Running alongside my no spend January I am doing a low spend food month. Like many people, we have lots of food in the house post Christmas. Mainly cheese! For some reason we went a little mad on the stuff. Luckily it lasts a long time if it isn’t opened. I want to spend as little as I can get away with on food this month to maximise our savings, so here is my meal plan for a low spend January.
Meal plan for a low spend January
Saturday
Blue cheese pasta with salad and garlic bread. This will use up some of the Stilton and some lettuce that needs eating too. I don’t usually have ready made garlic bread in the freezer but my daughter bought some when she was home.
Because there is a lot of frozen fruit from the garden, I will also make a plum crumble to have over the next few days with custard. Mr S is a sucker for an old fashioned pud.
Sunday
Fish pie. We have cod in the freezer but I will need to nip to the shop for some more spuds to make this. We will eat broccoli and carrots alongside this and have more of the crumble for dessert. I have one sad sweet potato in fridge so will add that to the mash.
Monday
Fish pie again. There should be leftovers. Peas from the freezer to accompany it this time with more carrots as we have a large bag to eat up.
Tuesday
Sausages, onion gravy and mashed swede (there is some in the freezer) mixed with potatoes. I have meaty sausages as well as the veggie sort. Probably peas and carrots again with this.
Wednesday
Spaghetti Bolognese. I will make two lots, one veggie and one meaty and freeze whatever we don’t eat. Then we will have some quick and easy ready meals for when we are too busy or can’t be bothered to cook! There is Quorn mince in the freezer so I will use that up.
Thursday
Veggie burgers with home made chips from the air fryer. I will make a salad of grated carrots, chives and tinned sweetcorn to go alongside this.
Friday
Cheese omelettes, bakes potatoes and carrot salad.
In addition, I will make some spicy parsnip soup to use up a bag we have. As I type this, I have a big pot of home made vegetable stock on, made with all the peelings and odds and ends of veg from the last couple of weeks. I keep old ice cream containers in the freezer and fill them up as I go along. This makes a super thrifty, nutritious and delicious base for a soup.
I can foresee quite a few versions of cheese on toast to go alongside the soup for our lunches. We also have tinned sardines so may go for sardines on toast too. No one can say we aren’t wildly adventurous!
Because we have so much cheese in the house, I am putting my plan to eat vegan twice a week on hold. I don’t want to waste any food!
Are you on a low spend January too? What are you eating this week?
This week I am linking up with Katy Kicker. If you want more ideas on meal planning and saving money, take a look at her blog.
Gillian says
Are you aware that you can freeze cheese? It goes quite crumbly once defrosted but tastes fine. I’ll be doing the leftovers/no-spend thing too – out of necessity – too much money squandered over past few weeks. The aim is to buy cat food & milk & nothing much else. I’m not very disciplined so am trying to to avoid going near any shops, supermarkets and even charity shops, tricky as there are a few within walking distance… Good luck with your own challenges!!
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
Yes, I know you can freeze cheese but then you have to use it quite quickly once defrosted. I guess some could be grated and frozen though. Good luck with avoiding the shops!
Margie from Toronto says
We have a potluck lunch at church tomorrow for the Epiphany so I’ve made up a large Cottage Pie to take and also a smaller one for at home so tomorrow is taken care off with a mix of foods to try and my smaller cottage pie will do Monday & Tuesday with salad.
I have some salmon in the freezer that needs to be used so that with salad will do Wednesday & Thursday.
Friday will probably be some HM carrot & red lentil soup along with cheese on toast (I also have a lot of cheese to use up). Saturday may be more of the same – trying to keep it simple these days. If friends do come for lunch I’ll probably make the pork loin that I have on hand and then adjust accordingly.
Looks as though I’ll be able to pick up the milk & fruit I want today rather than tomorrow so I’ll try to stay out of the shops until at least Wednesday – maybe longer (it’s mostly to take advantage of some sale items).
Chrissie says
My veganuary is going very well and husband has also enjoyed the meals so far, especially the tofu bacon blt, this week we will be having mushroom stroganoff with garlic mashed pots, nut roast and trimmings, left over nut roast, salad and baby pots, veggie burgers and chips, roasted veg pasta, lentil and veg stew with herb dumplings, breakfast is almost always porridge with apple sauce as a sweetener and fruit on top.. New years resolution of no swearing lasted until 11am on Jan 1st, whoops, no spend ok except for a fit bit but I did put my Christmas money towards it and my thinking is cheaper than a gym membership. I do have good intentions but after more exercise I shall have sore misgivings !
shoestringjane@outlook.com says
Ooh, your meals sound delicious!
Louise Fairweather says
lol yes we have loads of cheese too! Fish pie is on my plan this week as well. Hoping the boys will like it. #mealplanningmondays
Sarah - Mud, Cakes and Wine says
What a great idea, we have eaten all our cheese but lots on the freezer we will be eating up like half packets of prawns!!!
ratnamurti says
I like to use whatever I have. But, I do have a small number staples that I keep to hand. In minimal amounts. Because I really dislike and avoid any form of shopping, I know that I will not waste anything.
Paula @ Mummy Vs Work says
What a great way to use up vegetable peelings, I would have never have thought of that! Good luck with the no spend/low spend month too, sounds like you are doing great.
Kim Carberry says
I had planned on not getting a weekly shop this week but we started to run out of random things so I gave in but it only came to just over £40 so it’s not too bad.
All of your meals sound so good. x
Jaymee says
Spaghetti bolognaise is a winner for us! Clean plates everytime! Your meal plan sounds great!
Tree says
I’m trying keep the food bill down this month too! And I always make enough fish pie for two nights! Omelette is one of my favourite ways to use up free eggs!
Your menu sounds great.
Tx
Katy Stevens says
Sounds like you’re on track for a fantastic January! Thanks for linking up and I’ve pinned this too x