First off: Many thanks for the lovely birthday wishes. It was a wonderful week and I was so thankful for the kind regards.
Today is a bit of an update of a post I wrote this time last year about my desire to spend much less on groceries and to stop wasting so much food.
It seems I am not alone.
Jamie Oliver, he of the thrusting tongue and cheeky demeanor, has a show playing on Food Network Canada right now called Save with Jamie, the companion to his cookbook.
I realize this is not a new cookbook, but the show only recently started airing here and I can tell you, I am learning so much!
I fancy myself a good cook. I fancy myself someone who tries to clean out the pantry, But still, I miss things and end up tossing the odd thing, which is very frustrating and very wasteful.
Prior to a year ago, we were tossing way too much spoiled food and I vowed to change our ways.
I can tell you that it made a difference. In 2014, our budget for food and dining out came in $6,000 lower than the year before. I plan to reduce it even more in 2015. It takes a little more work and a little more planning, but it makes me feel good to see us doing our bit.
Now I am no Janet, mostly because in our neck of the woods we do not have access to some of the higher end cheap places that exist in the states, but I keep working at it and I certainly aspire to be more Janet-like in the food expense area! There are typically 4 to 5 adults eating here every day, but I am positive it can be reduced further.
What I like about Jamie is his intense desire to teach people how to eat healthy, how to cook tasty food and how to waste less. Given the state of our landfills and the fact that millions of people the world over do not have access to adequate, healthy food (I can hear my mother's voice in my head here), we owe everyone to try and do better, don't we?
Tonight's recipe, to use up the rest of yesterday's roast chicken and catch the ginger and onions before they go bad, is a home-style chicken curry. This is a well-loved recipe at our place.
I highly recommend it and you can find the recipe here.
I wonder how much lower I can get my food bills given our current family composition. Will keep you posted! Do any of you have good tips that would help?
One thing I have noticed that makes a difference is to buy veggies and milk as required. Much less wastage. But I really look forward to your secrets!
xoxo wendy
