Hungry - Moderator warning in post #1

Blossomflower · 06-02-2018 09:01PM

There was one comment about making home made soup from butter and vegetables if I made a large pot of this can it be frozen so I can use in portions?

Stheno · 06-02-2018 09:02PM

Blossomflower wrote: »

Wow I am amazed at how much advice and time you have all given to me. Iv read through everyone's post and I actually have been able to plan up some breakfast /dinner ideas also to freeze things so absolutely nothing is wasted. Pasta is a great idea and vegetables and their not that expensive so it can make up some filling meals. I'm feeling alot more positive and I'm sorry to any of you who have been in my position and without sounding terrible it's nice to know that others have been in my shoes and knows how hard it is... It's just a financial struggle but we'll all get there. Iv stocked up on pasta and rice and the spice jars in aldi are so cheap and will last ages. Thank you all so much for your advice.

Good for you, very best wishes that things get easier

Airyfairy12 · 06-02-2018 09:09PM

Blossomflower wrote: »

There was one comment about making home made soup from butter and vegetables if I made a large pot of this can it be frozen so I can use in portions?

Ive often frozen homemade soup in small plastic lunch boxes - they last ages, lasagna is another cheap option that can be frozen, ive been unable to afford the tomato sauce at times so made my own with leftover tomatoes, oil, garlic, onion and some herbs and it was really nice.

koumi · 06-02-2018 09:11PM

Yes you can freeze soup, which is handy for a night like the one where you're looking for something to eat and you realise you have a container of soup right there. You can find some tips online as to how to.
I know you can get 2-3 days (I would max at two just for the sake of freshness) out of a large pot but absolutely feel free to freeze some containers if you have them.
Glad to hear you're feeling better and hope things start picking up for you.

Whispered · 06-02-2018 09:22PM

Glad to hear op. A thread in the cooking forum for budget food planing might help if you start one. People could put up weekly meals based on current offers. Actually would be great to see what they have to say over there!

You'll find yourself getting better and better at planning and I sound like a sad old woman but the satisfaction of planning your shopping and wasting nothing is huge.

Tenigate · 06-02-2018 09:23PM

Blossomflower wrote: »

There was one comment about making home made soup from butter and vegetables if I made a large pot of this can it be frozen so I can use in portions?

Almost everything can be frozen. Especially soup, stew, Bolognese sauce, chili con carne.

In tesco i regularly see large chickens reduced to €2.50. these can be frozen and defrosted for sunday.
Nice sunday dinner. You'll probably get sandwiches and a pasta bake out of the leftovers.

If you have leftover cooked meat, slice it and cover it with gravy or sauces and freeze it (stops the meat drying out when you reheat it).

Fill up on bread, rice, spuds and pasta. Buy veg that's on sale. You really don't need a lot of meat.

There's plenty of websites on thrifty meals. Ignore the overcomplicated recipes.

NeonCookies · 06-02-2018 09:31PM

Edit: Sorry double post - see post below

NeonCookies · 06-02-2018 09:34PM

Toots wrote:

My 'Poverty Chilli' recipe from the 'What I had for Dinner' thread

400g mince beef 2 medium white onions 2 cans kidney beans 7 sweet mini peppers (those little packs you get in Lidl) One chilli (I used a fresh jalepeno cos that's all I had in the house) 4 cloves garlic (or less/more to your own taste) 1 tsp chilli flakes 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato puree 300ml beef stock (oxo cube) 250g red split lentils 2 tbsp paprika 1 tbsp sugar Salt & pepper

Brown mince and add it to slow cooker, then dump in the chopped tomatoes and kidney beans. Slice up the peppers and roughly chop the onions, throw those in. Add the beef stock, chilli flakes, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper. Carefully slice and de-seed the chilli pepper, then either chop extremely finely (I put it in a mini blender along with my garlic cloves) I wear disposable gloves when cutting chillis cos I've nearly blinded myself by touching my face too many times. Add chilli and garlic (minced or crushed) and salt and pepper to taste. Give it a good stir and cook on high for about 3 hours. If it's looking very watery at the end add some gravy granules to thicken it up.

