February 2011 Grocery Challenge

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Comments

  • Hey all,

    I have been a bit naughty the last week or so and have bought some unneccesary luxury items. Sig total is updated, but still well within budget, and to be fair the cupboards/fridge/freezer are literally empty bar condiments...
    I have been good though, and have already written my 4 weeks meal plans ready for my shopping list for payday saturday. I have also made a note on the meal plans of things (pies, pizzas, stews, etc) that i will make two of and freeze one. This will be helpful for later in the month or even next month's budget.
    I have also used my SC for the first time, and made a turkey curry. I literally threw in everything that i would normally put in a curry recipe, and it turned out pretty well! if not a little liquidy but nothing a roux couldnt fix. Had i had coconut milk that would have added a little more thickness and taste, but water sufficed and it turned out ok. There are even 2 servings in the freezer for next time as well as 2 naans that were reduced to 10p on sell by date.
    Next experiment will be beef stew. and i have also put coq au vin on the meal plan as well as chicken in white wine sauce. hope they all turn out ok.

    i am enjoying this budget thing so much as i am more enthusiastic about experimenting and trying new recipes, and it is ensuring that we all eat a good variety of food and produce less waste which in turn helps the pocket. :) :money: :)
    DFBX2016 #160 - £3550/£8800

    DFBX2017 #160 - £0/£11,378

    £0/7807 CapOne (0% PAID) £0/2776 Tesco (0% PAID)
    £820/820 HSBC OD (100% PAID) £0/£795 HSBC M/C (0% PAID)
  • Have updated my sig. Meat and tesco shop arrived today. Got a voucher for 5p off per litre of petrol which will be handy for our journey.

    Taking a break from my ironing. Good news on the financial front following boiler expense. DH is due a tax rebate which should be paid in next couple of days so the dent in our savings is not so huge.

    Off to prepare the doner meat for dinner. The kitchen should be warm enough now for me to venture in.
    GC 2011 Feb £626.89/£450 NSD3/7 March £531.26/£450 April £495.99/£500 NSD 0/7 May £502.79/£500
    June £511.99/£480 July £311.56/£480
  • wannaBrich wrote: »
    I had food going off again today so made garlic chicken and mushroom with pasta - was good :)

    omg :eek: lookin at prog on bbc3 about low fat foods, glad that I've been making more fresh meals recently - these low fat ready meals are full of all kinds and low fat bread has a E number which is feathers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :O

    i know i know you shouldnt believe everything you read in the paper.... BUT.... it said in the mirror the other day that there is more sugar in a flavoured botltle of water than in 3 jam doughnuts..... i never buy flavoured bottled water but it just reiterates that you never know what additives are in these 'supposedly' healthy products. :o my answer - make as much as you can from scratch!!:T
    DFBX2016 #160 - £3550/£8800

    DFBX2017 #160 - £0/£11,378

    £0/7807 CapOne (0% PAID) £0/2776 Tesco (0% PAID)
    £820/820 HSBC OD (100% PAID) £0/£795 HSBC M/C (0% PAID)
  • Afternoon All,

    Have update my sig - i will declare £214.45 spent for feb out of a £150 budget

    Considering it was my first month doing the GC i think it was quite good and considering i done my first ever AF order (DH stocked up on pack-up bits for looooonnngg time!)

    Also pleased that i had 20 NSD out of 32 (it was a weird month for me!)

    Aiming for another 20 this month

    I am going on holiday to sunny brighton in middle of March but i won't be counting it within my GC - i will take it out of other money (not sure which yet) but it is for mothers day - have to treat her to something!

    Got to pick up a few bits tonight - jackets etc.

    Anyone know the best place to get jacket potatoes?
  • Spiggle
    Spiggle Posts: 1,787
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    Just having a break, the wm is on for the second time.
    OrkneyStar wrote: »
    ... also got some diesel (£1.43.9p/l!!!!) ... Scary prices for some foods and certainly fuel

    :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: is all I can say to that price OrkneyStar! And I thought my unleaded petrol at £1.259 was expensive. :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
    ... I have been a bit naughty the last week or so and have bought some unneccesary luxury items. Sig total is updated, but still well within budget, ...

    Next experiment will be beef stew. and i have also put coq au vin on the meal plan as well as chicken in white wine sauce. hope they all turn out ok.

    i am enjoying this budget thing so much as i am more enthusiastic about experimenting and trying new recipes, and it is ensuring that we all eat a good variety of food and produce less waste which in turn helps the pocket. :) :money: :)

    We have to treat ourselves sometimes cutiepie, and even better if the treats are paid for within budget. :cool: I hope all your sc meals are wonderful, congrats on the meal planning. :T I constantly find it amazing how budgeting affects so many areas of our life. As you say, we all seem to eat so much better, cook more/better food and reduce our waste. You know, I think our Mum's and Gran's were much more sussed than we sometimes give them credit for. ;)
    scotsaver wrote: »
    spiggle - I don't think you went off topic - I consider growing fruit & veg as part of the GC for those of us who are lucky enough to have the space/time to grow our own. I too am getting excited about getting started, got a few things I want to get sown this week like toms,peppers,chillies etc. ;)

    Thanks for that scotsaver. The only thing I think I can start off at the moment is the toms. We didn't succeed very well at all with peppers last year (no greenhouse - yet!?!?) so we're giving them a miss this year. I could start an early tray of salad leaves possibly. hmmm, need to think on that. Hoping tomorrow will be dry as I want to get my compost bins emptied and put on the plot. Good luck with your seeds! :D

    Back to housework. :(

    See you later,
    Spigs
    Mortgage Free October 2013 :T
  • SavingJane wrote: »
    Quick Question.

