Meals for the 9th July

Packed lunch....
I had packed Brent some left over soup & then found out he was going on a course - mm no time to change lunch plan so $10.00 from shopping budget - Brent & I are big kids & we make our frugal lifestyle a game (nb we are frugal by choice, we both like nice things & have hobbies so we choose what we want to spend our money on - brought lunches is not one of them!) And by us being frugal it is like I am out earning a part time wage - but I get to stay home BEAM!

Brent was shocked - it was $16.00 and a few cents for his lunch at a cafe - he said it was nice bar the price. - He had a fish cake with a poached egg on top, rocket, fancy mayo stuff 1/2 a tomato & a small tiny, wincy bottle of orange juice. - He prefers my packed lunches.

Dinner....
I only buy my meat when on special - we like nice cuts of meat & they do come on special, we have lamb off paddock & 1/4 a beef from friends home kill. This pack of $12.00 rump steak will do two dinners & two lunches.
I prepare them in the morning to get flavours though the meat - Brent doesn't like meaty taste if you know what I mean - so marinating the meat gets the meat to take on the spices & flavours.
Meal one was Beef curry recipe here

I'm not too good at taking a photo for you all - it's like dish up & go while it's hot.
I added purple cauli - not a good choice looked a bit blah in meal - we also had fresh mango which is a bit of a treat & jazzes up the meal. (we fight ver who is going to suck the pip)

Mairinating in casserolle dish is a beef casserolle for Friday nights dinner - easy all I have to do it turn it on - great meal for when busy - or excellent for crockpot (both of these will be nice in crockpot)

Grocery shopping challenge

There is talk of $100.00 per week food budgets & other ideas of a no spend week - or even $25.00 per week shopping. WOW! This might of worked well for us over the last 2 months when we were on a 3 & 4 day pay week, but due to the way I shop it will not work for me.

I price shop & stockpile & I tell you our stockpile sure came in handy over the last few months. The kids commented they didn't notice any difference living on less pay.

I keep a good price book & been doing it long enough to know the supermarkets cycles & stock up accordingly.Photos are of this weeks stockpile/bargains. Only impulse product is licorice. New World & Woolworths have good specials - BUT you have to be strong & not buy products not on sale as their standard prices are higher than pack n save - I find it well worth checking their fliers, looking at price book, making a list & then just zipping into the two shops. Doesn't take me long. I challenge myself to buy only on special at these two shops.
Total cost was $101.00 New World & $54.06 at Woolworths. Total spent $155.06 Plus I got a rain check for chickpeas that were all sold for $1.59 tin - a good buy!

The items I brought work for our family - they may not work for yours eg I buy paper towels as use them a lot in cattery, tissues for colds, and I like 3ply loo paper just can't do this finger poking 1 or 2 ply stuff! Brent enjoys a beer with friends & a glass of wine at night - I even stockpile this & this week there were some specials on beer & wine.


I'd like to set a challenge for other kiwis to begin stockpiling, share their best buys of the week which they record in their price book - I can't rave enough about price books. And as you build up your stockpiles you will end up shopping from home, making your menus from what you have on hand.

The Challenge..

Your weekly food budget must include:

• All food items consumed by the family including packed lunches for all of the family. Any brought lunches needs to come out of the food budget.
  
• All cleaning products, toilet paper, shampoo, soap etc.
• All fruit & veges from markets
  
• Foods grown in the garden have a zero dollar value - nothing like encouraging you to grow your own.
  
• Each week share on your blog your total amount you spent on shopping budget, any bargains you got & how your stockpile is growing and any thing from your garden you supplied the table with.
• Weekly share your families menu plan - another key to keep your food budget under control is to prepare ahead.
  

Anyone else up to the challenge to watch their food budget, price book, build a stockpile & eat healthy - let me know if you are jumping on board too so I can add you to the side bar!

If menu planning, stockpiling, price shopping/book, buying from local markets, or making lunches is new to you - just choose one thing to begin with & slowly you will find yourself shopping a different way & have more cash in your weekly shopping budget for healthy, enjoyable food.

I've blogged before here about how to make a price book
I've blogged before here about how to stockpile
Ive blogged before here about how to menu plan
Ive blogged before here about packed lunches for Brent

Menue plan week ending 4th April

Week one's menu

Sunday Roast Chicken, new potatoes from garden, cauliflower, beans, carrots, kumera, pumpkin & gravy.

Monday Chili beef with noodles & salad

Tuesday Sheppard's pie bread & salad

Wednesday Taco's with mince & beans & salad toppings

Thursday Soup, fresh bread pudding Ginger Bread & custard.

