August 2009 Grocery Challenge

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  • kezlou
    kezlou Posts: 3,283 Forumite
    Thanks everyone for you concern about my mother . Really appreciate it :)
    rosieben wrote: »
    Brilliant meal plan :T OS is obviously contagious :rotfl:

    Its great that you're helping your mum, but without being nosy, can I ask if she's able to get more to live on than £30 a week? sorry, not sure if she's claiming any benefits or whatever, but depending on her age and circumstances she might be entitled to a little help? ;)

    Course your not being nosy rosie, my other has a meeting friday to see if she is entitled to any other money.Luckily, i managed to her rent and council tax sorted out for her, now its just utilities. Its a relief for her now that she knows she a roof over her head. She was afraid the council would terminate her tenancy.
    Just another £20 on her so should keep her going for a few days.

    Ita hitting my shopping budget really hard now as well. So hopefully my sister will start helping her out as well.

    turbo5019 wrote: »
    I'm in need of some help please. The problem I have a few too many tomatoes well I have 30 tomato plants and I need some ideas what to do with them. (why 30 plants becaues I grew some plants and my nan bless her thought she would do 15 for me).

    You could making salsa and relishes from them, as well as tomato chutney?
    Tomatoes tend to be eaten in salads here or just plain like a strawberry.
    Try roasting them with some olive oil and garlic then freezing. blitzing them in a tomato sauce for pasta. I use fresh tomatoes in curries and soups as well.

    Heres one recipe i did last year:-

    Red tomato chutney
    • 3 lb red tomatoes
    • 1 lbapples
    • 2 oz salt
    • 1½ pints white vinegar
    • 3 cloves chopped garlic
    • 2 oz (56 g) mixed spices e.g coriander seeds, mustard seeds etc
    • 21/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 7 oz brown sugar
    1. slice and skin the tomatoes and repeat with the apples as well as removing core.
    2. Place the above into a pan along with the salt, vinegar, ground ginger and sugar. Add the pickling spices chopped and garlic tied and give a good stir.
    3. Bring to the boil and then cook and stir until its becomes thick.
    4. Once cooked remove bay leaves (if used) I tend to leave pickling spices as i like the tangy taste. But you can remove them.
    5. Place into warm, clean jars and seal it while its hot
    6. Leaves for at least 4 weeks to allow the flavours to settle.
    the meal plan has stuck so far, having leftover spag bol tomorrow :D.
  • Tashja
    Tashja Posts: 1,214
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    Morning all

    Can't sleep so decided to mooch on here :)

    I have had another Tesco order delivered yesterday so will update in a mo - a once a week shop is working well for us and even with the delivery charge we are saving money by using coupons and money saved in petrol and stress !! Shopping with a DH and 3 children is a nightmare !!

    DWP finally sorted out my IB - for some reason it was still frozen even though 2 managers had released the money ???

    So today we have the paper man in decorating DS room. Amazingly, and with thanks tgo the Fly Lady thread, I decided to clear out the understairs cupboard and in doing so I found loads of old toys and baby bits which I have put up for sale and so far raised 25.00. This is going to go towards new carpet for DS room which will be a bonus as I forgot the stuff was there. I am also going to put a line in my signature of money raised from decluttering !!! I am a hoarder :(

    Also will do a carrot cake today as it is the paper mans favorite
    catowen wrote: »
    Hello!!! Not sure if it is the same, but this is the recipe i use =

    8oz s/r flour,
    1/2 tsp ground mixed spice,
    5oz soft dark brown sugar,
    5 oz carrots, grated,
    2 eggs,
    1/4 pt corn or sunflower oil,
    2 tbsp milk.

    180C - 40 mins, oblong tin, just mix all ingredients together, then bake!

    Topping -

    2oz butter, softened,
    8oz icing sugar.

    I have used this recipe before and it was great !!

    Will have a read back then post some personals but I hope everyone is ok ((hugs))

    T xx
  • mooomin
    mooomin Posts: 13,703
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    Morning all!

    Payday tomorrow (Yay!) so I would like to:

    Declare for August at £214.15/£250 :j
  • BigMummaF
    BigMummaF Posts: 4,281 Forumite
    As you can see, my spends are scarily above my estimated £220 for the month & we're only half way there! Personally I blame MrT for putting those vouchers in the paper on a week-end & of course, nothing what-so-ever to do with my lack of self control :A:whistle:
    It does mean that I have a goodly store cupboard though so hopefully spending will be kept to a minimum from now on.
    Full time Carer for Mum; harassed mother of three;
    loving & loved by two 4-legged babies.

