August 2008 Grocery Challenge

Blondie_Bear

Hi I'm new i've been reading the grocery challenge post for a month now and its inspired me to cut back. I was struggling with £100 per week for me, hubby, 2 daughters and 2 kittens. After reading the posts and getting new ideas, shopping around instead of just one supermarket i've reduced it to on average £75 per week. I'm really pleased with this tho because me and my 2 daughters have a varied diet including meat where as my hubby is a vegetarian so i tend to buy a lot of vegetarian alternatives. Would like to bring it down a little more as we have just suffered secondary flooding (Hull was flooded June 2007 and our house wasn't affected until now! ggggrrrr) obhvioiusly our contents are all okay and won't need replacing cos they are not damp but i'm trying to save up as much cash as possible to have a spendy once we return home!

Pink83_2

Sorry if this is a stupid question, I have spent a long time browsing the boards and can't find it.

I was wondering if there is a thread or post giving you say a weekly shopping list of everything you need to make cheap meals? I am really impressed by some of the recipes and really want to give them a go. I don't have much of a "store cupboard" though (My recently purchased black pepper was considered exotic) so I was looking for a list of everything I need.

I am really really impressed by everyone on here, I can't believe we struggle, there is just me and my boyfriend, we are in our 20s, and some of you feed entire families for less than we spend!!!

I just got paid and am going to shop online now (tesco??) so I really want to give this a good go. If anyone knows of a complete shopping list I'd be grateful:A

Blairweech

Hello all,

I am doing better this month - I have not thrown half as much away, and have made some ready meals for the freezer. I am finding I am a lot more motivated (the amount I was throwing in the bin really p!ssed me off).

However, I am still not eating properly from a meal planner - I have made a meal planner, but find that many nights I will still just eat toast/chocolate

Anyway, I am getting there. I WILL get there

kymbogs

Hi guys

hope everyone is having a lovely bank holiday weekend

We had in-laws round for a picnic today - it wasn't our idea, they wanted to have it at a park, but the park they wanted to have it at is host to a giant funfair this weekend so didn't think it would be the best place for a quiet picnic. So for the second time in 3 weeks, people brought food to ours and left some behind I've got plenty of salad now and some teacakes (all my home-made burger buns got wolfed down), half of my gorgeous lemon cake left, some pork pies, sausage rolls, quiche...

I've also got 3 jacket potatoes left over which have been baked. Anyone know if they will survive freezing?

Although we've been in our 'september' for a couple of days now can we please be put down for £330 for our first GC month?

Cheers everyone

Kimberley x

Blondie_Bear

Am i okay just to join this grocery challenge???? sort of been doing it anyway for August so for September i'm going to aim for £280 GULP!

pink_princess

hi kymbogs you can take the potato out of the middle and freeze it .you can then use it for topping pies bubble and squeek etc.
hi blondie bear welcome to the grocery challenge.
well i ve updated my sig as i had a naughty weekend spend on cherry vodka but it was whoopsied to £2.20 and was well worth it lol
hope every-one s doing well

fertyskids

Evening everyone.

a NSD today, i really needed one as the last couple of days ive ended up buying milk F&V and CHOC and Beer.... we count all this in Grocery budget.

anyway im asking for some advice again.

i have about 16oz of cooked chicken apart from casserole and curry what else can i do with it. preferably making as many measl as poss of course!!

hope everyone's well. welcome to newbies.

take care

karen

pink_princess

mrs mc and all other gardeners ,can any-one help me
4 weeks ago i planted the seeds from the middle of an orange pepper .i thought nothing would happen but we now have about 15 plants 6" high what i d like to know is do i stand any chance of them growing peppers and if so how can i help them to develop .thanx in advance for help
TTFN

susan946

kymbogs wrote: »

Hi guys



I've also got 3 jacket potatoes left over which have been baked. Anyone know if they will survive freezing?

Cheers everyone

Kimberley x

Kimberley - You can buy frozen cheesy baked potatoes in the major supermarkets so I don't see why they shouldn't freeze. Give it a whirl and let us know how they go - or if you don't want to risk all three try just one!!!! I'm a great believer of trial and error and haven't managed to kill off the family yet!!!!

Pink 83 Welcome. You will be surprised how much you can save by making your own. It is also healthier as you are in control of the quality of the ingredients and the amounts of salt and fat you add. You wont be adding all the strange extras shop prepared food lists in the ingredients - stabilisers, preservatives etc. Everyone on the board is very friendly and supportive so don't hesitate to ask questions.

NSD for me today - hm soup and hm bread for lunch. Roast beef for supper - a rare treat but it was lovely.

Good night all

Sue

redmel1621

Hi All

Right I am back after a few months off, partly due to morning sickeness... But I am just approaching the 12wk mark and feeling a whole lot better.

I have been frantically copying and pasting the recipes I want to try from the first page, are they all from August GC? So if I want to find some older ones I would have to go back through the old threads. Also will these ones be carried over to next month or do we start a new list each month?

Can you tell i've been away a while!

I have spent disgusting amounts of money on food lately over £75 most weeks and then on top of that eating out up to 4 times a week too. Last week was the final straw 3 indian take-aways, a pub meal, and a subway lunch in ONE week.......(£88.00in total!!!!)

So I am eagerly awaiting September GC and will be joining in seriously. With dh starting Full-Time Uni and a load of baby stuff to buy we are going to be strapped for cash for a while!

Mel x