I popped into Waitrose after dropping my son off at work on Tuesday night. I didn't have high hopes (weather was good all day and it was still light) and there really wasn't much in the usual reduced fridge,. However, I spent some time wandering round and had a good look at everything. And I found reduced chicken drumsticks (16 for £2.35), 2 packs of stewing steak (2 x 400g for £2.59 each) and Kettle crisps!
I cooked the beef in the crockpot with a ton of veg and added some of the M&S sausages to stretch it even further. I also used the crockpot to cook the drumsticks and then stripped all the meat off. I've saved and frozen the bones to make stock for soup at the weekend.
Then yesterday I got a big (ish) Sainsbury's delivery where I chose 1kg of 5% fat minced beef for £5.25 as my main meat of the month. I cooked it in my big pan with grated carrots, onions and red lentils. I deliberately seasoned it lightly so I can use it for cottage pie or spaghetti bolognaise etc by just adding flavourings.
I ended up with 20 individual servings of cooked minced beef, sausages in gravy, cooked chicken and beef stew to put in the freezer. Plus what I ate for tea last night and tonight. This way of batch cooking seems to work better for me as I can pull out a tub when I come in from work and reheat it in the microwave. Rice or pasta and frozen veg only take 10 mins to cook so I have a healthy meal ready quickly 😋
I had to buy more of these tubs with the blue lids as I was running out of usable ones. They have a wee steam vent perfect for microwave cooking! They cost £15.99 for 10 on Amazon. I've bought these ones before and they last for a few years before getting a bit cracked. I just chuck them in the dishwasher but maybe if I carefully hand washed them they'd last even longer!! Plus they can be recycled in my blue bin when I'm done with them 😊
The total meat cost was £12.78 for 22 servings (sausages were free with my vouchers.) That means each tub has about 58p worth of meat! The other ingredients (carrots/onion/lentils/seasoning) probably add another 15p. Still well under £1 per tub! 😊
I'm going to whisper this news as I don't want to jinx it but I have a new entry date on the flat. March 10th which is next week. No reason given as to why they didn't complete on the 28th as agreed 🙄 Fingers crossed this date sticks! 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
Those were great savings on the freezer meals. So handy when you don't feel like cooking after a long day at work. I am so wishing your sale goes through. Things are quite different here as we have to place a deposit "in trust" when we make an offer. Not too many people can afford to lose their deposit!
ReplyDeleteIt really does save me time and money as I'm not tempted to order a takeaway!! Your deposit system sounds like a good idea! :-)
DeleteHopefully the sell happens next week.
ReplyDeleteI do hope so as I can't afford to start over again! Fingers and toes crossed :-)
DeleteFingers very firmly crossed!
ReplyDeleteThe freezer meals sound delicious - such a saving in time and effort in the longer term too.
xx
Thanks! It's been a while since I did such a big batch :-)
DeleteI'll cross fingers too. Batch cooking and freezing is really handy even though I'm not at work -saves a lot of washing up and clearing up
ReplyDeleteThat's why I like the wee tubs, easy to freeze and defrost/cook in the microwave. Then chuck in the dishwasher!! :-)
DeleteKeeping my fingers crossed. I really enjoy seeing what those of you who batch cook make. Very well done.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I love watching batch cooking videos on YouTube but they're always for a big family. Maybe I should start a channel on batch cooking for singles!!! :-)
DeleteWell done on your prepare ahead meals.
ReplyDeleteAnd crossing everything that the whispered news goes through
Alison in Wales x
Thanks! I like being prepared :-)
DeleteFingers crossed too. When I lived in Scotland people commented that the property process was much better than in England. My reply was that it was in theory, but as the solicitors stretched the missives out until a week before we were due to move, I didn't find it any less stressful than any if my previous moves.
ReplyDeleteIt used to be a verbal offer once accepted was binding. But yes, it's very like the English system now where missives are signed very close to the entry dates. I'm just glad I wasn't moving out of one place into another as that would have had a knock on effect on so many other people! :-)
DeleteFingers crossed on the flat. Well done on the meat bargains and freezer prep.
ReplyDeleteThanks! It makes me feel organised :-)
DeleteThat was a good job done with all your batch cooking. We were away for a couple of days and glad to pull out a package of quoin bolognaise for our meal. A bought Apple round with some custard finished our meal nicely. Catriona
ReplyDeleteThanks! I've been trying to think of better/easier ways to batch cook stuff to freeze and this seems to make sense to me at the moment :-)
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