Ok I’ll admit it, I’m not the best cook in the world. I do try to attempt new things, granted I’m better at the sweets than I am the savoury!
So a few weeks ago after going through the finances I realised that something needed to change, I could easily go shopping and spend over £100 a week (including toiletries and nappies etc) but really most of this was wasted money, as we had a couple of take aways a week at times too. I used to feed the kids then we would have a take away in the evening.
So I gave my self a talking to and for the last 3 weeks I’ve done my food shopping online. This means that I’ve managed to cut my shopping down to around £60 a week! I do a weekly food planner so we know what were having and when. It also means that we don’t have 2 similar dishes on consecutive days. I must have been an awful impulse buyer!
But I’ve now gone 1 step further! Tomorrow sees the arrival of my slow cooker and I can not wait! Its been a while since we had a slow cooker in this house and this time I plan to use it daily! With stews, hotpots and curries lined up this week that will cook when I’m at work and be ready for our arrival home.
If you have any good family friendly recipes, please share. I would love to make a wide range of dishes in this 🙂
A nice easy one that my kids love is chunks of beef browned before they go in with an onion carrots and potato chunks. Barely cover with beef stock or gravy and put on slow! its so simple and the meat falls apart in it so even the smallest child has no trouble eating it.
I’ve also been told that ham with a can of coke poured over it is delicious. Haven’t tried that one yet though!
I’ve heard the nigella coke one before – just a bit worried to attempt it! 😛
The beef dish sounds yummy 🙂
Ahh the joys of online shopping! We got an Ocado Delivery Pass for £40 last year, and I’ve been doing £40-£50 shops since – and planning my meals etc on my Phoenix Cards weekly planner – it’s great! I spent too much in the supermarket too.
I’ve never tried a slow cooker – will be interesting to read any vegetarian recipes!
Oh i’ve never shopped with Ocado – are they any good? I’m using Sainsburys at the minute as i had 4 £10 off vouchers but this week is the last one 🙂
yesterday i did a beef cassarole in mine,
can of tomatos,
2 carrots chopped small
1/2 swede chopped same as carrots
2 parsnips chopped
1 onion
1 yellow bell pepper
1 pack of cassarole mix (sainsburys own)with 200mls water
400/500grms of chopped beef
stuck it all in with the vege on the bottom and set it on high for 4 hours then low for 2. the kids ate after 4 1/2 hours with some mashed potato and DH and I finished the rest later with more mash lol.
Also since mine is a 6.5lt pot then i can put a large chicken in there with about a cm deep of water in the bottom and the skin rubbed with chicken stock and its done in 4/5 hours on high then take it out and whack it under the grill to crisp up the skin to golden brown. and deglaze the pot to make the gravy.
my DH will do pork belly in there with 1/2 can of coke and marinated in BBQ marinade then it comes apart with just a fork and is lovely on fresh bread rolls
Wow that cassarole sounds delicious! I’m going to get some beef today for the stew – might get extra for that too! That pork belly sounds delicious too!
I’ve got a 6.5l one coming too so if i get brave i may try the roast chicken – thank you for sharing!