looking forward to following along and joining in. - though my kids call it. "freezer roulette" on account of several 'incidents' with unlabelled unidentifiables !!!!!!
I love the timing of this post! I try and do a pantry and freezer clean out about every 3 months, otherwise it gets insane! I just did a massive pantry clean and will be doing a big challah bake and freeze this week! I also need to make soups and freeze them.
I remember you doing that and I’m trying the same this year. I have far too much food in the house; maybe a reaction to my mother living through the war and then being frugal for the rest of her life when it wasn’t strictly necessary.
My two notable successes, so far, were pavlovas when people came round with egg whites from the freezer.
although I did rescue 6 egg whites from going over by cooking a batch of Christmas meringues... cinnamon, ground ginger and a last minute put in a sprinkle of chilli powder. Slightly gooey in the middle and then the sweet meringues but the chilli takes away the back of the throat sweetness at the end of eating.
I have some tiny boxes. My new resolution is to label them with how many there are in the box instead having to look up each time how much an egg white should weigh and then weigh what I’ve got.
So.... I have a jar of brandy mincemeat from Christmas 2022 - slightly out of date. And two jars from Christmas 2023 - they can wait for next year’s mince pies. But the BB September 2023 probably won’t wait till December 2024. So I want to use it now. I can’t bring myself to make mince pies. Any recommendations?!
You could maybe make an apple and mincemeat tart which wouldn't be too Christmassy or possibly something like a teabread? But I suspect it will keep till next year ...
World War 3 would find me well prepared .... I blame my Irish mother. I’m convinced there is a heritable fear of famine .... ( but I will try to eat my way into the food mountain) 🤣😂
I am great at using leftovers, usually in some kind of soup, fashion or cassarole… However, we do need to keep a full pantry because we live an hour from grocery stores, so… Can’t really do what you’re suggesting ...just buy what we need for that day.
And we don’t go out that often. Well, first of all, there’s only a few options where I live and second of all restaurants prices are ridiculous these days!
Perfectly timed post! I am wholly immersing myself in this mindset (pantry and half-used beauty products) - finishing before I buy. I have myriad pastas and pulses, and vow to get inventive. To begin with, I have written a stock list divided into categories e.g. pasta, pulses, tins of x, frozen y, condiments... from which I am going to build up recipes and meal ideas, and away we go
I’m saving this. We’ve just been advised by the (Swedish) government to stock up, in case of an attack by Russia. So we’re cooking and freezing, then eating the frozen meals because they’re delicious, and redoing the whole thing again. But I’m going to cut-out-keep your recipes for reference in case the balloon goes up. (This could be cyber as well as conventional so useful for both contingencies).
I find that's a problem too. I use up a leftover only to make a dish that creates leftovers which ends up with one more dish in the freezer! Making 'just enough' is an art.
looking forward to following along and joining in. - though my kids call it. "freezer roulette" on account of several 'incidents' with unlabelled unidentifiables !!!!!!
We're also partaking in freezer roulette at the moment! I'm now regretting making so many batches of butternut squash soup..!
Invite the neighbours for a butternut squash soup party? 😉
There is always that. Exciting though!
I love the timing of this post! I try and do a pantry and freezer clean out about every 3 months, otherwise it gets insane! I just did a massive pantry clean and will be doing a big challah bake and freeze this week! I also need to make soups and freeze them.
Full of admiration at doing it every 3 months!
Full transparency- I used to massively over buy pantry items every time I shopped. It was an issue- so now to ensure I don’t do it- every 3 months!
Who doesn’t love a well-stocked pantry?! Still impressed at the 3 month rule though!
I remember you doing that and I’m trying the same this year. I have far too much food in the house; maybe a reaction to my mother living through the war and then being frugal for the rest of her life when it wasn’t strictly necessary.
My two notable successes, so far, were pavlovas when people came round with egg whites from the freezer.
I always mean to freeze egg whites but somehow never do. Good call!
Yes! Me too. Going to do it now..
although I did rescue 6 egg whites from going over by cooking a batch of Christmas meringues... cinnamon, ground ginger and a last minute put in a sprinkle of chilli powder. Slightly gooey in the middle and then the sweet meringues but the chilli takes away the back of the throat sweetness at the end of eating.
Ooo, that sounds really interesting. Good call!
I have some tiny boxes. My new resolution is to label them with how many there are in the box instead having to look up each time how much an egg white should weigh and then weigh what I’ve got.
That would be wholly admirable!
So.... I have a jar of brandy mincemeat from Christmas 2022 - slightly out of date. And two jars from Christmas 2023 - they can wait for next year’s mince pies. But the BB September 2023 probably won’t wait till December 2024. So I want to use it now. I can’t bring myself to make mince pies. Any recommendations?!
You could maybe make an apple and mincemeat tart which wouldn't be too Christmassy or possibly something like a teabread? But I suspect it will keep till next year ...
World War 3 would find me well prepared .... I blame my Irish mother. I’m convinced there is a heritable fear of famine .... ( but I will try to eat my way into the food mountain) 🤣😂
The terrible thing is once you start digging you find things - or at least I do - which are horrifically out of date!
I am great at using leftovers, usually in some kind of soup, fashion or cassarole… However, we do need to keep a full pantry because we live an hour from grocery stores, so… Can’t really do what you’re suggesting ...just buy what we need for that day.
Fair enough - I do speak as a townie!
And we don’t go out that often. Well, first of all, there’s only a few options where I live and second of all restaurants prices are ridiculous these days!
Perfectly timed post! I am wholly immersing myself in this mindset (pantry and half-used beauty products) - finishing before I buy. I have myriad pastas and pulses, and vow to get inventive. To begin with, I have written a stock list divided into categories e.g. pasta, pulses, tins of x, frozen y, condiments... from which I am going to build up recipes and meal ideas, and away we go
That sounds brilliantly well organised. Well done!
I’m saving this. We’ve just been advised by the (Swedish) government to stock up, in case of an attack by Russia. So we’re cooking and freezing, then eating the frozen meals because they’re delicious, and redoing the whole thing again. But I’m going to cut-out-keep your recipes for reference in case the balloon goes up. (This could be cyber as well as conventional so useful for both contingencies).
Oh blimey that IS scary. At least you’ll be well prepared!
I find that's a problem too. I use up a leftover only to make a dish that creates leftovers which ends up with one more dish in the freezer! Making 'just enough' is an art.
Absolutely not! I would stock up in those circumstances too!