Managing Monday

After I blogged yesterday about the trauma of discount shopping in Asda I had a mammoth cooking session.

 

First I cooked up the chicken legs I'd got from the butchers. There wasn't a whole lot of meat on them really but we have to make the most of what we have! So after roasting them I mixed some flour into the juices for a gravy, stripped the big bits of meat off first, then all the teeny bits separately, then boiled up the bones for a stock.

I decided to use the soup mix I'd bought as it was, to give a bit of soup variety rather than having the same one every day. Les said he'd quite like some chicken soup, and I'd already planned to make some veggie soup for me using the broth mix. So we ended up with 3 different soups! I promise they're tastier than they look :)

 

 



The left one is chicken stock, carrots (5p), onion (5p) and the teeny bits of chicken which weren't good for much else.

The middle one is the reduced potato and spring greens soup mix (20p) with a little milk (5p).

And the one of the right is carrot (5p), onion (5p), broth mix (15p).

I used a little seasoning, including some garlic granules but I reckon a maximum of 10p in total there.

So 70p plus the bits of chicken usually thrown away. A good start I think and pleased to have ended up with a little variety. In fact, Sophie asked for some soup as soon as she got in from school!

 

Our bunnies, Fifi and Lola are not living below the line this week. So they are helpfully clearing up all the things we're not allowed. Well jel!

 

The kids had porridge for breakfast, then for lunch discount chicken sandwiches, a piece of fruit and 2 choc chip cookies. I took an apple and some of the veg and lentil soup to work. And by about 2pm was sooo hungry. We've all been complaining about hunger a lot today and I think it's the psychology of knowing we're not allowed.

 

Dinner tonight was toad in the hole for the kids, chicken... in the hole (?) for Les and Yorkshire puds and veg for me. Which I was quite pleased with if I'm honest. It didn't really touch the sides with Matt so he followed it up with a slice of bread but it felt like a good solid meal for I reckon around £1.60 in total.

 

We're having an alright start. I do feel quite organised, and a bit like a 1940's housewife! Which is fine every now and then but I wouldn't want every Sunday to be spent like that. Not to mention the fact that Les wouldn't want that much washing up every week!

 

As I have been writing this, we have just hit our fundraising target! Which is really incredible! Thank you so much to all who have donated. Your money will be put to good use by BCDP helping those who are living on the streets and in poverty in our town.

 

If you haven't sponsored yet and would like to you can do so https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/livebelowtheline2016 as a small charity every little does help.