February 2009 Grocery Challenge

[TheBees]

I've worked out that the 5 litre bottle of Bold 2 in 1 liquid should last for 22 WEEKS if we use 50mls per wash instead of the recommended 75ml and do an average of 4 washes per week! I saw the same washing liquid in co-op today costing over £3 for 750ml so my 5litres for £9 is very good value.

I spent just over £8 on fruit at the F&V shop as we had absolutely none in the house. DD12 had discovered this week that she likes kiwi fruit - hooray!

Had a huge row with DS15 this evening as he hadn't eaten his cheese and ham sandwiches from his packed lunch. He really is being awkward lately with food - his sister used to be the fussy one but just lately she's eating better than he is. I can't understand how he can eat a tiny breakfast and not feel hungry enough to eat his sandwiches later. I've tried explaining how he's wasting our money but he doesn't get it. Tonight we made him make his own sandwich so we'll see if he eats them tomorrow. RANT OVER!

Forgot to add - I always freeze my Twinks after they've been cooked.

Just re-read my post - How sad am I working out how long my washing liquid will last!!?

[angelatgraceland]

Not sad at all! Thats the way to do it! I call them smart calculations. I only ever use half of what they tell me on the bottle-and its always fine. Sometimes I use ecoballs or soapnuts instead. Well Ive had a nsd day today-I did go out but only to take DS to the jobcentre and to collect someones broken computer for him to fix as a favour for a guy who is terminally ill and was told his comp wasnt worth fixing. Well its fixed now! Came home before it started snowing again.
Just defrosted what I hoped was soup to find its actually chicken stock so now I need to use it in something tomorrow. I think it will go into a sausage casserole somehow so I will soak some dried stuff tonight-that will be tomorrow sorted. I really must make the effort to label the tubs before I put them in the freezer. They are UFOs at the moment. Regarding bread,I am finding that making bread dough in the breadmaker and leaving it overnight then cooking it in the oven is giving me the best results ever. The last loaf was huge for some reason-yet it was a Hovis packet which Ive made previously a normal size. Maybe it was leaving it overnight. I made twinks last week but I eat too many so Im frightened to make any more-along with too many slices of nofat teabread.

[DdraigGoch]

So far, still on NSDs all the way. It's useful, this snow! DH due back today, DS back at work today too. Must go through the pantry again and see what we need/want. Is there anywhere online where I can get the prices of foods at Messrs L/A, Stainbury's, Tresco, Morristons & the Coop? I know that mysupermarket.co.uk does a sterling job on Adsa, Waitingforarose, Trescos & Stainsbury's, but I don't have any of them near here! Any help much appreciated.

So, apart from the missing £30 [and I think I'm going to have to include a £20 note which I had squirrelled away against desparation, if I'm not careful], I think I'll manage this month.

thanks, everyone, and supportive hugs for those who need them.

DG

[WelshWoofer]

Have just been thinking about my meal plan (whilst supposed to be writing a new brochure for work!) and have realised that I have stuff that needs using up like potatos etc before I make my 5 bean chilli which is usually made from dried/canned beans, tinned tomatoes etc (basically stuff that will keep).

So rather than end up chucking them away I'm looking for easy things to do with just plain old white spuds?
I was going to make some mash but that's boring (made leek and potato soup last night).
Anyone got any ideas?

I was thinking of a fancy layered potato thingy but don't know where to start and what I need......

Can anyone help?

I have basics like mature cheese, milk etc if that helps (and can pop to the shop on the way home from work for the odd low cost ingredient!)

[dizzycow]

Morning all. Was hoping for a NSD today but it's not going to happen now - DS needs a new toothbrush, I'm sure he tries to eat them! Also need more baby wipes and nappy sacks for DS2.

Think will have to do some more baking today, made some fruit buns & flapjack on sunday but they just seem to dissapear. Not sure what to do for dinner today. have some leftover chicken from Sunday, may attempt to make some sort of pie - any advice greatly appreciated - never made chicken pie before.

Will update sig later with spends.

Have a good day.

