Perishing weather and a bargain

What a cold and miserable day it has been today.  Grey, wet, damp, freezingly cold and so I understand it several areas have also had their first snow of the season.  Brrgh!

I have not ventured far from home.  When I got up I had the heating on for a couple of hours to warm the house up.  I have found that having it on for a couple of hours and then switching it off the heat remains for quite some time.  I then pop it on a little later to really warm things up and that usually lasts us until bedtime and keeps the house reasonably warm overnight.  I am mindful of the animals here I know they have fur coats but even so the rear of the house at present where they live does get very cold.

OH walked Missy earlier on and I went with him and stayed in the van as it was far too cold.  We then went on and grabbed supper.  A piece of fish and a portion of chips, mushy peas each and that did us nicely.  Its very nice to have your own piece of fish but if you are not going to eat it all which in reality was what was happening then it is false economy.  This way round we get a treat and it does not cost an arm and a leg and we both have more than enough.  Sounds mean but is eminently practical for the pair of us as our appetites are not what they were.  We enjoy our food do not get me wrong but we hate waste also.

I have not done much on the shopping front.  I shall look through the week on the veggie front in particular to see what I can snaffle away in the freezer.  I fell lucky tonight in the Co-Op they had some swedes reduced to 20p each from 80p.  I bought five. They are not as large as they were last winter - but then the heat has put paid to a lot of that as the plants have had to be watered and food prices are and will go up as a result.  So if I spot the chance of something good that can be popped away for next to nothing then I am going to take it. I shall prepare these as Carrot and Swede Crush sometime tomorrow.  It is a favourite here but to buy it I have found it a bit hit and miss with the flavour in any event especially if buying in prepared stuff. Our favourite bought version is M & S version but if I can prepare it myself it will be cheaper and have no additions in it. I have found that once a food item has been turned into something else apart from the raw ingredient that is when the prices really do go up and a large mark-up is applied.  Potentially the swedes should have been £4 for five swedes.  I paid £1 saving £3.  If I was buying the pots from M & S if you bought three of the pots it would be £6.  So I have potentially saved an awful lot of money just by going to the bother of doing it myself.  What I save can be used to put other goodies away so that we enjoy some good eating in the longer run.  

Root vegetables are good for  you.  I have plenty of tasty parsnips in the freezer and I shall also do some carrots during the week and also buy in a few bags of peas.  I shall also keep my eyes peeled for other goodies as well. We also like celeriac, Turnip, and sweet potato. I am gradually emptying one of the freezers so the baskets that are being emptied are going to be re-stocked with more useful goodies.  I may also pre-prepare some stew packs as well.  We all need our vegetables. The chest freezer is mostly stocked with meat. I always keep an eye out for bargains in any event and if I am in a position to take advantage I do.  I always have a nosey in the reduced section as you never know what you might find.  Even if there is nothing there to freeze there might be something that could be dried i.e. celery, kale, lettuce, spring onions and mushrooms.  There is always something that can be put to good use and your own advantage.

Right am up to cozy up and keep warm.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

x