The cold, especially light frost encourages root veg and brassiness to increase their sugars as natures antifreeze. That is why they are sweeter after a chill. :)
So glad you didn't fall! The allotment was beautiful draped in snow. Thank you for explaining your meal planning process. It is just amazing how you have a nutritious diet on the cheap so perfectly planned.
Despite the dreadful paths on the way to the garden I was so glad I went......it was so beautiful to simply stand still in the quiet and the gorgeous light........bliss, cold but bliss! :-)
So inspiring! I recently moved into a new home and have plans to put in a huge Garden with dreams of having a food budget like yours. I discovered your channel from Frugal Jo. Wishing you the best from across the pond in the USA!
Cheers Kathy....and welcome! Hurrah for a garden space you can give over to veggies.......have fun creating your new food garden.....and enjoy all the gorgeous rewards. 😊
Thanks for letting me know about watching adds I never watch them ever, l will after learning it benefits Livi or our lovely frugal Joe stay safe hugs to you all Veronica 😀
What a fabulous video. 👍 So full of info and detail. 😊 We just had rice, peas and roasted tomato sauce with two quorn fillets... so no where near as frugal though so delicious. 🤗
Oooh, that sounds yummy. I must say your tom sauce has been a revelation and has saved so many evenings when I'm too knackered to cook......grab a portion of sauce, chuck in a handful of beans (and greens if I've got any).....almost instant supper! I love it......thank you! :-)
Hi Vivi, have you ever dehydrated your garlic and onions? I also slice up my onions and put into a container or freezer bag and freeze them big money saver! 😊
Oh Viv, I love listening to you! Your voice is the one I always imagined while reading fairy tales as a little girl. I wish we were neighbors! I would invite you over for a nice cream tea and we could walk to our allotments together and then watch an episode of "The Good Life."
I do enjoy this new channel. I saw the Frugal Jo earlier. It seems I saw your channel name in one of her comments. I watched you yesterday, so I came back to say hello. You two ladies are an inspiration. I am happy you have enough to eat and you have a plan for your frugal budget. Your garden looked lovely in the snow. Thank you for this video. I tried to watch the ads all the way through so you would receive credit for your hard work. Blessings to you, Vivi. ❤🙂
I always feel a little smug whenever I make a meal that contains food I've grown in the garden, lol. I'm still figuring out how much I need to grow, but I'm getting there. Your videos always provide some inspiration. Thanks Vivi!
Well done. I am pleased we eat the same things. I am a Vegetarian also. In winter I love soups and curries, lentils are great. Love salads in the summer. Be safe.
Enjoying your videos. Very different in every way but very inspiring. We are not vegetarian however we eat a great many dishes based on dried beans because we are from the part of Texas where its Mexican food daily.
Mum has an allotment and grows all sorts... im sure she harvests seeds i will ask her if she has spare 😏 she likes unusual things like black tomatoes ect i will ask her tomorrow when I visit 😉 xxx
Thank you for another great video, Vivi. I do love your food ‘inventory’ and meal planning videos. It is remarkable what you’ve been able to do with your own grown food! You also just reminded me to make your scrumptious cabbage pie. I bought a cabbage from my local farm market with no real idea what to make, it just looked so pretty!
Hi Vivi. Your fridge just reminded me of something. In your never ending quest for a garden pond receptacle, you may find an old fridge vege crisper would do the trick. Some of them are quite big.
You are such an inspiration Vivi and have me smiling for the rest of the day! If you could ever bear to leave London you could buy a house with land here in Wales for the cost of your flat xx
Oh thank you so much lovely.....ahh, that makes my heart sing. Ach, the value of my flat is quite low......I do keep looking elsewhere......it will be a huge heart tug to leave such wonderful friends here..... :-)
@@WhatVivididnext they are terrifically grippy though and make it much less likely to fall but I know what you mean , its like m's law, if you buy some, there wont be any snow for ages and if you dont, there will :)
People seem to think you need acres to grow food. You don't. You have shown it can be done. I like your freezers. You are creative and put ingredients together in interesting ways. I am going to try some different things this year. I too don't eat meat but don't really concern myself with protein very much. I eat a lot of beans. I like rice, potatoes and I have started occasionally eating my little chicken eggs. Like you I like the challenge of making do with what I have. Good eating!👍
Hello Vivi, Gorgeous snow! I’m glad you made it to your garden to harvest safely. I am getting ready myself to prepare some food to take to my mom and brother. ☺️ Until next time, please take good care of yourself.😉💗💗💗
Thanks Vivi! I have ALWAYS wondered how much you store and how, to get you through the winter. , This video answered so many of my questions. I have a small kitchen garden here in New Jersey, but can only harvest during the late spring, summer into Oct due to our harsh winter. I was dumbstruck that your meals only cost 15p!!!! Especially as I just calculated that my week of food for a family of 4 has cost $150 this week. We don’t eat packaged food, very little animal protein since 2 of us are vegetarian, I make 85% of our meals from scratch and I shop wisely. My $150 food came from shopping at Aldi, the Korean product market, and Indian grocery store, and gluten free stuff for my husband from Wholefoods...cough....Wholepaycheck! I do live one of the most expensive States in the US. (Ex London girl BTW). Love, love your channel!! I bet my food bill makes you feel like a rockstar!
Hello Vivo, Oh my goodness, You are amazing! You just blow me away. My name is Debbie and I also watch and follow Frugal Jo who is such a sweet wonderful person. As I have told her
Sorry, I made an error...as I told Frugal Jo, my parents immigrated from England to California after WWII. They were both in the RAF, my father a flight engineer and mom a flight mechanic. It is so wonderful to learn all about England. Mom was from Weymouth and Dad from Twickenham. It is so nice to meet you and be a new subscriber. I am planning on having a spring/summer veggie garden in containers simular to Frugal Jo. Thank you for all your advice. From Debbie and Dexter-Dog her amazing chihuahua companion in S. California. 🙋🐾💕🙏🙏😷🏥
Great videos, Vivi. Disastrous month. I'm going to make sure any coffee and cake treats are not bought and the money put into the savings. Pet insurance is a nightmare. I'm feeling poorly this evening with the start of a stomach bug. Lot of it about. Haven't had one for years. Here's to better days. 😊
Yay! I've been so curious about your freezers and your food prep in winter for a long time. Thank you for sharing this. You inspired me to freeze as much as my regular old freezer on top of my fridge could hold. I made tomato and veg and rice soup right after New Year's and it was sooooo good. I also grew my own mint, lemon balm, and chamomile for tea and I'm enjoying that very much after New Year's, too. After the hectic holidays, enjoying my harvests go a looong way to getting through the dark winter. Someday I want a free-standing freezer to up my game. It truly is cost-effective, healthy, and good for the soul. Thank you, Vivi, for inspiring me but also cheering all of us on. That all being said it can be scary to try it. But it's worth it.