Serves 7-9 people (I'm using it as dinner for 3 days for me, hubby, and our 4 year old)

This is a recipe I saved from the Food forum's Slow Cookers thread last year (thank you to Toots!) and it's gotten me through some very lean weeks! I don't have a slow cooker so have just made it in a big pot - frying mince and onions first, then throwing everything else in and letting it simmer for about an hour.

It makes a TON of very filling chilli and reheats and freezes very well in individual portions - it even gets better when reheated! Serve over rice or a baked potato. I sometimes add cheese on top if I have any going!

I'm glad you're getting some helpful advice OP. I've spent many Saturday mornings meal planning based on offers etc.. you get inventive! Search google using terms like "cheap family meals" or "student meals" for inspiration. A bag of porridge (v cheap in Lidl) and milk will get you a good breakfast every morning. Hope things start to look up for you xx

sunbeam · 06-02-2018 10:49PM

I would recommend having a look at the Old Style MoneySaving board on the MoneySaving.expert.com forum. It's UK based but there are lots of great ideas for frugal cooking. You may find some of their other forums helpful too.

Cheshire Cat · 06-02-2018 10:56PM

I would recommend to have a look at Jack Monroe's website, too.

There are quite a few cheap recipes to be found there.

https://cookingonabootstrap.com/category/recipes-food/

Blossomflower · 06-02-2018 10:57PM

NeonCookies wrote: »

This is a recipe I saved from the Food forum's Slow Cookers thread last year (thank you to Toots!) and it's gotten me through some very lean weeks! I don't have a slow cooker so have just made it in a big pot - frying mince and onions first, then throwing everything else in and letting it simmer for about an hour.

It makes a TON of very filling chilli and reheats and freezes very well in individual portions - it even gets better when reheated! Serve over rice or a baked potato. I sometimes add cheese on top if I have any going!

I'm glad you're getting some helpful advice OP. I've spent many Saturday mornings meal planning based on offers etc.. you get inventive! Search google using terms like "cheap family meals" or "student meals" for inspiration. A bag of porridge (v cheap in Lidl) and milk will get you a good breakfast every morning. Hope things start to look up for you xx

Thanks so much your chili receipe sounds wonderful I'm definitely going to try this for sure thank you

Blossomflower · 06-02-2018 11:10PM

I'm am amazed at how many ideas iv gotten from everyone it's so much appreciated. I'm feeling like this is going to go wonderfully and the recipes on budget foods are great. I stocked up on pasta rice bread and frozen vegetables and am going to plan out meals so we all get something. Your all wonderful thank you

LynnGrace · 06-02-2018 11:49PM

Please do make sure that you are getting whatever help is available also from Social Welfare, SVDP etc.

vandriver · 07-02-2018 08:32AM

Blossomflower wrote: »

I'm am amazed at how many ideas iv gotten from everyone it's so much appreciated. I'm feeling like this is going to go wonderfully and the recipes on budget foods are great. I stocked up on pasta rice bread and frozen vegetables and am going to plan out meals so we all get something. Your all wonderful thank you

You really need to look at your budget for the month and work out why you have no money for food.Is is really not a normal state of affairs.And while all the suggestions on this thread are surely welcome,almost anything small is going to blow your budget and leave you back at square one.

Redser87 · 07-02-2018 08:48AM

Not sure if anyone mentioned this already but Mabs published a great cookbook last year based on making nourishing meals on a budget. Maybe if you phone them or drop in to a centre they would have one to give you.

fineso.mom · 07-02-2018 09:14AM

just another idea op, porridge is really cheap in Aldi or lidl and it will fill you up on its own or add a spoon of jam /honey/a banana or stewed apple etc to make it tasty. I know what it's like to feed the kids and not yourself, it will get better. Please make sure you are getting any benefits you are eligible for. mind yourself.