  • rockie4
    rockie4 Posts: 1,264
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    Really cross with myself :mad: I was doing really well, then last night I went to Asda for milk and a few bits........and spent £35.38 :eek::eek::eek: which takes me to £173.63 with a week to go!!!!!!!

    Several things that we use were on offer so I doubled up which means I'm quite well stocked but I forgot to get cat food......:think: might have to send OH with just enough cash for that one.....
  • oceanspirit
    oceanspirit Posts: 1,007
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    Did a weekly shop yesterday evening. I hadn't planned to go quite so early in the week but had to take the opportunity when it arose. I've spent quite a bit more due to a friend coming to stay for a few days over the weekend, and bought a few things I wouldn't normally. Also bought a veggie ready meal which I ate when I got home and it was yuk. Only had about 3 lentils in it and lots of "sauce" and cost £2.29. It took 5 mins to heat up in the microwave - I would have been better off paying less for a bag of stir fry vegetables and had a couple of tasty meals out of it for much less money.

    Anyway, I still managed to spend less than I would previously have done as I kept thinking about posting up the amount on here which kept me focussed on only spending what I needed to.

    I should only need to get some salad over the weekend and hopefully that'll be it for the month.
    Decluttering Awards: 🥇
  • elizabunny
    elizabunny Posts: 1,030 Forumite
    Hello everyone, Well I have to report that I'm well over for this month now. I also have to admit to losing count as well, but I think I am around £50 over:eek: Not quite sure how this happened because I was doing quite well in the beginning, but just lost track somewhere in the middle. PLEASE DON'T THROW ME OUT OF THE CLUB!:eek: I will keep trying. Also we had a disaster with the freezer, which for some reason just stopped working. All the food had thawed out before we discovered it, so lots of wasted soggy veggies etc. DH fiddled about at the back of the freezer with the plug and it suddenly started working again:mad: but we are not sure how trustworthy it is, although its been ok for around 10 days now. Still, I think we may need to look around for a replacement. So I have been busy trying to restock and batch cook. On the upside, we have picked loads of blackberries, so I made 9lb of blackberry and apple jam and have frozen:rolleyes: 5lb for pies etc. I can't say I have seen many offers over the past week or so because I'm been avoiding shopping as much as possible, but I must try to do better. Hope you are all doing well with your budgets. I need to catch up on some of your posts now. Have a nice day!
    Sealed Pot Challenge 7 Member 022 :staradmin:staradmin:staradmin
    5:2 Diet started 28/1/2013 only 13lbs lost due to Xmas 2013 blip.
  • kezlou
    kezlou Posts: 3,283 Forumite
    Just thought i's post this up for everyone. As i have just made some for the boys. Darn fruit flies are everywhere.Just froze more brambles and grapes.


    Banana Cake / Bread
    250ish grams plain flour
    1/4 teaspoons baking soda
    pinch of salt
    1 egg
    100g butter / margerine
    100g cup sugar (i used light brown sugar, all i had left)
    6 whole overripe bananas mashed (or less if you wish, we like bananas)
    1tsp of vanilla flouring / essence whichever

    DIRECTIONS
    1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5. Grease and flour a loaf pan / cake tins

    2. rub butter and flour together till looks like bread crumbs add salt.
    3. Add sugar to the flour mix well and add the mashed up bananas.Stir in the egg and add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
    4. Pour the mixture into greased loaf pan / cake tin.

    5. Place on top shelf of oven for around 60 minutes. Check its ready by making sure sa knife comes out clean.
    6. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.
    It is more of a cake than bread.
  • This weeks shopping came to £25.25, thanks to £7 of coupons from Mr Tesco :oD

    That leaves £4.75 for next week. Should only need milk and bread by then!

    Determined to stick to it!!
  • ellemm
    ellemm Posts: 11,262
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    Kezlou - I made Banana bread yesterday too-using bananas from the freezer. Whenever I have one or two left at the end of the week and they are a bit soft (I don't like them like that) I put them into the freezer then take out as needed for the banana cake.

    I also like to add some sultanas and a few chopped walnuts - lovely:p
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