Food Budgets and ways to economise

[tiger]

Following on from a thread started by littleange_com, I thought it would be good if we could share some of our money saving ideas and suggestions for cheap meals. This is the time of year when we could all do with some extra savings ready for Christmas spending.

[Grace & Favour]

My son (ex student!!) tells me that warm 8p noodles & 2 slices make a great Mother's Pride Sandwich . . . . you just need to add a little tomato ketchup (or Chilli sauce!) to mask the taste . . . . . .. !!!!
:drum:
- - - -:drum:
- - - - - - - -:drum:
- - - - - - - - - - -:drum: Taa-ra-aa-aaa!

[Grace & Favour]

Seriously though . . . .

I'm a firm believer in buying in glut, (cheap), preparing really good honest fud, portioning and freezing (or pickling when it comes to eggs! Yummy yummy - my recipe for Lemon, Chilli & Garlic Pickled eggs is - is - is just - - well - it beats Green & Blacks Ice Cream . . !!!!)

So, (as other onion 'collectors' will know) I buy when things are plentiful - or cheap, prepare them in the most flexible way to use later, and freeze . . . All my mushrooms are ready sliced and really slowly cooked with the tiniest splash of Virgin Olive oil, together with a little Maggi (or light soy) sauce, and frozen.
Ditto onions, peppers (blanched, not fried), I buy frozen garlic & chilli from Big T's "Asian" range, and probably have 5Kg of wonderful Beef curry, (Not Birds Eye!!), similar qty Bolognese Sauce, about 3 gallons of Ratatouille (!), Chilli con Carne etc etc etc.

I believe that time saved is at least as valuable as money saved, and therefore I know that we can eat well every night even when my OH cooks _____ooooooH - *****y!!) - 'cos all she has to do is re-heat my cooking and add freshly cooked rice / pasta / potato / salad etc.
and we have a great diet!!!!!

[poshpretender]

as some of you know money is extremely tight with me at the moment so im economising every time.

last night i cooked some lentil stew with spinach.(1/2 price in tesco)cost just £1 over to make.extremely healthy too.we had it with rice but you could have it with potatoes.fed 5 and ffion had some.i cook this a lot when i feel fat

the other day i cooked corned beef pie.cost about £3 to make.made 3 pies.had it with roast pot veg and gravy.2 pies in freezer.:playball:

[Freckles]

The best way to economise is exactly what Angri has said, cook cheap seasonal produce in bulk when its plentiful, and freeze.
For every spag bol, fish pie, shepherds pie, soup, curry etc you make, double it (for very little extra cost usually) and freeze half for another days meal.
Eat seasonally, this makes fruit and veg far cheaper, and try and buy off the market rather than a supermarket.

[Ladyshopper]

I just wish I had space for another freezer, mine is quite small and jam packed, so haven't got any space to freeze meals.

[penfold]

ooops, 'puter glitch!!!!

[suziq]

some things which are basic are not a quality issue, like milk. milk is milk, buy it at netto or aldi for 99p instead of mr t's for 1.11. check out the reduced section in ure local supermarket, pick up veg and chilled stuff at low prices

[Angel]

I have a habit of raiding special offers, for example, half price raw king prawns at £1.74 a pack, which we eat once a week, so I purchased 12 packs (3 months supply) and they will keep in the freezer.

Rice is purchased in bulk, Lidl do a 10kg bag for around £7. Asda were doing a BOGOF on a 10kg bag of rice at £12 (so £6 a bag), we purchased two bags in September 2005 and have only recently opened the second bag!

Lidl is a good place to buy biscuits, chocolates, sweets etc. at very low prices.

[tiger]

First thing I do in store is to have a look at the cabinet where they put the reduced items. I've sometimes picked up some bargains, but other times they don't seem that cheap. I used to get really nice fish this way, but recently it hasn't been such good quality. I cooked the last lot for the cats, so it was a bit of a waste. The trouble with the foil bags they use now is that you can't see what you are getting. I think some of it may have been bagged up the night before.
If you are in store when the fish counter is closing, it is worth seeing if anything is being reduced.

[chunkee munkee]

I do what the others have been saying. Cook from scratch and then freeze. It doesnt work for me though. I did a lasagna last night which has 6 sizey portions but OH ate 3 portions!!! Piggly

[RainyDayBox]

I buy in bulk whatever is on BOGOF usually. Cat food was recently half price, another week was nappies, then washing stuff... it means I do not always buy much food each week, I do one main food shop per month.

This system works really well as by the time I run out of anything, there is always another offer...

I go to lidl when possible for fresh fruit & veg that is way better quality than anywhere else at a fraction of the price.