shesty · 07-02-2018 12:20PM

I freeze anything I think might last.You can buy plastic boxes in Ikea/dealz/dunnes anywhere for fairly cheap.Or you can buy disposable foil containers but they would be a weekly expense.At home our freezer contains several boxes of chilli, lasagne, and bolognese, in one portion boxes, plus about five boxes of veg soup.I also have a box of homemade buns on the go at the moment (8 oz self raising flour, 4oz sugar, 4oz margarine, 2 eggs, all into a mixer together to mix them well then into an oven for 15 mins at 200 degrees-add raspberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, or lemon/orange rind, icing if you want to mix it up a bit!!).I work full time so the more back up I have in the freezer the better.
Don't bother with jars of pasta sauce etc-a packet of mince, two tins of chopped tomatoes, a carrot, celery (optional), mushrooms,some garlic, onion and a large pot will get you a much nicer bolognese.Let it cook for ages on a low heat, well over an hour.Add salt, pepper, basil,maybe some bits of rasher to taste.You can get two days of a dinner out of that, with a big bag of pasta, or make a lasagne with it too.Chili is similar, as someone else posted.
I freeze anything mince based, the odd chicken dish, (hit and miss) and any sauces that I can.I also have a recipe for crunchy chicken strips (using cornflakes, flour and eggs) that you can pre-make and freeze while the chicken is raw, then stick in an oven when you need them.
I hope things get better OP.Another good resource is Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food book, for simple recipes for everyday meals,and a good comprehensive list of basics for your cupboard.
Best of luck to you.

Tzar Chasm · 07-02-2018 02:11PM

this is disturbing on many levels

People in this country are actually going hungry
Basic household budgeting and meal planning is not ingrained in us anymore

OP do you mind if I ask what age bracket you fall into?

Also, you might have a better chance now that you have some basic information from here before you approach SvDP, Its anecdotal but when I was younger we did some maintenance contracts for them, I was utterly disgusted by what I saw, the wasteful spending on stupid food items which was encouraged - Readymeals / Crisps / Chocolate and other stupid extravagances, we were fixing the hot water system in one place where the woman tried to put on the poor mouth to us that her Fat little kids were starving whilst they were sitting on the couch playing the latest console games (which were Very expensive at the time) and eating Magnum Ice creams amongst at least a weeks detrius of half eaten pizzas and takeaways.

You seem to be a bit smarter,as you appear to be receptive to some of the suggestions here,my advice - before you seek help Have a Plan - or at least the basis of a plan, that makes the whole thing easier for everyone involved.

If go to someone and just cry HELP, people will try to help, but many people have different ideas of what that is, however asking for Specific assistance will generate more effective solutions.

IE
I'm Starving Help
may result in someone buying you a sandwich

but

I have X quantity euros, am (1-10 proficciency) in kitchen, have ABC utensils & staples with 4 mouths to feed for Y quantity of days will generate much more tailored responses.

Oh and that Chilli thing I wouldnt use Browning to thicken it, when I make a chilli I boil some too much rice, then I have a batch from the pot right then and throw the balance of the rice into the pot, leave it for a few hours to soak and then thats what I store/freeze, bulks it right up

ETA

Cornflake chickenstrips are Fuppin delicious no matter what your budget

07-02-2018 02:20PM

fineso.mom wrote: »

just another idea op, porridge is really cheap in Aldi or lidl and it will fill you up on its own or add a spoon of jam /honey/a banana or stewed apple etc to make it tasty. I know what it's like to feed the kids and not yourself, it will get better. Please make sure you are getting any benefits you are eligible for. mind yourself.

Supervalu are having a free porridge day on Saturday, 1kg own brand. Don't know if it's a specific store but worth checking out

Mollyb60 · 08-02-2018 02:59PM

Cheshire Cat wrote: »

I would recommend to have a look at Jack Monroe's website, too.

There are quite a few cheap recipes to be found there.

https://cookingonabootstrap.com/category/recipes-food/

shesty wrote: »

I
I hope things get better OP.Another good resource is Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food book, for simple recipes for everyday meals,and a good comprehensive list of basics for your cupboard.
Best of luck to you.

