I was searching for a recipe recently and in my searches I came across this old blog of mine. What a trip down memory lane!

I spent a weekend reading through all the posts of my life. There were a few things that stood out. 

•  This blog runs from 2007 to 2012. There was a lot of time of unhappiness in my life during that period, especially 2007-2010, yet this blog is so focussed on my own self care and the things I enjoyed, and was all about me. I love that, sometimes I forget this side as it is easiest to remember the bad things (even though I didn't really document them) 

•  My life has only become busier, and quite different over the years, but this blog has reminded me of many things I truly value, and still do, yet don't follow as much. 

• My life has come full circle, when starting this blog I had young children - those children are now 16,18 and 21. Yet I still have young children, a 20 month old and a 7 yr old and this blog has inspired me to take time to share the things I enjoy with them more. 

So much has changed since I last wrote, but that is not for now. I wanted to resurrect this blog as a form of self care. So here I find myself. 

Menu planning has really gone out the window over the years, and the amount I spend on food each week is way too high, so I want to begin with documenting that, for me. 

Melbourne, presently, is 2 weeks into a 6 week lockdown due to COVID19 (aka coronavirus). This involves rules such as only leaving our house for 4 reasons, and not going any further than 5kms from our home, exercising for no more than one hour daily, and having no more than one person go out to the shops at any one time, amongst other rules. 

So this is a perfect time to menu plan right? Also a perfect time to work on bringing the food budget down. 

I am shopping for 6 of us (myself and kids aged 21, 18, 16, 7 and 20 months) as well as 3 cats (we also have 2 dogs but they belong to the older kids so they purchase their food and pay for any vet needs etc). 

Yesterday I went to the supermarket to purchase some ingredients for dinner. I ended up doing a full shop for one week. $465. Yes you read that right. It is far too much and in reality not even enough to get us through the week so will end up well over the $500 mark. I was attempting to think of things to cook for the week but i certainly was not planned properly, and I cant remember the last time I took a list with me to the shops so I end up purchasing things we already have more than enough of, or that we probably don't really need, any way I digress. Here is this weeks planned menu - 

Pulled pork rolls with coleslaw

Pulled pork tacos

Chicken noodle stir fry. 

Leftover spaghetti bolognaise (from in freezer). Fish and vegetables for me.

Chops (kangaroo for me) and vegetables. 

Chicken katsu curry.

Thai beef salad. 

My biggest downfall since we have been stuck in our homes is UBEREATS, it is seriously a killer on my budget and something I go to far too easily when i can't be bothered. So my goal this week is to not order through uber eats at all.