[RainyDayBox]

I do what the others have been saying. Cook from scratch and then freeze. It doesnt work for me though. I did a lasagna last night which has 6 sizey portions but OH ate 3 portions!!! Piggly

I have a hubby with hollow legs... I have to freeze anything really quickly LOL..

[chunkee munkee]

Lee is such a pig that he once bit into a frozen yorkshire pudding and broke his tooth. If I can I try to freeze everything, lol

[Mamzie]

We never have much room in our freezer as our allotment veg, ie, runner beans swedes, turnips, etc are hogging it.. we have 7 bread crates of onions at the moment, but we quickly use them up this month cause of hubby making chutneys and pickles..

I make a stew and eat it for the day, I freeze fresh veg in chunks for stews and soups in the winter, I also learnt to make a very basic sauce on a cooking course that I freeze, then use for a pasta bake, or spaggetti..

I would be very interested to know what you do with the rice, potatoes, salad, etc Angri, please?? We don't actually eat meat, but the kids do, so any suggestions will be greatly appricated.. Esp things I can make then reheat...

I also never realised that you could freeze cooked mushroom, I freeze raw ones for stews, etc, when they are on offer... Could I make a sauce with frozen mince in, add veg, then refreeze it for the kids???

[baffled]

Cous- cous.

Cooks in minutes.
Needs only one pan.

Can be done savoury, spicy, fishy, meaty, eggy, veggie, sweet + sour, or with 'something' ;
(Thai), (Tikka), (Indian), (Sea-Food)?, (Duck Legs?), [errrrrr, u know what I mean, the stuff that was BOGOF].


As a main course or as an accompnimant.

Try a branded 'Ready-mix box' recipe first, if it 'suits you' then get a bulk bag of basic cous-cous and go to town with your favourite sauces / frozen stuff / left-overs / tiger prawns / duck legs / beef in gravy etc. etc..

Well, our teenagers, students and pre-teens all have a good 'supper' in minutes [by their choice].

Even if it was perhaps main-course at tea-time.
So easy to do and quite 'cool' [personalise / customise /quick prep.].
They [the youngsters] may well, of course, be deranged?

Rgds.,
B

[SuzyWoo]

Not food, but I save on my washing by using half the amount of detergent I would usually use, and adding a spoon of soda crystals (51p for a big bag) instead.

I also use distilled vineger in the final rinse instead of softener. Your clothes DON'T smell of vineger, but they are lovely and soft, and your washing machine doesn't get all gungy :D.

I also use vineger and washing up liquid with hot water to clean glass, much better than anything you can buy!

[Grace & Favour]

I have a hubby with hollow legs... I have to freeze anything really quickly LOL..

Hi Rainy . .

Tip: Freeze Hubby!! - He's always there (with the Firemen & Ice Cream) when you need him, and he eats less . . . . :D :D

[Grace & Favour]

I also never realised that you could freeze cooked mushroom, I freeze raw ones for stews, etc, when they are on offer... Could I make a sauce with frozen mince in, add veg, then refreeze it for the kids???

Yup - exactly . . similarly, if you wanted to use fresh veg with their meals, you could make a big pan of a meat based sauce, (Bolognese, chilli curry, savoury mince etc, (and chicken, turkey & posk minces are delicious and normally lower fat too), freeze into small portions, and then just add fresh onions / mushrooms etc when you thaw & heat to serve.

I must admit that as rice , pasta & pots are so plentiful & easy to keep out of freezer, I never bother freezing them, and always cook fresh, (while the meal's thawing in fact!)

[colman]

We never have much room in our freezer as our allotment veg, ie, runner beans swedes, turnips, etc are hogging it.. we have 7 bread crates of onions at the moment, but we quickly use them up this month cause of hubby making chutneys and pickles..

I make a stew and eat it for the day, I freeze fresh veg in chunks for stews and soups in the winter, I also learnt to make a very basic sauce on a cooking course that I freeze, then use for a pasta bake, or spaggetti..

I would be very interested to know what you do with the rice, potatoes, salad, etc Angri, please?? We don't actually eat meat, but the kids do, so any suggestions will be greatly appricated.. Esp things I can make then reheat...

I also never realised that you could freeze cooked mushroom, I freeze raw ones for stews, etc, when they are on offer... Could I make a sauce with frozen mince in, add veg, then refreeze it for the kids???


I am sooooo jealous Mamzie - i would love an allotment but the waiting time here is horrendous.....we have an average sized garden and this year i grew toms, cucumber (of which i ended up with nearly 50) chillis and courgettes. I have since made some lovely tomato chutney with the glut of toms i had!!