Good on you lovely.....the more we can do for ourselves the better! Tonight's video is all about the budget.....I hope, by sharing it all, some folk can be inspired to try! :-)
Hello Vivi, Just wanted to say hello.Cold here today. warmed up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit that is -13 Celsius. Stay warm stay healthy. Thank you God for Vivi, Blessed and a blessing Jan
Brrrr......that's cold! We're still below zero but nothing like you cope with. We're so not used to it in London.....we really don't have the outdoor wear for it......hahahah......lots of layers for harvesting! Stay home and cosy lovely. :-)
Absolute respect. £10/week for your expenditure, that is incredible. Your credibility has just rocketed in my estimation, I thought you were playing at whilst dipping into a generous middle class pension, inheritance or bursary. It would be great, if you could do a video on your subsistence budget and what living costs this covers.
Hahahaha, oh my goodness....I wish there WAS a pension to dip into, generous or otherwise! Cheers for your kind words lovely, I appreciate that......and the subsistence budget video is a great idea.....I think a lot of folk still think, as you may have done, that I have some sort of secret income.......so it will be good to show the truth. ;-)
Hi Vivi. have only just found you so subscribed and charging through your vlogs. Very enjoyable! Going to check out some of those fab sounding receipes. Many thanks x
Hi just come across your channel I thought I was frugal but you are amazing Look forward to watching you I watch frugal jo as well I absolutely love her Take care xx
We’re also expecting a cold snap and possibly snow in the NW of Oregon. Enjoyed watching how you put up your produce for use through the year. And as always, I love recipe ideas! Stay well.
Lovely to see your harvest and meal plan. I was going to harvest the last if my carrots today but I was too cold to go out as it's -2° 🥶 brrr... I have however, managed to bag myself some free plants from my sister. Fab as I'm on a no spend year and can't buy any 👏😁
Hi Vivi . A couple of questions. As you live on such a small tight budget, what happens when you go to the dentist ? Even basic NHS care costs something. Also, I wonder, as a fellow arthritis sufferer and a no car owner, how do you transport heavy stuff for your garden, like compost?
Ach, dentists etc...yes....it's a bit tight! I try to put away a few quid every week in to a 'do not touch except in emergencies' fund! As for transport.....I lug everything around in my granny trolley......sometimes I stop to rest on the way! 😉
@@WhatVivididnext My dentist has an insurance scheme. It costs me under £10 a month and I get 2 checkups, a basic clean and discounted treatment. Also if I need emergency treatment away from home, the company pays in full. Granny trolleys ! What would we do without them! Library books, heavy vegetables, even a load of towels to the launderette for drying occasionally. They can be tiring to pull though, as you say!!!
Yay! Hello and welcome to you! Your allotment is, I'm sure, a wonderful escape from the stresses of work......I know mine was while I was nursing! Gosh, what a difficult time this must have been for all the new mum's you've been working with.......I hope you're all OK!! :-)
Hi Vivi, this was a great video, interesting and inspiring. I had an enormous green bean harvest this year and froze, pickled, and dried a lot of them I need to figure out more recipes to use them in.
Hi Vivi, I like a emptier fridge too, easy to wipe down and no food waste. I love your channel, you are delightful. Lots of love from South Africa. 💝🌻🐞🇿🇦
@@WhatVivididnext Oh no, I didnt mean to say you have a dirty fridge. I just meant I like emptying it out completely before next shop. Im sorry, I realy did not mean that.
@@debbiekoortzen1154 Hahaha, no, I didn't take it that way lovely!!!! Just my own observation! I'm so messy at home.....I'll do anything other than clean! ;-)
In theory yes (think greenhouse) however you would need to hand pollinate assuming your house is insect free (!)......you can use a little soft make-up brush or a water colouring type brush to 'tickle' the flowers gong from one to another...... :-)
It was lovely to go to the garden once I got there (the paths on the way were hideous!)......the quiet, the light, the gentle crunch of the snow underfoot........so magical..... :-)
What a lovely surprise Vivi! Great to see what you are doing with the veggies you got from the allotment. I too use those takeaway containers for freezing as they are the perfect size for fitting into a freezer. I too am vegetarian and concoct some strange combinations when cooking. I like to batch cook then freeze stuff so I don't have to cook too often. I do not really like to cook but batch cooking serves a purpose as it means I do not have to cook every day! I am so lazy that way. The time I save from not cooking means more time doing craft things instead. Sometimes I will also cook enough for several days as it is only for me and I don't care if I eat the same meal for three days running, that is fine by me. Well must go back to my knitting and finish this comment before I swipe the keyboard and lose my comment...... Looking forward to a sofa chat as I really enjoy them. until next time. Stay safe
Oh I hear you lovely! I'm not a fan of cooking either.....unless I'm doing it for a bunch of friends and we're all in the kitchen together.....when it's just for me it's a bit of a chore...simply fueling.....so doing the batches is great.....and frees up time to do the things I really love! Happy knitting lovely! :-)
You really inspire me to plan my garden and allotment better this year! It never seems to supply us more than maybe half of the fresh produce in the summer and then maybe for a month or two in the winter, I feel I could do much better. Of course the problem is also that we have 30 cm of snow and -20 degrees C at the moment, so I don't think the kale I left, thinking I can harvest it if it's a mild winter, is doing that well...
