I kinda lost my blogging mojo over the last month. It’s not that I haven’t got the inspiration but it’s often about having the time and knowing what people are going to be interested in that leaves me coming up blank.

It all came to a head when my brothers wonderful Other half mentioned that she hadn’t seen much from me in a while and I thought it was about time I bit the bullet and got back on the blogging horse (it’s like a rocking horse only more fun!!)

That only left me with what to write….. I wanted to write something useful but not aspirational- This isn’t about HUGE cakes or another one of my ramblings- I wanted something that could help people, that they could use. And then it hit me….when I started work again we ate Way too many takeouts and I’ve been doing a lot of work with the Dazzler on how we avoid these during the work week so they become a treat rather than a regular thing.

We now have a fool proof plan which we are going to share. The best bits about this are that you don’t have to love cooking (don’t get me wrong, I love cooking! but I’m often too knackered when I’ve done a days work and cycled home!) and you can get all the stuff delivered too!!

The menu!!

Monday Meatballs with homemade pasta sauce
Tuesday Thai green curry & rice
Wednesday Pizza & salad
Thursday Homemade KFC with chips
Friday Fishcakes and salad
Saturday Bean chilli & brown rice

Each of these have been chosen because they take less time to make than a takeway would take to be delivered. They are also minimal effort, especially if you use frozen veg and whilst they may not be authentic they will be delicious!! Ive included a Saturday meal, because you make a big batch and then freeze half, so that you have a meal for the following weeks menu!

If you are coming along for the ride here is my weeks shopping list. Most of these things will be enough for a week but the frozen items should last you for multiple weeks. You will also need herbs, garlic and chilli flakes in the kitchen too!

The shopping list….

From the dried food aisles…

• Large Jar passatta
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
• Jar of Thai green curry sauce
• 2 tins mixed beans
• Pack of Green lentils
• 4 microwave Rice packs (pick your fave, we have 2 brown and 2 sticky)
• Pack of your favourite pasta, we use linguini
• Pitta breads (cheap is fine, you are toasting them)
• Bag of Doritos & salsa dip

From the fresh food aisles

• Meatballs
• Chicken breast strips (raw)
• The best Fishcakes you can get, we get the ones with sauce in the middle
• Fresh southern fried chicken pieces (asda do the best, pick your fave cuts)
• Some grated cheese (again pic your fave)

From the fruit & veg aisle

• 2 onions (you can use frozen pre-diced onion)
• Mange tout or sugar snap peas
• Small bag of baby spinach
• Potatoes (or frozen chips if you are really knackered)
• 2 Bags of mixed leaves (I buy these on the way home from work for freshness)
• 1 punnet of cherry plum tomatoes

From the freezer aisle

• Frozen mushrooms, mixed peppers and baby sweetcorn (you can buy fresh but it will involve chopping!!)
• Some chicken dippers
• Dr Oetker frozen pizza (one per person, pick your favourite)

Tomorrow…. Mondays food, meatballs and pasta sauce