Friday 31 May 2013

Friday

The half term is nearly over.  Last weekday coming up.  It's been good but it will be lovely to get back to my class again.  I am very aware that I will only have them for another (counting the days) seven weeks.  Thirty five school days, that's all!  And then they will be someone else's, not mine any more.  Very sad.

Yesterday afternoon Beth and Alex came over and we set to with menu plans and shopping lists.  It's going to be a challenge, right enough, and it's very tight at the moment, but maybe we can reduce costs a little bit as we shop around.  I have to say that, once again, My Supermarket is proving so helpful.  I just wish they did Morrison's, Aldi's and Lidl's prices too.

I am very thankful that both Beth and I are used to cooking from scratch.  Breakfast porridge, veggie burgers and bolognaise (of a sort) hold no terrors for us and nice thick warming split pea soup is a doddle.  I quite like the look of my draft menu for the five days too.  Plenty of flavour and variety there!  That's the advantage of doing Live Below The Line in a team.  You can pool resources and make more of your money.  One bag of porridge oats does three as easily as one for five days and costs the same.  Broccoli will taste better for being fresh picked from Beth's garden as well as being incredibly better value.  We're charging a nominal sum for garden produce but, in reality, the broccoli has already paid for itself and more so, really, we should be putting money back into the pot (yeah, sure!!!!!).  Even so, I know that there will be things left over after the five days.  Oats and tea bags for sure.

This morning I am going first to Aldi and then to Lidl, to compare prices.  I need to get just a few things for next week too, so I will get them while I am there.  And then home to write reports and generally tidy up before a friend comes round for coffee this afternoon.  And I need to think about the Cheaper than Chips eating for the coming week - that will not stop and is going to continue before and after LBTL.  I'm rather enjoying it and can see so many benefits.  In fact, I can feel a ponder coming on so I'm off to Teacher's Recipes to ponder in the right place.

It's all go!


4 comments:

  1. As you know I too am a cook from scratch type person and I am always amazed at how much money you can save just by being a bit frugal and getting the most out of your ingredients. Buying cheaper cuts of meat take more effort to cook but are really good value and we get through loads of vegetables. I have a very sad lettuce which today will make part of a petit pois alla Parisian. Once cooked no one will be any the wiser!!!!

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  2. Sounds interesting. I hope it tastes as good as it sounds!
    J x

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  3. Both Aldi and Lidl have online pages and Lidl do a newsletter so it's easy to see the offers. We've had an Aldi open up nearby and it is so useful (money saving). Have you got foodsaver bags (Lakeland), they are marvellous for keeping fresh food fresher for longer. Try looking at http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/
    I can't remember if I mentioned it before. Good luck! Jx

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  4. I wish that My Supermarket covered the usual Aldi/Lidl/Morrisons prices. I know it's going to start doing Morrisons when their online shopping begins but I want it NOW (stamping foot!!!)
    I don't have foodsaver bags but I do have some vacu containers which are even better. :-)
    Someone has mentioned that site before - I'm not sure if it was you. Thanks very much for reminding me - I shall take another visit!
    J x

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