Eating on a budget

[vallaw]

I'm a single pensioner, I have an occupational pension, state and SERPS so not on the poverty line but have to be a bit careful so I can afford my favourite red wine. I cook everything from scratch - no readymeals - and I eat very well. Tonight was chilli con carne with sour cream, grated cheese and home-baked sourdough bread.

It was a big cooking day today - baked the bread, 2 loaves, one in the freezer. The mince in the chilli was from a Sainsbury's "3 for £10" offer -700 gms mince, 5 pork chops and 4 lamb cutlets. All went into the freezer. Thawed the mince, made the chilli and a big pan of bolognese sauce which has given me 5 portions in the freezer. So I will get at least 14 meals out of my £10 worth of meat.

Also picked up in my local Morrison's a big bag of banana shallots which had been mislabelled Onions Class 2 and reduced to 39p!

Not telling what the wine cost . . .

[welshlibranr]

Hey vallaw, good on you!.......very organised, I always mean to be!...never happened yet!...........the cost of the wine is not an issue!............as long as you are happy and enjoy!...............

[Sir Alec]

I buy 2 cases of red wine at a time from Tesco. They have some very good deals. They used to insist on you buying 12 bottles at a time, buy they have reduced this to 6 now, which is brilliant! At Christmas, it now means that I can buy 6 bottles of white or sparkling to go with my reds.

[vallaw]

Try Virgin Wines auctions. I've had some really good deals.

[gingejbee]

Well, you can invite me round anytime for tea! My Dad is just like you in the shopping and cooking stakes and is delighted that a Lidl store has opened near him - always around there hunting for bargains.
May I ask you what the wine is that you like?

[BAKERS DOZEN]

Morrison's have got an offer on wine with a 25% discount if you buy 6 bottles. Not a bad saving if you like a little slurp, or maybe get some early Christmas plonk in.

[vallaw]

Any big red wine - I love New World wines, particularly Australian and Chilean, but I also enjoy a good Rioja. Prefer Merlot to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon always goes down well.

[giveup]

Tesco's do an Australian red, at present its about £3.50. I have had a lot worse.

[gingejbee]

The same tastes as my Dad again. I usually get the job of choosing and buying it for him, twelve at a time.

[hc4361]

Make your own wine from a kit Very quick easy cheap and very drinkable . 22 litres from £23

[sherrardk]

I don't drink wine, but I have heard quite a few people say how good the wine from Aldi is.

[boxtops]

Expensive @ . 22 litres @£23 I'd have thought - hc!!!!

[rov1100]

Tescos are doing some real good offers lately. Last week they were giving away a £5 coupon in the Mail...no catches...and can be used for wine, beer, etc as well as food. I had to throw one away last week because I was so indundated with other others at Tesco. To take advantage in future look at the front page of the Mail on either Fridays or Saturdays.

[chrissa1]

As a new widow, I can't be bothered to just cook from myself. Mind you Cadbury's Dairy Milk is on offer at the Co-op.

[welshlibranr]

chrissa, sounds good to me!....................lol........

[rsvp]

vallaw -you are all I aspire to - have the wine sussed but you are a supa star with the housekeeping -

[DTCwordfan]

Sainsbury's house Cote du Rhone, their Claret and Montepulciano(sp) are quite palatable for their c £4 price (before case discount)..

The Wine Society has some very good wines by the case, once you have taken a share (£40) and brilliant for anybody who really likes their wines (soon redeemed by the prices to quality that they offer, esp if European or Australiasian wines).

[askyourgran]

Mrask came home with a carrier full of plums last night. Today I made a plum pie for after tea. The pie was cooked and left out to cool while I went out. When I came home the OH, his brother and his wife with their grandson were tucking into the pie with icecream, they left a small slice for me.

[vallaw]

^^^Awww! some advantages to living alone!

[tamborine]

FREE menu: duck eggs for breks. Sauteed mushrooms, zuccini, runner beans, tomatos, peppers with casseroled rabbit all from field. Apple/plums/blackberry/grapes fruit salad. Hard boiled eggs to snack on.

Enough for week or freeze.

[Quassia]

vallaw,
love your shrewdness ... and you make your own bread too!
askyourgran ... Well it obviously tasted gooooooooooood! :0)