Filling the Freezer

When I get paid (on a four weekly basis) I do a big shop at work - Sainsburys - and a shop at Bookers, as I still have the wholesale card for them from when we had the pub.  The majority of the shopping from Sainsburys is the Basics brand. All good quality, just not the perfect slices/shapes that seem to be in demand from other brands.

The Bookers shop consisted of -

4 x 9 luxury toilet rolls £7
1 kilo lean stewing steak - diced fresh for me from a whole piece £11
2 kilos lean minced steak £10
1 1/2 kilo lamb steaks £11
1 A6 tin of tomatoes - HUGE!!!  £1.50
5kg pack of chicken breasts £19.99
5kg pack smoked bacon £5.59
3kg pack of bacon bits £2.99

I then have a huge cooking session that day, to fill one of my two freezers - I have one to store pre cooked meals, the other to store ingredients, meat, bread etc.

On Friday I made -

Stewing seak - 8 portions of St James Beef (a rich beef casserole), 10 beef and ale pies

Minced steak - 8 portions bolognaise sauce, 2 big lasagnes, 4 individual lasagnes, 1 big cottage pie, 2 small cottage pies

Lamb steak - half I turned into 8 portions of lamb rogan josh, the othe half is in my freezer ready to turn into minted lamb steaks

the tomatoes I share between the bolognaise and the curry, with a helping leftover forhubby to have with bacon and cheese :-)

Chicken breasts - my Mum and sister had two kilos of these, the rest I turned into 8 portions of chicken curry, 8 portions sweet and sour cicken, 8 portions and barbecue chicken, with quite a lot remaining to be made into whatever else we meal plan.

Bacon - I divided this into three, froze two and kept one in the fridge as hubby quite likes his bacon sandwiches!

Bacon bits - I froze 2/3rds  of these and used the other third in the St James Beef to give it another layer of flavour.

Don't get me wrong - I actually LOVE cooking.  But by preparing so many meals in advance I know that

a) There's always food in the house, regardless of my money situation
b) There's always something in when my fussy nineteen year old doesn't like what I'm planning for tea
c) If I really don't feel like cooking or have time, there's a meal available

I then try only to buy milk, bread and fruit and veg during the week.  Easier said then done when I can't avoid  the temptation of the supermarket because I work in one !!

Clare