Anyone up for an 'empty the freezer/cupboards' challenge?

[TitsalinaBumSqoosh]

Sorry I'm not if this is the right place but I'm hoping to run my freezers and store cupboards right down and only shop for a small amount of fresh items. Would anyone like to join me for some moral support? I'm thinking it will save me quite a bit if I can get organised and get stuff out to defrost the night before!

[EchidnasPhone]

I am currently running my freezer & pantry down. 2 weeks in & almost there. Yesterday was quorn chicken pieces with a random honey & mustard jar sauce. The kids didn't like it but they ate the rice & veg. Tonight is homemade frozen lasagne & garlic bread. My fridge & freezer need a good deep clean & service which prompted the purge.

[SweetCrustPastry]

Yes please.

I've been trying to do this all year - but progress has been limited - probably because
a) i'm not good at planning this stuff and
b) DH panic shops as soon as there is the tiniest bit of space in the freezer/cupboard
Would love some moral support and incentive to be more organised :)

[TitsalinaBumSqoosh]

I'm terrible, a childhood of poverty has lead me to hoard food. 😳
I'm hoping for my stock to be gone by Christmas. I know at least 2 of my freezer drawers are full of apple pie slices that the kids don't like, I do but I'm meant to be dieting, maybe I'll have 1 a week on a Sunday!
I have loads and loads of white fish so I'll need some more ideas for that.

[AdoraBell]

I'm the same with the hoarding because of childhood experience.

I keep telling myself that I will do this but more goes in than comes out.

Maybe I'll have a proper sort out this week.

[WhichJob]

I veer between wanting to use things up and save money week to week and then a desire to stock up so we always have stuff in! I am now back to running things down, I have also been making a concerted effort to use up fresh leftovers and to buy less 'just in case'.

[BackforGood]

Lol. My freezer was getting clogged up with lots of single portions of bolognaise and the odd chilli which no-one was getting round to eating so last week I defrosted them all, and heated through in one big pot. EVERYONE - eating at different times - commented how nice it was and how I should use that recipe again next time

[SweetCrustPastry]

I'm not even sure what's in my freezer - I think there might be some gigantic bits of pork and far too many damsons -crumbles? jam? or gin? maybe a bit of all three :) . I seem to think there might still be about a ton of preserving sugar I bought (about 5 years ago) so maybe jam.

[torthecatlady]

We did this very recently due to me being off work for a couple of weeks and having a very strict budget. Only a couple of repeated meals or questionable ones. And we ate at friends houses twice. It's all overflowing again now, so I'll gladly jump on board! I think I counted 6 tins of beans earlier!

[RupertsMum2]

I have just been through my chest freezer and made a list of everything in it and plan to do my small freezer this afternoon. We should have enough to last for weeks. I'm not going to buy anything until next Thursday (when I usually do my shopping) and I'm going to allocate £40 a week in October for "spending". This is to cover food, (milk, bread, fruit etc). toiletries and cleaning stuff. All other money is going to pay off the credit card!

[misscph1973]

Yes! I have 2 freezers, both full, and I have no idea of what half of it is!

[ScarletPower]

Go on then, I've got 12 days until pay-day and am heading towards being overdrawn if I spent my budgeted £131.49 remains. I have no idea of what is in the cupboards or freezer so I am challenging myself to spend only what we need. I'm close to Aldi, Lidl, Asda and Morrisons so have a good selection of shops. I plan to go to the supermarket and shop for three days at a time spending no more than £32 (which would bring my budget in) so I'd like to be able to have some left over by close of business on 12th October .

[NotMyMonkees]

I've been doing this for a couple of weeks now and it's great, can actually see what's in the fridge and cupboards, and get things out of the freezer without causing an avalanche have got the online shop coming Wednesday so am trying to keep it to the essentials and not just stock right back up again!

[misscph1973]

I did well! I used some Pui lentils from the back of the cupboard (still in date!) today that I cooked in homemade chicken stock from the freezer with onion, bacon and kale, it was delicious! I also got out a pack of sausages from the freezer for tomorrow. I also got out 2 egg whites from the freezer that I intended to use in a gluten free bread recipe, but it turned out that I needed 3 egg whites, not 2, and that the baking was 45 min, not 20, so that didn't happen. I am going to add the egg whites to scrambled eggs in the morning instead.

I am getting to a point where I can see what't in the garage freezer, the kitchen freezer is still a bit of a nightmare.

But certainly made progress over the weekend!