A game called Needs Must!

So times are hard, most of us know that and with my current job situation (or lack of one) our family too is feeling the pinch.
At times like this I go back to meal planning. I sit down and work out what we will eat for the next week, rather than wandering aimlessly round the supermarket, filling my trolley with random items. Breakfasts, lunches, dinners, desserts, snacks and treats all have to be catered for and sometimes it takes a while to sort it all out. I like to give the family variety and I'm determined that the children will be less fussy. In all fairness they're really not that bad, but I want them to be more adventurous and more open to eating what is put in front of them without the need to dissect and identify every single ingredient! I was finding, even though I was meal planning, at the end of the week there would still be the odd few things rattling around in the fridge, not always but sometimes going to waste. So the other week Mr P gave me a challenge. He suggested that when I meal plan, I only account for six out of the seven days, and on that last day (usually a Thursday as I shop on a Friday) I make a dinner using only what is left over from last weeks shop, be it in the fridge, freezer or cupboard.
Now, I have to say whenever in the past I've complained about the cupboards being empty Mr P always says "my empty or your empty" because you see, they are two entirely different things. He always says he could live for a month off of what I call empty cupboards! Hmmm.....I'm not so sure, but I was up for his challenge.

I like the idea of making things a game or a challenge, call it what you will, but I get that from my Mum. She always said there was a certain excitement about having to stick to a budget and seeing what you could get for your money ( she was remember used to rationing ) or setting yourself a task, ironing, cleaning a room whatever needs doing, and seeing how quickly you can get it done. Silly? Maybe, but if it makes things just that little more interesting, why not?

So week one of the challenge saw us having a yummy vegetable curry made from all the left over veggies in the fridge (carrots, potatoes, an onion, a bit of broccoli) some tinned tomatoes and a jar of sauce I had in the back of the cupboard  along with some chick peas and butter beans. I also had some naan breads which was lucky as there was barely any rice left. It turned out really nice and the children all ate it, despite asking several times if there was any meat in it. So week one went well.

This week I hadn't given much thought to our 'needs must' dinner, kind of defeats the object for one thing and yesterday I made a batch of soup from all the left over veg, while I was making the casserole for last nights dinner. So it won't be vegetable curry again.
The children were asking this morning and seemed very concerned that I had no clue as to what I would cook, which just makes me smile, they're so used to my planning.

But tonight I'm thinking L & R will have something along the lines of bacon, beans and potato wedges and M will have the same as Mr P and I, Bacon, tomato and green pesto pasta with garlic bread.
Tomorrow I will shop and refill the almost empty fridge (at the moment housing sauces, bacon, butter and not much else) and the unloved looking shelves, with supplies to last us the week.

It does mean being more organised and it does mean that we can't just go to the fridge or cupboards and help ourselves to whatever, whenever but that's the way it is right now. We're an awful lot better off than many other families are right now and we all have three decent meals a day. I don't think teaching children to be 'careful' with food or money is a bad thing. On another positive note we're wasting an awful lot less than we used to, and wasting food means wasting money, not something we can afford to do right now.

So there we are, Mr P's 'Needs Must' challenge! Feel free to join in and if you do be sure to share your Needs Must recipes :o)