It's great to feel inspired but please don't do yourself down......ANYTHING you can grow is a help! If you have a mostly summer garden (harsh winters!) think about more tomatoes for example.....they usually crop prolifically and are easy to store.....saving you a wee fortune over the winter months (that is, if you use tinned tomatoes of course!).....beans are another great option, especially climbers which don't take up too much room....again, easy to store. I wish you a fabulous and bountiful year lovely! :-)
Welcome! Thank you for watching. 😊 If you look on my channel page you'll see a playlist called 'In the Kitchen'......there are lots of my favourite dishes in there. 😊
Such a pretty kitchen! We woke up to a carpet of surprise snow this morning. Our garden beds are cleaned up but still frozen hard as a rock.( Montana, up in the mountains). I am on the lookout for a new pair of tennis shoes as well. My old ones have been demoted to garden shoes after three years. Do you like escalloped tomatoes using the canned or jarred? I have to put ice grippers onto my boots where we live. (I am a senior senior)
You really should put together a vegetarian recipe book to sell - I love watching you cook in your organized kitchen - your veggies are so beautiful. Do you eat any kind of breads and if so, do you make them?
Hahaha - got to laugh at the 'organised' kitchen bit......it's usually a chaotic, muddy mess! ;-) I don't eat much bread so I don't bother making it (also, my oven can be a bit temperamental!).....if I do want some I go to my local Turkish market where I can buy a huge loaf for about 80p in the morning or........30p in the evening when they're selling them off (makes great toast even when a bit soft and stale!). :-)
Great video! I have been watching for quite a while and had no idea you had a cooking playlist. That's something I've always wanted to see what you make that is vegetarian! I can't wait to dive into those videos. Have a great day!
Yay! Thank you lovely....yes, there are quite a few recipes in there to try and most of them can be done straight from the garden with no shop bought ingredients! Have fun trying/experimenting. :-)
Watching from Canada here :) I can totally relate to the worry about breaking bones in the winter. We usually get a dozen or so of those really slippery days every year. Every time I went out to walk the dog, I was dreading trying to walk on the ice. A couple of years ago someone gave me some rubber over soles for my shoes with spikey things on the bottom. They are amazing! There are different types, but if you search on Amazon for grippers, you can see what they are like. I know you are on a very strict budget, but if you can afford these at some point, they are worth their weight in gold (and cheaper than crutches!). (I dont sell these, and no affiliations. Just found them really invaluable.)
Awww, thank you for this lovely....yes, I've seen those 'crampons' for shoes on sale.....I haven't ever bothered to invest in any though as snow in London is such a rarity. 😊
Thank you so much and a very warm welcome to you! I often skip breakfast (haha, not a morning person) but, when I do have it, it's usually porridge with mixed ground seeds on the top (winter) or berries (summer).
60 steps to get up to ur flat??!!!!! No lift? No wonder ur knees r aching, mine are just thinking about it! What about as u get older? Love ur frugality, bit like me, but no allotment. Love the vids.
Hi Vivi may I ask do you Blanche all of your veg before putting them in the little boxes then in the freezer or are their some you can just wash and peel /chop and freeze? xxxShaz
I always used to....it is recommended for anything stored for longer than 6 months but.......I own up to being lazy/too busy.... so now I just sling everything in there without blanching......and it's all been OK. 😊
This may be a heretical question but do you think you may need to think about a greenhouse? My little pop up plastic one has kept my salad leaves safe all Winter. Admittedly it is in my back garden and I pop the embers from the grate in there in a bucket each morning which has kept it a bit warm when it’s really cold, but it’s done me proud for salad leaves, spinach, micro greens, carrots and I almost overwintered a chilli plant but I lost it last week 😞
Thank you so much and welcome! I have a plot within an allotment site....we all rent gardens the size of mine which is about 800 sq meters (1000 feet). It's so wonderful to have this land to rent. 😊
6:00 you know it is really not efficient to operate a nearly empty fridge, as cooling down the air / empty space in it takes a lot more energy than cooling down objects. Even if your fridge is empty, it is recommended to fill it up with bottled water or water in any kinda container because the cooled down water will hold onto the cool temperature much better than the empty space. Same applies to freezers: if there is empty space in it, you should fill that up with water in any kinda container. It definitely saves on electricity and on wear and tear of the fridge/freezer as they dont have to work so hard. Just saying. ;-)
Absolutely......I always turn my appliances off as soon as they're empty (decanting bits from one to another)....the fridge isn't usually this empty....I just hadn't had the time/energy to cook. :-)
I guess you have mentioned this in another video, but how do you calculate how much, and what to grow, to last you through the winter? I would love to share my garden with others, but I live quite rural, with no public transportation, so it might be difficult. Maybe one can ask friends and family to garden in their garden, if alotments are hard to get. 😊
It's all been a bit of trial and error/experience over the last few years......sadly there's no easy/quick answer!......but I definitely focus on things that store well/easily and that I eat a lot of.....so that covers toms, beans and squash. :-)
I don't keep them in the fridge for long (immediate use over the next two weeks only) but rather store them in the shed where it's cool, low humidity and some light. It always seems to work well for them. :-)
The peas have been LOVELY but the 'nutrition mix' is my favourite for that slight peppery kick......I haven't done anymore sunflowers as I wasn't that keen. ;-)
Hi Viv loving your video but I’m really worried about your low protein consumption 😢😘 A woman needs around 45g a day. You did say you have a protein lunch of beans and rice but that is less than half the daily recommended amount. Take care my lovely x
My goodness Vivi...you are definitely a huge inspiration. I don't know how you do it, well I mean I KNOW how you do it because you've shown us all, but still....I DON'T know how you do it. Credit to you lovely lady, credit to you x
Just nipped over to your Bean salad recipe one I shall be making for the family. Love your frugal living when you look in the freezer sections at supermarkets and see all that food and let’s face it, the vast majority of it is carb infused junk, you put them to shame with your freezers. I applaud you.
