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OK, I'll start by saying I may not know what I'm talking about but (from childhood memory) if you're roasting a chicken on day one wouldn't you be making either chicken pizza (if there is leftover meat) or a vege soup with chicken stock from the carcass on Day 3? Ditto with Roast Lamb - I'd expect to see Shepherd's Pie on the menu a day or two later (and lamb sammies for lunch or a lamb curry somewhere).
And finally a lightbulb came on... while I did make use of leftovers, I was not DELIBERATELY PLANNING for leftovers. Leftovers were just something I "coped" with rather than something I actually looked forward to re-creating! I have learnt how to re-create with old/outgrown clothing, its time I learnt how to creatively re-create with food!!
So this week, I wrote down 4 bases to make food with:
1. Mince and Bean mix
2. Vegetable mix
3. Fish mix
And 2 staples = rice and nori
From the above, I am able to create:
1. Mince and Bean mix = chilli beans, lasagne, spaghetti bolognaise
2. Vegetable mix = vege salad, vege fritters, incorporate with sushi
3. Fish mix = fish fingers, and incorporate with sushi
That's 7 meals!! Now I have to say, for the vege mix, a big big thank you to my friend M who very generously gave me some zucchinis, tomatoes and strawberries from her Vege garden.
So, combined with our standard lunches of sandwiches (the ends of the bread for the breadcrumbs for the fish fingers) and deli meats, fruit, plus some "treat foods" (2 packets of biscuits), dishwashing powder and the 2 bottles of softdrink (I know I know), our total grocery bill to feed 2 adults, 2 children and 1 dog this week was $67!!
I am starting to see that there is a creative challenge waiting for me every week now. Thank you TSS! You DEFINITELY knew what you were talking about!! Now, off to check out: Destitute Gourmet. This week, I kinda played it safe, but I think its time to start truly branching out...
On another good note, since last post, I only threw away 1 stale bread roll... which I now realise I could have made into breadcrumbs for the vege fritters and the fish fingers.... Oh well, I'll get this right by the end of this month!! (Just a quick reminder to self that my monthly challenge for February is to have no food waste.)
5 comments:
Oh Eilleen I am so chuffed for you! Doesn't it give you the greatest high when you achieve a goal you set for yourself!
Mwah!
*bows deeply while looking slightly embarrassed*
Yes, naughty you - that bread roll should have been popped into a sandwich bag and into the freezer.
In fact I keep all my bread (and crumpets) in the freezer and just pull out what I need when I need it.
I love my freezer. For proof see this:
http://theshoppingsherpa.blogspot.com/2006/09/tour-of-my-freezer.html
Wow-- I'm really impressed! And I'll have to check out that Destitute Gourmet site.
Nice work! I need to sit down and plan a menu for our family.
Thanks all! Well, I kinda feel sheepish, 'cause my husband had a day off work today and guess what... he drank all the milk! So this is the flipside of having no food wastage. Having no room for extras. Still, a quick trip to the shops was more a hassle for us rather than an actual hardship, yk?
Oh and TSS your freezer is fantastic!! I want a freezer like yours! Hmmm... maybe I'll do that as a mini monthly challenge... but not yet! I'm not quite ready to tackle something as amazing as that!
Thanks again everyone!
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