It's half term week for us this week. On Monday my husband is taking our 3 older girls to see the new Star Wars movie and I'll be taking our 3yo son to the park for some play time. Tuesday there's a forest trip for our 11yo, Wednesday is messy playgroup morning for 3yo, and Friday there's an event on at our local museum which will suit all ages. Planning half term activities for everyone, that are low cost and suit vastly different ages, is a real challenge.
We've got some delicious lettuces and salad greens ready to pick from our back garden, as well as fresh herbs so we'll definitely be using some of them this week. I've harvested more rhubarb and baked it so that will be used for breakfasts.
We've got some delicious lettuces and salad greens ready to pick from our back garden, as well as fresh herbs so we'll definitely be using some of them this week. I've harvested more rhubarb and baked it so that will be used for breakfasts.
Breakfasts will be fairly relaxed most days. Granola with yoghurt and fruit or wholemeal toast and spread with a piece of fruit for afters. There will of course be pancakes or waffles over the weekend.
Lunches
I've deliberately made lunches really filling and substantial to cut down on snacking. All of the lunches are suitable for eating at home or putting in a packed lunch for my husband to take to work or for us to take on an outing.
Traffic Light Rice and Beans
2 Tblsp vegetable oil
4 spring onions, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ cups long grain rice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
3 cups/750ml water, ideally from a freshly boiled kettle
400ml coconut milk
Several stalks of fresh thyme
1 pepper, any colour will do
2 carrots, peeled, grated
400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
200g frozen peas, defrosted
Tuna Fritters3 cups/750ml water, ideally from a freshly boiled kettle
400ml coconut milk
Several stalks of fresh thyme
1 pepper, any colour will do
2 carrots, peeled, grated
400g can borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
200g frozen peas, defrosted
Heat a saucepan over medium/high heat. Add your oil and saute the spring onion and garlic for a minute, stirring constantly. Add the rice and spices, and stir well to make sure the rice is coated in the oil. Cook for a couple of minutes until the spices are fragrant.
Carefully tip in the coconut milk and water, stir until combined before adding the sprigs of thyme. Reduce the heat under the saucepan to low and cover with a tight fitting lid. Leave the rice alone, covered and cooking for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes remove the lid, quickly stir through the prepared vegetables and beans. Cover and turn the heat off under the saucepan. Leave for 5 - 10 minutes for the vegetables and beans to warm through. Find and discard the thyme stalks before serving.
Bacon and Egg Pasta Salad
500g pasta
¼ cup mayonnaise
200g cooked bacon, finely diced
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic
1 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 cup frozen sweetcorn, defrosted
4 hard boiled free range eggs
Cook the pasta according to packet instructions and drain well. Mix through the mayo, cooked bacon, spring onions and peas until thoroughly combined. Slice the hard boiled eggs and top each serving with the sliced egg.
2 free range eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
400g tuna in water, well drained
150g frozen sweetcorn or peas, defrosted
1 courgette, grated and moisture squeezed out
1 carrot, grated
1 pepper, finely diced
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 Tblsp chopped fresh herbs, I usually use parsley or chives
Put the eggs and milk into a large bowl. Whisk until combined, then gently mix in the other ingredients until a batter forms. Put a frying pan over a moderate heat and grease with a little butter or oil. Pour ¼ cup portions of mixture into the frying pan and cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the batter. Flip the fritters over then cook on the other side for a few minutes. This mixture usually makes around 15 fritters depending on size.
Egg Salad Sandwiches
5 hard boiled free range eggs
3 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
1 tor 2 Tblsp lemon juice
150g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted
1 tsp fresh chives, finely chopped
Using a fork, mash the egg and mayonnaise together until you get the texture you would like. We have ours slightly chunky but you can mash it until smoother if you prefer. Add lemon juice to taste then stir through the chives and sweetcorn. I like to add some freshly ground black pepper too.
Rice and Bean Bites
200g cooked white rice
400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
2 carrots, grated
3 Tblsp tomato salsa
½ cup grated cheese
1 free range egg
1 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs
Preheat your oven to 200C and line a baking tray with non stick baking paper. Put all the ingredients except for the breadcrumbs into a food processor. Blend until combined. Alternatively put all the ingredients into a bowl and blend with a stick blender until smooth.
Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixture in the breadcrumbs then put on to the prepared trays. Spray balls lightly with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes. Carefully take the trays out of the oven, turn the balls over and spray again with a little cooking spray. Put back in the oven and cook for another 10-15 minutes until the outside is golden. Serve with salsa or your dip of choice.
Bacon and Potato Salad
300g cooked bacon, diced
2 carrots, peeled and grated
250g frozen peas, defrosted
Dressing
5 Tblsp mayonnaise
1 - 2 tsp English mustard
1 Tblsp lemon juice (or more to taste)
Combine the potatoes, bacon, peas and grated carrot in a large bowl. Add the dressing and mix until evenly coated. Serve or refrigerate until required.
