Sticking to budget, working with weekly menus

This year I'm being even stricter with our food budget, trying to eat thriftily, within in season and without food waste. It's not that hard but it does require some forward thinking and a little organisation. Currently I'm working my way through a large box of homegrown potatoes gifted from my Dad. These need eating as the unseasonably warm December means they are beginning to sprout.

So far, they've been made into the pasties from the last post, a kind of Bombay potato curry with sausages a few nights ago, fried potatoes with a Sunday breakfast and leftover steamed potatoes have been mashed with butter and will be warmed in the oven to have with a homemade chicken pie. The chicken pie that will accompany them has been made with the leftover chicken from making a large batch of chicken stock, the meat extended with mushrooms, pancetta, onion and celery and a simple sauce from the stock with a little tarragon. Some of the stock will then be used to make hearty soup using this recipe for a winter minestrone from Rachel Roddy. I have a number of homegrown pumpkins in store and cavolo nero is at it's best at the moment. Mid week, an easy egg curry with some brown rice will be on the menu then some pasta and tomatoes another night. Lunch will be leftovers and maybe an interesting looking salad from Jamie Oliver using raw sprouts. It feels good to be frugal.