If you have a big roast chic on sunday boil up the carcus and bones in a pot of water for a couple of hours with onions carrots and celery. Leave for a couple of hours - take out carcus remove left over meat (it should just fall of the carcus) put meat back in potwith stock add some chopped spuds, rice other veg and cook until everything is cooked - blitz with billy blender. Makes lovely lunches for your pack up or a hearty evening meal with crusty bread.

[tiger]

We have a big garden, but it's not easy to maintain as it slopes quite steeply.
I have a level patch for veg and love growing runner beans. There's nothing like cooking veg that is freshly picked and that you know is organically grown.

[colman]

We have a big garden, but it's not easy to maintain as it slopes quite steeply.
I have a level patch for veg and love growing runner beans. There's nothing like cooking veg that is freshly picked and that you know is organically grown.

Thats one of the reasons that we are going to move next year as i want a big garden, at least 1/2 acre so i can grow lots of my own vegetables. My perfect job would to have lots of polly tunnels with vegies growing and sell at farmers markets etc making jams/pickles etc l.....maybe one day!!

[tiger]

We've got one poly tunnel which has been left empty for a couple of years. We used to grow plants in it when we had a plant nursery. Have been thinking about growing veg in it as it seems a shame not to use it, especially as it is a nice large, level area. Any ideas about what does best under polythene?

[Maldives]

Hi Rainy . .

Tip: Freeze Hubby!! - He's always there (with the Firemen & Ice Cream) when you need him, and he eats less . . . . :D :D

That deserves a rep for a giggle....:p

[Maldives]

I am planning on doing a little veg patch next year...... that's if Mr T will send me the book I ordered.....

[colman]

We've got one poly tunnel which has been left empty for a couple of years. We used to grow plants in it when we had a plant nursery. Have been thinking about growing veg in it as it seems a shame not to use it, especially as it is a nice large, level area. Any ideas about what does best under polythene?

No i'm even more jealous than i was of Mamzie - a polytunnel is my idea of heaven. I think most things will grow under poythene - toms, cues, courgetts, cabbages - you could try some various beans to. Pak choi should grow to....

[penfold]

No i'm even more jealous than i was of Mamzie - a polytunnel is my idea of heaven. I think most things will grow under poythene - toms, cues, courgetts, cabbages - you could try some various beans to. Pak choi should grow to....


raspberries & strawberries.....OK, know there not veggies but v v tasty and so expensive to buy in shops. :D

[clockwatcher]

Hi Rainy . .

Tip: Freeze Hubby!! - He's always there (with the Firemen & Ice Cream) when you need him, and he eats less . . . . :D :D

Along similar lines - send DH abroad - we (the two boys and I) are consuming roughly half the amount of food that the four of us used to get through. :)

[Freckles]

Also check your local butcher out for meat - I don't always think tesco are such good value for money. I find meat in the butchers is far better. If you can bulk buy do this - If you can't afford a huge amount go with a friend and buy your meat. You will often find butchers do a big selection of meat for say £50, so It may be worth shopping with a friend and getting a good selection of meat.

Another good tip is invest in a slow cooker - stews and casseroles are a good way of saving money and producing a filling meal *also saves time*. Especially very good for people with busy lifes also.

Fab tip Kelly, i love my slow cooker and its sooooo easy!

[Maldives]

I keep thinking about getting a slow cooker, but I have a slow cooker setting on my gas cooker, so not sure it is worth the investment.......

[Freckles]

Someone told me a slow cooker is cheaper to run than a lightbulb, but i don't know how true that is.

[LoveABargain]

Recently a slow cooker was on offer in Tesco for £9.97 instead of £20, it looked good, I keep meaning to check if its still there as I fancy one too.

[Grace & Favour]

a polytunnel is my idea of heaven. I think most things will grow under poythene -

I hate to spoil your idea Colman . . . but putting your guy in Poly Shorts will not increase the size of the meat or veg . . . . . . . :D :D

[Angel]

I wouldn't know what to do with a slow cooker!

[ploverpalace]

Slow cookersare great, just chuck everything in and leave it, i couldn't live without mine!

My money savingtip is to watch Kim and Aggie each week, they have fab ideas for cleaning products that litterally cost pennies and last forever instead of the extortunate prices of Mr Muscle etc! i.e. White Vinegar for limescale (did a fab job of my loo!), Bicarb of Soda (35p ish?) to whiten grout and clean your oven. Tiny drop of fabric conditioner in water to clean your telly, computer etc (obviously being very careful with the electic!!!) and stop static.:h40:

[tiger]

I've found that for cleaning windows and mirrors you can't beat the way my mum used to do it, with crumpled up newspaper, so costs nothing and leaves no smears.
Use damp for cleaning and a dry piece for shining it up after.
It's something in the ink that does it.

