Food: Storecupboard Challenge Day 6 & 7

I have combined two days because, as you will see, Day 6 was not very noteworthy!

Day 6

Breakfast

The perils of having to plan to defrost your breakfast is that you might forget, and end up having to raid the cupboard for breakfast instead. And so it was that I had two shredded wheat (slightly out of date too - June 2022) with oat milk for breakfast. I’m okay with using my judgement on best before dates. Often they are fine for a good while after - and these were.

Then I went to the wonderful the Henry Moore exhibition at the wonderful Hauser & Wirth in Bruton, where I had an enormous poached eggs, avocado and bacon on sourdough toast. Which was delicious. And although I did browse the farm shop, the end of my challenge is too many days away to take advantage. There will definitely be a next time.

Dinner

I really didn’t fancy grapefruit with shredded wheat for breakfast, so I searched on Pinterest for grapefruit recipes. This Spicy Shrimp & Citrus Salad showed up and I thought I could easily adapt that. The prawns (freezer) were easy to cook up from frozen with the requisite spices. I only used the grapefruit (leftovers from Day 5) as citrus. The salad and red onion were both from the fridge. For the dressing, I luckily had a piece of ginger in the freezer which I grated from frozen - I can’t remember where I picked up that tip, but it's a good one.

So, a delicious and light end to the day.

Summary of Day 6

Not much actually eaten from the freezer, but the need to find something else for breakfast has at least made me think that I need to eat that shredded wheat up!

Total cooking time: 10 minutes (hob)

Total fruit/veg portions: 2.5 

Total food waste: a few leaves from the bagged salad that were soggy

Total calories: approx 1,800 including the brunch out

Day 7

Breakfast

And on repeat, an English breakfast muffin (freezer) with the last of the tinned grapefruit. No photo because we know what they both look like by now!

Lunch

Really delving deep into the freezer this lunch time with the last two southern fried Quorn bites in a bag that has been hanging around way too long, cooked in the air fryer and served in a pitta with some iceberg lettuce and grated carrot. I have to say that I am impressed with the longevity of the iceberg.

Dinner

I had such a lovely dinner planned: one of our family favourites the sun dried tomato pesto chicken panzanella salad. Having started the frozen chicken breast in the oven, I then slathered it in the pesto (fridge). Only when I was putting the lid back on did I see the vast expanse of mould around the rim and the fact that it said consume 24 hours after opening. Well it must have been 3 or 4 weeks since I opened that. The chicken then had to go. 

I salvaged the roasted vegetables (pepper, onion, tomatoes) and also cooked up the half of par baked baguette that I hadn’t shredded for the dinner. Luckily I had the remainder of the pack of rainbow vegetable fritters still in the fridge. It was okay but pretty disappointing all the same.

To make up for it, I stewed up some apple (freezer) with some sultanas and mixed spice and had it for dessert. The sultanas give it some added sweetness without the need for sugar.

Summary of Day 7

After my failure of a dinner, I really felt like making today the last day of the challenge, however I woke in a different frame of mood, determined to continue for at least one or two more days. Onwards and upwards!

Total cooking time: approx 40 minutes (oven) - it all went a little pear shaped over dinner

Total fruit/veg portions: 8

Total food waste: a horrifying amount: half a par baked baguette, chicken breast, some of the edge of the iceberg lettuce

Total calories: 1,260

Love Mrs Jones x