Week 2 Day 1

A New Week Begins

Shopping


Over the past couple of days I have been doing my shopping, and getting ready for the coming week.

weekly shop

This week I decided to go for a Mediterranean Style diet and introduce more vegetables and oily fish into my diet. Since I had problems with keeping the bread, and didn't particularly like eating it, I have decided to forego the pleasure, and make my own flat breads. After I did my shopping I realised that I had forgotten to buy any flour, so I had to go back to Lidl and get some flour and yogurt (I have decided to use yogurt as a substitute to oil, I don't know if it will work, just my bright idea). I have also managed to purchase some salt and sugar, the sugar had gone up by 10p. since last week, which didn't please me overly. I also wanted some local potatoes (35p per lb.), but since I had a big bag at home I decided to take it out of our supply and take the money out of my budget. when I fetched the potatoes out I found that they had started to sprout, and at this stage we would normally have thrown them out, but not today-

potatoes

I would probably have found them reduced in a greengrocers shop, then again, no self respecting greengrocer would sell them in this state, so probably not. I also stocked up on my spices with 5g.'s of cumin, tumeric, paprika and cinnamon. My total shop was £5.86 which leaves me £1.14 + 9p. carried over from last week. Total £1.23. I have yet to buy a jar of curry sauce @23p.which leaves me £1 for veg.

Tuesday

I woke up at about 5.30 this morning and had actually drunk my morning cuppa by 6.00.

Breakfast



Porridge made with water

cup of tea.

Porridge = 8p.

Sugar = 1p.

Total 9p.

Breakfast was later today, as I had a doctors appointment early in the morning, I thought I might be very hungry but I was not. The porridge looked an unappetising colour, nonetheless it was nice to have sugar in it. Since my daily use of both sugar and salt came to less than 1p. I have included both in this penny

Lunch

lentil soup potato scones and cup of tea



 

Lentil Soup

Potato scones

Cup of tea

Lentils = 10p

1/2 stock cube=2p.

juice from tomatoes = about 3p
mixed herbs and chilli powder = 2p estimate

potatoes = 13p.

flour = 2p.

Total = 32p.

Though there don't seem to be many potato scones on the plate, there were many more made but I ate them while the others were being baked lol.

Dinner





Spaghetti

Pasta sauce

Cheese

Cup of tea

Pasta sauce =12p (the batch came to 48p and I used a quarter of that batch.)

Spaghetti = 4p

Cheese = 13p.

Total= 29p.

Tea and milk = 5p.

Total = 5p.

Total Expenditure today = 75p.

For dinner I had spaghetti and pasta sauce, Alexis favourite when she comes to stay here. I used a whole can of tomatoes and made a batch of the sauce. The cheapest cheese I could find were cheese slices, so I tried to grate it, but it came out in clumps, however it tasted O.K. I managed to disgust myself by the fact that when I went to get the tomato puree out there seemed to be green bits on it, normally I would squirm and throw it in the bin, but today it was a case of 'waste not, want not', so I shuddered and went in with a spoon and removed it all, and used the little remaining bit. I am sure I read somewhere that, that type of thing could be carcinogenic, so if I'm not around tomorrow, no flowers, just tins of baked beans to your nearest Food Bank please! I thought 50 g. of pasta would be enough, but when I cooked it there didn't seem to be an awful lot, so I spread it out on the plate and it didn't look too bad, nor did I feel hungry after eating it, so I guess it was O.K.

I wanted to add some more veg. to my diet today, but unfortunately most of the veg at Lidl seemed quite expensive, and I didn't have time to get down to my local greengrocers.  

http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/donate/donate_b.asp?charityid=7146 

There are more details on the subject, if anyone is interested at
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects

Day 7

Pot Luck

Eric made me my usual cup of tea.

Breakfast

porridge and tea



Porridge

Tea

8p.

Total = 8p.

I only had a couple of mouthfuls of porridge this morning before I started to feel full up, so I staggered my breakfast over two hours eating a couple of mouthfuls whenever I started to feel hungry. One could say I was getting used to eating less, but tha's not true because I don't think I am eating any fewer carbs. than before 

Lunch



soup, bread and tea

Soup

3 slices bread

Tea

Smidgin of jam

Yellow peas = 6p.

1/2 stock cube = 2p.

Tomatoes = 8p.

mixed herbs = 1p estimate

jam = 1p. estimate

Total = 18p.

Today has been a day for hunting around and finding whats left, and trying to make something edible from it. I used the yellow split peas to make a soup. with half a stock cube and one tinned tomato, I also added a few mixed herbs. I carefully inspected the bread for mould, but didn't find any so I used the three whole slices. My soup ran out before my bread, so I put a bit of jam on the last half slice. 

Dinner



kidney beans in sauce and rice with a cup of tea



Kidney bean curry

Rice
cup of tea

1/2 can kidney beans = 10p.

1/4 curry sauce = 7p.

Some tomato = 8p. estimate

Rice = 6p.