[jen]

Some of these ideas are super, but please could you share some of your good slowcooker recipes and beef curry recipes etc. I like cooking and have a few good recipes but I would certainly love to try recipes that other people have used successfully. I am a reasonable cook but it does annoy me when I follow a recipe faithfully and it then nothing like it is supposed to be, so please share some of your good recipes.:)

[Freckles]

Hi Jen,
You can use the Colmans/Schwartz dried packet mixes in a slow cooker, just use as normal but will obviously take much longer.
I make soup in mine, just use any veg you have, chuck it in with enough stock to cover it, you can add leftover chicken or whatever, and i usually chuck in a can of chickpeas/butterbeans, or some lentils.
I have a great recipe for paprika chicken if you want i'll post that.
And here are some slowcooker recipe websites:

http://www.healthycookingrecipes.com/crockpotrecipes/lowfat-crockpot-recipes.htm

http://www.justslowcooking.com/index.html

http://southernfood.about.com/

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/main-dish/everyday-meals/sensational-slow-cooking/main.aspx

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=4273&page=1&pp=10

Heres one for curry sauce:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=456767&postcount=38

[Grace & Favour]

the bbc.co.uk website (click on 'food', has most of the recipes from all their broadcast cookery progs, and you can even type in an ingredient - and it'll search for all the recipes for that item as well ..

(great if you have over-ordered on the onions!!!)

[Freckles]

Just to add, almost any curry/stew/casserole typre recipe can be adapted for a slow cooker.

[jen]

Hi Jen,
You can use the Colmans/Schwartz dried packet mixes in a slow cooker, just use as normal but will obviously take much longer.
I make soup in mine, just use any veg you have, chuck it in with enough stock to cover it, you can add leftover chicken or whatever, and i usually chuck in a can of chickpeas/butterbeans, or some lentils.
I have a great recipe for paprika chicken if you want i'll post that.
And here are some slowcooker recipe websites:

http://www.healthycookingrecipes.com/crockpotrecipes/lowfat-crockpot-recipes.htm

http://www.justslowcooking.com/index.html

http://southernfood.about.com/

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/main-dish/everyday-meals/sensational-slow-cooking/main.aspx

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=4273&page=1&pp=10

Heres one for curry sauce:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=456767&postcount=38


Thanks, some good recipes here the curry sauce looks tasty.

[ChickenCottage]

Do you use a slow cooker Anna?
I used to have one, which I would have put a casserole in early morning to be ready for dinner, but the smell of cooking throughout the day made me so hungry that by dinnertime, I'd eaten enough to do me a fortnight. :D

So.. i thought that maybe it wasn't the best idea on a regular basis.
Grand if you're out all day though.

[Freckles]

Do you use a slow cooker Anna?
I used to have one, which I would have put a casserole in early morning to be ready for dinner, but the smell of cooking throughout the day made me so hungry that by dinnertime, I'd eaten enough to do me a fortnight. :D

So.. i thought that maybe it wasn't the best idea on a regular basis.
Grand if you're out all day though.

LOL Chick, yeh i do! I tend to put mine on around lunchtime on high and then turn it down to medium about 4pm, and its ready about 6pm. If i'm out all day though i just whack it on low.

[SuzyWoo]

I love my slow cooker, but don't use it anywhere near enough. What are your favourite dishes for it? I love stews, but it's great for shepherds/ cottage pie filling.

[Jimhammie]

the other day i cooked corned beef pie.cost about £3 to make.made 3 pies.had it with roast pot veg and gravy.2 pies in freezer.:playball:

Posh, whats this corned beef pie then. I love the stuff , but have never had it in a pie. Would like to know how.............

[tiger]

Jim, I don't know how Posh makes her pies, but you can put in whatever you like.
Line a pie dish with shortcrust pastry, add your filling, put on the top and bake

Filling.
Chop up the corned beef and combine it with vegetables of your choice
i.e. cooked sliced onions & diced potatoes, tomatoes.

Just add anything you like to vary the flavour, such as a little worcester sauce or tomato puree.

You can do a mix of corned beef, potato, onion, carrot & turnip and make pasties.

[Mamzie]

Theres loads of ideas on here... I am now def going to get a slow cooker.. I also have a small chicken carcess simmering at the moment thanks to this thread.

(Maybe we also need a gardening thread..) Sorry Colman, Tiger, we grow tomatoes, early peas, cougettes and strange peppers in our poly tunnel, then we use our greenhouse for the cucumbers and melons... For the first time ever I actually managed to grow some melons and we got to eat them, normally I lose them when the fruit is just set or tiny. I also mix some flowers in to attract bees, and to look nice. I have alway wanted to grow new potatoes for xmas, but have never got around to that, well not yet anyhow.

