So, I was thinking...

I don't do it very often (think, that is) but when I do, it's usually something worthwhile thinking about.
I was thinking about a friend who has their grocery bill for 5 down to $100 a fortnight. It made me think "why can't I feed three of us on that? It just doesn't make sense." Then I looked at last night's meal. Three people ate it last night. Pat took lunch to work, which he'll probably bring half home because there was so much in the container. I've had some for lunch. And guess what? There's still a whole container of it left!

That's my problem. I'm convinced. I make meals that can feed at least 6, pretty much every day. So, is this a good thing, or a bad thing? I guess in a way it's good, because we have a continuous stock pile of leftovers in the freezer ready for nights Mummy just can't be bothered cooking.
It's also in a way bad. Why? Let me tell you the contents of my freezer atm (just meals) 3 serves Lasagne, 2 butter chicken and rice, 2 honey mustard chicken and rice, three lots of pesto ready to be added to pasta and a loaf of pumpkin bread. WHO NEEDS THAT MUCH FOOD?!?! I could almost start up some sort of lean cuisine franchise solely based on what's in my freezer.
If I don't buy anything next week, and just eat the leftovers in the freezer (And there will be more coming from the meals planned this week as well) does that mean I've actually fed my family on $70 for a fortnight? There's an extra $20 there because I went to the fruit shop and raided the seconds trolley - Tip from afformentioned friend with the $100 fortnight family.

I honestly didn't think when I started this that I'd have so much to think about. And it's only been a week! Already I've confronted how much wasteage I usually have when I cook food - Although I didn't record it for you guys. The three pesto's ready to go in the freezer? Usually, I'll make the one that I need, forget about the rest of the bunch and throw it out in a couple of days when it goes a bit manky. This time, I prepped it when I bought it. Same goes with Necterines. I got 2kg for $4.50 off the seconds stand. Some were bruised etc and usually, I'd just throw the whole thing out. This time, I chopped the bruised part off and pureed or cliced the rest up and froze it for adding to yogurt, smoothies and ice blocks.

It is really empowering to realise that I am literally throwing money away when I do that. It's shocking to see how much I was actually wasting. It's scary to think if I hadn't set myself this target, I'd still be doing those things, because it's easier.

In completey different (but sort of related) news, I'm utterly convinced my life would be easier if I had a dishwasher. I was constantly washing up yesterday, because I was running out of places to prep things! If I had a dishwasher, I could load it during the day instead of stacking on the sink, turn it on at night before bed and then pack it all away while waiting for the kettle to boil of a morning. Ahhhh, the luxury. A girl can dream, huh?