Batch Cooking

 

I try to find recipes that I like in order to batch cook and freeze. This saves me so much time and money, especially when I am in work full-time. I go back in full-time next week so I am trying to get prepared ready for the onslaught that September brings to teaching. It has also provided me with an opportunity to use up odds and ends in the fridge. I still have plenty to use up but I am determined not to waste the food we have. Some is being used for snacking- for example Teengirl has just came down and asked for the corn on the cob we needed to use, she has sat quite happily munching on that. I had a left over bit of chicken from last night's tea as my lunch with some of the wilting salad. 

My freezer is now stocked with 21 ready meals. I will use these either as quick after work dinners, or lunches. I shall be adding to these as the week progresses. So far I have made;

Lentil curry- there are 9 portions of this leftover in the freezer.

Lentil bolognese- I have 8 pots of this in the freezer.

Veggie chilli- I have 4 portions of this in the freezer.

I also found some mushrooms languishing at the back of the fridge so I made creamy mushroom turnovers- I have eaten 2 of these and have a further 2 in the freezer for a quick lunch at some point.

I love that I have so much prepped already. I have planned out my menu for the week, and will prepare next week's menu over the weekend. 

This was created with the food I needed to use in mind, so the fish fingers and chicken wraps are served with salads to use up the lettuces etc in the fridge.

The pesto will use up the bargain packet of fresh basil I got in the supermarket at the end of the day- recued to 5p! I bought 3, 2 went in the freezer for later in the term as I recently discovered how quick and easy it is to make your own pesto. I had been buying the free-from jars for around £1.50 a pot. I can make it for pennies!

What are your favourite batch cook meals? Bonus points if they are meat-free/ use store cupboard foods. We aren't veggie (see the plan above!) but I am reducing our meat consumption in an effort to save on food costs. Post your favourite meals below.

Monthly spending

I forgot to total up our spending during May- TUT TUT! I know I could have saved more than I did. So onto June, fresh month fresh start.

When I remembered to count I know that I managed 7 no spend days in May. so target for June is to have 10 no spend days. Not having a half term in June will help with this :-)

I also sold some old toys and mobile phones in May meaning I have earnt an extra £33. I plan on selling some more bits and pieces, and hopefully doing a car boot fair this month as the weather is finally looking brighter. So watch this space, see if I can beat May's total.

Last night Stephanie and I popped into Morrison's on our way home, not my usual choice of supermarket, but it was closest to where we were. We bagged this little lot

For the grand total of £18.95;
2 pepperoni pizzas £2 (£1 each)
2 Morrison's houmous £1.50 for both (on offer)
3 x4 yoghurt's at £0.33 per pack- 99p
1 Brussels pate £0.58
1 Morrison's 'buttery' spread £1.00
1 pouting fillet reduced 99p down to 75p
1 mackerel reduced £1.55 down to  £1.19
1 coley fillet £2.45 down to £1.99
1 dab fillet was 60p down to 45p
1 chocolate cheesecake dessert (2 slices) was £2.20 down to 55p
1 honey dew melon quarter was 55p down to 39p
1 punnet of raspberries reduced to £1.49
1 nectarine punnet (4 fruits) £1
1 dairy milk creations £1.24
5 fresh bread rolls with poppy seeds reduced to 25p for all
1 cucumber 79p
1 loaf of bread 79p
bananas £1.37
potato baker 8p
3x fresh French stick 15p each (reduced from 50p each)
total
£18.95

My cupboards are looking full thanks to an approved foods order I received last week- £20 for £60+ pounds worth of food and goods. The freezer is full- lots of meat from our butchers haul earlier in the year, plus all the fish bought last night, the French sticks were cut up into individual sized portions and popped in freezer to be used throughout the month. So this month I am setting the challenge to use it up! I have done this several times before and I only buy fresh foods which I can't buy to last the month, fruit/veg as I won't compromise on having these in the house. I am certain I have enough to eek out to at least the next payday, although I'm sure I can stretch it further.