u/Slight-Trip-3012

I did my mise-en-place for the week, which this week was mainly cutting my vegetables. By prepping all the ingredients, I can have food on the table in minutes, but I still have the flexibility to change things as I don't prep whole meals.

Since people ask reguarly: yes, as long as the vegetables are very fresh when you cut them, and you store them well (cold fridge, airtight containers), most vegetables easily last untill the end of the week. Exceptions are things like cucumber or tomatoes. That's why I only prepped the cucumbers I need today and tomorrow, and not those I'll need later in the week.

Produce - € 15.67
Meat and dairy - € 15.94
Other - € 31.29
That makes for a total this week of € 62.90

I still have a few things in the fridge/pantry, like carrots, onions, sauerkraut, rice, tortillas, etc. I also have meat in the freezer. Likewise, some of the things in this haul are not used this week, but instead they are to replenish the pantry. I buy pantry items (as well as meat for the freezer) when they're on sale, not at full price when I actually need them. The noodles, pickled vegetables, buffalo sauce, smoked salt, cheese spread and (half of the pack of) bacon lardons are all going in the pantry or fridge for another time. I've included my meal plan for the upcoming week, as well as a list of all the ingredients that I'll be using. If you see it on the list of ingredients, and not in this haul, that means I already have it on hand. Likewise, if it's not in the list, but you see it in this haul, it was on sale and it's going in the pantry/fridge/freezer for another time.

My nephew is with me today, and he picked pain au chocolat for lunch. I got flatbread and sliced chicken breast for lunch for myself. For dinner, he picked hot dogs. Which works well for me, because I was already opening a jar of sauerkraut for tomorrow's dinner, so I might as well take some of it to have on my hot dogs.

And since people ask almost every week: yes, I have a lot of Microplanes. No, they're not in the packaging, they just have their protective covers on. They are all different, I have the complete set. Some I use regularly. some less often. Most were Christmas or birthday presents.

No dressing, as I don't like it, nor do I need the added calories

I prepped for the week by cutting all my vegetables and preparing a few components, like tzatziki sauce, tomato paste, hardboiled eggs and some marinated chicken. The tzatziki will be used in a sandwich for lunch, with some chicken skewers and pita for one dinner, and with falafel and couscous salad for another dinner. The tomato paste will go with some sausage meat tacos. I got a whole bunch of tomatoes for very cheap, so instead of a can, I made my own. I just need to cook it down a bit when I use it. The hardboiled eggs are for a salad, and also to have on hand as a low carb, high protein snack. The marinated chicken is for some chicken skewers tonight with some pita and tzatziki.

It's been super hot here, so I'm planning a lot of meals that can be eaten at room temperature, or at least have components that can be eaten at room temperature. That includes a lot of pickled vegetables. I have some pickled carrots, pickled red cabbage, pickled peppers, pickled cucumber and some homemade pickled onions in the fridge that I can use, as well as some atjar tjampoer (Indonesian pickles). I also have some beet root cubes (not pickled) or canned corn that I can use. I'll mix and match whatever vegetables/pickles I feel like that day.

And since people always ask: yes, these vegetables easily last untill the end of the week, as long as they're very fresh when you cut them, and you store them well in the fridge. The only exceptions are the cucumbers and tomatoes, those usually don't last more than 2 or 3 days. That's why I plan to use those either tomorrow (cucumbers) or Tuesday (tomatoes) at the latest. Everything else will easily last untill Friday.