Friday Burmese Chicken in crock pot, potatoes, cabbage & carrots.

Saturday Sausages, onions, apples, hot chips, tomatoes & eggs.

Menu plan

I really liked the format of the menu plan I shared yesterday - I have it all downloaded & printed off the weekly menu planners & weekly shopping lists. ( I Liked these)

I purchased 5 clear view folders & put them all in a ring binder. Each week I'll pull one out & that can sit on my kitchen bench.

I've made 5 weekly planers - worked out what activities we all have on for each week of the month eg every 2nd week is quilting evening, every 4th of the month is a home school meeting, all the activities & days the kids are out - these night I have easy meals planned.
I have only done the main meals & some lunch planning - but I also wish to add in breakfasts & snacks.

We are in week four at the moment so I'll share what's on the menu for this week.

Week Four Dinners

S Roast Lamb, potatoes, kumera, pumpkin, broccoli, carrots & mint sauce
M Curry (lamb I cut some off roast before cooked) served with rice, & papadoms
T Chicken Pie, mashed potatoes, cabbage, carrots & peas
W Apricot Chicken, rice, beans & broccoli
T Vegetable soup, fresh bread - pudding apple & pear crumble
F Chilli con carne
S Lamb patties with hummus, olives, lemons & pita bread

Menu Planning

I was going to share more on menu planning, but came across this
I've downloaded it & really like her format & templates she has for menu planning. I'm off to print mine out - - will be back to share with you my 4 weeks menu plans.

Menu Week ending 6th Decmber

Sunday BBQ - meat patties (made the same as for spag meatballs - just make them bigger, Canadian T bone steaks, fresh salad - kumera parcels. Chop up peeled kumera into cubes, place on tin foil with olive oil, salt n pepper & fresh rosemary stalks. Fold into a parcel & put on BBQ - first, this will be cooked by the time the meat is done. (can check by opening up the parcel & having a feel to see if soft.

Monday Moroccan beef with rice & home made pita breads - with lemons & olives from our trees

Tuesday Porterhouse steak - red cabbage salad, kumara & orange salad & green salad

Wednesday Chicken in crockpot, broccoli from garden, mashed potatoes, gravy, carrots.

Thursday BBQ with salad, corn on cob on bbq, potato or kumera baked on bbq.

Friday Fish, salad & chips (James sausages)

Saturday Picnic tea - we had cold chicken & fresh bread sandwiches with lettuce

I've got soo many lettuces in the garden we will be eating salad for most lunches & tea.

Menu for week ending 29th November

Sunday James cooked sausages, oven chips & salad as we had got delayed playing in th garden.

Monday Taco's

Tuesday Roast chicken with baked kumera, potatoes, pumpkin, cabbage & broad beans. (left over chicken will be for lunch)

Wednesday Sweet orange pork with rice & salad (I buy the big packs of meat & this will do two meals as I was in a hurry & didn't split the pack into two meals to freeze)

Thursday Crumbed pork fillets with baked kumera & sour cream with a salad

Friday Cranberry Thanksgiving - roast turkey, mashed potatoes, peas, corn, cranberry sauce & cranberry bread

Saturday Left overs from Cranberry Thanksgiving

Menu weekending 22.11

Sunday Baked chicken done with orange, honey & soya sauce. Potatoes tossed in flour & placed in hot dish of olive oil, carrots, beans & broccoli out of the garden p pudding apple crumble & cream

Monday Steak, garlic potatoes & salad

Tuesday narchos & salad

Wednesday Fresh teriyaki fish fillets crumbed with egg & bread crumbs. Salad & Hassel potatoes. (James had sausages)

Thursday Orange beef stirfry

Friday Brent had whitebait fritters we had sausages, salad & chips

Saturday Brent had paua fritters with bread, we had chili beef

Menu weekending 22.11

Sunday Baked chicken done with orange, honey & soya sauce. Potatoes tossed in flour & placed in hot dish of olive oil, carrots, beans & broccoli out of the garden p pudding apple crumble & cream

Monday Steak, garlic potatoes & salad

Tuesday (oh gosh forgot we we had)

Wednesday Fresh teriyaki fish fillets crumbed with egg & bread crumbs. Salad & Hassel potatoes. (James had sausages)

Thursday (oh gosh forgot we we had)

Friday Brent had whitebait fritters we had sausages, salad & chips

Saturday Brent had paua fritters with bread, we had chili beef

Menu for weekending 15/11

Sunday BLAT'S - Bacon, lettuce, avocado & tomato sandwiches. - Strawberries, cream, ice cream & strawberry topping for pudding.

