We have had very tight budget for the last couple of weeks. Have always worked hard not to waste anything but the last week has been a real struggle. Still manage to put a meal on the table but as the supplies get lower the more creative you have to be.
petal1955,
Aug 5, 8:11am
Never! ! ! ! always thinking of new ways to serve a tasty appealing meal
glendeb,
Aug 5, 8:12am
I try to find new ideas from everywhere, so not really.
How about you give us a run down of your pantry/freezer and we could give you a meal idea or three?
dkpop,
Aug 5, 8:16am
YES! ! ! Were given large bag rice today and have asked for ideas how to use it. Wouldnt it be nice to buy a leg of lamb or not look at prices one week when shopping. AHHHHH
supercook,
Aug 5, 8:19am
You are absolutely right just what I was thinking! ! ! ! ! ! I am always looking at prices. Been so good using what I have at home as just haven't had the money to grocery shop.
petal1955,
Aug 5, 8:24am
Have to be a MILLIONAIRE to afford a leg of lamb these days... . shocking when we are a nation that produces the stuff and exports it... overseas buy it cheaper than us... and dont start me on the price of CHEESE! ! !
supercook,
Aug 5, 8:25am
OR Butter ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
darlingmole,
Aug 5, 9:13am
*nods head*
but it's just a way of life around here. The best part is this: (and I hope you all have your listening ears on)
at least we have something/ANYthing to cook and magic some new meal out of. Necessity is the mother of all invention. Kiwi ingenuity. And the cliches come rollin in. But lets remember that at least we have these things ...
roof over our heads (rented or owned or borrowed) some food in the house (be it fresh, in the box or on the turn) clothes on our backs (old, 2nd hand or luckily new) love in our hearts (well I hope so anyway)
Might sounds basic? Might sound trite? But it's all humbley true
dkpop,
Aug 5, 7:37pm
darlingmole, you have no idea how much you have that correct. We are in real financial strife but for now have all the above. Thanks for that
kob,
Aug 5, 8:11pm
yes ive just read the book'' the while masai'' and the conditions they lived in and what they had to eat would make your budget friendly cooking, fill the stomachs of kings... ... ... ... ... ... . . BUT i do hear ya sister but try and make it more a game than that of a chore it will work better that way. I would say you need a treatable goal to inspire you again, I always work better on a goal system, I want to go away for a weeks holiday but i have to cut back on everything to be able to do so (fantasy of course) $10 here $10 there gives you $20 petrol for your destination look at it with excitement, its worth having no meat fried rice tonight because that $5 you would of spent on meat will buy you 2 coffee while on holidays LOL
a_n_h,
Aug 5, 8:47pm
i know how you feel. i almost cried when i saw how expensive meat is... . . milk and cheese is horrible... . would be so much easier if i could drink the milk straight from the shed.
amazing_grace,
Aug 5, 9:05pm
You guys need to explore other options for buying your food... . I am a member of a food co-operative, and we buy in bulk at wholesale, and then divide up between us... . it is cheaper... . !
mwood,
Aug 5, 9:08pm
Plant your own vegetables - that's the first step to financial freedom in the market place.
frances1266,
Aug 5, 9:14pm
Do you have meatless meals? They are cheap and delicious and much better for your health. There is a really good vegetarian thread here. It is a struggle for many at the moment but Darlingmole gives really good advice as do others. Good luck.
fruitluva2,
Aug 5, 10:38pm
Don't need real meat but you can easily make substitutes as Francrs1266 says of a vegetarian thread.
fruitluva2,
Aug 5, 11:15pm
From basic ingredients that are always in the pantry you can make tasty meals without meat.
alewis,
Aug 5, 11:22pm
fish pie from a tin can be heavenly with a dash of this and that in your spice drawer lemon juce and a couple of eggs good protein. very liqiudy stew with cheap cuts with dumplings on the top tummy fillers and not so much meat used. make your own pizza - its surpising how little toppings go on the top! ! - I like good value when I shop and find that good cuts of meat - when on a good special are a bit of a saver in the fact that you dont have to add a tin of this and that to it can work out cheaper than mince! !
purplegoanna,
Aug 5, 11:37pm
we wouldnt eva have lamb except we've been scrounging around at the elderly inlaws crutching! worming and doing the sheeps feet just so we could get one of there lambs for our freezer, it was worth getting covered in shite and stuff for a decent roast.
purplegoanna,
Aug 5, 11:38pm
we had canned fish pie aka 'fish-ka-pai-pie' last night complete with sliced eggs inbetween the fish and spud. . its a firm fav in our house...
indy95,
Aug 6, 3:07am
I used to sometimes get tired of it when I had to stick to a strict budget although even then I actually quite liked the challenge of producing the best food I could for not much money. Now that I don't need to be so careful I actually enjoy seeing how little I can spend in order to have more money for other things, if that makes sense.
kob,
Aug 6, 3:12am
i agree indy95 i dont really ned to budget but i love doing it and i can produce the same meals on $3 worth of meat as i can on a $15 tray so why spend the $12 extra, my husband doesnt tend to agree BUT what he dont knowaye LOL
uli,
Aug 6, 3:13am
Why would you want to buy a leg of lamb - when you can have the double amount of meat in Sirloin steaks or 4 times that in mince? ? ?
indy95,
Aug 6, 3:28am
Because, uli, sometimes you just feel like a leg of lamb and that's all there is to it !
uli,
Aug 6, 3:29am
Yeah - I guess you do :) I just sub it with one of my goat legs ... LOL :)
indy95,
Aug 6, 3:30am
What he doesn't know ? Exactly, kob, that's my philosophy too.
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