Taking those next steps towards smugness!

 As you're all aware I already try my best to ensure that all our meals are home cooked, only resorting to takeaway, ready meals or jarred sauces as a last resort. Well I decided that in an effort to ensure we are only eating the freshest produce, supporting local business and also in an attempt to save some money, that instead of doing all my shopping at the supermarket I will now use the farm shop and local butchers buying only what's remaining at the supermarket. But I wanted to do this without effecting my daily routine too much, basically I only wanted to do this is if it was easy... See at least I'm honest! 

So I changed my routine, instead of planning on a Saturday and doing all on line I now plan on a Thursday. The reason for this is that looking at my whole week I had 30 minutes on a Friday between picking Morgan up from school and her swimming lesson, and I worked out that gave me enough time to stop in the high street and go to green grocers and butchers. So now me and Morgan go walking down high street with my little old lady bag on wheels and get our shopping before her lesson, and she finds it fun as she helps me choose and after 3 weeks of doing this I am finding the produce so much better, quality and taste, and also I'm saving between £10 - £20 per week! Oh and I feel rather funky with the bag... Ha!

I then on Friday after dinner order all the remaining on line (that way if I can't find everything in town I can add it to the supermarket list)

My next step towards smugness is trying to make my daughters packed lunches less processed! She always has the following;

*sandwich

*piece of fruit

*yoghurt

*meat snack (eg mini pepperami)

*cheese snack (eg cheese string)

*biscuit or chocolate 

So the last 2 weeks on a Sunday me and the girls have baked cake, this is then cut up and substitutes the biscuit or chocolate in the lunch. This is lovely, because it's still a sweet treat but all homemade so I know what's in it and the best part is the girls do it with me, so it's a fun relaxing job.

Last week we made lemon drizzle cake, which was gorgeous even if I do say so myself;

Today we made a chocolate tray bake, not as good as the lemon cake if you ask me but the girls love it.

So there you go.... I'm slowly getting there.