I don't normally use peat compost......last year I had three small bags with peat in (I hadn't realised!!!! Argh).....so no, I think my harvests do great without peat. :-)
Vivi what do you eat for breakfast? Amazing how you can eat well on so little. I am sure I am not alone in feeling a bit guilty for having a fridge full of food right now. Take care sweet pea. 🥰
Hi Vivi 👋 I heard you say that you use white rice for risotto, I use pudding rice for risotto, it's a lot cheaper than the very expensive arborio rice but way nicer than using value white rice and you get that rich creaminessthat you get from arborio... really feels like a treat 😁 I sprout seeds, dried lentils, beans and peas on the side in my kitchen using old jars with holes punched in the lids for rinsing and draining the water twice daily and use them as salad..cheap, easy and incredibly nutritious Keep being you, love your incredibly helpful videos ❤
Yay for sprouted seeds.....I love mine...so fresh and yummy and a great nutrition boost when I can't get to the garden. That's a fab tip re the risotto rice, thank you lovely! :-)
Thank you so much Caroline!!! My dream is that everyone can have their own bit of growing space and experience the same joy as I do from my own veggies. :-)
You truly are an inspiration and a living example of the difference between "need" and "want" :-)
Thanks so much lovely, I really appreciate that. :-)
You are right.
I watch frugal joe she’s grea
Yay! It's so good to see someone with a goal rather than a pipe dream and really work towards it! :-)
Just put a vegetable curry in the slow cooker for tea cost me pence.xxxx
Brilliant! Enjoy the scoff! :-)
The cold, especially light frost encourages root veg and brassiness to increase their sugars as natures antifreeze. That is why they are sweeter after a chill. :)
Ahhhh, so its the sugars which prevent the frost killing them? Yay, learn something new every day - thank you! :-)
I never thought of it like that. The sugar substitute used in cheap wines is an antifreeze too.
Fantastic I was shouting at the screen make some veggie pasties with that pastry!!!!!
Hahaha - not quite pasties but oh so yummy all the same. I do love a bit of pastry in the winter! ;-)
We had little allotments in the old neighborhood. They were called "The Pea Patch" because no matter what you planted, you always planted peas!
Hahaha, that's so cute.....if you like peas! ;-)
So glad you didn't fall! The allotment was beautiful draped in snow. Thank you for explaining your meal planning process. It is just amazing how you have a nutritious diet on the cheap so perfectly planned.
Despite the dreadful paths on the way to the garden I was so glad I went......it was so beautiful to simply stand still in the quiet and the gorgeous light........bliss, cold but bliss! :-)
Thankyou Vivi enjoyed our visit with you today. Ontario Canada 🐝
Cheers lovely! Hoping you're tucked up cosy. :-)
So inspiring! I recently moved into a new home and have plans to put in a huge Garden with dreams of having a food budget like yours. I discovered your channel from Frugal Jo. Wishing you the best from across the pond in the USA!
Cheers Kathy....and welcome! Hurrah for a garden space you can give over to veggies.......have fun creating your new food garden.....and enjoy all the gorgeous rewards. 😊
You never fail to amaze at how far you stretch your food
Awww, cheers lovely! Hoping you and Charlie are snug at home. :-)
I have one more school pick up Charlie not happy to be honest I don't want to leave but it is what it is hugs then I am not moving till Wednesday 😉
Thanks for letting me know about watching adds I never watch them ever, l will after learning it benefits
Livi or our lovely frugal Joe stay safe hugs to you all Veronica 😀
Thank you so much lovely. 😊
What a fabulous video. 👍 So full of info and detail. 😊 We just had rice, peas and roasted tomato sauce with two quorn fillets... so no where near as frugal though so delicious. 🤗
Oooh, that sounds yummy. I must say your tom sauce has been a revelation and has saved so many evenings when I'm too knackered to cook......grab a portion of sauce, chuck in a handful of beans (and greens if I've got any).....almost instant supper! I love it......thank you! :-)
I have treking poles for hiking and they might work well to prevent falling in a situation like this.
I also use trekking poles...have all the plates & pins from broken bones I care to have!
Hahaha - I think you're right! Fortunately this is a rare event in London. ;-)
Hi Vivi, have you ever dehydrated your garlic and onions? I also slice up my onions and put into a container or freezer bag and freeze them big money saver! 😊
I've never bothered to, no, as they store so well in the shed.....and I would lack freezer space at the time they'd be harvesting. :-)
I am so inspired after watching this Video! You are so clever! Just found you on TH-cam,thank you for the great idea's.
Oh thank you so much Carol....and a very warm welcome to you here. 😊
Second time watching this xx love to watch you enthusiastically talk about your produce xx 😘
Oh Viv, I love listening to you! Your voice is the one I always imagined while reading fairy tales as a little girl. I wish we were neighbors! I would invite you over for a nice cream tea and we could walk to our allotments together and then watch an episode of "The Good Life."
Awwww, that would be the perfect afternoon. :-)
I do enjoy this new channel. I saw the Frugal Jo earlier. It seems I saw your channel name in one of her comments. I watched you yesterday, so I came back to say hello. You two ladies are an inspiration. I am happy you have enough to eat and you have a plan for your frugal budget. Your garden looked lovely in the snow. Thank you for this video. I tried to watch the ads all the way through so you would receive credit for your hard work. Blessings to you, Vivi. ❤🙂
Oh thank you so much lovely...and a very warm welcome to you here! :-)
I always feel a little smug whenever I make a meal that contains food I've grown in the garden, lol. I'm still figuring out how much I need to grow, but I'm getting there. Your videos always provide some inspiration. Thanks Vivi!
Yay good on you lovely, smug for your own food is great! :-)
Well done. I am pleased we eat the same things. I am a Vegetarian also. In winter I love soups and curries, lentils are great. Love salads in the summer. Be safe.
Ooooh, you've just sparked me....I haven't made a curry for ages......hmmm, this weekend will be curry weekend! Hahaha, thank you! :-)
Enjoying your videos. Very different in every way but very inspiring. We are not vegetarian however we eat a great many dishes based on dried beans because we are from the part of Texas where its Mexican food daily.
Ooooh, yum, I love Mexican food.......perfect for beans! 😊
I am so impressed with how you are doing all this. With all my food allergies I could never live like this, but trust me I wish I could.
Thank you Carol, ach, such a pity you can't do this.......but taking care of yourself and working around the allergies is the most important thing. 😊
Mum has an allotment and grows all sorts... im sure she harvests seeds i will ask her if she has spare 😏 she likes unusual things like black tomatoes ect i will ask her tomorrow when I visit 😉 xxx
Thank you for another great video, Vivi. I do love your food ‘inventory’ and meal planning videos. It is remarkable what you’ve been able to do with your own grown food! You also just reminded me to make your scrumptious cabbage pie. I bought a cabbage from my local farm market with no real idea what to make, it just looked so pretty!
