BUDGET PLAN SHOP SMART A GUIDE

[MrRigatoni]

Budgets planning and shop smart are the way to make sure the food you have lasts long time.

I am writing this because late last night a call from a former friend. His wife and him ran out of food.

Both work and both have money but spending excessive food bills and last night he exclaimed to me no food.

Had to sort him out lol...

Thought write this to help be considerate of others. In similar positions. All of us have done this throwing tins in to the trolley just buying anything.

I used to thirty years ago never do now ever.

I am on benefit low income and manage what I live on.

Thought share to members .

Basically making a stocklist if what you have around the home and use daily. Please do not forget home and kitchen essentials for clean home tidy kitchen and personal items.

Compile a menu on what you wish to eat, it sounds hard but in reality. The whole idea are you going to buy for those recipes you create.

Then you have some ideas per week.

I have a folder binder with itemised products need to purchase for recipes I do.

I have sat on my laptop looking for ideas, books and then subscribe these in to rough paper and on to then paper folder.

Added itemised one side other side method but blank because this is what I do.

Cook the recipe any errors mistakes means have to rewrite recipe and stocklist again, just being savvy paper environment so on...

Each recipe if I say use half a tin or half not of all of this .

Then make a veggie, had a meat recipes two days veggie and so on we go to saving money.

Means three times a week veggie does not have to be hard.

Make it simple soup usually.

When compiling shopping list going to have same things all the time if you cook.

Look on line for Passata a expensive product in supermarkets paying over the odds.

Are you going to pay those prices make notes.

An example.

I know a lot to ask for making an issue over produce .

It is just food. Food waste is an enormous problem in this country.

I rarely waste anything because buying for the recipes I create be savvy look on line buy bulk items and consider each day.

What so out and what is need to be used up.

I have seen used to cook for friends . There cupboards stores of massive amounts of tins, buy each week the same thing.

Never get used up.

Always if purchasing new produce at the back and the old the front to use up.

I have also added to each itemised recipe some alternatives of those produce not available.

I recall once meeting a former friend who had stacks of tins never wished to eat any of them.

That is money tied up in stock never been used so be warned looks good offers.

BOGOF as they are called are you going to eat it.

Same story had a former friend bought all the BOGOF for freezer had no space had to rip open bags put in to zip bags tin foil and other storage every thing cramped.

So when creating a stocklist evaluate everything need do I need.

Stocklist tell you go around.

If you have the item why need to buy again..

Freezer is your friend make it so. It is not difficult what to use it for.

Vegetables fruit as timesaver.

I have Spinach, Courgettes, Peppers, Onions, Soffrito mix.

Fruit frozen Berries Blueberries, Cherries.

Plastic bags soups sauce and these are ones can stand up. Have Bolognese in samebags helps me on weekends.

Then the bread freeze all bread tin foil.

Note can tin foil cut to size on line. AMAZON. Beneficial.

Saves cutting I use tin foil freezer means no freezer burn means stay wrapped up in tin foil .

When defrosting fridge no mess.

Plastic air problems unless can get the air out then the bags stick.

Use crumpets and other bread products.

I buy whole chicken cook and any left remove paoched cool tin foil wrapped.

For Soup or sandwich or anything like that.

Buy Turkey breast thigh joint. Cook it let it go cool diced up some for freezer wrapped tin foil.

Any time need meat for a recipe have this ready to use.

Any sauces left over use this then. All labelled and in tin foil.

Used it before in a salad for Pasta.

Pasta fresh store gnocci or stuffed if this says so on pack can freeze, zip clip bags . Label.

Instant meal home made Pasta sauce freezer bag out plus Pasta , into a bowl to defrost sauce hot water and Pasta to big pan with boiling salted water.

Comes to the surface seconds minutes add two together.

Cheese Parmasan any hard one grate yourself bag it up label.

I use a food processor have a grater attachment save times simply quick.

Butter buy 2 stash freezer.

These are the ways I use to save money helps me everytime.

Please if you have any questions happy to answer.

Thank you all for reading.

[Hidden]

Some great hacks here! Thank-you for posting!

[MrRigatoni in reply to Hidden]

Hello pleased to meet you thank you for support.

Please if anything can help with foodie recipes ideas ask me .

Pleasure to do so.

Please take care.

[Whydothis]

Your comments about planning ahead and only buying what you need are spot on for making the budget stretch to cover what is needed.

[MrRigatoni in reply to Whydothis]

Hello thank you for reply .

I agree with you.

My own Mother used to collect food tins produce.

Never allowed to eat any of this with out a signed authorisation and permission.

Trust me not kidding had a home where four freezers and a store cupboard on three levels and also around each shelf three or four feet in depth.

So much packed in, absolutely so many times struggle to see the point.

Horrible terrible times.

Even my bedroom had drawers attached packed to rafters my own father simply ignored it.

I had to endure her using my trolley and boxes used for carrying loads.

Instead used these to stash on top of each other when shopping.

It was claimed that my Mother broke more tills and damaged with excessive food and shopping lists.

Reason why concerned see the damage excessive food bills can cause.

Not good if people just knew.

More stories but too embarrassed to tell all wrong obessions stuck in this rut of every where going need a huge convoy of cars.

Of which many filled with food, boxes, boxes.

It was like Jesus coming to feed the 5000 when we arrived any where.

Awful never understood and to see those suffering, no one should go hungry but they do in this country a lot.

Met them used own money to help a friend give her son a decent start in life make him breakfast, lunch to school and back to home pick up every day ten years.

Never asked for anything .

Pleasure to see.

One other story shocking really met a fellow trader him his wife lived on tinned produce.

Go into the garage piled high trays of every convievable tin of product you can put on toast.

Huge freezer bread stashed and stored.

So many tins trays no access to garage had to go through a door he had only installed.

How do people live like that?

I came along and tried to be supportive even sneaked out tins to those in dire needs met those in poverty.

Wanting to sell hungry and my Mother greed .

So managed to as mentioned did what I could used boxes to hide food turn up.

Since always been aware actually got sacked removed volunteer food banks .

Need to say was often adding comments ideas recipes to those clueless.

Managers did not like that, so was removed. Then after the sacking implemented my proposal of doing budget cheap eats courses.

When collecting from food banks would help them understand what and how to approach using tins.

Making meals tumble downs making one meal from left overs.

My idea but the team manager took the credit was in the spotlight no mention of me.

Still am proud of trying to educate instil give something back to those who can not cook or find it hard.

Please take care.

[Zest]

Hi MrRigatoni

Thanks for sharing those budgeting plan tips.

Zest

[thara9643]

Bookmarking!

[S11m]

Jacket potatoes with cheese and broccoli is a cheap meal - eat a raw carrot as a starter while you cook it!

Flax seed is cheap.

Sprouted beans are very nutritious - you can sprout your own.

Fresh food can be cost-effective!