Total = 31p.

Tea =5p.

Total= 5p.

Total= 5p.

Daily total = 62p.

I had no fresh vegetables to use today so I tried to use tinned tomatoes wherever possible and just tried to use up all the little bits that were left in the fridge. Today my energy levels have been high, I have walked to town and been for an evening walk in the park.

I have completed a week and this is what I have left to take into a new week

+ 9P.

http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/donate/donate_b.asp?charityid=7146 

There are more details on the subject, if anyone is interested at
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects

Day 6

Sunday

Eric brought me my usual cup of tea in bed

Breakfast

Porridge made with water

Tea

I was very hungry this morning, and ate my porridge as soon as it was made,

Porridge Oats = 8p.

Total = 8p.

Lunch

tomato soup bread and tea

The rest of the tomato Soup

3 slices of bread

Cup of tea

Soup = 17p.

3 slices of bread = 6p.

cup of tea

 I had to throw a slice of bread away as it had started to go green, I have put the remaining slices in the fridge and hopefully they will last till tomorrow.

Total = 23p.

Dinner



beanburger tomato rice and tea

Bean Burger

Tomato Rice

Tea

1/2 tin kidney beans = 11p.

1/2 carrot = 5p.

1/2 stock cube = 2p.

herbs and spices  = 4p. estimate

1/2 slice bread = 1p.

Rice = 6p.

Tomatoes = 7p.

1/2 stock cube = 2p.

Total 28p

Tea = 5p.

Total 5p.

Total = 64p.

Today I have finished off the last of my fresh vegetables, but still have about 3/4 of a tin of tomatoes, which are supposed to be a good source of vitaminC. I am no expert, but I think I have done quite well on my calorie intake as well.

http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/donate/donate_b.asp?charityid=7146 

There are more details on the subject, if anyone is interested at
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects

Day 5

Comfort Food

The usual cup of tea in the morning, (Eric is hurt that I don't mention the fact that he makes the cup of tea) so the tea is made by ERIC, and a very nice cup of tea it is too!

Breakfast



A bowl of porridge made with water

Tea

Porridge oats = 8p.

Total = 8p.

Lunch



Tomato soup
3 slices of bread
Tea

Tomatoes = 16p.

Onions and mixed herbs = 3p. estimate

Tomato puree = 9p.

1/2 stock cube = 2p.
Carrot = 5

total = 35p for 2 meals

3 slices bread = 6p

So 1 portion soup 18p

bread= 6p.

Total 24p.

 Since I was feeling tired between lunch and dinner time I increased my bread ration to three slices and I have not felt tired or hungry between meals. 

Dinner 



Yellow split pea dhal

Rice

Tea

Yellow split peas = 6p

Curry, cumin and chilli powder =4p. estimate
1/2 stock cube = 2p

Rice = 6p.

Total = 18p.

Tea and milk = 5p.

Total 5p.

Total expenditure = 55

Since I only have a little bit of onion and 1/2 a carrot left, I decided to keep them for tomorrow. Without any accompaniments the dhal would have been pretty bland, so I added a tablespoon  of curry sauce to add a bit of piquancy. I decided to do without my evening cup of tea, to conserve milk as it is starting to run low and I still have two more days to go. I also noticed that I am falling asleep while watching television and am going to bed a lot earlier because I feel very tired.
http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/donate/donate_b.asp?charityid=7146 

There are more details on the subject, if anyone is interested at
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects

Day 4

Not Currying Flavour

I had my usual cup of tea this morning when I woke up

Breakfast

porridge and a cup of tea



Porridge with water

Cup of tea

I am getting quite used to the porridge now, I am hungry by breakfast time so I eat it and don't shun it anymore

porridge oats 8p.

total 8p.

Lunch

celery soup, bread and tea



Celery soup

3 slices of bread

Cup of tea

I managed to buy a stick of celery from the greengrocers down the road, and turned it into a soup. I am not a lover of celery but I was surprised at what a lovely soup it makes. The three slices of bread that went with it filled me up 

Celery = 17p

Onion = 3p. (estimate)

1/2 stock cube = 2

3 slice of bread = 6p.

total= 28

Dinner

curry, rice and cup of tea

Vegetable curry

Rice

Cup of tea

I used about a quarter of the jar of curry sauce to make a curry, or whatever you would call it. I used a courgette, what was left of the pepper, and some of my fast dwindling onion to make a vegetable curry. My vegetable stocks are now down to one one carrot and about a small handful of chopped onion, and I have three days to eke these rations out.

Courgette=31p.

Pepper 14p.

Curry sauce = 7p.

1/2 stock cube = 2p.

Rice = 4p.

Total = 58

Tea and milk = 5p.

Total = 5

Total expenditure = 99p.