Oooooh, yes, do give the pie a go......it sounds a bit 'bleurgh' on paper but really is very yummy! :-)
Hi Vivi. Your fridge just reminded me of something. In your never ending quest for a garden pond receptacle, you may find an old fridge vege crisper would do the trick. Some of them are quite big.
YES!!!! I'm always on the lookout for dumped fridges/freezers anyway, for the wire shelves.....the salad drawer is a great idea! :-)
I like the idea of counting out portions and rations per month. Very useful tip. Thank you.
You are such an inspiration Vivi and have me smiling for the rest of the day! If you could ever bear to leave London you could buy a house with land here in Wales for the cost of your flat xx
Oh thank you so much lovely.....ahh, that makes my heart sing. Ach, the value of my flat is quite low......I do keep looking elsewhere......it will be a huge heart tug to leave such wonderful friends here..... :-)
You need some shoe grips for the snow, Have you seen instructables? Im sure there are some DIY grips on there.
I sometimes think about getting some....but then the snow disappears for another three years..... 😉
@@WhatVivididnext they are terrifically grippy though and make it much less likely to fall but I know what you mean , its like m's law, if you buy some, there wont be any snow for ages and if you dont, there will :)
People seem to think you need acres to grow food. You don't. You have shown it can be done. I like your freezers. You are creative and put ingredients together in interesting ways. I am going to try some different things this year. I too don't eat meat but don't really concern myself with protein very much. I eat a lot of beans. I like rice, potatoes and I have started occasionally eating my little chicken eggs. Like you I like the challenge of making do with what I have. Good eating!👍
Yay, good on you lovely! I'm so grateful for my little garden.....it never fails to amaze me how well it can feed me. :-)
Hello Vivi, Gorgeous snow! I’m glad you made it to your garden to harvest safely. I am getting ready myself to prepare some food to take to my mom and brother. ☺️
Until next time, please take good care of yourself.😉💗💗💗
Happy cooking session to you! It's lovely to hear that you're making food to take to your mum. X :-)
I have to learn to store my produce this year..thanks for you lovely tips😀
Oh yes, do store excess if you can.....it's wonderful to be able to eat from the garden all through the year. :-)
Thanks Vivi! I have ALWAYS wondered how much you store and how, to get you through the winter. , This video answered so many of my questions. I have a small kitchen garden here in New Jersey, but can only harvest during the late spring, summer into Oct due to our harsh winter. I was dumbstruck that your meals only cost 15p!!!! Especially as I just calculated that my week of food for a family of 4 has cost $150 this week. We don’t eat packaged food, very little animal protein since 2 of us are vegetarian, I make 85% of our meals from scratch and I shop wisely. My $150 food came from shopping at Aldi, the Korean product market, and Indian grocery store, and gluten free stuff for my husband from Wholefoods...cough....Wholepaycheck! I do live one of the most expensive States in the US. (Ex London girl BTW). Love, love your channel!! I bet my food bill makes you feel like a rockstar!
It's great that you have a bit of garden space...anything and everything you can grow helps bring those bills down so good on you lovely! :-)
Enjoyed this so much Vivi x
Aww, thank you, I really appreciate that. :-)
Great video. I will have to check out your play list. New subscriber. Came over from Kate’s channel. 🤗
Oh thank you Amy and a very warm, happy welcome to you! :-)
Hullo Vivi! Nice to see your videos again! (Haven't had much time the last few weeks) Thanks for the inspiration and hope your snow melts soon!
Thank you lovely.....I hope your time has been taken up by fun stuff and not horrid stuff. :-)
Hello Vivo, Oh my goodness, You are amazing! You just blow me away. My name is Debbie and I also watch and follow Frugal Jo who is such a sweet wonderful person. As I have told her
Sorry, I made an error...as I told Frugal Jo, my parents immigrated from England to California after WWII. They were both in the RAF, my father a flight engineer and mom a flight mechanic. It is so wonderful to learn all about England. Mom was from Weymouth and Dad from Twickenham. It is so nice to meet you and be a new subscriber. I am planning on having a spring/summer veggie garden in containers simular to Frugal Jo. Thank you for all your advice. From Debbie and Dexter-Dog her amazing chihuahua companion in S. California. 🙋🐾💕🙏🙏😷🏥
Thank you so much Debbie......and a very warm, happy welcome to you here. 😊
Great videos, Vivi. Disastrous month. I'm going to make sure any coffee and cake treats are not bought and the money put into the savings. Pet insurance is a nightmare. I'm feeling poorly this evening with the start of a stomach bug. Lot of it about. Haven't had one for years. Here's to better days. 😊
Oh I hope you feel better soon lovely......take care.
Your first video link backs! I love it! I'm glad I'm eating while watching this video, it's making me hungry.
Hahaha, happy scoffing lovely. :-)
Yay! I've been so curious about your freezers and your food prep in winter for a long time. Thank you for sharing this. You inspired me to freeze as much as my regular old freezer on top of my fridge could hold. I made tomato and veg and rice soup right after New Year's and it was sooooo good. I also grew my own mint, lemon balm, and chamomile for tea and I'm enjoying that very much after New Year's, too. After the hectic holidays, enjoying my harvests go a looong way to getting through the dark winter. Someday I want a free-standing freezer to up my game. It truly is cost-effective, healthy, and good for the soul. Thank you, Vivi, for inspiring me but also cheering all of us on. That all being said it can be scary to try it. But it's worth it.