We keep our greenhouse frostfree so we can start sowing seed earlier and also grow loads of marigolds etc, for our kids nursery, school and the childrens club. We donated about 100 trays of flowers last spring, takes time but saves them so much money. I also grow our flowers from seeds. start my baskets off in the g/h, then move then out into the tunnel. All thanks to my Nan who let us have them put up in her garden before she died, and my uncle who doesn't mind us still using them.

You may be able to find a neighbour with a garden who would let you use their garden. otherwise put your name down on the waiting list for an allotment, and hopefully sometime you get one. Maybe say that you wouldn't mind sharing with an existing holder who wanted a smaller plot??

Also anyone who gets free seeds and doesn't need them, they'll always find a good home with us..

[tiger]

You amaze me Mamzie. I don't know how you find the time for all your activities.
We'll definitely have to make use of our tunnel. It's a shame to let it go to waste. I make use of the smaller one and the greenhouse to grow bedding plants and herbs and tomatoes. I've sold a few herbs on ebay, but there seems to be so many people doing it now.
Can you suggest any veg. I can start in the tunnel now?

[Mamzie]

Thanks Tiger, You might want to try for some homegrown new potatoes in large pots or old compost bags, but sadly our tunnel will be empty (once we clear it up) until about april next year.

[colman]

Not a food suggestion but an oven cleaning suggestion, which i discovered last week after a recommendation from a friend. If your like me i have always struggled to clean the shelves in the oven, and no matter how much Mr Muscle i used they never come up shiny. Anyway here goes:-
Takes out shelves and stick them in the bath with boiling water (from tap is fine) add two ariel/persil tablets or others if you have those - leave for two hours. Go back with a scourer and the ground in brown fat stains will just slide off and come up all shiny. My oven shelves now look like the day we got the oven. Happy cleaning!!

[Grace & Favour]

It makes one wonder what the tablets do to your frillies in the washing machine doesn't it?


(NB . . I mentioned YOUR frillies, not mine . . I don't have any frillies ! ! ! ! !)

[Maldives]

Glad to hear you don't have frillies Angri, but if you did what colour wold they be....... :p :p :p

[Grace & Favour]

Apparently - - transparent - - my DW says she can see straight through me . . ..

[tiger]

I've found a great way to economise. Following some advice from Angri about using Asian shops to buy spices for curries, I've just discovered an Indian Food Wholesaler which is open to the public.
It's in Ashton-under-Lyne, so if any of you are in the North West, pm me for details.
Prices are a tiny fraction of what they are in Tesco, the range is much larger and it's run by lovely helpful people.

[clockwatcher]

Takes out shelves and stick them in the bath with boiling water (from tap is fine) add two ariel/persil tablets or others if you have those - leave for two hours. Go back with a scourer and the ground in brown fat stains will just slide off and come up all shiny. My oven shelves now look like the day we got the oven.

And the bath? ;)

[ChickenCottage]

:lol:
true

[Grace & Favour]

And the bath? ;)

Omo! (It's a Fairynough question. The Tide mark will Dazzle you, and emBolden the natural colour of your bath with all its non-ionic Surfactants . . .

[Grace & Favour]

:clap2: :clap2: Very impressive Floosy . . . :clap2: :clap2:

As far as I can see you've missed only two out . . .

Toast
and . .

Black & Greens Bombe Surprise . . ..

[Grace & Favour]

Ooooh - which store Floosy - and what day / time do you normally go shopping .. . . . . ?

(pretty please!)):D :D

[tiger]

The Indian cash & carry I went to earlier in the week has recipes on their website.

The recipes are changed regularly so save any you want or sign up for the mailing list.Indian Recipes (http://www.shopspicy.com/retail.htm)

[poshpretender]

went to an indian cash and carry today.leg of lamb £2.75/kg.£6.70 in supermarket

10 kgs fragrant rice £5.40

1 bag of frozen mackerel 10 in the bag £1.69

garlic .10p each

dates .90p a box

lentils and spices are a fraction of supermarket prices

[tiger]

went to an indian cash and carry today.

lentils and spices are a fraction of supermarket prices

That's what I found and I could have spent hours just looking at everything in there.

[tiger]

Thanks to OH's new hobby of making curry, we now have lots of ready meals in the freezer. He's getting better at it too and managed not to wreck the kitchen. :)
Curry is a good way to make the meat go further. You can add a few extra vegetables if you like them.

[Gizmos]

bumping this might be relevant

[purpleheather2810]

bumping this might be relevant

It certainly is, thanks Gizmo!

