Meal Planning

I rarely plan what meals we are going to eat each week mainly because I use the reduced items that I buy several times a week on the way home from work. I am also always looking for new recipe ideas and am a sucker for the latest foods that supermarkets promote.

After defrosting and organising my freezers in my garage a few weeks ago, I really felt that I should start to plan our meals for the week so that I would not end up with freezer burn on food again or with items that have been in the fridge or freezer for far too long. I ended up having to throw some food away which hurt me in my pocket greatly. In addition David has taken to constantly asking me what is for lunch, what is for tea (not dinner - I am northern after all). He seems to be mentally planning his meals and if I deviate from what I have told him he gets slightly huffy. 

I also have lots of items in my pantry that need using - mainly sauces, cooking sauces, jams & chutneys. There are some tinned and dried food too. It has got to the stage that I can't find things easily and have to move packets and jars around to find what I am after. It is time for a change.

Firstly I have started to write a shopping list. I will see how long I last writing them but I found that I had to write a list at Christmas time to ensure that I didn't forget anything. This worked a treat so I have found a little lined ring-bound pad for my shopping lists. I add to it whenever I remember I need something.

Secondly I have been meal planning for the week and incorporating items that I have in my freezer and pantry and then just buying items to match up with these to make my meals. There are just the two us (plus PG the cat) so planning meals has not been that difficult. I found that I was doing this anyway starting a week or so ago to make sure we were using up all the leftovers from our Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year meals. We had turkey soup made from the stock from the turkey carcass with the left over vegetables thrown in plus there was prawn & avocado salad which were leftover from the starters. I had some smoked salmon left too which was served with scrambled eggs for breakfast. This is the plan for this week but I have drawn a blank for Thursday. I need to look in my freezers in the garage but I'm not venturing out yet as we have had snow overnight and it is cold and slippery underfoot

Thirdly, we have realised that we have not been eating very healthily over the last few months. Too many carbohydrates, sugar and general garbage food such as crisps, chocolate, cakes and biscuits. Our portions have become larger too. Overall we have put on weight, clothes have become just that little bit too tight. So more healthy eating. I don't mean total denial of the things we like as this will just lead to a binge but a few gradual changes so you don't notice too much. One of things that we both agreed would be a good idea is to have more fish and some meat free meals. I need to plan these into the weekly menu.

I'll see how I get on and whether I stick to lists and planning and whether I save any money which I am hoping will happen with less food waste. I'll keep you updated.

One thing I have noticed is that I have really started to scrutinise my shopping bills from the supermarkets and so far I have been overcharged EVERY TIME. Not one has undercharged me for items but Waitrose, Marks & Spencer and Sainsburys have all overcharged me. Sometimes it has been scanning an item twice or charging me full price for a reduced item. Waitrose charged me £2 for some packs of napkins that were on offer at 75% off so should have been 50p each. I bought four packs so that was a £6 overcharge. Marks & Spencer had some Chinese meals reduced from £4 to £3.10 and then reduced again to £1.10. I bought 4 and was overcharged on two of them which came up at £3.10 each so that was a £4 overcharge. Sainsburys scanned a £2.49 cake through twice and charged full price on two reduced items which ended up being a 97p overcharge. So in a little over a week I was overcharged £13.46. The supermarkets must be making a fortune out of us all on overcharging. I have had to go back every time to get a refund and that is all I get - a weak apology and no compensation for the inconvenience. Naughty!!!