Weekly food shop, with meals for lunch & dinner

 

I am handing over this menu to a friend who wants to improve her food budget & get in the process to start cooking for herself with easy, tasty foods.

So, we will cost it up (down below) & show a video & pics (picture left, 1st try of Thai green curry with noodles by my friend) of us cooking the first weekly food budget/menu.

 

 

Free range chicken                                                                        

 

Cover chicken with water in a large saucepan with ingredients below, bring to boil & simmer 1 hr

 

Ingredients: peppercorns or ground pepper, salt, garlic, sprinkle of dried thyme

1 onion, 2 x carrots, 2 x sticks celery & bay leaves

Strain water & keep in bowl in fridge as chicken stock – fat will rise to the top, remove this fat from top when using next

Cool chicken & de-skin & de-bone 

 

Choice of lunches of a little bit of each (mix & match)

 

SOUP    3 – 5 servings     of each soup                                                                                                          

 

Using half, the stock, add sweetcorn some chicken, add water to 3 – 5 servings

Or any other veg’ you have; Inc. garlic, chilli, ginger, soy & egg; whatever you fancy

Carrot & Coriander soup or other veg’; even tomatoes, squeezed orange juice to soup

Add a hand full of coriander

Using the balance of the stock add other veg’ boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 mins

Season & whizz soup & store in fridge 

 

Suggested Lunch time/evening meal

Quinoa/Rice see instructions for cooking

A packet is approx. 10 servings   

Fresh noodles a packet serves 2 portions, fry or boil (2 mins) add to taste soy & fish sauce                                               

Chop & fry half an onion, half a pepper, with garlic & your herb & mix with quinoa & season

Have with half or whole avocado & chicken                         

Chicken sandwiches/wraps with lettuce, avocado, tomato & cucumber with mayonnaise

A salad, Avocado, thinly sliced red onion, salad leaf, cucumber, tomato, spinach mixed with tuna & mayonaise

                                                                                                                 

 

Cook pasta & add tuna or smoked mackerel red onion or spring onion, cucumber, thinly sliced pepper, mayo’ & season for a quick & tasty meal

                                                                                                                 

 

Within 15 minutes; Rice/noodles with Thai green curry

Cook noodles/brown rice per instructions

Chop & slightly colour buy frying a whole onion, a clove of garlic & the same amount of ginger with a covering of vegetable oil

Add balance of chicken with recommended amount of  Thai green curry paste mix & cook for 2-3 mins, add half a tin coconut milk; stir well to boil; then simmer; add peppers, French beans or mange tout.                                                                                                

 

 

The above prices are true if you have a certain amount of stock already ie. Salt & pepper, soy sauce etc. It is important to make up a larder; buy an extra item every week. eg. stock cubes,curry powder, fish sauce, dried thyme etc. I will make suggestions as we make new menus

 

Re-cap

You should have; soup & lunches & evening meals for the week

                                                                                                        

 

Breakfast or Desserts: Porridge oats with almond milk milk & water with blueberries or dried apricot or raspberries walnuts & honey. (buy berries frozen if not in season, a lot cheaper)                                                                                                             

 

                    Yoghurt with walnuts & honey    

COST of shopping in Folkestone:

Larder additions: Salt & Pepper, Olive oil, Pasta & Rice x 5 servings each, Noodles x 2 servings, Garam masala, Thai green curry paste,

Soy sauce, Fish sauce, Chicken & veg' stock                                                     £ 14.09

 

 

Lemons x 4, Mixed peppers x 3, Lettuce, chillies, Cucumber, Celery, Spring onion, Fresh coriander, Spinach, Carrots, Avocado, 6 x tomatoes, 3 x onions, 3 x garlic, A jar of mayonnaise                                                                                                                                 £ 15.74

Sardines tin, 2 x Smoked Mackerel packets, 3 x Tuna tins                            £  7.13

Unsweetened almond milk, Porridge oats 1000g x 20 servings, Yoghurt x 3 servings, A punnet of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, A packet of walnuts                        £  9.56                    

 

Total minus larder costs                                                                                        £32.43  

15 meals, breakfast, lunch & dinner                                                                   £  2.16 per meal 

Friends reaction: Question & Answers

More detail on the cooking preparation, although video, when out will help. Struggle with knowledge of when food going off, i.e.  avocado ( eat within 2 days when cut into). Labels are guides. Guide for out of date food; a best before label means, the product is still good, just not at its best. A eat before date when opened should be noted. Have no freezer or adequate pans or containers pans & containers can be picked up cheaply at boot fairs or charity shops.