Living out of the store cupboard

[Flo]

I vaguely remember a challenge to live out of the store cupboard for a month somewhere on here. It came back to me as I settled down to doing a major cook up of all the oddments hiding in the fridge this morning only to be shocked at the amount of stuff that is around the cupboards.

I've suddenly remembered all sorts of recipes involving lentils (seem to have an awful lot hiding in boxes here) and lots of combinations of veg with beans of various sorts to make up different bakes. And realised that with a freezer full of soups and veg I'm really only going to have to buy bread, butter and fruit for some time to come. Seems odd to realise that I'm not going to need to go shopping very much before the run up to Christmas.

Can someone turn up the thread I'm thinking of?

[Green Aura]

I think it's a perfect time to be living out of the store cupboard, Flo. Apart from having store from the years harvest and saving a bob or two which might be useful over the festive season it's a good reminder not to go overboard. Trouble is I'm not sure it's us lot on here that need that reminder - but the hoards that'll be winding up for weeks of partying and over-indulgence.

Does anyone else feel like it's started already with Halloween, then bonfire night...........

Ne'mind eh? I'm in bah humbug mode already

[Flo]

Oh but shouldn't we all be buying one or two items a week for the store cupboard in order to spread the cost of the excess of the festivities to come?

Having seen my first fully decorated Xmas tree two weeks ago I just thought I was missing out on something (not!!) and ought to be getting ready for gluttony by spreading the cost over months

And yes that's the one SusieGee - what a genious you are, I couldn't think of what to use as search terms.

[Millymollymandy]

I'm glad that's the one cos I was about to do a search for the lentil soup recipes thread that I started.

[Stonehead]

We had an impromptu store cupboard fish pie the other night. I couldn't be bothered doing a proper dinner so I washed some potatoes and sliced them in the blender. Half of them went in the bottom of a casserole dish. Then I peeled an onion, bunged it in the blender and sliced it, then spread the slices over the potato. A couple of cans of tuna went in next, along with a can of corn.
The only real effort came next: a pan of cheese sauce, which was poured over the tuna, corn, onion and potatoes. Then I spread the remaining potato slices over the top and grated a wedge of cheese over that. It went in the oven for 45 minutes while I went and sat on the sofa to read a tractor magazine.
It was almost certainly the least cooking work I've done in about a year and the longest I've sat around doing nothing much in about two years!

[Milims]

We had an impromptu store cupboard fish pie the other night. I couldn't be bothered doing a proper dinner so I washed some potatoes and sliced them in the blender. Half of them went in the bottom of a casserole dish. Then I peeled an onion, bunged it in the blender and sliced it, then spread the slices over the potato. A couple of cans of tuna went in next, along with a can of corn.
The only real effort came next: a pan of cheese sauce, which was poured over the tuna, corn, onion and potatoes. Then I spread the remaining potato slices over the top and grated a wedge of cheese over that. It went in the oven for 45 minutes while I went and sat on the sofa to read a tractor magazine.
It was almost certainly the least cooking work I've done in about a year and the longest I've sat around doing nothing much in about two years!

Lol! That's probably he nearest ou come to convenience food too! It's much easier and takes less effort than frozen chips and scampi or something!

[Stonehead]

frozen chips and scampi or something!

Blerk!

[Big Al]

I think it's a perfect time to be living out of the store cupboard, Flo. Apart from having store from the years harvest and saving a bob or two which might be useful over the festive season it's a good reminder not to go overboard. Trouble is I'm not sure it's us lot on here that need that reminder - but the hoards that'll be winding up for weeks of partying and over-indulgence.

Does anyone else feel like it's started already with Halloween, then bonfire night...........

Ne'mind eh? I'm in bah humbug mode already

I recount at this time of year ( and many other times) about walking into a certain T&*&o's a few years ago at christmas time. A man had a trolly and turned around to see where his wife was. She also had a trolley and the man said
" but why have you got a trolley, you can see I have one"
Her reply was
" it's christmas"

[ina]

I recount at this time of year ( and many other times) about walking into a certain T&*&o's a few years ago at christmas time. A man had a trolly and turned around to see where his wife was. She also had a trolley and the man said
" but why have you got a trolley, you can see I have one"
Her reply was
" it's christmas"

I'll be starting my Christmas shopping tomorrow - I'll buy a bag of flour, so I can make the Christmas cake in good time...

My store cupboard is actually getting quite empty now. Not having any income at the moment (and having been on very low to zero income for the past 2 years), I've been using up all those things that were there anyway... Still have a couple of tins of tomatoes 12 months past their use-by date, though - I just don't use a lot of them!

[Flo]

I'll be starting my Christmas shopping tomorrow - I'll buy a bag of flour, so I can make the Christmas cake in good time...

But I've all the stuff required already for the Christmas pudding. I might have to double up if I make a Christmas cake but the recipe I have is for a last minute one.

[crowsashes]

ive been doing 'xmas shopping' mostly with things that have been on offer like clipper teabags at £1.50 instead of the usual £2.50 and have a box of food for the festive period im adding to over the next few weeks, the main reason is i DO NOT WANT to go to the supermarket the friday before xmas (my pay day) and would rather buy 1 or 2 extra items a week now and put them away than struggle with the unruly consumerist masses.

im only buying what i usually buy, tea bags, bag of sugar , some canned foods like toms and beans, flour, chocolate,im also chucking in a few cartons of long life milk as last winter i was iced in and was out of milk for 2 days as it was too dangerous to get lo and me up the road had it been just me not a prob but no one to look after the little un! ! i know 2 days isnt long but it is with a kiddie demanding his milk!

[Big Al]

I read this post and have took inspiration from it. It also helps that we only have £11,67 left to last until the 28th on this month but so far I've spent £4.94 on some baking bits and yes I know it's only the 5th but to have spent that in five days and still had 2 or 3 course meals each night is, I think doing good. It also helps to have the stuff in the freezer and cupboards as well but so far it's been all stuff that i bought then didn't fancy when I got home.