our shopping yesterday came to about $190 but that was the first "real" shop we've done in weeks due to Gremlin being born - and included stuff we didn't necessarily "need" but got cos it was on special. so we got a roast lamb (almost 3kg) - and we will have roast tomorrow night and make shepherds pie from the left overs (end up with frozen meals). we got ham bones to make some soup - again, on special - and will leave us with frozen meals. we also bought ingredients for snackish food (savoury muffins etc) and things like cheese and kabana as we're still having people pop over to meet our girl and have a drink with DH - and i hate having nothing to feed them (guys plus alcohol on empty stomachs - no thanks!)

today DH is going shopping to get some extra stuff that we forgot last night so that we can make and freeze some sweet muffins for when he goes back to work again next week. our shopping is made harder by the fact that we essentially, while he's working, have two seperate "homes" so as much as we try and cook food that we can both eat (frozen meals) there is only so long DH can keep food ok in his truck before he has to start buying food while away - and there is only so much slow cooker food i can eat before i need a real meal - so we do find it more exxy to live when he's away!

i do agree with buying in bulk and cooking and freezing meals where you can. every couple of months, we do a big veg and meat shop - last time i split this with my mum and my aunt. for $240 we got nearly 90 meals for the freezers - so well worth it... it just meant we spent a whole weekend cooking in slow cookers but it was fantastic to fill the freezer and know that we had food no matter what. i also find that bulking out food with as much veg as possible makes it cheaper and much more nutritious - i put everything i can in everything! veg i wouldn't have on my plate (like swede and turnip - too bland) go into everything i make in the slow cooker - they take up the flavour of the "sauce" or gravy and make for a delish dish!