[pookienoodle]

a good tip at this time of year is to look out for reduced large uncooked christmas joints such as ham and beef.
cook them and then slice and freeze in small amounts,makes for very cheap sarnie filling and the beef can be used for a quick meat for Sunday lunch.

[frexy]

Got a whole salmon half price, on offer at Tesco, all cut up and in freezer.
I asked the girl who filleted it to give me the head and bones, that is simmering, will take the flesh off it and use for fish pie or might make salmon fishcakes....a meal for free:clap2:

[Grace & Favour]

and it makes great stock for a nice fish soup . . . . . ((Cullen Skink is divine - recipe) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cullenskink_80764.shtml)

[YooHoo]

This looks a really useful thread, I'm looking forward to reading through it and putting it into practice. This New Year looks like its going to be a really tough one for us.

I have found my slow cooker brilliant for making bulk meals for the freezer (the thread on slow cookers is really good) These meals have been a life saver when we've been ill or too busy to cook, especially over this Christmas period I've used quite a few. Couldn't be bothered doing big shops when everyone is frantically filling trollies, so its certainly kept my shopping bills down the last couple of weeks.

[tiger]

I'd forgotten just how long ago it was I started this thread.
Thanks for bumping it, Giz. I think a lot of us will be glad of any tips for making the money go further at the moment.

Something I do when making cheese sandwiches is to grate the cheese. You will find you use less that way than trying to slice it but you still get the taste. Less cheese means less cholesterol and calories too. :)

If using tinned meat for sandwiches, open the tin and put the meat on a plate in the fridge for an hour or so. It's easier to slice it thinly when cold.

[WHITEGUINEAPIG]

i am really trying to empty our cupboards instead of buy more as money is tight, so oh is now using nivea ladies shower gel (he smells really nice actually) and i am using mens deodorant

[kay122]

Loads food in loads biscuits freezer full i gets my potatoes at tesco very exspencive so i got a sack so i can save on spusd usually about £1.90 ish for 5 pounds so a bib big saveing just on spuds going to have a look round for bargains from now on
kay

[numpty]

Look out for farm shops, they have 2nd grade carrots in huge sacks!, which people use for horses and rabbits, but no reason why you cannot eat them, they are just odd shapes! They cost about £1.50-£2

Also sacks of spuds £4-£6

[Moll]

ive often bought the carrot sacks that numpty mentions , there is no difference, if you have a big pet store (wholesaler) nearby you often get them there, ( as numpty says advertised as for the horses) but beware,although VERY cheap . its a big bag,and in my opinion they dont last as long as the ones bought in store , so you need space to freeze or use them QUICKLY., i usually use half a bag. and divide the rest between friends , it still works out a fraction of the cost,
Aldi are doing the 5 fruit/ veg thing for 39p at the mo too . so if you have an Aldi nearby check out what is this weeks offers, last week it was marris piper potatoes. (2.5kg) clementines. , and parsnips . ( Dont know what the other 2 were as that was all i needed) /parsnips have been chopped and bunged in the freezer for later. ive also froze a lot of mashed potatoe ( sometimes freeze it in big swirls done with a big icing pipe bag , that type of thing) just to give it a different look . thawed i use with cooked dinners, or bacon , sausage. & beans etc. saves money having to have the cooker on again . also if anyone has a jack fultons nearby. thay are doing 4 large yorkshire puds for £1. ok to use with dinners, or fill with "Something" for another meal .
glad this thread has been bumped, i missed it the first time around, and have found the slow cooker recipes brilliant, ( I stick all sorts in my slow cooker . if i have extra milk . i even make rice pudding in it )

[goo_chick]

Great thread op! :D :rockon:

I really need to cut back over the next few months, and find this thread really useful :)

[DaisyChain]

Some of the old fashioned meals are great at this time of year for filling you up but economical

- toad in the hole
- cottage pie/shepherds pie
- sausage and mash

I tend to buy the better quality 'meaty' sausages and mince still but these are often reduced and stash nicely in the freezer as well as going a long way

I like chicken noodle soup as well, if you have your own chicken stock great but if not a good quality stock, a pack of cheap noodles and your left over chicken scraps. Instant, but still feels home made