[mrs-moneypenny]

managed 2 NSDs on sunday and monday .

today should be cheap, jacket pots for lunch and DH and me will have stir fry with quorn later. the boys need early tea so it will be something out of the freezer for them.

made a lovely jam sponge in the microwave for afters on sunday which went down very well - but i think i need a new seal on the lid as it took forevwer to build up pressure

[PurpleSkies]

Had to pop into lidl yesterday for emergancy supplies to help cure a hangover! Irn Bru, big greasy pizza & some choc so a grand total of £2.50.
Pleased to report they definitely helped and I'm feeling much better today.

[tessie bear]

hi...the bees i think that liquid calculation is brilliant...i do similar in shops all the time...working out what a portion will cost of something....i have a little secret i have discovered or think iv discovered in local coop they reduce things a couple of days before sell by....but if there is a lot and u go back next day they have been reduced again...of course they might have all gone...but iv gone back a couple of times now and its been even cheaper....iv got my eye on a couple of nice chickens so im going to pop back tomorrow and have a look.....with regards to using up potatoes...im sure u can cook and mash then freeze in portions....u could make potato cakes...equal quantities cooked mash and flour roll out and cut with a biscuit cutter then shallow fry and serve with bacon and eggs.....u could make loaded potato skins eat some and freeze some.....hope evryone has a good day....iv just been out and pushing a buggy in the slush is a nightmare it really takes it out of your back
tata tess

[sazzledazzle]

rachelmk try looking on MR S website as has a receipe bit and you can select an ingredient. Put Potatoe in a will give you some ideas. i had some leeks that I had to use pronto and did this and got some nice meal ideas from that.
So far nothing spent this week on grocerys but will need to stop at MR T tonight for cat biscuits, milk, sawdust for rabbit etc. Hoping to keep it under a fiver.

[scotsaver]

Originally Posted by rachelmk

So rather than end up chucking them away I'm looking for easy things to do with just plain old white spuds?
I was going to make some mash but that's boring (made leek and potato soup last night).
Anyone got any ideas?

I was thinking of a fancy layered potato thingy but don't know where to start and what I need......

Can anyone help?

I have basics like mature cheese, milk etc if that helps (and can pop to the shop on the way home from work for the odd low cost ingredient!)

Hi rachelmk - what about a Potato Bake thing, I just layer sliced potatoes with diced onion, season and then pour over some stock with a bit of milk, a few knobs of butter on the top and bake in the oven.

dizzycow - when I make a Chicken Pie I just make a white sauce with a chicken stock cube added, place the chicken in the bottom of the dish, pour over the sauce and then puff pastry on the top - you can also add peas, sweetcorn, mushrooms, ham etc etc or a combination of all.

Dinner tonight for us is a HM Fish Pie, Broccoli and carrots.

Hope you all have a good day.

[DdraigGoch]

Rachelmk, teisen datws [tie-sen dat-oos] is the Welsh dish I think you might be thinking of. The way I make it is to butter the bottom of an ovenproof dish lightly, very finely slice up as many potatoes as you like - usually one large one per person in this household! - one onion between 2 persons - butter - milk. Layer up as follows, potatoes, onions, dot some butter in, potatoes, onion, butter and repeat until the last layer is potatoes dotted with some butter. Pour in milk to just come under the top layer of potatoes and then put the lid on - if you've got one, if not don't fret! - put it on a tray [to save the bottom of the oven in case it boils over!] and bung in the oven on fairly high for at least half an hour and then turn it down and walk away. You can leave it from one hour to 6 hours and it'll be beautiful.

If you want to use the slow cooker, it's a marvellous dish. Just remember to put it on high for 20 minutes first. Smells wonderful, is as cheap as anything and you can even make it without the onions, use made up dried milk and margarine if pennies are tight. Sometimes I leave out the onions on purpose, for a change, sometimes I put herbs in the layers, sometimes I add left over chicken/beef and use the gravy [watered down to make enough liquid] instead of the milk. Very variable, very enjoyable. Have fun.

[mummy2mygirls]

went to asda today and spent even more money!!! not sure how much yet as i also got a iron and kettle so will go through the receipts later and add the damage!!

Did get some of the cathedral city cheese on offer for £2 (its my fav so i got two!!) some woopsie chicken pieces got two of these and before i would of had to get two packs for one meal but i will be bulking out and only using one - which is more then enough but i do have a greedy dh!!!

