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)

Food for 8th July

Packed Lunch...
Lettuce & beetroot from garden, carrot,, celery, cheese & egg from then hen, Tin of sweet chilli tuna (comes on sale often!) fruit & a hedgehog.

Bacon & vegetable soup Served with poor mans bread


My soups never ever turn out the same they are what ever is in fridge type soup.
My base was a bacon hock ($4.95) and then everything just gets thrown in pot covered with water & left to simmer away all afternoon. My family likes is all whizzed up to a soup texture before serving (take out bacon & shred it retun shredded bacon back to pot after whizzing soup, Family enjoy getting chunks of bacon).
Soup is a cheap, easy meal - I often pop in crockpot if going to be out & want a meal ready when I get home. Or prepared early & started to cook before turning off & then just reheating when I get home.
Ok I threw in this soup - leeks, onion, celery, pumpkin, kumera, potato, carrots - no rules just what ever is on hand - I don't add salt as bacon can be satly enough but do add pepper & family seasons it to their taste.
Always enough left over soup & bread for lunch

Meals for 7th July

Packed lunches today were sandwiches with lettuce, ham, grated carrot, tomato & cheese, home baking & fruit.
Dinner was cornflake chicken
take a pack of chicken pieces - watch for these they come on special often. Clean out fat & guts. If no egg allergy roll the pieces in egg & milk then roll in crushed cornflakes. We have egg allergy & for safety issues I just miss out the egg step, - don't dry the chicken & the cornflakes stick ok - but not as well with being dipped in egg first.
Drizzle olive oil over the top & bake at mod oven until cooked.
Served with Roast Medley I used potatoes, kumera, onion, beetroot & parsnip
Served with fresh beans & brussel sprouts

Costing ummm
$10.99 2kg tegal chicken pieces (on sale) I used full 2kg pack but I have enough left over for lunch tomorrow. Living with allergies I usually have left overs for lunch. Members who are wheat free get first pickings.
Have no idea how much beans & brussel sprouts say $3.50 per pack =$7.00
3 potatoes, $1.00
1 kumera $1.00
2 carrots 40c
1 parsnip $1.00
1 onion 50c
beetroot free from garden
extras - garlic (was free from garden) olive oil, salt n pepper - herbs free from garden, cornflakes $2.00
approx costing $23.89

But again left overs for lunch. I like in season food & new season food is usually dearer - new small brussel sprouts are the best time to eat. And we love fresh beans (probably from overseas sigh) - could make it cheaper with different vegetables but well we like variety.

Food for 6th July

What's in the tins this week.

Apple cake - recipe here

Anzac Biscuits (allergy free) - recipe here

Hedgehogs - recipe here

Packed Lunch - Monday
1 tin spaghetti, add 1 egg, grated cheese salt n pepper - a mix for toastie pies to make up at work - 6 slices of bread as Brent missed breakfast - running out of time. Apple cake, & 3 pieces of fruit.

Dinner....
Chili Con carne recipe here
Price... mince was lamb mince from paddock only 250g so if brought in shop approx $2.50
1 tin chili beans $1.59
1 tin tomato paste $1.83
rice $1.00
$1.00 to cover onion, garlic, spices
Coleslaw
1/4 cabbage 61c
2 carrots grated 20c
1 beetroot grated free from garden
2 stalks celery 20c
1 avocado $1.58

Total price $10.51
Plus there is one serving left over for lunch

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

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