Anyone want to join me on my $100 per week food challenge

[Halex]

Thanks Obbie.

Freezer bags, do you  just mean the clear plastic freezer bags? Or do you mean the ziplock ones?

Oh dear I can see freezer getting full before I realise. Can you freeze any cookie dough?

[obbie]

I just use the clear freezer bags.
zip lock ones for whizzed up banana etc.
Or diced chicken etc.

Yes, most cookie dough can be frozen..

[Jude59]

I'm going to make it to the end of the month on budget!  $60 left.  I've been going through my freeser(s) and think I have enough to do my family Sunday lunch without having to buy too much extra.  Have a large whole pumplin in the garage too so thinking pumpkin soup, pizza, pasta and quiche  (or pie to stick with the aliteration) for sunday

[Halex]

Obbie, just bought 2 pkts, so I am assuming you put each try in a freezer bag then into freezer?

Jude, well done.

[obbie]

Hally is your meat on a tray from the butchers.

Yes you can do that, or without the tray, just in the freezer bag.

[Halex]

Yes the beef & lamb come on trays, the chicken doesnt

[deedub]

Bum! Thought I would make it this week but my weekly shop has come to $111.21. Bought a couple of 'bulk' items, coffee $13 & chicken $10 for 1kg which will last a while. Also had to stock up on cooking chocolate which probably won't last long at all! 
Hally, I'd like to thank you for starting this challenge - even though I always seem to go over $100 I have definitely saved money. Not only that I am now much more aware of what I have in the pantry/freezer which has made meal planning a lot easier. This challenge has changed how I shop & cook & I intend to keep it going!

[keiramax]

When we last had a cow butchered I had 300kgs of meat to pack.  It all came prepacked in bags with labels.  I have up right freezers with drawers, so when I packed the meat I put  sheets of newspaper/cardboard on the bottom and sides of the wire baskets to stop the meat squishing through the wire and freezing.  Makes it a bugger to get out when it does it. 

You can do the same in a chest freezer to divide up the layers so they all don't freeze together in a big block.  Once frozen take out the paper.

I also collected alot of ice cream containers and froze the mince in them.  I put the the mince into the container and flattened out (in its freezer bag) put a layer of paper then the next freezer bag of mince.  Did this until the container was full.  Once semi frozen took them out of the containers and you have nice square blocks of meat - easy to pack.

You also need to make sure the bags are dried before putting into the freezer.  If they are wet then tend to freeze together can then they tear etc.

I also divide up the bulk meat. I put aside enough that will last 2-3 months and keep in the cheap freezer bags, all the rest I vacuum seal for longer keeping.

Hope this helps

[obbie]

Kieramax, great idea about the ice cream containers for mince.

[Queen Be]

I wish I had joined and found this thread weeks ago 

If anyone plans to keep going on the challenge I'd love to be included, I need to pay off the credit card ASAP.

[mcmich]

This is def going to be my new way of shopping. Bulk meat, then try & stay within the $100 budget, or $135 when eb stays with us. Going to stocktake the pantry over the next few days  Freezer is done

 

So Hally is your bulk meat budget included in the $100 weekly total...averaged out etc? or bulk meat and then 100 bucks for the week?

[Halex]

Deedub, you  have done so well. It gets harder when your out of  3 or more essential items wheb they are $10 a hit.

Kieramax love the ice cream containers, but since my tm I rarely buy it as I make it. With the newspaper you put a layer in between each level, then remove the next day. Sounds like a good plan.

No my bulk meat is not included in the $100, i am really going to track the meat and length of time etc. there should  be no need to buy anything but whole chickens, chicken breasts, lamb, cow & pork. As long as I can get the bulk orders sorted.

I have saved so much money on food, but sent it on freezer & cookware

The other thing I notced was I dont draw cash out regularly now, used to pop to the shops spend $10 here & there. Also if I am on my own & fancy a coffee I go home, or if hungry wait until I get home. It also has made me think about what we soend etc.

I am going to keep this  going, for me $100 & when we ave eb $135.

[gertbysea]

Same same H . No coffee or snacks when out . For goodness sake I have very expensive  almost commercial machine at home with excellent beans  so I am crazy to spend. 4 bucks on coffee. That is a new me mantra.

The exercise has made me rethink my whole spending pattern. And like you I no longer need so much cash..

Not saying I am sticking with reporting all the time but I am definitely keeping to the $100 budget . Well under so far this week and I have still not got to the  duck and frozen cherries.

Would love some fish but not buying any this week.

Gert

[Amy :-)]

Would love some fish but not buying any this week.

Gert

Fishing rod?

[medusa]

Halle this makes so much more sense. I just could not work out how you could feed your family for $100 pw. Now that I know you already have the meat (not included in the weekly budget) I feel a bit better. I just couldn't work out how to do it for us. I don't have any extra meat in our freezer or the room to store it in bulk.