Good on you lovely.....the more we can do for ourselves the better! Tonight's video is all about the budget.....I hope, by sharing it all, some folk can be inspired to try! :-)
So wish my partner was into gardening like you well done
Haha, cheers....we all like different things I guess.....I love to garden....but I would never have the patience for, say, baking.... :-)
Looks delightful!!! I look foreword to giving them a try! Be safe
Cheers lovely! You have such beautiful stored produce to play with - have fun! :-)
Awe Vivi. An amazing hope giving video.x
Oh what a beautiful comment!!! Thank you so much lovely. :-)
Just found you from Kate. Love it!,,
Thank you so much Dana and a very warm welcome to you. 😊
Hello Vivi,
Just wanted to say hello.Cold here today. warmed up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit that is -13 Celsius. Stay warm stay healthy. Thank you God for Vivi, Blessed and a blessing
Jan
Brrrr......that's cold! We're still below zero but nothing like you cope with. We're so not used to it in London.....we really don't have the outdoor wear for it......hahahah......lots of layers for harvesting! Stay home and cosy lovely. :-)
Absolute respect. £10/week for your expenditure, that is incredible. Your credibility has just rocketed in my estimation, I thought you were playing at whilst dipping into a generous middle class pension, inheritance or bursary. It would be great, if you could do a video on your subsistence budget and what living costs this covers.
Hahahaha, oh my goodness....I wish there WAS a pension to dip into, generous or otherwise! Cheers for your kind words lovely, I appreciate that......and the subsistence budget video is a great idea.....I think a lot of folk still think, as you may have done, that I have some sort of secret income.......so it will be good to show the truth. ;-)
A good comment. I would love to see that too.
I'm just editing the budget video now, to go out this evening. I hope it will answer all your questions - yay! Thank you for the suggestion. :-)
Hi Vivi. have only just found you so subscribed and charging through your vlogs. Very enjoyable! Going to check out some of those fab sounding receipes. Many thanks x
Oh thank you so much Mandy and a very warm welcome to you! :-)
Hi just come across your channel
I thought I was frugal but you are amazing
Look forward to watching you
I watch frugal jo as well I absolutely love her
Take care xx
Thank you so much Paula......and a very warm welcome to you here. 😊
Thank you Take care xx
Wow Vivi, Fantastic.x
Cheers lovely. :-)
Lovely video Vivi! Brrr its been so cold the last few days, no snow for us yet, just strong cold winds!
Oh the wind has been biting hasn't it?! Looks like we're going to warm up again next week....hurrah! :-)
We’re also expecting a cold snap and possibly snow in the NW of Oregon. Enjoyed watching how you put up your produce for use through the year. And as always, I love recipe ideas! Stay well.
Brrr.....brace yourself lovely. I hope you've got some fun indoors projects lined up. ;-)
You are such an inspiration. Have you tried walking with hiking poles?
Cheers lovely....no, I haven't used poles as my hands are usually busy carrying/pulling etc. :-)
Lovely to see your harvest and meal plan. I was going to harvest the last if my carrots today but I was too cold to go out as it's -2° 🥶 brrr...
I have however, managed to bag myself some free plants from my sister. Fab as I'm on a no spend year and can't buy any 👏😁
Yay for the free plants.......hopefully we'll warm up again next week so you can get out and enjoy planting them. :-)
Hi Vivi . A couple of questions. As you live on such a small tight budget, what happens when you go to the dentist ? Even basic NHS care costs something. Also, I wonder, as a fellow arthritis sufferer and a no car owner, how do you transport heavy stuff for your garden, like compost?
Ach, dentists etc...yes....it's a bit tight! I try to put away a few quid every week in to a 'do not touch except in emergencies' fund! As for transport.....I lug everything around in my granny trolley......sometimes I stop to rest on the way! 😉
@@WhatVivididnext My dentist has an insurance scheme. It costs me under £10 a month and I get 2 checkups, a basic clean and discounted treatment. Also if I need emergency treatment away from home, the company pays in full.
Granny trolleys ! What would we do without them! Library books, heavy vegetables, even a load of towels to the launderette for drying occasionally.
They can be tiring to pull though, as you say!!!
Hi! Came to you via Kate! I’m from the uk! I’m a midwife in Northants and love my allotment and your channel!! X
Yay! Hello and welcome to you! Your allotment is, I'm sure, a wonderful escape from the stresses of work......I know mine was while I was nursing! Gosh, what a difficult time this must have been for all the new mum's you've been working with.......I hope you're all OK!! :-)
Hi Vivi, this was a great video, interesting and inspiring. I had an enormous green bean harvest this year and froze, pickled, and dried a lot of them I need to figure out more recipes to use them in.
Yay for all those lovely beans to scoff! :-)
Hi Vivi, I like a emptier fridge too, easy to wipe down and no food waste. I love your channel, you are delightful. Lots of love from South Africa. 💝🌻🐞🇿🇦
Thank you so much Debbie. Hahaha, maybe I should have cleaned the fridge before filming......it does end up with lots of soil in it! ;-)
@@WhatVivididnext Oh no, I didnt mean to say you have a dirty fridge. I just meant I like emptying it out completely before next shop. Im sorry, I realy did not mean that.
@@debbiekoortzen1154 Hahaha, no, I didn't take it that way lovely!!!! Just my own observation! I'm so messy at home.....I'll do anything other than clean! ;-)
Can you grow tomato plants in doors Vivi thanks for your great inspiring video .by the way love your apron sooo nice take it easy stay safe x
In theory yes (think greenhouse) however you would need to hand pollinate assuming your house is insect free (!)......you can use a little soft make-up brush or a water colouring type brush to 'tickle' the flowers gong from one to another...... :-)
Very interesting ViVi. Ur a champ to go to allotment when so cold. God bless you . Keep warm and safe. From chgo gonna b cold here to this weekend.
