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Being oragnised in the kitchen and meal planning will save you money- there has been a great thread started in the organising section about what other mums do to meal plan and save money, check it out here there are some fantastic ideas so many are sharing which is great.
After I had finished our food shopping on Saturday and I was cutting up and decantering everything I was thinking about how being organised in the kitchen is also a great money saver. Just as an example when I went to the shops I was looking at the price of cheese, now that Woolworths have priced everything at a per 100g price as well as the full price it is great to be able to see where you can make some savings : ) For example pre packaged cheese sticks- there are 8 in a packet work out to cost a whopping $27 per kilo, whereas a 1 kilo block of cheese (Kraft) was $9.95 a third of the price. So with a little bit more effort when you get home you will have cheese sticks that you made yourself !! So there is just one example of how using containers and being a little bit more organised in the kitchen/food area will save you money : )
And yes I seriously cut up almost everything : )
Nursery Organisation and more photos to come later today !!
I did this on the weekend Jade after reading a previous blog post! I must say I am more inclined to eat a salad when it’s all there chopped and waiting for me!
Another tip is to grate cheese yourself. It’s not only cheaper but better for you. Grated cheese in packets contains an anti-caking agent which has been linked to brain tumors and alzheimers! Scary stuff. It has also been outlawed in many other countries!
Thanks for the great tips Jade! I am off to Kikki- K today to buy a menu planning book
Oh wow Jen I did not know that about the grated cheese !!! I am definitely going to start grating my own now : )
I am the same with salad. I have salad crackers for lunch and only because it was pre cut otherwise I wouldn’t haver time in the mornings !!
Wow-that’s amazing. Question: Have you taken out your veg/fruit drawers to accommodate your tupperware?
Love your posts…
Hello
I have just found your blog and love it, you are indeed super organized! I hope to learn some tips so I can get my 2 yo and newborn organized too. Great cutting in your fridge. Is that a F & P fridge? I had a similar one with a crack in the plastic shelf and replaced them all with glass shelves. Dee
Hi Joanne- yes I took out my drawers so I could use all of the available space.
Dee- Yes it has cracked, so disappointing : ( We actually replaced it on Sunday funnily enough with a white wire shelf as once I saw the photo I realized how cracked it was !!!
I’m loving the new unit pricing as well. It saves me so much money each week. We go through a fair bit of salami and ham here and I had been buying the packed stuff in the fridge section.
That was until I saw that salami is the equivalent of $35kg prepacked, yet only $23kg at the deli counter!
Hi Jade,
I have followed your progress from EB to here!! Well done. Since EB I have been using your tips of pre cutting the veges and store them in the TW DIp server. I bought one for this purpose. I also think it is great to use them for stir fries, tacos, salads etc etc. Love your posts. Keep it up.
Hi Jade,
This looks great. Will definatly have to try it on my next shop – I know if all of the vegetables are cut up I probably would eat more salad!!
How did Flynn’s daycare girls like his gifts yesterday?
One thing to be aware of with cutting up veges, even if you’re keeping them refrigerated, they don’t tend to keep as well as they do when they’re whole. I know, because I do this with my lunch food and from experience, the food lasts longer if it’s uncut. I find it’s a 6 of one, half dozen of the other situation, you can have the convenience of pre-prepared food, or have fresher food, but not both. So, most of the time I tend to just cut up what I need on the day and leave the food in as large a chunks as possible.
Thanks Carol and Tara, I love that Dip thing we use it all the time : ) It is the only was we end up with salad on our plates LOL. The girls liked the treats. When I went to my OB appointment today I thought I should probably make something for them next time : )
Greg- this process most definitely shortens the shelf life of the product without a doubt. But you will still get longer from the fruit and vegies in containers cut up in the fridge than if you just put them in a vegie drawer : ) I don’t have time to cut up on a daily basis which is why this system works for me : )
I think it’s sort of the lesser evil. I waste a lot of food when it’s not eaten. If it’s cut up I eat all of it.
This is a brilliant idea! I’ve just started doing this, but maybe only 2 or 3 days worth at a time (we go through a lot of fresh fruit and veg with 2 adults and 3 growing girls). I’ve found dinner prep. has gone so much more smoothly and quickly the last few days
Thanks Jade.
Hi Jade, I too menu plan and love it – makes shopping so much quicker, we waste less food and tend to eat healthier. I plan weekly and try and include one meal that I make double of as well as trying to think of like ingredients to avoid wastage. I have a little planner that I bought from Etsy which has a column on one side for your week’s meals and a list on the right for your groceries and it’s perforated down the middle. I love it
Thats a great idea Amanda I love love love etsy : )