Tuesday 29 October 2013

Pie and Mash on the Cheap



Dinner tonight was a homemade steak pie from the freezer, served with mashed potato, the second cauli I’d bought in Deal last Thursday, half a bag of frozen carrots and gravy made with granules.


I made the pie using 2 tins of stew steak (2 for £1.20 from Approved Foods) and pastry mix that I bought in a big catering sized pack also from Approved Foods for (I think) £1.99 for a 3kg bag. With half the bag of mix I made 3 large pies in 10 x 6 inch oblong tins, and I had some pastry left over which I've frozen for another time. 

 
The pie therefore cost approx £1.55, the cauli, mash (using potataoes from the sack) and carrots (£1 a bag from FarmFoods) were 50p each, and about 3 tsp gravy granules was approx 10p. Total cost around £3.15. For 6 servings that’s 52p per serving for a large plateful. In fact the pie would serve 8 but my boys had more than 1 piece each. 

 
My weigh in was great. I lost 4 1/2 lbs this week, a big lump out of the 7 1/2lbs I put on last week, and I was only really good for the past 3 days. I’m back below 12st at 11st 12 1/2lbs and my size 12 jeans are fitting better again. Now I need to be extra good this week and try and lose the other 3 lbs to get back where I was and then I’m hoping to lose another 2 1/2lbs to get my 4st off award before Xmas. 

And yes, I’m aware pie and mash isn’t exactly a diet meal but I ate very little else all day because I knew I was having that for dinner. I’ve found its all about making compromises. I can’t have everything I want all the time or I’d end up right back where I started, but I can eat pie and cake and anything I fancy sometimes. I just need to make allowances elsewhere in my diet if I’m not to regain a load like I did last week. And if I mess up, as long as I get back to the plan the weight will come off. 

I've been out of the house most of the day and although its definitely been colder the sun's been shining and the wind has dropped. I don't like the cold and would have summer all year round if I could, but I'd rather have it cold and bright than warmer, wet and overcast. 

No crafting done, but I do need to make a bag for DS2's girlfriend's birthday in a week or so. It might have to wait until next week, though, when DH will be back at work and I'm not out and about quite so much. I also have a couple of birthday cards and some Christmas cards to make. So, plenty to keep me busy when I get around to it.
 
I think that's all for today...and sorry if I sound like an advert for Approved Foods sometimes but discovering them revolutionised my shopping and saves me so much money.

2 comments:

  1. I use AF now Helen, I have only placed 3 orders but they have been biggish ones and I have saved well over £300. My cupboards are fully stocked again after doing a few weeks "use it up" and only buying milk and veg. I have managed to save a good amount by transferring it to a separate account weekly. Your pie and mash looks very good, I am a lazy cook at times and cook all my root veg together and mash the lot,I have added beetroot and you get brilliant bright pink mash, we call it Loud Mash and have it with beany burgers, it livens them up no end. I have not seen tinned stew steak on the site, it would be a good standby. I will have to have a look see.

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    1. Your Loud Mash sounds really interesting. My lot don't care for beetroot, but I do mash swede and potatoes together. I think the Stew steak is no longer available as I was going to order some more once I'd tried some from the last order. They had 2 kinds on the site but the first I had was all gravy and not much meat and I will just use that to give flavour to a stew; the other kind is what went into the pie and is lovely.

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