[ploppy]

ive often bought the carrot sacks that numpty mentions , there is no difference, if you have a big pet store (wholesaler) nearby you often get them there, ( as numpty says advertised as for the horses) but beware,although VERY cheap . its a big bag,and in my opinion they dont last as long as the ones bought in store , so you need space to freeze or use them QUICKLY., i usually use half a bag. and divide the rest between friends , it still works out a fraction of the cost,
Aldi are doing the 5 fruit/ veg thing for 39p at the mo too . so if you have an Aldi nearby check out what is this weeks offers, last week it was marris piper potatoes. (2.5kg) clementines. , and parsnips . ( Dont know what the other 2 were as that was all i needed) /parsnips have been chopped and bunged in the freezer for later. ive also froze a lot of mashed potatoe ( sometimes freeze it in big swirls done with a big icing pipe bag , that type of thing) just to give it a different look . thawed i use with cooked dinners, or bacon , sausage. & beans etc. saves money having to have the cooker on again . also if anyone has a jack fultons nearby. thay are doing 4 large yorkshire puds for £1. ok to use with dinners, or fill with "Something" for another meal .
glad this thread has been bumped, i missed it the first time around, and have found the slow cooker recipes brilliant, ( I stick all sorts in my slow cooker . if i have extra milk . i even make rice pudding in it )


Never tried freezing mashed potato or carrots. How do you do them please?

[tescolover]

oh is now using nivea ladies shower gel (he smells really nice actually) and i am using mens deodorant


:lol: It's the same in our house. My H&B stash is really low now

[Moll]

Never tried freezing mashed potato or carrots. How do you do them please?


the carrots i just peel and chop up the way im going to use them ( sliced . diced/ cubes etc) and just bag them and freeze, i dont even blanche them , and never had a problem (Done it for years )
just get them out and use from frozen . although i do use things up quickly . had them in the freezer at least 2 months like this though and theyve been fine.
mashed potatoe . again . cook it . and when cold . bag it and freeze, i usually "borrow" the clear bags at the fruit & veg in mr t for freezing ,
i often freeze mash ready for a shepherds pie topping . put the bag in the dish ill be using , put the mash in the bag, tie it up . then squash the mash into shape , so its the right size to fit the top of the pie dish when i get it out the freezer, . saves time . (Hope you know what i mean ) . also do this with apples when they are in season. ready to make a crumble . ( even make the crumble and freeze that in mr t 's bags ready. ) all saves time ,
also any left over from dinner , absolutely anything , like from tonights dinner, there was a few roast potatoes ,some roast parsnips , (So they went in the freezer) stuffing , i make a lot then use an ice cream scoop to make it into ball shapes ,(open freeze them before bagging . so they dont freeze in one big block ) and get them out as i need them , left over cooked veg (tonight was mix veg with carrots. ) and i bung that in my small liquidiser ( that i got from freecycle years ago) with an oxo cube and make a portion of soup for my tomorrows dinner , doesnt seem like the same food as its in a different format if you know what i mean

[Scrungee]

This is something I'm into in a big way (along with saving money on everything else).

To reduce our food bills we:

1) Grow our own veg: We have over half an acre of allotments (at a very cheap rent) and grow loads of veg, herbs, soft fruit, apples and loads of flowers. Seed saving, making own feeds and buying stuff cheap when knocked right down at Wilkos keeps costs down even further.

2) Only use the cooker's oven once a week for 'baking day', then re-heat using the microwave, or use our slow cooker (one of those Tesco's £9.97 ones).

3) Produce all our own apple juice & other juices and cordials. I press around 100 gallons of apple juice every year and turn most into apple wine, the rest is pasteurised using an electric pasteuriser to produce all the drinking juice we need.

4) Make all our own wine using fruits we grow, pick from the hedgerows, or made from carton juice when on 'special'.

5) Pick vast quantities of wild fruit (1000 lbs + in a good year). Plus nuts.

6) Freeze crops as high value products - potatoes as croquettes or used in fish cakes, end of season leeks as 'Glamorgan Sausages'.

7) Have our own hens, so we have pets that eat our scraps and provide better than supermarket eggs. And we try to grow as much of their foodstuff as possible.

8) Make our own jam, chutney, yoghurt, ice cream' bread, etc.

9) Produce our own 'mustard & cress' (buy bulk packs of seed) + sprouting seeds such as fenugreek & mung beans (from health food shops/Asian grocers).

10) Fill our frreezers with (don't eat meat, but do eat fish) loads of Quorn/meat free products when half price, etc.

11) Also fill our freezers when we find cheese, bread (only bought 3 full price loaves last year), etc, half price.

10) And when we go on holiday we take:

a) A stack&store full of our veg.

b) A stack&store full of reduced price dented tins.

c) A large electric chiller box with our BOGOFF Quorn sausages & bacon, reduced price quiches, etc. kept frozen under large 1 litre freezer blocks.

d) Abosulutely LOADS of home made wine.

and ..............

e) Delay 'baking day' until we get there and use their elec/gas

f) Always try and book a time/location so that chiller box will come back full of fresh caught sea fish.

