock cubes - they're the Quixo name, and come in a green box. I admit they don't always have them, so when I see them on the shelf I tend to grab a box, but they are there sometimes. They're really nice, too.

I usually go to Aldi as my first choice, but there are some things I've never seen in there - whole coffee beans to grind at home, loose leaf tea, custard powder, drinking chocolate to be made up with milk as opposed to water, vegetarian suet.

Daughter had her plastic free thing going on, so I had a go at making my own drinking chocolate powder to add to milk. I found recipe online and after some experimentation got the balance of chocolate:sweet to my taste. COcoa powder and sugar, but It also has vanilla powder in it, which isn't predominant but does add a certain something. Lots of the commercial ones have this in.