Monday 1 October 2012

Storecupboard Progress

Inspired by Quince Tree 65, I decided it would be a good thing to make a list of all the provisions we have in our food cupboards, fridge and freezer. I especially like how QT65 used a different colour for protein, carbohydrates etc. I was full of good intentions, but after eating dinner and washing up, I have managed only to turn out the tea and coffee shelves and the small dry goods cupboard.

I do this periodically anyway as it is good to know exactly what you have and haven't got lurking in the back of your cupboards, and I like just being able to check my spreadsheet to see if I have the right herbs and spices for a particular recipe rather than having to go and check. I like the feeling of everything being shipshape and catalogued neatly - a relic of so many years spent working in libraries coupled with the autumn feeling of squirrelling away stores for cold weather.

I am so tired this evening I can barely keep my eyes open, so I am signing off to go and snuggle in bed and fall asleep listening to Radio 4. Tomorrow evening I am going to tackle the larger dry goods cupboard, and the fridge and freezer. The next part of the plan is work out which things that I like to keep a stock of need replenishing (tinned tomatoes, lentils, arborio rice etc) and which things I need to use up (frozen meat etc).

Then is is just a case of working the latter into a menu plan, and seeing how well I can do with the Storecupboard Challenge that I mentioned last week. I have How To Feed Your Family for £5 A Day by Bernadine Lawrence to read to get some ideas. I think my Mum used to have an older edition of this when I was a little girl, so I am hoping to discover some forgotten childhood favourites in there, as well as some new ideas.

Heaven forbid that either of us should ever be in a situation where we start the day with our jobs, but end it without, but I like to think that should that happen, or should we be snowed in, or whatever else, we could not just survive for a few days, but eat well.

What are your favourite store cupboard items?

Love Mimi xxx

2 comments:

Dinahsoar said...

These are what I like to keep on hand:

canned beans-- especially garbanzo, kidney, pinto and black; rice, raisins, canned milk,canned greens-- like collards or turnip; canned tomatoes, paste and sauce; canned salmon, canned tuna; saltines, peanut butter/nut butters; vegetable oil; fresh white potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, carrots; cheese, eggs, butter, sour cream and cottage cheese.

And a freezer full of vegetables including green beans, mixed vegetables, green peas, corn, broccoli, brussle sprouts.

And fresh cauliflower, cabbage, mixed fresh salad greens, and in season fruits.

And a loaf of bread, tea and coffee; and cornmeal, sugar, flour, walnuts, and chocolate--for baking.

These are my go-to foods that I keep in stock.

I can whip up a pot of potato soup; salmon patties with sides of veg; a baked sweet potato topped with black beans, sour cream and grated cheese; a meal of peas and 'paneer' (cottage cheese is a great substitute); rajma; a baked white potato topped with broccoli and cheddar; or eggs, toast and a nice green salad; beans and greens and cornbread--to name a few.

Quick, easy, inexpensive and nourishing.

Debbie said...

I make a chickpea curry from this website http://www.frugal.org.uk/index.html
which is mostly from storecupboard ingredients - extra things can be put in if you have them (apple, green pepper) but with the exception of onion and garlic, the other ingredients are storecupboard ones.
There are quite a few good recipes on the website, and frugal living ideas generally.