It was lovely to go to the garden once I got there (the paths on the way were hideous!)......the quiet, the light, the gentle crunch of the snow underfoot........so magical..... :-)
@Therese Pazell I'm from the Chicago area, too. So glad we finally have some warmer weather now 💝
Love take out pots, so cool
Oh my goodness they're SO useful.....and free! :-)
What a lovely surprise Vivi! Great to see what you are doing with the veggies you got from the allotment. I too use those takeaway containers for freezing as they are the perfect size for fitting into a freezer. I too am vegetarian and concoct some strange combinations when cooking. I like to batch cook then freeze stuff so I don't have to cook too often. I do not really like to cook but batch cooking serves a purpose as it means I do not have to cook every day! I am so lazy that way. The time I save from not cooking means more time doing craft things instead. Sometimes I will also cook enough for several days as it is only for me and I don't care if I eat the same meal for three days running, that is fine by me. Well must go back to my knitting and finish this comment before I swipe the keyboard and lose my comment...... Looking forward to a sofa chat as I really enjoy them. until next time. Stay safe
Oh I hear you lovely! I'm not a fan of cooking either.....unless I'm doing it for a bunch of friends and we're all in the kitchen together.....when it's just for me it's a bit of a chore...simply fueling.....so doing the batches is great.....and frees up time to do the things I really love! Happy knitting lovely! :-)
You really inspire me to plan my garden and allotment better this year! It never seems to supply us more than maybe half of the fresh produce in the summer and then maybe for a month or two in the winter, I feel I could do much better. Of course the problem is also that we have 30 cm of snow and -20 degrees C at the moment, so I don't think the kale I left, thinking I can harvest it if it's a mild winter, is doing that well...
It's great to feel inspired but please don't do yourself down......ANYTHING you can grow is a help! If you have a mostly summer garden (harsh winters!) think about more tomatoes for example.....they usually crop prolifically and are easy to store.....saving you a wee fortune over the winter months (that is, if you use tinned tomatoes of course!).....beans are another great option, especially climbers which don't take up too much room....again, easy to store. I wish you a fabulous and bountiful year lovely! :-)
what delicious food Vivi. I so admire your life choices. Thank you for such a lovely video.
Oh thank you so much Gilly.....I hope you get a chance to try some of the recipes....yummy and so cheap! Stay cosy! :-)
I am new. Would love to see you cooking different things please.
Welcome! Thank you for watching. 😊 If you look on my channel page you'll see a playlist called 'In the Kitchen'......there are lots of my favourite dishes in there. 😊
@@WhatVivididnext Thank you. :)
Just saying hi Vivi, stay safe and well.
Yay! Hey lovely, I hope you're all well and happy. :-)
Oh goodness your fridge is at the Old Mother Hubbard stage! xx
Hahaha, it certainly was.....but now full of lovely 'ready' meals again. :-)
@@WhatVivididnext yeeeeeey 😊
So glad you got home safe🥰happy cooking 😋🌸
Hahaha, me too...it was like an ice-rink out there! :-)
Such a pretty kitchen! We woke up to a carpet of surprise snow this morning. Our garden beds are cleaned up but still frozen hard as a rock.( Montana, up in the mountains). I am on the lookout for a new pair of tennis shoes as well. My old ones have been demoted to garden shoes after three years. Do you like escalloped tomatoes using the canned or jarred? I have to put ice grippers onto my boots where we live. (I am a senior senior)
Oh my goodness......I was hoping you'd be starting the thaw out by now! I don't think I've ever had escalloped toms?..... 😊
@@WhatVivididnext. You prob have had them called breaded tomatoes?
You really should put together a vegetarian recipe book to sell - I love watching you cook in your organized kitchen - your veggies are so beautiful. Do you eat any kind of breads and if so, do you make them?
Hahaha - got to laugh at the 'organised' kitchen bit......it's usually a chaotic, muddy mess! ;-) I don't eat much bread so I don't bother making it (also, my oven can be a bit temperamental!).....if I do want some I go to my local Turkish market where I can buy a huge loaf for about 80p in the morning or........30p in the evening when they're selling them off (makes great toast even when a bit soft and stale!). :-)
@@WhatVivididnext Oh that bread sounds good - thanks for your reply - love the snow scenes in your garden. Take care and hugs.
@@kathycook1815 It's gorgeous.......called Chorek if you ever see it. :-)
@@WhatVivididnext Yummy, thanks Vivi
@@WhatVivididnext you can slice them and make a pizza. Delicious!
Great video! I have been watching for quite a while and had no idea you had a cooking playlist. That's something I've always wanted to see what you make that is vegetarian! I can't wait to dive into those videos. Have a great day!
Yay! Thank you lovely....yes, there are quite a few recipes in there to try and most of them can be done straight from the garden with no shop bought ingredients! Have fun trying/experimenting. :-)
Watching from Canada here :) I can totally relate to the worry about breaking bones in the winter. We usually get a dozen or so of those really slippery days every year. Every time I went out to walk the dog, I was dreading trying to walk on the ice. A couple of years ago someone gave me some rubber over soles for my shoes with spikey things on the bottom. They are amazing! There are different types, but if you search on Amazon for grippers, you can see what they are like. I know you are on a very strict budget, but if you can afford these at some point, they are worth their weight in gold (and cheaper than crutches!). (I dont sell these, and no affiliations. Just found them really invaluable.)
Awww, thank you for this lovely....yes, I've seen those 'crampons' for shoes on sale.....I haven't ever bothered to invest in any though as snow in London is such a rarity. 😊
I got some of the mountain tea and I love it vivi.xx you mentioned it many moons ago
Ooooh, wonderful! It is rather lovely......and I sometimes use it in cooking too......what a shame I haven't been able to grow any............yet! ;-)
@Amy Tinsky Hahaha - I cry at them too.....but off camera. ;-)
Warm hugs!
Thank you lovely, and to you. :-)
Viv, have been a subscriber for a long time, this is first video ive seen in months.
Thank you Delsa. 😊
Hi vivi I’ve just joined your channel and really enjoying it, id love to know what you have for breakfast 🤔😊
Thank you so much and a very warm welcome to you! I often skip breakfast (haha, not a morning person) but, when I do have it, it's usually porridge with mixed ground seeds on the top (winter) or berries (summer).
Inspiring🍀
Thank you. :-)
Great meal
Thank you Shirley. :-)
nice video vivi
Thanks lovely. :-)
60 steps to get up to ur flat??!!!!! No lift? No wonder ur knees r aching, mine are just thinking about it! What about as u get older? Love ur frugality, bit like me, but no allotment. Love the vids.
I can't take the stairs anymore so am planning to move to a ground floor flat next year......fingers crossed! 😊
@@WhatVivididnext good idea, I keep dreaming of a bungalow!!! Must be my age, although I can't believe I've got to 67,where did that time go?
