hi, loving the recipe book. The meals are easy to follow, really tasty and easy to do. Just a couple of things tho. Well three actually.

1). The different portion sizes. Sometimes they are for 1, 2, 4 or even six. Bit annoying cos a couple of times I thought. Making for two and it was for four. Not a prob when I realised and I know I can keep them for later but surely it would be better for all the recipes to be for one or two and you multiply it accordingly.

2). No shopping list. The menus are great but it takes me a good hour to print off a shopping list, having to work out everything. A sheet for each week would have been great.

3). Wastage. Sometimes I was buying say, a tin of coconut milk, which was only needed for half. Because I was sticking to diet the rest of the week there was no other meal included to use other half. This happens quite a lot with different things. Half a fennel bulb, etc. is a pity they can’t be incorporated in another meal for that week.

Just a thought.

Hi there Bonkers, problem number 1, just divide the ingredients to how many you are cooking for. If it is just for one and the recipe is for 6 it makes sense to make it for 2 and safe a portion etc.

Problem number 2, I started out by using the menu plans every week and made some changes for things I didn’t like. Then print them out and stick them on the fridge door. At the end of the week I put them in a file and make a new one. After a few weeks I have ready made menu plans I can go back to and repeat a week or chop and change. I chose each days meals (for the full week)and shop accordingly.

Problem number 3, that is exactly what fridges and freezers are for. You can freeze just about anything or put it in the fridge if you think it will get used a 3 or 4 days. My bug bear is feta cheese, I love it but don’t want to eat it more than once or twice a week, after opening it starts to smell quite ripe. Now I open it, cut it into 40 gram portions, serve one and wrap the rest in cling film and they go in the freezer. If you are worried that something will not freeze well like fruit use it up in a smoothie or freeze it anyway and then use as a puree or smoothies.

I am just back from a trip abroad and will be heading off again at the end of next week and am really pushed for time. I opened the freezer and on Tuesday it was frozen fish stew, Wednesday Frittata to use up old veg and the eggs, Thursday left over veggie curry, tonight left over chilli, Saturday left over coq au vin and Sunday I have a double portion of beef stew as I am not fussed about Sunday roast dinners. A brilliant week of no cooking and only had to shop for the veg.

Good luck, you will find you need to be organised but that can then lead to hassle free left over meals too.