Monday Schnitzel, root medley, beans & cabbage

Tuesday Roast pork, crackling, apple sauce, roast kumera, potatoes, parsnip, beans.

Wednesday Macaroni cheese for those who like it (YUCK) Stir fry for others.

Thursday Beef Curry

Friday Chili con carne

Saturday BBQ with salad.

menu for weekending 8 November

Sunday Rack of lamb, asparagus, peas, root medley

Monday Nacho's, boysenberry ice cream in waffle cones, boysenberry jelly & birthday cake.

Tuesday Lasagna

Wednesday Vegetable soup, with home made chicken stock as base & home made bread

Thursday Roast Chicken with roasted potato, parsnip, pumpkin & kumera. Broad beans from garden & broccoli

Friday Beef casserole in crockpot, mashed potatoes, broccoli & cabbage

Saturday election night so watching election - Chicken Nibbles, baked kumera & salad.

Menu Planning

Sunday Nacho's

Monday Sausages, hot chips, corn on cob & salad

Tuesday Roast pork with roasted potato, parsnip, pumpkin & kumera. Broad beans from garden (Yum) & spinach from garden and apple sauce

Wednesday Chili con carne

Thursday Beef stroganoff, noodles & green salad

Friday Home Made hamburgers

Saturday BBQ steak & sausages with green salad, BBQ kumera & Pumpkin parcels

Spagetti & meat Balls.

1kg of mince - I use half the pack so 500grams another $6.00 meat meal. - TIP Always buy the bigger meat packs & then repack & freeze - or plan to use the rest in another meal for the week. Once you get stockpiling & price book shopping you will only buy your meat on sale & bring home & repack.

1 onion you can grate it but I prefer to cut it finely.
about 2 tablespoons of mixed herbs - I just give it a couple of good shakes.
salt n pepper
to bind use 1 egg or if allergic to eggs or have no eggs add 2 tablespoons of sauce - we use sweet chilli sauce, I don't use eggs & then James can eat them.

Then mix well with hands. If no egg the trick is to really massage the mince - this takes about 2-3 minutes and it is the key to not having your meat balls fall apart.

Then coat in flour or finely crumbed breadcrumbs. Use cornflour or rice flour if allergic to wheat.
Place olive oil in pan a good amount to coat pan - but not so it is thick - just to stop sticking.

On a med - high heat cook slowly the meat balls I pick up & turn balls with tongs this also helps stop them fall a part. Don't hurry cooking as you want insides to b cooked not just outside.

While meat balls are cooking make a salad.
Mine was lettuce, spring onion, carrot, tomato & avocado as that's what was in fridge.

Place in pot 1 tin of tomatoes (or I used my frozen tomatoes from February's crop) - add one tin of tomato paste, salt n pepper & gently heat on stove.

Boil jug & pour over dried spaghetti - If you have allergies use a small pot to make their wheat, egg free spaghetti - it is too expensive for all of the family to eat. Or give them rice with their meat balls, but I try to make all our meals the same where possible.

Serve.

If you use recipe love to hear how you got on & if it was a winner with your family. - Let me know if you need any help. I am very much not a recipe follower cook - it's all by a bit of this, bit of that - smell & taste usually.
Love Leanne

Sweet & Sour Pork stir fry.

Cube your beef & trim off all the fat - I got a pack of cubed pork for $6.00 a little will go a long way.
Put with pork 1 Tablespoon soya sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 Tablespoons Chilli sauce - use tomato sauce if thats what you have.
Let this marinate for about 15 mins - I normally cut up my veges while waiting.

Add 4 Tablespoons of cornflour to pork.

Raid the fridge & vege garden use what ever veges you can - normally not kumera, pumpkin, potatoes. But I used 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, carrot, broad beans, spinach, asapragus as that's what I had - other suggestions are broccoli, cauli, cabbage,

Make a sauce - 1 Tablespoon vinegar, 2 Tablespoons sugar - I use brown sugar 3/4 cup water or if using pineapple - I use the juice & make up with water to 3/4 cup.

Fry pork pieces until golden - you can deep fry & they will go crispy - I shallow fried mine - just depends on my mood GRIN. Don't cook them all at once as you will loose heat - put aside.

Saute onions & garlic, add longer cooking veges eg carrots, gradually add other vegs & cook over a hot heat - a wok is a good tool, I only have a big stock pot which is what I use.

Add sauce, add pineapple pieces, pork pieces & heat through if needs thickening add 1 Tablespoon of cornflour mixed with t tablespoons of hot water & mix in. Lastly add spinach.

Serve with rice.


The veges & rice are filling & this recipe doesn't need a lot of meat.

