January 2018 Grocery Challenge

JingsMyBucket · 13 January 2018 at 11:45AM

elsiepac wrote: »

I bought more than my list because there was tons of good salad YS - I mean 4p bags - I bought 6 I think, because I figured I wouldn't be able to get through more before it went manky. I'm on Slimming World too, so any cheap veg is fair game!

See! I told y'all you get great YS deals over there in the U.K. :rotfl: The ones near me tend to be 30% off not 75% or 90% off like they are in the U.K. :beer:

Speaking of which I just picked up two YS deals for some good Irish prime rib/porterhouse steaks. They've just gone into the freezer and I'm glad to have them. I've been stalking that particular Delhaize and checking the dates on the good steaks for a while now. They tend to mark down foods one day before expiry.

Here are my spends the past couple of days. I've been running around town in meetings and OH has been sick so I haven't had time to update.

€15.99 at Lidl - aubergines and other stuff to make Saturday dinner
€10.99 - soup and fruit for OH
€17.99 at Delhaize - steaks, sausages and some chocolate for sick OH.

Totals So Far:
€175.80 / €250.00
3 NSD

So, after I bought 8 huge aubergines and a metric tonne of mozzarella to host Saturday night's dinner party, I had to cancel because OH is super sick. I'm going to try getting poking him toward his doctor on Monday to have a look at his chest. But now, I have a bunch of aubergines and mozzarella in my fridge. I'm going to make lasagna for my team members next week so that should use up some of them. I think I'll also buy some foil containers and make smaller lasagna for us as well to stick in our freezer.

Because the party is postponed to next week Friday, I think I'll just toss the brandy cream I have in the fridge from Christmas. It's unopened but technically expired on January 10th. I was willing to push it until last night to make ice cream, but I don't want to push it another whole week. Or am I being too safe with this?

Also at this rate, I think I may do a soup party for next week's dinner party instead of something with big mains. Maybe a black bean soup, vegetable soup and a beef soup with lots of salad, baguettes, butter and something for dessert. Auch! I should go meal plan for next week...

MadamMim2013 · 13 January 2018 at 12:15PM

Been a flat out week at work, that said, I've managed to make four meals from a roast chicken and been inventive with meals and lunches.
Needed milk & took the opportunity to grab a couple things not available from L*dls..
£63.45 spent:eek: happily only £27.80 counts towards the grocery budget!

Wishing all a happy, productive weekend!

Coxy11 · 13 January 2018 at 12:46PM

Hi all,
Budgets all updated to here

Welcome to all the newbies and the returners (waves to cw18, good to 'see' you back!)
Good luck everyone,
Coxy

ceb1995 · 13 January 2018 at 2:17PM

Did the weekly shop today, loads of ys meat in the freezer so spent £19.88, total is now £69.49/£190.

Tink_04 · 13 January 2018 at 3:16PM

This month was super tight anyway after spending waaayyy too much last month so we have lived out of the freezer and cupboards best we can and have had £80 for 4 of us :eek:

I have £11 left until 19th so are on the home stretch now! One more week to go.

Sunday - dinner made form lo gammon I froze
Monday - spag Bol (with mince from the freezer)
Tuesday - turkey curry from the freezer
Wednesday -
Thursday - lasangna
Friday -

Will add Wednesday and Friday when I sort out where the kids are going to be but I’m sure we can get by.

Shopping

Sandwhich stuff
Chicken breasts
Carrots
Broccoli
Bananas

Hopefully we can get all that!

Puddleglum · 13 January 2018 at 3:25PM

Reporting in on my first week of the challenge. £28 spent of my £35 budget. Just tomorrow to go but that £7 should be safe as I have enough food 'till Monday even if meals may get a little strange.

A South African house mate asked me if my fried spam and cheese "sandwiches" were a traditional British dish the other day and I had to admit that they probably weren't!

Rachiedabbler70 · 13 January 2018 at 5:49PM

Hi All

Just reporting spend to date of £153.55/ £220 after doing my shopping for the next 7 days and including £10 for an evening out with my sisters tonight. This means I will have about £65 to last the final 11 days of the month. I think it is doable but I'll need to be careful.

I never hold a big stock of food, but will look to use everything up. May increase my potato consumption - such a versatile veggie and get creative with tinned tomatoes, lentils, brown rice and herbs which are all in the cupboard

Had porridge and a banana for dinner last night and must admit it was all I needed, so may also do that again for a couple of evening meals this week.

Good luck everyone - it's a long month!!

thriftwizard · 13 January 2018 at 6:14PM

A much-needed NSD for me today! It's not the first this month but I never remember to record them. I nearly cracked and went to the supermarket for some naans, but DD1 got strict with me so we're making them in the breadmaker instead.

It won't be another tomorrow, though, as I'll have to hurtle to the market to see the butcher; my meal plan had included one of his £10 deals, that will do us 3 omnivores 3 main meals plus lots of lunchtime soup. I will also try to find out why he's dropped the other two days, and whether he'll be re-instating them; fingers crossed, but he's close to retirement so I don't hold out much hope. I shall have to rethink my entire food-buying strategy if not...

Grannymolly · 13 January 2018 at 6:54PM

Tink_04 wrote: »

This month was super tight anyway after spending waaayyy too much last month so we have lived out of the freezer and cupboards best we can and have had £80 for 4 of us :eek:

I have £11 left until 19th so are on the home stretch now! One more week to go.

Sunday - dinner made form lo gammon I froze
Monday - spag Bol (with mince from the freezer)
Tuesday - turkey curry from the freezer
Wednesday -
Thursday - lasangna
Friday -

Will add Wednesday and Friday when I sort out where the kids are going to be but I’m sure we can get by.

Shopping

Sandwhich stuff
Chicken breasts
Carrots
Broccoli
Bananas

Hopefully we can get all that!

Good luck!
I’m sure you can do it with some careful planning and very cheap dinners!
We stick to Jacket spuds and cheap pasta dishes when I’ve had an unexpected expense...

YorksLass · 13 January 2018 at 7:39PM

YorksLass wrote: »

It was very tasty indeed and tbh I only did it because I have loads of carrots in and not much other veg to make a soup! More to be used tomorrow in a carrot cake. :)

I'll be going to Sainsbobs on Friday for mainly fruit & veg but will make up next week's meal plan first so I can see what purchases will fit in with the plan. Will check out YS of course but [STRIKE]may[/STRIKE] will have to be quite disciplined 'cos there's not much storage room for too many extras.

The carrot cake hasn't happened yet - no eggs left :doh: - postponed until Sunday.

Friday shopping came to £41.51 (split between market and Sainsbobs). We had very little left at all in the way of fresh F&V so that's nicely stocked up again.

YS items purchased were casserole beef (cooking in the SC now, half for tomorrow's dinner and half for a meal during the week; 2 prawn/rice/lemon grass fishcakes (in the freezer) and 3 jars of mincemeat that cost the princely sum of ... 10p per jar. Dated Nov 2020. :question: I can see mincemeat flapjacks making an appearance on the menu soon!

I also bought a 4-pack of small tins of tuna in a Mexican dressing (just the right size for a lunchtime sandwich) that were on sale for £1.13 - I'm guessing Sainsbobs won't be stocking them any more.

Pleased too with the grocer's bag of peppers, 8 small-medium size, 6 red and 2 orange. £1.30 as opposed to 50p each for a medium size one.

Next week's soup is going to be celery (bought yesterday) and bacon (using bacon bits from freezer). Not done this one before so I might just do a smaller batch than I'd normally do to make sure we like it.

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January 2018 Grocery Challenge

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