[flowerpots]

I bought a Cookworks Slow Cooker from Argos at the weekend for just over £10. V impressed and will be checking out those recipes mentioned.

[colman]

as of saturday we are the proud owners of an allotment...have been planning what we are going to grow. We are lucky that our neighbour works at a warehouse where they store forthergills seeds!!!

[Moll]

wow some great ideas there Scrungee

we have a juicer, but can you tell me how to make cordials? how long would they keep ? also how do you make the glamorgan sausage with leeks .

really into growing and foraging and love ideas like these,



3) Produce all our own apple juice & other juices and cordials. I press around 100 gallons of apple juice every year and turn most into apple wine, the rest is pasteurised using an electric pasteuriser to produce all the drinking juice we need.


6) Freeze crops as high value products - potatoes as croquettes or used in fish cakes, end of season leeks as 'Glamorgan Sausages'.

7

[flufff]

eat less :(

[colman]

What sort of wild fruit do you pick scrungee i always pick blackberries to make into chutney and then a few bags in the freezer for crumbles and blackberry fools etc.
What sort of nuts too??

Would also love to know how you make apple cordial and also how long does it keep...

[Scrungee]

What sort of wild fruit do you pick scrungee i always pick blackberries to make into chutney and then a few bags in the freezer for crumbles and blackberry fools etc.
What sort of nuts too??
Would also love to know how you make apple cordial and also how long does it keep...

Pick around 200lbs blackberries (mainly for wine), another 200lbs of wild cherry plums (mainly for wine), know a hedge with some greengauges & victoria plums, cherries (there are both sour Morello and sweet eating cherries growing wild nearby but we have to beat the birds to them), elderberries (for wine but don't use many as it takes too long to mature), damsons (chutney & damson vodka), bullace, sloes (sloe & crab apple jelly), crab apples (for both jelly and juice - I blend it (10%) with pressed eating apple juice to give it a crisper taste - and use my pressed cooking apple juice to blend (33%) with eater juice for wine making) and wild growing eating & cooking apples. OH makes hot chutney with the blackberries together with chillies that I grow - delicious on cold soused mackerel (caught on holiday and frozen). We collect hazel & walnuts. Forgot to mention collecting field mushrooms and puffballs in my previous post. Still do quite a bit of foraging in Tescos, etc. though.

The cordial is not apple (that's pasteurised and lasts right through to when the apples are pressed the following year) but elderflower cordial made in May and very refreshing diluted with chilled sparkling water (but even more refreshing diluted with chilled white cider). I have a steam juice extractor for producing cordials from blackberries (don't like plum cordial) and our own loganberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants.

how do you make the glamorgan sausage with leeks .


If there's a load of leeks going to be left in the spring (and there usually is) we pick them before the start re-sprouting and go beyond it (but leave half a dozen to go to seed - free seed for the following year), freeze some and make glamorgan sausages with the remainder:

Ingredients: 115g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs, 150g grated mature cheddar, 2 tablespoons finely chopped leek (but OH uses twice this amount + adds garlic), 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (I grow loads of the flat leaf type), 1 tablespoon chopped marjoram (or dried if you don’t have fresh), 1 tablespoon coarse grain mustard (or mustard powder), 2 eggs (from own hens), ground black pepper, 50g dried breadcrumbs, oil for frying.
Method: Mix the fresh breadcrumbs with the cheese, leek, parsley, marjoram, mustard, 1 whole egg & 1 egg yolk and pepper to taste. Make into sausage shapes. Whisk the remaining white from 1 egg until frothy, dip the sausages in it then roll in the dried breadcrumbs. Then either open freeze for later use or deep fry.

[purpleheather2810]

Elderflower cordial is deeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious. I make one with oranges in it. Yummy! Anyone interested in the recipe?

[Grace & Favour]

we have a juicer, but can you tell me how to make cordials? how long would they keep ? also how do you make the glamorgan sausage with leeks


A few recipes here Moll:

GlamSoss1 (http://www.cycling.visitwales.com/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.991)
GlamSoss2 (http://thefoody.com/cheese/glamorgansausage.html)
GlamSoss3 (http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/529972)

HTH

[tiger]

Elderflower cordial is deeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious. I make one with oranges in it. Yummy! Anyone interested in the recipe?

Yes please, purpleheather.

[saving-mad]

regarding freezing food, i have a super little Collins gem book that states most food and if it can be frozen also some ideas on how to freeze and what to use it for when its been frozen.
For instance i didn't know you could freeze eggs out of the shell for cakes, it says to freeze 4 eggs in a pot then you defrost 1 portion for each cake, i never have surplus eggs but a super idea!!

sorry cannot find it on Amazon or Ebay think i bought it in a cut price book shop:D