Budget meal ideas?

[judydawn]

All the best DJ, especially with job hunting.  Just make a path through the boxes to get where you want to go for now, if you are moving again soon it will be silly to unpack everything. Pity pasta isn't a favoured meal with DH, it's so cheap, stretches meals out and fills them up too.  What are the cheapest meats in the UK, perhaps we can then suggest meals along those lines.

[obbie]

all the best with job hunting DJ

[snappy]

DJ I hope some nannying work comes through soon .......

[droverjess]

Thanks again.
Off to salisbury tonight, 90 miles, to collect a second hand car DH bought on eBay last night.
Weather turned wet and cold so motor bike not safe for DH and we can't manage with 1 car in a rural area. His job used to provide car.

Try to bake something today for supper on journey back.
Think I might manage a flan and flapjacks, will be a change from sandwiches.

Right back to the boxes.
Xxx

[astarra]

Hope everything sorts out for you and your family DJ.
Could you grow pots of herbs on a windowsill somewere (then take them with you when you move on) as they can help an otherwise 'boring' meal a bit more tasty and appealing, just a thought.??
Sausages cooked then split and filled with mashed potato, and whatever else you fancy, then heated and eaten as required are cheap, easy and nice, can put cheese on top if desired.
Fritters?

[meganjane]

I hope things turn around for you very soon!
Have you tried savory crepes?  I make a pile of largish crepes and fill them with leftovers or tuna mixed with mayo, curry, cream, sauces whatever you have. Fold them into parcels and place in a baking dish. Spoon over some bechamal sauce or spread some cream over them and top with buttered bread crumbs or cheese and bake til hot through.  They are very practical and look fancy crepes/pancakes freeze really well too un filled, which makes it easier to whip up a meal.

Yep! Crepes! My sister lived on them for years when her children were younger and she was bringing them up on her own.

DJ, I so wish you lived in WA, we would have you here in a flash. You could live in our house and we'd move between Albany and the farm house. Dream on....

[droverjess]

You are all so kind.
Fetched the new car, a 2002 car with 92,000 miles, on the clock forgot the sandwiches! Had to buy DH one as I'd taken my soup.
Left at 2pm, got home at 8.45, managed to stop at a national trust property for a break but man it POURED and we got soaked. I ended up with an Aldi bag on my head to stop it pouring down the back of my neck. I've really never done that before. Haven't told DD, she'd think I'm losing the plot, when actually I was trying to keep dry and it worked!

We decided tonight for us it's like being retired ( or so we imagine) but without the pension coming in.
We job hunt, send off job applications. DH goes for a long walk daily to stay fit. ( i'll join him when lurgy better, keep having hot feverish moments and its NOT hormonal), then DH does DIY.  currently putting new taps and towel rails on in bathroom, years of tenants have taken their toll and it was still very yucky despite lots of cleaning.
I cook, wash clothes, clean house ( the bit that's not buried under belongings)  and unpack boxes.

Made budget banana bread and posted recipe, it has been decreed a hit by the men, even the one who doesn't eat bananas. Oven seems ok, never used it before as it was replaced while tenants in here. No instructions of course!

DH said Aldi sausages ok ish in toad in the hole for lunch.

Thanks MJ for your wholehearted support, it means a lot.
Someone at the family wedding last weekend also told DH to consider WA, but lifetime timing is not right.

We are having time out to go to London on Saturday. Got very cheap train tickets by getting early trains. Won't forget sandwiches this time or point of cheap tickets cancelled out by buying food!

[obbie]

wishing you well DJ

[Emme]

Hope the job situation is resolved soon DJ.
Men in our family always liked scone dough rolled out, spread with chutney or relish  and sprinkled with cheese, (can leave that out) roll up like swiss roll and cut in slices.  Always good with a cuppa. Take care
Marie 

[nazar]

Sounds like fried rice DJ!

What about macaroni beef from this forum as well?  I cook for two boys and one man - lets just say 3 boys!  And I find that pasta based meals are great because they are cheap and filling.  Add some homemade bread rolls on the side and it is normally enough for them.

I also use a lot of chicken drumsticks for the boys because I can get them for around $3 a kilo.  Like chookie, I cook them up and use the meat for chicken and vegie pies so I get an extra meal out of them.  My boys favourite drumstick recipe is honey soy drumsticks done in the slow cooker and served with rice - I just put 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup honey, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, 2 tbls of sweet chilli sauce in, mix add drumsticks and cook for about 4-5 hours on high.  The meat falls off the bone!

 snappy how many drumsticks would to put in the slow cooker ?  with this amount of sauce you mention in the above recipe

[Cuilidh]

You touched on your mother at one stage, DJ, which bought this idea to mind - have you tried to get your hands on a post-war recipe book (check out the library)?  There should be tons of good ideas there as everyone was living on very basic rations at that time and budgets were tight.