Couscous Salad
2 cups couscous
500ml/2 cups vegetable stock, made with freshly boiled water
2 carrots, grated
300g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 or 2 peppers, finely diced
250g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted
4 spring onions, finely sliced
Put the couscous into a large heatproof bowl, stir through the hot stock. Cover with clingfilm or a large plate and leave for 5 - 10 minutes. Uncover the couscous then stir through all the other ingredients. Serve sprinkled with fresh parsley to garnish.
Dinners
Homemade Pizzas
Slow cooker roast chicken with roast vegetable salad and greens
Chicken Noodle Bowls
Root Vegetable and Meatball Bake
Quick Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry with Onion Bhajis and Naan Breads
Meatball wraps with wilted spring greens
Homemade Fish and Chips
Shopping List
49 items: £74.08
Tins,
Jars and Cooking
1x ASDA Smartprice Bolognese
Sauce (440g) 42p
1x ASDA Smartprice Chopped
Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g) 29p
1x ASDA Mild Salsa Dip (300g) 79p
1x ASDA Smartprice Mayonnaise
(500g) 40p
1x ASDA Organic Mixed Beans
(400g) 70p
1x Merchant Gourmet Ready to
Eat Puy Lentils (250g) £2.00
1x KTC Coconut Milk (400ml) 50p
3x ASDA Tuna Chunks in Spring
Water (160g) £2.67
1x ASDA Borlotti Beans in Water
(400g) 55p
Frozen
1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness
Mixed Vegetables (1Kg) 85p
1x ASDA Smartprice Peas (1Kg) 76p
1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness
Sweetcorn (1Kg) 85p
1x ASDA Frozen for Freshness
Berry Medley (1Kg) £2.75
1x ASDA Beef Meatballs (640g) £2.50
1x ASDA White Fish Fillets
(540g) £2.50
Dairy and
Eggs
3x ASDA Semi Skimmed Milk 6
Pints (3.41L) £4.44
1x ASDA Best for Baking Cakes
Spread (500g) 85p
5x ASDA Smartprice Low Fat
Natural Yogurt (500g) £2.25
1x ASDA Free Range Mixed Weight
Eggs (15) £2.00
1x ASDA Mature Cheddar Cheese -
Light (750g) £3.65
Packets
and Cereals
1x Silver Spoon Granulated
Sugar (1Kg) 64p
1x ASDA Wholemeal Bread Flour
(1.5Kg) 69p
1x ASDA Smartprice Self Raising
Flour (1.5Kg) 45p
1x ASDA Smartprice Long Grain
Rice (1Kg) 45p
1x ASDA Egg Noodles Medium
(250g) 59p
1x ASDA Cous Cous (500g) 65p
1x Allinson Easy Bake Yeast
(100g) 98p
2x ASDA Scottish Porridge Oats
(1Kg) £1.78
Fruit and
Vegetables
1x ASDA Grower's Selection
British Spring Greens (500g) 68p
1x ASDA Grower's Selection Baby
Potatoes (1Kg) 80p
25 ASDA Grower's Selection
Bananas £2.70
25 ASDA Grower's Selection
Royal Gala Apples £5.28
1x ASDA Grower's Selection
Carrots (1Kg) 50p
1 ASDA Grower's Selection
Butternut Squash by Weight (1.3Kg) 97.3p
4x ASDA Grower's Selection
Whole Cucumber £2.00
1x ASDA Grower's Selection
Celery 55p
1x ASDA Grower's Selection
Garlic Loose 25p
2x ASDA Grower's Selection
Courgettes (3) £2.40
2x ASDA Grower's Selection
Spring Onions £1.10
1x ASDA Grower's Selection
Sweet Potatoes (1Kg) £1.00
3x ASDA Grower's Selection
Satsumas (600g) £3.00
4x ASDA Farm Stores Pears
(500g) £3.20
1x ASDA Grower's Selection
British Parsnips (500g) 65p
1x ASDA Farm Stores Brown
Onions (1Kg) 55p
4x ASDA Farm Stores Cherry
Tomatoes (250g) £2.00
1x ASDA Farm Stores White
Potatoes (2.5Kg) £1.15
3x ASDA Farm Stores Mixed
Peppers (3) £2.97
Meat,
Fish and Poultry
2x ASDA Farm Stores Cooking
Bacon (500g) £1.14
1x ASDA Butcher's Selection
Whole Chicken (1.6Kg) £3.28
Prices
and special offers reflect those of the Asda section of the online grocery website My Supermarket and are
correct as of 28 May 2018. Prices
may vary in different in-store locations.
We purchased our items from Asda via My Supermarket on 27th May 2018, had we shopped elsewhere our shopping would've cost:
£83.82 from Sainsburys
£87.69 from Morrisons
£88.76 from Tesco
£102.65 from Waitrose
My lovely blogging buddy Ciara from My Fussy Eater has created a fab Meal Planning Facebook Group so we can inspire each other. She also has a book, I have a copy and it is fab. You can order a copy for yourself here.
And Katykicker, and Naomi from The Organised Life Project have a Meal Planning Linky full of fabulous Meal Planning posts with lots of tasty ideas.
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