I thought I would aim for as healthy a diet as I could afford, and I think I have reached the 5 a day target, though whether there was enough of each vegetable to constitute a portion is doubtful, but I did get 5 different varieties of vegetables into my diet. 1/2 a carrot and a couple of handfuls of diced onion is all that is left of my vegetables. Today I didn't have too many pangs of hunger between meals, and it was quite late before I wanted my dinner, I actually ate it after 8 o'clock , so perhaps my body is getting used to this way of life.

http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/donate/donate_b.asp?charityid=7146 

There are more details on the subject, if anyone is interested at
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects

Day 3

Island In The Sun

Breakfast

porridge and tea

2 ozs. porridge made with water

cup of tea
Porridge oats = 8p

Today I discovered a new strategy for eating my porridge. I found that taking a sip of tea between every few mouthfuls helped it to go down better. Whether it was hunger or strategy I don't know, but I shall continue with this method of eating my breakfast.

Lunch

jam sandwich banana and a cup of tea

Jam sandwich

banana

cup of tea

Bread = 4p

Jam = 1p

Banana = 11p.

Total = 16

Since I was on my last banana, today marked the last day of jam butties and bananas. The banana was over-ripe and half of it was mushy, however I like my bananas very ripe, though perhaps not as ripe as that. 

Dinner

Peas n' Rice

curry sauce

cup of tea

Since I still had half a tin of kidney beans to use up I decided to have them for dinner. I also had an opened jar of curry sauce that I had used to flavour my first nights meal I thought I might try a curry. After I had tasted it I would have to say that if it hadn't to have said curry on the jar I wouldn't have associated it with a curry. However, the sauce itself was quite tasty, with a fruity flavour that reminded me of Carribean cuisine, so (apologies to Levi Roots and the people of Jamaica) I decided to make a poor man's peas n' rice to go with the curry sauce, and added chlli powder to the curry sauce to give it hotness. I can reccomend this combination to anyone looking for a tasty cheap meal with a difference.

Nutritionally, I think it is similar to yesterday, but my vegetables are fast dwindling, so I saved them for another day and only had 2 of my 5 a day.

Since the tins of beans cost 21p. and I costed them at 11p. yesterday, I shall be costing them at 10p. today

Beans = 10p
Rice = 6p.
curry sauce = 7p.
onion and chilli = 3p. - estimate
1/2 stockcube = 2p
herbs = 3p - estimate

Total = 31p.

Tea and milk =5
Total = 5p.
total expenditure today = 60p.

http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/donate/donate_b.asp?charityid=7146 

There are more details on the subject, if anyone is interested at
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects

Day 2

Just Another Day

I woke up to my usual cup of tea this morning, and was quite surprised to find that it tasted good, so I have either got used to the taste of UHT milk, or my taste buds have deteriorated overnight.

Breakfast

porridge and tea

50g. porridge, made with water

A cup of tea

I doubled the amount of oats in my porridge this morning and decided to dispense with the jam and just eat the porridge plain, and since I was hungry, it went down pretty quick and it wasn't too bad.

Porridge = 8p

total =8p.

                                            Lunch



jam sandwich, banana and tea



Jam sandwich

Banana

Cup of tea

Bread = 4p.

jam = 1p.

banana = 11p.

total = 16p.

It is not the most exciting meal I have eaten, but the banana's seem to be going brown, so they will have to be eaten soon. The bread is pretty dry, Eric suggested putting the bread in the freezer, but I don't think it would have made any difference. Anyway I am trying to keep away from the freezer. I did think of putting the banana into the sandwich and have a 'strawberry jam and banana butty', but Eric said that was disgusting, and he should know, he eats a lot of disgusting things.

Dinner

chilli beans and rice and a cup of tea

 Chilli beans

Rice

Cup of Tea

Kidney beans = 11p.

Onion = 4p.

Tomato puree = 9p.

Green pepper = 14p.

Tomato = 8p.

Chilli and cumin = about 5p.

1/2 stock cube = 2p.

50 g. rice = 4p

total=57

Tea and milk = 5p.

total = 5

total expenditure 86p.

I seem to be getting the hang of this now, and am on a more sensible course of eating. Yesterday again I felt very tired by afternoon, but since I had been to the gym (here's where I get a snigger from Joshua) I am still not sure whether it was exercise or diet that made me feel tired. I was ready for my dinner a full two hours earlier than normal. Since the only thing missing from the chilli was mince, and while I'm not a vegetarian I'm not a card carrying carnivore either, it tasted fine. Although the meal was two hours earlier than normal, I was perfectly full for the rest of the evening and didn't suffer any hunger pangs at all. I also had an extra cup of tea because I accidently threw the cup of tea from my dinner away, since it didn't seem to make any difference to the daily costing of the tea, from now on I shall be having a fifth cup of tea.

Nutritionally, I do not think my calorific count is particularly low for a female, and roughly speaking for my age I don't think I have done too badly on the protien front either. I have managed at least three of my 5 a day, and apart from the jam sandwich most of the food seems healthy and low fat.

http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/donate/donate_b.asp?charityid=7146 

There are more details on the subject, if anyone is interested at
http://www.trusselltrust.org/foodbank-projects