Jackpot!!

I really hit the yellow sticker jackpot last night!! I was hoping to pick up a few bargains but in total I spent just over £25 on:

2 packs vegetarian bubble n squeak sausages
400g turkey breast mince
2 x 500g packs beef mince
400g lean pork, diced
4 chicken breast fillets
4 slices haggis ;-)
6 Cumberland sausages
400g lean beef stir fry strips
chicken crown
3 rump steaks
4 GF wraps

But it's not all for me.  My No 1 son has health issues which means he cannot work and survives (I cannot call it living!) on benefits.  He recently had his DLA (Disabled Living Allowance) taken away after an assessment for the replacement benefit PIP (Personal Independence Payment) deemed him not disabled enough.  I could say so much on this subject but it would turn into a rant.  So long story short, he is £46 a week worse off.  He can almost cover his rent and electricity bill but that's all.  He doesn't have enough money for food or clothes or 'fun' so this is where he's lucky he has family to support him.  There are many who don't :-(

I spent last night and today turning the above into 'ready meals' for his freezer.

The chicken crown (marinaded in smoked salt, garlic and black pepper) was cooked and sliced into 4 generous meal portions.  If it was for me I'd have got at least 6 portions but he's a tall man!

I made a sausage casserole and cooled it overnight so I could skim off the fat before freezing. 2 healthy portions for him.

I made 2 portions of healthy sweet and sour pork and cooked the turkey breast mince in a little stock.  It can be the healthy base for a bolagnais or chilli.  They're already frozen.

I chopped up the chicken and tossed it in lemon juice before freezing.  I've got a plan for that ;-)

I marinaded the stirfry beef in lemon juice and fajita spice before freezing.  That'll feed me, OH and hungry Teenogre one night with wraps and salad fixings.

The beef mince I froze uncooked.  We've got guests coming for dinner in a few weeks so I'll be making a massive lasagne for 10 people.  I also just froze the rump steaks.  They'll be good for a BBQ in the coming months.

And the haggis slices were seperated and frozen individually.  They can be grilled/fried as part of a full Scottish breakfast or used to stuff a chicken breast at some point.

So, back to the plan.  I bought one of these wee slow cookers today for No 1 son.

It cost me just £10 in Wilko.  It holds 1.5 litres. I was visiting mum and dad today so popped in for a look as we don't have one here in Stirling.  It's just like the old Woolworth's :-) My plan is to make lots of these freezer to slow cooker bags so all he needs to do is defrost a bag and dump it in the slow cooker.  His M.E./C.F.S. prevents him from being able to stand and cook so this will cut down on his use of ready meals.  They're unhealthy AND expensive so hopefully mine will save him money and be better for him especially as I'm going pad them out with loads of veggies.  Shhh don't tell him! ;-)

I also got a load of these tubs and pour n store bags.  £1 for 6 tubs and 10 bags for £1.50

If he's careful he can save them and I'll re use them.  I might even fill them for him :-)