I thought I might go shopping tonight, but look at the time. I can't be bothered, besides I have plenty of food left here, I can last a few more days. Someone asked if I could post about my cupboards, now who was it? Frugalthingymabobwotsit, blimey what a long winded name. She wants to be nosey and see what I have in my store. Well here you are then. I did this once before but it was such a long time ago, the post has probably dropped down into the bowels of the blog, ha ha.
I have oil, lemon juice, mustard, packets of spicey flavourings for stews, vinegar, tomato sauce, cuppa soups, stock cubes. This is all I need to add flavour to my food. There's a big bag of turmeric at the back which I use a lot of. I stocked up on the lemon juice while it was cheap.
Various tins. Fruit, beans, tomatoes, rice pudding, spaghetti, sweetcorn, peas, and a jar of lemon curd. These basics do me fine. I might get some different beans next time I am in town, and I need some chick peas, will look in the Asian shop for them as that's where they are cheapest, although I have seen some in Home Bargains for 33p.
Sultanas, pasta, rice, cous cous, curry powder. I usually have some nuts and seeds in here, but I have run them down at the moment. Might get some more but they are very expensive now.
Cereals, five boxes of bran flakes, wheat biscuits, porridge. Someone gave me the instant cook in the microwave porridge, I am not too keen, prefer the proper stuff. Tesco Value has just gone up from 75p to 85p. Other supermarkets have put their up the same. Still a good buy though. Bran Flakes are 88p, no need to buy Kellogs.
Sixteen tins of evap milk, peanut butter, coffee, cocoa, fruit juices. I won't be buying that cocoa again, it's not very nice. Two tins of cider. I don't keep cider in all the time, I got a couple of packs for Christmas. I wait till I run out then buy another fourpack. Cider is a treat.
What's in the door of the fridge. Cream cheese, marmite, honey, garlic, peanut butter, lemon curd, fruit juice to dilute, lemon juice, and yogurt. The rest of the fridge is almost empty.
I don't buy things that I might only use very occasionally. I don't like food hanging around for years, then getting chucked because I probably won't finish it. Just a few simple spices is fine by me, I am into simple cooking which requires basic ingredients, nothing too fancy for me.
Today, breakfast was bran flakes. Lunch was a tub of home made curry with tagliatelle. Dinner was grilled salmon, steamed new potatoes, onion, runner beans, and sweetcorn, drizzled with toasted sesame seed oil. In between meals I ate some grapes and a banana, oh, and I pinched a bit if cheese. And by the way, I didn't tidy the cupboards just for the photographs, they are always like this. I like to see what I've got without scrambling through a lot of clutter.
Toodle pip.
The first thing that struck me was how neat it looks. I buy too much and forget what I have and my cupboards look rather a jumble. I have decided to use it all up buying only fresh/frozen veg.
ReplyDeleteI am very impressed and envious of the orginazation and neatness of it all. Good job you!
ReplyDeleteThanks ilona - for some strange reason it really interests me. If only my cupboards were as organized.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, my name (isn't it long) is Frugal at Christmastime Frugal Always
Please can you come and tidy my food cupboards. You put me to shame, I do tidy them but it's not long before everything is in a jumble again.
ReplyDeleteFunny how we do things different across the pond. In the US we keep the peanut butter in the cupboard and the mustard in the fridge.
ReplyDeleteHi Lady H. I have unopened jars in the cupboard, once opened I put them in the fridge, whatever they are.
DeleteYou are much more organised than me. You do have a load of the same things as me though i.e. tesco evap and mushy peas, branston beans etc. The 1 kg bags of oats are still 75p at Morrisons or they were yesterday coz I bought some. I usually add a tin of mushy peas to homemade veg soup to thicken it and to add protien.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to seeing your latest art work, how is it coming along?
Hi Eileen. I only have the Branston beans because they were on offer and cheaper than Value. I don't mind which make they are. Good idea about mushy peas in soup, will do that next time. The artwork is coming along bit by bit. Have applied the blood, but the drips don't look very realistic, will have to play with it. Maybe find some pictures to get a better idea.
Deletevery nice and neat - I dont like the instant porridge either - disgusting and full of chemicals we dont need.
ReplyDeleteNo need to keep the peanut butter in the fridge though as Ladyhawthorne states. I dont go out until I absolutely have to - good luck at Tescos when you do go.
You are way too fun Ilona! You make a simple examination of your pantry an enjoyable trip! From an ignorant American, what is a sultana?
ReplyDeleteHi Josephine. It's a dried grape, a bit like a raisin. I prefer them, not so bitty and a bit more juicy when you chew them.
DeleteVery neat and organised cupboards but it really is the only way to make sure things get used and not wasted! I organised my cupboards last night but I wanted to make room for some stockpiling. Trying something new this year to see if we get better value for our money. Only time will tell :)
ReplyDeleteJudy xx
Lovely neat cupboards and it seems you have a good stock of all the basics. As long as you have some fresh stuff left you could go for quite a while on this.
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of supply of pet food do you keep in, knowing that you could have cats to stay at a moments notice?
