August 2009 Grocery Challenge

elizabunny · 27 August 2009 at 1:39PM

**Upsy_Daisy** wrote: »

I have been thinking about how I am going to cut my grocery bills.
What are your thoughts on buying meat from a butchers as opposed to a supermarket?

Sorry for the double post:o
**Upsy Daisy** I always try to buy from our local butcher. The quality is great and he sells homemade pies and lots of other different products. The service is very good as well. I think I get good value for money -even though I struggle to keep within -or anywhere near sometimes:rotfl:my low budget. But my DH says we've eaten alot better this year since I have been doing the GC and buying local produce and also for alot less money than I would have spent in the past. So I must be doing something right.:j

soupfan · 27 August 2009 at 1:51PM

I have exactly £250 in cash ready for September.
I am hoping that spending notes rather than using a card will make things easier. Going to the Post Office later to get it turned into £5 notes for added incentive!

cw18 · 27 August 2009 at 1:55PM

My parents always used to buy their meat from the butcher - half a lamb or pig, or a quarter of a cow at a time. But since it's become just the two of them (and supermarkets have moved in closer to where they live - the closest still being about a 5 mile round trip) they seem to have moved away from that.

For me it's supermarket all the way, and almost always has been. When I had my first house there was a butcher closer than the supermarket, but he opened after I left for work and closed before I got home. I sometimes walked it over to him on a Saturday morning, but not often as standing in his queue with 2 young children wasn't much of a fun way to spend the time.

Then moved back to by my parents, and had the same problem with opening times of 'their' butcher - less of a queue on a Saturday, but it meant a special run in the car so I didn't tend to if I needed the supermarket for other stuff anyway.

We had a butcher within easy walking distance of where I live now, but - although people liked his meat - I found his choice limited and prices a bit steep. He closed a few years back, and my closest now means using the car unless the weather's really nice and I have a couple of hours to walk there and back. Given I now have a Mr M less than a 5 min walk from home - plus an A!di less than as far again, and a L!dl a little bit further again - I rarely even think about the butcher. The few times I have considered it (when I've been in the next town for something else other than Mr T) I've always changed my mind - the place doesn't have much on display, the pricing chart seems vague, and I've yet to see a customer in there !!!!!

** Edited to add ** the exception was a pork joint when I lived at my first 2 houses. There's a smashing pork butcher in Preston, so I used to find an excuse to go into town once every 4-6 weeks - and always came home with a bee-oooo-tiful joint for the Sunday

tessie_bear · 27 August 2009 at 2:20PM

hi...upsy (love that name)..i go to local butcher for special stuff like a joint for a birthday tea and for a turkey at Christmas sometimes but i find him to be expensive...lovely quality but too pricey for everyday use as it were....people on here do say that their butcher is cheaper than the supermarkets so it might be worth going in to your local and trying a small purchase to see how u get on...let us know what u find out

hope everyone is well..i am weary of summer hellidays (not a typo)
take care
tess

jackiegibbo · 27 August 2009 at 2:47PM

not had a good money at all unfortunately DECLARING AT £278.26 FOR AUGUST:mad:

But in my defence ive had my gall bladder taken out last week so the shoppings been got from sainsburys round the corner and only "things i fancy and lots of fruit"

Good luck to everyone and i hope you are doing well with your challenges and keeping well:D

rosieben · 27 August 2009 at 3:04PM

hope you recover quickly jackie

you've done well even thinking of the GC after an op

**Upsy_Daisy** · 27 August 2009 at 3:07PM

Thanks for your suggestions re the butcher - I think I'll do 2 weeks menu plans and then order 2 weeks worth of meat and see how it turns out.

I will also plan in at least 4 veggie meals during those 2 weeks - spinach pancakes (a real family favourite) sweet and sour mixed bean casserole (to use upsome of l those various tins of beans in the cupboard) for starters - I'll leaf through my Sainsburys veggie cookbook later for some more ideas.

poohbear59 · 27 August 2009 at 3:26PM

Thanks Mrs M. I would like to be put down for £180 for three adults here full time plus 2 who are here weekends. This will be the first time in 21 years that I haven't been cooking for at least four of us so I have to now try to get my quantities sized down or we will become very much fatter! I know we should save some for another day but I remember when DD1 started at uni we all seemed to just eat more until I got down to smaller quantities.

Also declaring at 249.60 for August:(

Fire_Fox · 27 August 2009 at 3:27PM

Can I add a recipe to the list? I have previously made Mexican-style Mince very successfully, Mr. Fire Fox said it was the best thing I'd ever cooked!

One pack pork or turkey mince
One large onion, chopped
One large carrot, grated
Approx 50g red lentils
One tin of sweetcorn, or equivalent frozen
As much garlic as you can handle!
One sachet Discovery fajita spice mix
Red chilli to taste
Juice of one lime

Fry off the onion in a little oil for a couple of minutes, add the mince and fry off. Chuck in the lentils, garlic, spice mix, carrot and a little water if required. Cook covered for half an hour or until the lentils and carrot are indistinguishable! Add the sweetcorn and chilli to taste, heat through before stirring through lime juice. Serve immediately in pitta bread and/ or with rice: very nice with a little sour cream or plain yoghurt.

Mr. Fire Fox will not eat most pulses, hence the lack of kidney beans: no reason why these couldn't be used instead of red lentils. Similarly no reason why lemon couldn't substitute for the lime. I specified Discovery spice mix as I found this MUCH nicer than Asdas, and you can sometimes get Discovery cheap at Home Bargains.

rosieben · 27 August 2009 at 3:49PM

recipes always welcome here Firefox

and its on the list!

Thanks for this one, quite by coincidence I have a few pieces of cooked turkey cooling in the kitchen and been wondering what to do with it - I dont have the spice mix but I'm sure I can find something else in the cupboard :T

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August 2009 Grocery Challenge

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