HAS the cost of festive feeding left you out in the cold?
Get over your Christmas spending by clearing out the fridge and trimming your monthly food budget — and your waistline in the process.
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It’s perfect timing if you are one of the 40 per cent of us committing to a January health kick.
From using up leftovers and avoiding food waste, to doing clever decluttering, here’s how to go from fridge raider to fridge saver . . .
RUNNING ON EMPTY: Clear out your fridge and take stock. Write a weekly meal plan. Look for ways to bulk out dishes — for example, by hiding veg in sauces, and use up half jars of pastes for curries.
VEG OUT: Don’t let vegetables rot in the chiller drawer and cupboards, as this is a waste of food and cash. Think about what there is and be clever.
Got salad leaves going off? If so, chuck them into a blender with nuts and cheese for an easy pesto sauce for pasta. If you have fresh chillies that have seen better days, hang them in the cupboard and you will have dried chillies ready to use when you want.
COOK OFF: Get batch cooking now and January will be a breeze. Cook up a load of sauces using tinned tomatoes and any leftover veg and herbs. Got lots of root veg left? Vegetable crisps are so easy and can be added to January lunch boxes. Just slice thinly and cook low and slow for a couple of hours.
CHILL OUT: Smart freezing means big savings. While leftovers should always be put in the freezer for later, you can do so much more. Wilting herbs can be placed in ice-cube trays and frozen for using later on. Chop fruit into mixed portions and freeze in individual tubs for great healthy breakfasts in January. Then simply blend for a chilled, fresh smoothie.
DEEP CLEAN: The fridge deep clean does not need to be an expensive process. Empty the contents, then give it a good wipe down. The HG Hygienic Fridge
Cleaner spray is £3.88 on Amazon. Alternatively, grab a cloth and Asda’s bicarb of soda for 65p. Make a paste, rinsing your cloth in hot water as you go.
- Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
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Cheap treat
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TUCK in to a healthy meal with two salmon fillets, now just £2.95 instead of £3.20 at Asda.
SAVE: 25p
Help with your bills
WORRIED about an increase in household bills? Get a plan in place to start the year in the right way.
Head to mortgageadvicebureau.com/budget-calculator for a simple way to help you think about what you have been spending and how you will stay on track in 2022.
Top swap
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NEW mums will love the baby boy Disney Pluto four-piece starter set for £9 at Primark. But Matalan has a similar unisex Disney Winnie The Pooh five-piece gift set for just £7.
SAVE: £2
Leah’s little helper
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