I came in here specifically to recommend these 2 resources. Jack Monroe is a very inspiring person who has been exactly where you are OP so it might be comforting for you to read their blog and see how they managed to get by. Their blog also has a ton of simple recipes that can be cooked on a strict budget. If you can get your hands on their cookbook too it's really good for cheap recipes. But most of these can be found on the website.

Jamies Ministry of Food book is a godsend for anyone who isn't comfortable in the kitchen at all. I haven't seen you mention whether you're happy with cooking from scratch but this book has simple instructions for simple foods that you can use to get yourself used to cooking. It doesn't assume anything and will teach you all the basics like how to boil an egg or how to cook a whole chicken.

Best of luck OP.
And don't underestimate the power of a tsp of sugar in a tomato sauce recipe. Especially with picky kids.

silverharp · 08-02-2018 04:45PM

I like doing batch cooking sometimes out of pure laziness but if money is tight and you are not cooking 8 or 9 portions in a big pot at a time you are doing it wrong, whatever you aren't going to eat in the days ahead freeze. Its not to difficult to get your portion cost down to under a euro, it will mean a lot of stew type recipes in a bowl but healthy at the same time.
Stay away from processed food, fast food and cereals , look for the shelf where supermarkets sell of their meat etc. when its near its sell by date they usually fill this in the morning.
Also look at your other bills, are you getting the cheapest utilities, are you paying credit card interest, paying for cable tv?

Soilse · 10-02-2018 06:49PM

There are other sites such as thrifty Leslie, feed yourself for £1 also bulk up mince with lentils no one will notice and full of protein, oats make porridge and flapjack, potato and veg peeling save them make soup delicious.
this is only short term it will pass when it does I suggest buying an emergency stash one can/bag of something every time u shop. I hate to think of anyone going hungry your kids need a mam that's healthy not hungry. If you need to post up what food you have in house and money you have to bid for next week maybe post up people here can have great ideas

kylith · 10-02-2018 11:07PM

OP, if you can, get yourself to an Asian Market: they are much cheaper for bulk buying rice, lentils, and the like than somewhere like Tesco.

Seriously look at going vegetarian for a while: vegetables, grains, and pulses are much cheaper than meat.

Malayalam · 11-02-2018 07:29PM

kylith wrote: »

OP, if you can, get yourself to an Asian Market: they are much cheaper for bulk buying rice, lentils, and the like than somewhere like Tesco.

Seriously look at going vegetarian for a while: vegetables, grains, and pulses are much cheaper than meat.

Yes, vegetarian is cheaper but look up how to make up complete proteins, eg brown rice along with lentils, steer away from white carbs incl white rice/pasta - they leave you hungry. I'm veg for 30 years, and it is cheap to cook nutritiously. In the past I have been utterly broke from long times with small children and a large husband to feed, so even to this day I still keep stocks of red lentils, split green peas, chana dal, brown rice, a very large bag of chapatti flour, and plenty of tins of tomatoes in the house, as no one is going to starve if you have those kind of basics. (These foods are very cheap in the Indian section of supermarkets or Indian shops - very good prices). Oil, bouillon powder (for soups/stews) and some versatile seasonings are essentials too. For treats cooking up a batch of biscuits is cheaper than buying them, 30 minutes start to finish max. You can put half the dough in the fridge for another day. Butternut squash soup is very filling, very easy, just fry up an onion and garlic, put in a large cubed potato and a cubed butternut squash, cover the lot with stock made up on bouillon powder and puree when cooked. I use a fair sized spoon of curry paste in it too, but it's not necessary and the children might like it plainer. There's a lot can be done with plain old potatoes too, thin potato slices baked in half milk/half water (gratin, add garlic and butter if the kids will eat it and top with cheese), roast wedges, plain baked spuds (yum), mash and beans, potato and leek soup - so have a big bag in the house every week if you can. There's always something to eat if there's potatoes!. A good bit of fighting spirit is necessary as well in difficult times, a sense of cleverly making the best of rations, of being victorious come what may! You have this, OP! Good luck.

Hungry - Moderator warning in post #1

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