To cook my rice.
I boil the jug - pour over rice & bring to boil then turn down - doesn't take that long.

Stocking your freezer

I highly recommend you purchase a chest freezer - you can pick them up cheap on trade me.

My basics must haves for ours is:

Butter - yes you can freeze butter & I only buy butter on sale. Here in NZ dairy prices have gone up totally unreasonably.
milk
bread

Hot chips
sweetcorn on cob
beans sliced & whole
peas
mixed stir fry veges (this is for a quick stir fry lunch for James who doesn't do sandwiches for lunch)
pastry sheets
chickens
chicken pieces
mince
sausages - we have allergy free ones
schnitzel
pork roast - this is often on sale

Once you begin price booking - you will again mostly only buy these items on sale.

Menu Planning

Planning your weeks menu is powerful & wonderful for living on a budget.

To begin with just ask all of your family what are their favourite meals for dinner. Just write down what they say - only catch they have to be home made meals not takeaways.
Then ask the same of them for breakfast, lunches & snacks.

Compile the answers. And you are well on the way to menu plan.

Begin menu planning slowly - just work on evening meal, from families suggestions allocate meals - I usually work in a 5 week cycle so we don't end up eating similar meals.

Work out what nights of the week you need quick meals due to being home late or evening activities. If you have kids, allocate one night a week they will be cooking with you or being your helper.

What vegetables or bread will you serve with the meal?

Have some fun! - Join others around the world who menu plan & share on your blog. A good place to visit is http://orgjunkie.com/menu-plan-monday


Sample of this weeks menu for our family. (NB I don't plan until Tuesday as wait to see what is in our organic fruit & vegetable delivery is first)

Sunday Lasagna with bread

Monday pumpkin soup & bread (we had a real cold snap & have lots of pumpkin)

Tuesday beef casserole with mashed potatoes, carrots & parsnips, broad beans from garden (YUM)

Wednesday Roast chicken with roasted potato, parsnip, pumpkin & kumera. Broad beans from garden (Yum) cabbage & spinach from garden

Thursday Rump steak ( saved from Tuesday's casserole making the meat go further) green salad & hassle back potatoes.

Friday Pork stir fry with rice - lots of vegetables, make the pork go further.
Saturday Spaghetti meatballs with green salad.

You will notice we do not have desert - if still hungry they help themselves to fruit. We have food allergies so puddings aren't really suitable. But if you haven't you can make a meal stretch by serving a pudding. They did this a lot in the 1940's - small amount of meat quite a good serving of vegetables & filled the tummies with pudding. There are lots of inexpensive puddings eg apple crumble.

What is really wonderful about menu planning is you do not have to think what is for dinner each night any more - you know because you have planned. Stops takeaways!

You shop for your weeks menu - no more wasted food at the end of each week - this saves you money!!

If you are having a tight financial week - it is amazing what you can plan with just a few ingredients -

I usually plan by what I have on hand in pantry & freezer. This way each week when I grocery shop I am buying only items on special for my stockpile & will use them in another weeks menu. I very rarely pay full price any more for any items from the grocery or butcher because I menu plan, stockpile & price book shop. This has enabled our family to continue to eat well even with the prices of food sky rocketing.

Shopping this way didn't happen over night - lots of changes slowly. But I would recommend begin with menu planning & plan in a few cheap meals 0f even meatless meals like macaroni cheese. pancakes & soups served with bread. You can get your food budget down with this method & with money saved you can begin stockpiling.

Food Budget

One area to help your family budget is food. It is one area you have to spend & one area you can cut back on.

A well stocked pantry, freezer & menu planning is the secret. I hear you say all well in good if you have a well stocked pantry. I'm asked often how do I get that!

Menu plan - (will do a separate post on this)

Price book (will also do a separate post on this)

Buy in bulk (again will do a separate post)

Changes are not going to happen over night & it will take planning. But like a budget - oh soo worth it.

Areas you can save in your food budget are stop eating out, stop takeaways, take a packed lunch & take packed snacks & drinks for kids too. A flask of coffee for mum. All that is required is forward planning.

Welcome

Leanne's Back to Basics Blog was kick started by watching Jamie Oliver's Ministry of food.

I will take on his Pass it on challenge & via blogging will pass on what works for me in cooking for a family of four including cooking with severe food allergies, preserving, budgeting, menu planning, packed lunches, stockpiling, buying in bulk, vegetable gardening, raising our own chickens, raising our own sheep, keeping a home and living within your means.

I am going to try to blog basics as if the readers have limited knowledge - as Jamie says - passing it on.

Love Leanne