    We used to buy lot of potato croquetts, waffles, ect and now I'm not buying them wonder what different things I can do with freash pot's to go with meals. Other then roast, sliced and diced. We don't like mash so that's out...thanks

    Hi there, i have also cut out the potato products and we used to buy a lot! hash browns, chips, waffles, croquettes.... so i have also been experimenting with potatoes. Here are a few ideas you may or may not have tried:
    - potato cakes - make mash (i know you said you dont like mash but this is what the content of croquettes is ;)), add chopped spring onion, cheese, whole grain mustard seed and mix. Make into rounds a couple of inches thick and dip in egg and then flour and fry on both sides for a few mins. really tasty.
    - rostis - grate potato, add onion, leek, to the bowl, mix in a beaten egg and shape into rounds. Fry for a few mins each side. Try not to fry too hot as outside will burn before middle is cooked.
    - Variation to roast potatoes - if you have like i do, all of the small potatoes left in the bag because your other half cant be bothered to peel the small ones (:eek:), put potato on a tablespoon, cut slices down about every cm, so that the cut stops before the bottom of the potato. Put potatoes onto a baking tray and pour olive oil over the top of them as well as s&p. Put in oven for 30-45 mins (depending on size of potatoes). After 20mins, take out and you'll find that the slices have started separating, pour over a little more oil and seasoning/herbs and replace in oven.
    - bubble and squeak - mash potatoes with any leftover veg - carrots, parsnips, cabbage, sprouts. Make sure mash is at least 50% of mixture so it combines properly, and fry both sides.
    - home made chips. unbelievable how much nicer chips taste from scratch.

    hope this helps. :rotfl:
    DFBX2016 #160 - £3550/£8800

    DFBX2017 #160 - £0/£11,378

    £0/7807 CapOne (0% PAID) £0/2776 Tesco (0% PAID)
    £820/820 HSBC OD (100% PAID) £0/£795 HSBC M/C (0% PAID)
  • tessie_bear
    tessie_bear Posts: 4,898
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    edited 23 February 2011 at 6:01PM
    hello...just thought id mention that lloyds pharmacy are doing buy 1 get 1 free on a selection of stuff...i got deo shampoo shower gel in mine....know its not food but thought might help someone

    tessa
    onwards and upwards
  • SavingJane - what about chopping them up into wedges adding some spices like cajun/bbq and a teeny bit of oil and chucking them in the oven? We do this quite often and it makes a nice change.

    ooooo or cube them, put into roasting dish add s&p and plenty of paprika, give a toss and put in oven for about 30mins, tossing occassionally. :eek: mmmm.
    DFBX2016 #160 - £3550/£8800

    DFBX2017 #160 - £0/£11,378

    £0/7807 CapOne (0% PAID) £0/2776 Tesco (0% PAID)
    £820/820 HSBC OD (100% PAID) £0/£795 HSBC M/C (0% PAID)
  • franby64 wrote: »
    Afternoon

    It's just over halfway through the month so it is of course the point at which I realise, once again, that I'm not going to make it:D!

    I'm now up to £316.89/£342.76 for Feb and with next week being half-term I'm going to go over by some way :(. One thing I must sort out is that I have had too many deliveries this month - I need to plan the timing better. I'll have to have another A*da one this week (which I'll keep to the £25 minimum) but it's really only for pizzas after last time's mess-up (they gave them to somebody else - sorry about going on about it but it did muck me up!!)

    Apart from that it's not too bad. Today I made 5 double portions of spag bol for the DDs and 3 lots of shepherd's pie filling for the freezer and I really enjoyed cooking it all - I love having 2 or 3 pots on the go and thinking how much work I'm saving myself later! Tomorrow I'll do some lentil loaf and that should all last for a while.

    I keep cancelling my veg boxes as I don't use everything and I need to be in the mood to incorporate random veg into my plan which I'm not at the moment. Also the £££! I might cancel permanently tbh.

    Hope everybody's challenge is going well!

    where do you get your veg box from?
    DFBX2016 #160 - £3550/£8800

    DFBX2017 #160 - £0/£11,378

    £0/7807 CapOne (0% PAID) £0/2776 Tesco (0% PAID)
    £820/820 HSBC OD (100% PAID) £0/£795 HSBC M/C (0% PAID)
  • meanmarie
    meanmarie Posts: 5,328
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    Spent another €6.26 last night in Lidl on toothpaste, shampoo and stock cubes which I had forgotten in Aldi, brings my spend so far to €149.23, leaving me the sum total of €40.77 until the end of the month....seems quite a bit but I will need potatoes, some veg and meat for weekend when I have at least 4 extra mouths to feed, so will be doing well to make it I reckon.

    Marie
    Weight 08 February 86kg
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