September 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

toottifrootti

Hi everyone,
I do so want to keep up with the thread but it is so long each day I struggle - I am afraid I am missing out on any handy tips!!
I am not sure if this is the right place to post this but here goes - feel free to shout at me if I should be asking somewhere else!
I used a BM for the first time today - only had it 11 months! I want to do it 'properly' like all you good OS ladies but at the moment I am using up bread mixes that I bought when on whoopsies in Mr T's.
It turned out ok-ish - its very edible - i have had 2 slices already - not going to be good for the waistline! - but isnt a good shape - all lop sided and the outside is quite tough/leathery IYSWIM- not crusty - I dont know anything about bread making but at a guess maybe too long?? I just put it on a basic programme - is that where I went wrong or is it the style of these packet mixes - it was Wrights parmesan and sundried tomato - tastes and smells nice!!!
Any advice would be great!!

Secondly when i do start with flour and yeast type bread - where is the best place to get cheap brown flour?? I am not meant to eat white.

thanks for your help
TF xx

scotsaver

Evening everyone - just a quick post as I'm a bit bushed and going to have an early night - think we worked too hard in the kitchen today:p We made Wraps, Bread, Hobnobs, Choc Fridge Cake, Courgette Muffins, picked some Raspberries from the Garden and boiled them with some water and sugar to make a sauce that the girls want to have with HM Yoghurt for Breakfasts the next couple of days.

Dinner tonight was Beef Curry and samosas from leftover Beef from yesterdays Dinner. DD1 is back at School tomorrow and then I will have to pop to shops for Milk - and nothing else.;) DD2 is back at School Wednesday and then I want to start making my Xmas Cake, Mincemeat and Xmas Puds.:D

Must go now and get some beauty sleep:cool:

gillaman

saffouri wrote: »

I noticed a few posters (sorry my mind is a blur and don't remember who) being a bit hard on themselves for 'failing' or 'blowing it' - others have said this before but I'll say it too there is no such thing as failing here - we all fall off the horse and then pick ourselves up and get back on again. Noticing that we've fallen off is the key 'cause only then do you know you've got to get back up!
saf

Exactly! You've hit the nail right on the head saffouri.

Mrs M - thanks for putting me on the front page.

toottifrootti

Winky,_The_House_Elf wrote: »

One thing I am chuffed to little mint balls with is homemade laundry starch. I used to get through a couple of cans a month as it makes ironing so much easier, but thanks to OS I russled some up, (Tablespoon of cornflour and a couple of drops of essential oil then fill squirty bottle with water)which in the old days would have meant a trip to the shops...dangerous as then I spend money on carp!
Winky x x x

Hi Winky - i use a lot of starch too - this sounds good - what size of squirty bottle do you use - can i use any oil and does it keep if I dont use it all at once?
Sorry for being a pest!
TF xx

andan

Hi all, i joined this last month and came in at just under £100, however that didn't include the £30 or so of free shopping i got thanks to mystery shops. However i did that without much thought and what with the financial situation at the mo i would like to try and get it down to £100 this month as well. Then if i can manage that easy enough then i will make it smaller next month.

betterlife

hi everyone, i know most cook from scratch which is what i normally do, but as i have recently had my 4th baby and he suffers really bad with colic so i have very little time at the mo, when i did a shop at sainsburys yesterday they have loads of half price on frozen stuff like richmond sausages (16) 99p, findus crispy pancakes (4) 54p, big bag of chips 64p, lrge pizza`s 1.19p 55 chic breast nuggets 1.39p, also fresh basic apples, pears, carrots, mango`s, melons, onions, tomatoes all on offer at 40p, so ive stocked up to help til i have more time. thought it might help someone xx

AAngel_3

Hi, can I join in please? This is my first month and I am really trying to cut back in all areas but groceries seems like a good place
There are 4 of us; me, dh, ds5 and ds3 so I am going to hazard a guess at £300? I really don't want it to be that much but I haven't a clue and I don't want it to be more than that!!
I had a free day today; courgettes out of the garden, cous cous free with a mag, onions and sausages for tea.
Good luck everyone!

milliejo

Hi - this is the first time I have posted on the site although I have been lurking for some months.
I think the grocery challenge is an excellent idea. As I do part of the shopping ( butchers and local shops) and OH does the supermarket run we have no idea how much we actually spend.
Please put me down for £300 this month.
This is intended to be for myself OH & DS (age 9) & to include my lunches all week & DS lunches at weekends. Never sure what OH is doing at lunchtimes so best count him out this month.
OH has just been told he is diabetic ( to be controlled by diet ) and is waiting for a menu plan from the GP so I'm not sure what effect that will have on our food spending.

mummygems

Gah 26 pages already!!!

Can you put me down for £350 for Setpember please.

Will catch up with all the posts tomorrow. Hope everyone is doing okay.

-x-

Mariel

Just popped in to say I've started the month off well - for the first time in probably forever today was a NSD! I've got to do quite a big shop tomorrow though, I have no fruit and veg and the fridge is empty apart from a couple of peppers and some milk.