I love those different squashes🙂
Me too! One of my favourite veggies to grow. So easy to store and so versatile. 😊
Very interesting vivi
Cheers lovely. :-)
Keep warm vivi
You too lovely. The great thing about doing a day of cooking is that it really heats up the Cottage in the Sky! :-)
Love your haircut Awful storm here in Texas USA u
Too be warm n safe
Ugh, hunker down lovely and stay safe. :-)
Hi Vivi may I ask do you Blanche all of your veg before putting them in the little boxes then in the freezer or are their some you can just wash and peel /chop and freeze? xxxShaz
I always used to....it is recommended for anything stored for longer than 6 months but.......I own up to being lazy/too busy.... so now I just sling everything in there without blanching......and it's all been OK. 😊
@@WhatVivididnext Thank you Vivi ...I just need to find some takaway boxes to fill with Rhubarb xx
This may be a heretical question but do you think you may need to think about a greenhouse? My little pop up plastic one has kept my salad leaves safe all Winter. Admittedly it is in my back garden and I pop the embers from the grate in there in a bucket each morning which has kept it a bit warm when it’s really cold, but it’s done me proud for salad leaves, spinach, micro greens, carrots and I almost overwintered a chilli plant but I lost it last week 😞
Sadly I don't have any space for a greenhouse. It sounds like you have a grand set-up though, yay! :-)
Hey Viv. Just asking: do you blanch your vegetables before you freeze them?
Generally not as I tend to use them up within 6 months........it is recommended to blanch if they're going to be frozen for longer than that. 😊
Just happened upon your channel! You ARE an inspiration!! That huge garden we saw, is that all yours or do you share that with others?
Thank you so much and welcome! I have a plot within an allotment site....we all rent gardens the size of mine which is about 800 sq meters (1000 feet). It's so wonderful to have this land to rent. 😊
6:00 you know it is really not efficient to operate a nearly empty fridge, as cooling down the air / empty space in it takes a lot more energy than cooling down objects. Even if your fridge is empty, it is recommended to fill it up with bottled water or water in any kinda container because the cooled down water will hold onto the cool temperature much better than the empty space. Same applies to freezers: if there is empty space in it, you should fill that up with water in any kinda container. It definitely saves on electricity and on wear and tear of the fridge/freezer as they dont have to work so hard. Just saying. ;-)
Absolutely......I always turn my appliances off as soon as they're empty (decanting bits from one to another)....the fridge isn't usually this empty....I just hadn't had the time/energy to cook. :-)
I've started turning my fridge/freezer off for 3-4 hrs in the evening
Hi Vivi....is your -5 temp in F or C?? Here in Canada we use C and -5 isn't all THAT cold but -5F is pretty freezing cold!!
We're in C and, no, not that cold compared with you but for us it's highly unusual so we don't have the clothing for it! ;-)
I guess you have mentioned this in another video, but how do you calculate how much, and what to grow, to last you through the winter? I would love to share my garden with others, but I live quite rural, with no public transportation, so it might be difficult. Maybe one can ask friends and family to garden in their garden, if alotments are hard to get. 😊
It's all been a bit of trial and error/experience over the last few years......sadly there's no easy/quick answer!......but I definitely focus on things that store well/easily and that I eat a lot of.....so that covers toms, beans and squash. :-)
I didn't realize you can keep onions and garlic in the fridge, does it make it last longer?
I don't keep them in the fridge for long (immediate use over the next two weeks only) but rather store them in the shed where it's cool, low humidity and some light. It always seems to work well for them. :-)
great video, you have me wondering how are your micro greens doing?
The peas have been LOVELY but the 'nutrition mix' is my favourite for that slight peppery kick......I haven't done anymore sunflowers as I wasn't that keen. ;-)
@@WhatVivididnext thanks for the update.
Hi Viv loving your video but I’m really worried about your low protein consumption 😢😘 A woman needs around 45g a day. You did say you have a protein lunch of beans and rice but that is less than half the daily recommended amount. Take care my lovely x
I do watch it and add other foods too...sometimes cheese, sometimes soya etc. Thank you lovely. :-)
@@WhatVivididnext 😘😘😘
Bloody hell well done Vivi !
(and I'm sorry to get political but still better than the Chartwell children's food "hampers")
Hahaha, cheers lovely! :-)
My goodness Vivi...you are definitely a huge inspiration. I don't know how you do it, well I mean I KNOW how you do it because you've shown us all, but still....I DON'T know how you do it. Credit to you lovely lady, credit to you x
Awww, cheers lovely.....it's worth it all for the yummy food! ;-)
Just nipped over to your Bean salad recipe one I shall be making for the family. Love your frugal living when you look in the freezer sections at supermarkets and see all that food and let’s face it, the vast majority of it is carb infused junk, you put them to shame with your freezers. I applaud you.
Oh thank you so much lovely! :-)
Do you think your harvests will be as good this year with you using peat compost this year?
I don't normally use peat compost......last year I had three small bags with peat in (I hadn't realised!!!! Argh).....so no, I think my harvests do great without peat. :-)
Vivi what do you eat for breakfast? Amazing how you can eat well on so little. I am sure I am not alone in feeling a bit guilty for having a fridge full of food right now. Take care sweet pea. 🥰
Hahaha, don't feel guilty about your food.....my fridge is full again now, I just needed to pull my finger out and get cooking! ;-)
Healthy eating
Absolutely. :-)
Hi Vivi 👋
I heard you say that you use white rice for risotto, I use pudding rice for risotto, it's a lot cheaper than the very expensive arborio rice but way nicer than using value white rice and you get that rich creaminessthat you get from arborio... really feels like a treat 😁
I sprout seeds, dried lentils, beans and peas on the side in my kitchen using old jars with holes punched in the lids for rinsing and draining the water twice daily and use them as salad..cheap, easy and incredibly nutritious
Keep being you, love your incredibly helpful videos ❤
Yay for sprouted seeds.....I love mine...so fresh and yummy and a great nutrition boost when I can't get to the garden. That's a fab tip re the risotto rice, thank you lovely! :-)
@@WhatVivididnext my pleasure 😊
Just sharing your channel with my Mum, apart from imparting wisdom I think they will keep her company ❤
So inspiring! 💚
Thank you so much Caroline!!! My dream is that everyone can have their own bit of growing space and experience the same joy as I do from my own veggies. :-)