What's in your box?

Dear reader,

Am doing a food stock take today and going to top up for packed lunches and dinners for next week.
I seem to have a lot of dried, packet stuff but need some fruit, veg and meat.

My Approved Food order arrived yesterday, I get excited as I never remeber what I've ordered and unpacking it is like getting a present. I like AF as it gives me a chance to try things we wouldn't want to pay full price on. I usually get Big Man a few little treats for his packed lunches too which he enjoys.
These are some of the things I bought,
6 boxes of Arnotts baked BBQ shapes RRP £15 AF price £1.20
Case of 18 Belvita breakfast bars RRP £10.62 AF price £.99p
3x275g mix for choc chip cookies RRP £3.54 AF price £1.00
3x320g mix triple choc muffin RRP 4.47 AF price £.99p

If you haven't tried Approved Food yet, it's really good. They sell reduced price, discontinued or just past it's best before date food. However a lot of the items I just purchased expire in 2014.

I am off to the local butcher to check where his meat comes from and then the farms shop for eggs with a final trip to Lidl for fruit and veg.

If, like me you bulk cook in advance, you probably use mince in some of your recipes. Lasagne, cottage pie, bolognaise, shepherds pie and chilli. Please try Quorn mince or a similar vegetarian mince. I got some a while ago and honestly we couldn't tell the difference. I even tried it out on my stepdad who is a real meat, two veg man and thinks vegetarians have hairy armpits and wear hessian clothes etc. he couldn't tell either.
A lot less fat, no worries about it being swept up off the abattoir floor and no animal welfare worries.

This is a quote from the chief executive of Tesco which I just received.

" Where changes are needed, we'll make sure they are made. And let me be clear that this doesn't mean more expensive food - it just means doing things the right way, and accepting nothing less than the highest possible standards in the supply chain."

My question, "Why on earth, as the largest retailer of food (don't they say £1 in every £9 spent in the uk goes to Tesco?) weren't you doing this in the first place?"

Readers, have a good day. Will be doing the draw for my giveaway tomorrow. Do leave a comment so I know you have dropped by.

I would be interested in any new ideas for packed lunches as I seem to be stuck on sandwiches.
What do you pack for lunch?
Sarah x