We are currently eating our way through the stores and have yet to need to shop after Christmas, I wonder how long I can actually go before I have to venture out for supplies, we'll see!!
Sue xx
Hi Sue. I don't take any cats in here during the winter months, as the room I have is too cold. They stay in the heated pens elsewhere. The rescue pays for their food, some of it is donated.
DeleteI like to keep in about four weeks supply of food for my own cats, that gives me time to look for the next special offer. I don't let it get that low that I have to buy in a panic.
Goodness me, Ilona, your tidy,tidy cupboards put me to shame!!! Mine are a veritable tip next to yours. We also have a shelf full of jars in the fridge that need using. Now...will your good example be enough incentive to persuade me to actually DO anything about it,or will I just sit here,be lazy, tut at myself and do nothing?!? I don't know, to be honest, but for now I have got 5 cat litter trays to clean. Goody, goody!
ReplyDeleteHi Judes. Good idea to do a bit of stockpiling when things are very cheap. Don't fall into the trap of buying tons of the same thing which will take ten years to eat though.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Ilona from House fairy.
ReplyDeleteI see you have tidy cupboards, good house keeping.
Squash in the fridge. Perhaps I aught to put my lemon squash in my fridge? It would save cluttering up the counter.
I keep my bread and fresh vegetables in the fridge. No veg rack or bread bin here.
Hello HF. I don't like my worktops cluttered with food or gadgets, I like space to work on. I only have coffee and sugar next to the kettle, and in the corner are three wicker baskets for the fruit and veg which I haven't got room for in the fridge.
DeleteVery impressed with your tidy cupboards! Its funny how different people store foods differently. I always keep my opened Marmite in the cupboard, but would keep everything else (jam, marmalade, mustard etc) in the fridge.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that i do like the instant porridge-its not quite as good as regular porridge, but its very much quicker to prepare when i am on my way to work. And it is fortified with calcium and vitamins. On my days off i have regular porridge (value of course!)
Thanks for the interesting peek into your cupboards Ilona.
Ruth x
Oh Ilona, I love you more, your cupboards are clean and tidy just like mine.
ReplyDeleteI had thought at first that you tidied them for the photos, but then you said not.
I've never kept my honey in the fridge, so maybe I can try that.
Nice, tidy cupboards! Recently I had to buy a new fridge (old one died) and so had to clean out the old one before they carted it away. When I did that, I realized how many jars and bottles were in there! Never again. I like the way you have all your cupboards neatly stacked and know what's in there. And, after I open the peanut butter, I too keep it in the fridge because I buy the one you have to mix the oil into and if you don't keep it cold, it comes back up to the top again and you have to keep mixing it in every time you use it. Do you use alot of sultanas? Do you put them on cereal or porridge? Just being nosey. They are quite expensive here in the US.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I didn't think you could be more inspiring but here you are again! Loved all the pics of your cupboards and also your frozen stuff recently. It all goes hand in hand with your terrific posting on 1st Jan about your eating.
ReplyDeleteWendy (Wales)
Wholemeal pasta is 50p in asda at the moment. I don't know how much longer it will be that price for though, I just looked online and it's still 50p at the moment. :)
ReplyDelete(Sorry if this is a useless comment, just it usually seems to be about £1, so thought you might want to know!)
Love the tidy cupboards Ilona. I only keep things that I use all the time - no random tins, spices for me either.
ReplyDeleteLove your clean and tidy cupboards, Ilona. I must give mine a good sort through. Unfortunately I have 6 adults to cook for as mine are stuffed full, plus I have stocks in my bedroom because I buy lots in bulk. I recognise a few things that I also buy like the Tesco value mandarin oranges, the lemon curd, and the cocoa - whcih I don't think is too bad, but then I use it for baking, not for drinking.
ReplyDeleteI was intrigued by the 16 tins of evaporated milk. Do you dilute this with water and use instead of fresh milk?
ReplyDeleteYes Anon, I do, 50/50. I use it mainly on cereals, sometimes undiluted on fruit. I don't put it in my coffee because I use Coffee Mate (powdered) for that.
ReplyDeleteI bought lots and lots of tins when they were selling it off at 30p each. At the time I was trying to find an alternative to the Soya milk which I usually get from the chiller cabinet. The price started rising and I wasn't prepared to pay that. I have since found some Value Soya in the aisle which is not too expensive, so when this evap has gone I will probably change to that.
How clean your cupboards are. You buy a lot of the things I do. I use the value cocoa for cake making only, I wonder if you drink it and that's why you say you won't be buying it again?
ReplyDeleteHi notjust, I bought the cocoa because I thought it would be nice to have a bed time drink now and then. It's just about palatable when I mix a bit of sugar with it and some Coffee Mate. It would be fine to use it for baking, but I don't bake.
DeleteHi Ilona,
ReplyDeleteI was also intruiged about all the cans of evaporated milk.I've now seen your reply to another poster about how you use it.Personally I use powdered milk,as I can make up the quantity I need,meaning it never goes off.I do drink drink a lot of tea with milk.
Your cupboards are very well organised and not overfull-I'm impressed.
Thanks,Brenda.