Got some tomatoes reduced to 15p aswell my dd1 loves them so will go into her packed lunches. Was a hard trip and im sure i got some bits that wasnt really needed (like the chocolate iced rings..... ) but dd2 was screaming all the way round so was hard to concentrate and needed a treat - she is having a bout of the terrible twos i think!!

[Miss Liquorice]

Oops, accidental trip to KFC yesterday (Another £4.49 off what's left. It upsets me that my lunch cost nearly a week's OS dinners). That's what I get taking the OH round the shops with me near lunchtime. In my defence I made sure I enjoyed it! ^_^

[yummymummy05]

yippee a nsd!!! Have a large chicken roasting in the oven - will have some of this tonight in a stir fry, will freeze the rest and am hoping to get 6 portions for roast dinners!! am about to have a cooking spree have to make some purees for dd - parsnip and carrot, parsnip and apple, cod mornay - tomorrow will do her another batch of casserole. am also aiming to do a carrot cake and check on the neighbours cat!!

I accidentally got creme fraiche instead of cream cheese for the icing on the cake - what can you cook with creme fraiche as I've never used it before?

[elly2]

afternoon all £2.20 so far spent today but also will be needing milk so will get my dad to pick me 2 cartons up so that will take me upto a fiver will have another NSD tomorrow but will be needing bread and stuff before the weekend x

[IsoChick]

Humph... after a rather bad weekend of spend-spend-spend, I added it all up today (including 2 weeks grocery shopping) and I am 3/4 into my budget with 2 weeks shopping to go

Luckily, we don't need much in the way of expensive household items (just dishwasher tablets - Mr T's Value ones) and I think we've got plenty of bits and bobs in the freezer, so we might have a week of my 'concoctions' as OH calls them!

I was going to do a 3-pronged shopping assault this week - Mr T's for household and non-perishable; local veg shop for fruit and veg (who sell a sack of 'pony carrots' for £1.20!!), and local butchers for meat, but I'm not sure this will work this month! I suppose I'll have to see how I feel on Thursday or Friday about it (and whether we've mysteriously run out of other stuff that needs to be bought too)

[gunsandbanjos]

NSD for me today, not left the house as LO is unwell.
Went a little overbudget last week - aiming for £50 a week, hopefully should be a little underbudget this week though.

[mummyyof5]

Hello everyone,Ended up spending more than I wanted to in MRMs but stocked up on Huggies nappies they are a third off at the moment (I know there are cheaper brands but my LO has severe excema so not compromising on these).
Enough catfood and milk to last till Oh gets back off tour (he is away for 10 days)wonder if it will be enough?
26 bags of crisps £1.00 off and lots of other bits.
so cost £79.80.
Total spend so far £214.19.

[kezlou]

Well nearly died today spent around £100 today on shopping. it doesnt look like i got much as all. My friend laughed and said i spent that yesterday when i went food shopping.
Honestly last year i bought the same things (all value) and it cost me £35, can't believe how much food has gone up.
But to be fair i spent £20 alone on cat food, £6 on bulk toilet roll and £10 on cheese.
Hopefully the tinned food should last me till next month maybe even till April if i'm lucky. Bought two packs of reduced fresh blueberries for £1.49 and they went through as buy one get one free so fresh muffins and sweeties things for the boys pack lunches.

Hope everyone is well!

[Beki]

Hmmm well i'm not doing *too* badly so far. We shall see how the next 2.5 weeks pan out though. I can see me being either just in budget, or only just slightly over

Dinner tonight is a nice cheap one!

Beans on toast for the two children (Although not sure i should be admitting that after reading another quite heated thread about what is and what isn't classed as a proper meal )

And vegetable soup with a couple of slices of tiger bread for me and OH

Vegetable soup -

1 large onion - 9p

5 cloves garlic - 7p

1 bag diced swede - 0p (asda were giving them away at 11pm the other night when OH popped in for cheap butter! )

1/3rd bag pearl barley - 13p

3 stock cubes (made a HUGE pan of soup) - 8p

1/4 stick of butter (using the 47p asda deal ) - 12p

1/4 tiger loaf for dunking (reduced at 30p for the loaf) - 8p

Total cost - 57p (of course, that's excluding the water. and the gas used to simmer it all for 1hr)

There's easily enough there for 4 or 5 huge man-sized portions! Oh, and it's delicious (i keep 'testing' it... to make sure it's still ok LOL)