Empty the Storecupboard Challenge: Week 1
If you missed it last week, I’ve just started doing an ‘Empty the Store Cupboard’ challenge. The idea is to use up some older store cupboard staple foods before they go past their best.
I’ve challenged myself to do three things, and you’re welcome to join in with me by doing the same:
- Make a list of my older food stocks
- Move the older food to the front of the shelves
- Use it up – in at least three main meals each week
Most of my store cupboard items don’t seem to go all that well with one another, so it might be a bit of a challenge using them up without adding too many other ingredients. I’m trying to keep the whole thing to a sensible budget.
The other thing I’m trying to do is to have tasty, varied meals over the course of the week. Will take a few photos here and there and put them on Twitter and Facebook in case you’re interested. The hashtag is #EmptyTheSC, so look out for that if you’re joining in or following along.
This week’s three meals
- Kashmiri curry with prawns and chard, and wholegrain basmati rice. This used up 1/3 jar of Kashmiri curry paste, 1/3 box of coconut milk powder and 100g of rice from the store cupboard. I added some defrosted economy frozen prawns, an onion, and coriander and home grown chard. I think the curry paste will keep for a while in the fridge, so we’ll have some more of that next week.
- Sausage casserole with butter beans and paprika sauce from the store cupboard. Will add veggie sausages, an onion, and kale from the garden. If there’s time, I might make up some chocolate pudding from the store cupboard too.
- Mini veggie roast with chicken-style bake, stuffing and bread sauce from the cupboard. Will add gravy, garden vegetables and roast potatoes. Leftover bake can also go into some flour tortillas with salad and jalapeno sauce for Monday night dinner next week.
The curry (pictured above) was really delicious. I slightly regret not starting to use it up sooner.
Are you thinking about using up some of the older foods in your store cupboard? Please tell me about any strange ingredients that you find, or tasty meals you’re going to cook.
I’m always trying to do this, but as I love to keep lots of different things in store so that I can use whatever fresh, basic ingredients I have to create something different every time, I can easily lose track of what’s in the cupboards. I couldn’t read the “best before” date on the black beans I decided to use yesterday, it had rubbed off the pack. But I soaked them for 24 hours and boiled them for 3 hours and they were still tiny, inedible bullets. I think they may have been a mite too old….
Hi Jane! I know you’re a thrifty cook in general, and have to agree about how easy it is to lose track. We’ve all had a ‘crunchy beans’ moment at some point, I suspect.
Will you be joining in with the challenge? I’d love to see what’s lurking at the back of that cupboard, and how you decide to use it up.