Your family will get used to different foods pretty quickly - they may complain and make comparisons at first, but will get used to new tastes and flavours in their foods very quickly.  I used to eat quite a few 'ready' foods prior to getting my TMX, but now even those foods that were my absolute favourites taste terrible to me due to all the additives, preservatives, etc. that is in them.  Keep at it and all will be fine.

[judydawn]

Nazar & DJ, I use chicken drumsticks in this slow cooker recipe which is linked to the orginal Hoisin Chicken Wing recipe.  I use a bulk pack or sometimes 1.5 bulk packs so that there is extra to freeze. I have a large slow cooker though.  Drumsticks are so cheap in Australia, not sure about UK prices.

[droverjess]

Thanks so much for all the encouragement.
I guess some of my cooking ideas could even go back to post war since I learnt a lot from Mum. I think the reality of no income was another shock as we'd concentrated up til last week on getting here. Then we got here and thought about the situation.
The cooking will get easier for me when kitchen all unpacked. I am missing a cupboard shelf and it is holding things up.

I do a lovely harvest slice ( big pie) with loads veggies and only a little sausagemeat. Even found some of our own SM in freezer so that will be a treat when have more room to make it. Soon I hope.

DH has said he will not eat drumsticks..... But I think I'll just make this lovely sounding suggestion and a pile of brons rice and see what happens. I have lots of honey in stock and also blackstrap molasses so will do a mix.

I have made soup all week. Along with 3 meals of bolognaise with the last one more pasta than sauce. Sometimes they've eaten my soup and sometimes had a tin. Tonight DS ate broth with no comment. So I think you are right about the getting used to it. They can always shop / cook for selves! I too am getting used to more careful planning and shopping.

Took big basic picnic on day out today. It was fine. I even brought my clementine peel back home and stuck it in the vinegar jar! The budget banana cake a hit and all gone so will make again.

Need a cheap cookie recipe with less butter. Ideas anyone?

Gone back to cooking with sunflower oil instead of olive, the roasties were excellent.

Doing almost all the shopping at Aldi and sticking to buying absolute basics only has really halved the bill. Will have to go to sainsburys for de caff tea and rooibois tea. Some things are essential! But mustn't get led astray by marketing ploys.
Store cupboard ok for now, so am eating that up too and will keep lower stocks in future.
4 big brown rolls in Aldi for 49pence. Am not set up for bread making yet. Thermy still packed, hopefully Monday will get let out.

In case you don't know Aldi dishwasher tabs and washing powder is much cheaper than say persil or finish and much better than say tesco own brand. I have bought these for ages and they've won awards from good housekeeping.
I did buy Aldi chocolate at 89p/100 gms and evaporated milk for 49p to make chookies choc delight for a treat to look forward to when we need to have a little celebration. Will make 6 so quite economical I thought and so delicious. Must read dessert section again for ideas.
Aldi own brand probiotic yog 99p for 4 instead of activia at £3 for 8. Not quite the same taste but ok. Often have plain with homemade jam too. Used to make yog with own milk but not yet bought milk for making. Depends on time available when sorted.

I do use miracle spray and usually make my own washing powder but with moving have had to buy these again plus other cleaners for post tenants.

Will have our roast beef tomorrow from freezer, just ask DH to be less generous with carving and do more veg and make more Yorkshire puddings.  Will think of a pudding but am out all day tomorrow  so must be easy.

The support and kindness and most of all FRIENDSHIP on here is so appreciated and helped me and therefore all of us through a tough and lonely time.

Thank you all again, you really are the best.

[Cuilidh]

Do you have market gardens nearby that direct sell veges on the roadside?  Alternatively, go to markets at the end of the trading day on the last day of the trading week and fruit and veges are always going cheap.  Maybe not the pristine best, but still useful in stews, soups, etc.  With winter coming on, soups and stews are absolutely the thing to be eating.  You can always ' fill' them out with added lentils or other pulses that are very cheap, especially if you can find a bulk supplier. 

Check to see if there is a barter group in your area - barter anything you can (perhaps your spare time for some meat or veges or fruit) - you will know what you can and cannot accommodate.  Maybe there is a glut of autumn fruit that you can make preserves from and either barter or keep them until later in the year when these things are expensive and not easily available.

[Frozzie]

Hang in there dj im sure it will all work out