September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

susan946

Hello again - just back from France so will read as many of the posts as I can over the next few days. I can't update my sig at the moment as my accounts are all on the laptop which hubby will bring home with him tomorrow.

Have been to the butcher and the farm shop so am well stocked up with meat and veg for bulk cooking and freezing. I got some lovely beef bones from the butcher and have made around 2 litres of rich stock. At the moment there is 1.5 kg of mince (on offer - only paid for 1kg) with lentils and veg stewing in the slow cooker for cottage pies etc. I've got three large bags of PYO runner beans prepared, blanched and frozen and also picked some raspberries and froze them. Busy busy.......

Should come in under budget this month although a lot of this will be eaten in October so that will help with next month's budget. Any carry forward come December can go toward Christmas.

Sue

bullet_2

I made a corned beef and baked bean pie for dinner yesterday and a sort of sausage, rice, fennel and onion in gravy thing today. Tomorrow and maybe Friday will be a vegetarian chilli.
I'd like to go for a budget of £250 for October, to include all meals (including oldest son's school dinners), drinks, nappies and cleaning products.

Herewegoagain

Hiya guys,
Thanks KAAT, nice to know I was missed:beer:

Lunch today was left over Chicken,cauli.cabbage,peas,pots and gravy for mr&mrs +cauli cheese for me which I consider to have been free as pre GC, I probably would have thrown them out:T :T :T thank you guys

Food just goes soooooo far now as I've got so clever with s-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g it all:j

NSD today and hopefully for the next 4 as well, will be eating from fridge/freezer/store cupboards, and could probably do so most of next month.
Tonight I will sit down with lists and see how far I can get without buying, (this should be interesting)
Will be in budget for sept, 2 in a row:j :j :j :j

HWGA xx

helenm2008

Mrs M - your Electric Preserving boiler for €30 is a great price, I think the Lakeland one is about £70. What make is it? I love preserving, but it is a hassle to do it manually!

MRSMCAWBER

Hi helem

Its this one
http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/880/mia/d/severin+kitchen+preserving+boiler/pid/7185128

I haven't played with it yet..But im hoping it will come into use next season;)

I went back as a couple of people I talk to on another site were after one, but they had sold out..so im keeping an eye out for more appearing... well at that price its silly not to -even if I have to parcel n post them back its still a good saving ..can see the car being full of them next time we come back to the uk :rotfl:

I also got my mum the electric jam maker they have in Lakeland -I got it for €50 /£40 woohooo

Just had macaroni cheese with leeks, peas and chorizo in ..am stuffy puddled
Also made a pan of cream of tomato soup for 2 hubby flasks, have wedged a few more roast tomatoes in the freezer (don't know how ) and have a tub of them in the fridge..and about another 7lb still ripening in window bottoms
Pay day tomorrow so we start all over again :j
right off to veg -had to get up early for an 8am neurology appointment -there was mention of a brain shunt :eek: not on my nelly :eek: - and im sure it was the middle of the night when i got up :rotfl:

chocolateteddy

dropped in to declare sept at £300.45 not likely to go shopping before next monday now.Over but not surprised as DD has been having more packed lunches so school dinner budget is not as low as it would be so will save that this month, and I have some food already in for next month. October budget will be £350 as it is a 5 week month for me. Don't seem to be able to reduce it, but it means I am keeping an eye on spending so that in itself is good.

4Moneysaver

I won't be declaring until the end of the month but I've had so many NSDs that I'm going to count them next month. I used to buy something every day before I found this thread and lots got wasted. I was so pleased with myself last night, I picked up a deep cast iron pan from Freecycle (something else I'd not encountered before this site) and rushed home to make a basic bolognese sauce in it which I'll use for pasta and chilli dishes. I weighed the mince beore I started to see how much there was: it weighed 200g. My padded sauce has been split into 5 very healthy portions and tastes wonderful. Lentils feature in it of course along with 2 celery sticks, 2 carrots, some soya mince that I had hanging around, 2 tins of toms and lots of garlic. The OH tasted it out of the pan and thought it was lovely too! I should tell him that it's all thanks to everyone who has been discussing these ingredients this month.
:A

carolt2

Mrs Mc, could you please put me down for £160 for October.

pinkjen

Evening to all

Just on to declare that I've spent £112.04 of my budget of £120, £7.96 under budget. I'm so pleased as this is my 1st month & I didn't think I'd manage it as you all seem to be so good at keeping freezers full, bulk cooking & using storecupboard ingredients as that's the only thing I can't seem to be able to do?

Anyway I'd like to be put down for the same £120 for October please MRSM.

Thanks
Pinkjen x

[Deleted User]

Hi
Now at the end of mt first month with the challenge. Came in well under budget, and am confident that I can do so again in October.
Will try to do meal plans for the month- a daunting task as I am usually not very well organised.
Have a great day