Cook once, eat twice

This month's challenge to duplicate meals and store the extras in the freezer hasn't been a rip roaring sucess, I have to admit.  I have some leek and potato soup stashed away, but that is about as far as I got on that front.

Where I have improved, and it is a step towards the challenge, is that I have improved at cooking something today, and adapting the leftovers (or planned-overs) for tomorrow.  For example, tonight I fed the family on meatballs, pasta sauce (tinned tomatoes with some gravy granules - they all love it!) and spaghetti.  I can't eat that, so I took some yellow-stickered chicken thighs out of the freezer and found some veg lurking in the fridge, and a 29p of Value Sweet and Sour sauce - which I like as it is quite gingery and not too sweet.  With the addition of some rice, this has become a small portion of chicken and veg risotto for me tonight, with a big pan of sweet and sour chicken and veg for everyone to share tomorrow.  All I have to do tomorrow evening is cook some plain rice to accompany it.

I have two vouchers in hand, and I intend to use them both, probably on Saturday, but it is going to mean some careful planning and stocktaking before I spend!  I have my £5 Helping Hand voucher from Tesco which requires me to choose items to the value of £40 and then get £5 off at the till.  I also printed off the Lidl one for £5 when I choose £35 of items there.  So I have to think about what to buy in which shop, and do a plan!

This month's savings are looking surprisingly healthy but I will wait till the end of the month to talk about that properly - I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, so to speak....