October 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

princess_leia_3

Well, a little update from me and my no freezer situation....I still don't have one :rotfl:as there was a mix up and the order got cancelled :eek:
Anyway, its doing my budget no end of wonders as I have been forced to use up what we have in and last night I made sausage casserole but without the sausages and added some lentils :rotfl:but it was yummy So I have had a good few NSD this month, which feels good, so I will try not to blow it!
We need to get some supplies in tonight and then we will do a freezer shop once this new one gets here - might try Iceland as never really used them before! (Are they actually cheaper has anybody got any experience?)

nimbo

well i have just blown my budget out of the water as i stupidly left my freezer door open on Tuesday evening, and had to throw away it's entire contents!!!!!

all that lovely meat i'd stocked up on!!!! well you live and learn, at least i'll defrost it now!!!! haha

i'll try really hard to keep to the £100 i have left but i honestly think i'm up a certain creek!!!! hey ho at leadst it was left open not broken....

:beer: as a response to the iceland question, they are good for things like pizza, and vegi options, but i personally don't think they are good for unprocessed meats as they stock very little, and it's not the best quality...

also good for ready meals, but again not too healthy...:beer:

EagerLearner

Hi all, haven't been on the shopping threads in what feels likes ages so just updating now... having had the past few days panicking about IceSave it feels good to be on a thread that is nothing to do with it and think about something else.

We finally got our little counter top freezer and have filled it with a few things - made some homemade burgers as Somerfield have an offer on mince at the mo and I froze them (1 pack 400g made 5 burgers, I also added cooked lentils and veggies into the mix). I also have home made sag aloo curry in there, as well as a chilli con carne portion, lots of chicken stock from the carcass of sunday roasts etc. It turns out a spoonfull of stock in your stirfry is amazing and we can do that now we have our own stock.

Nimbo - so sorry to hear about your freezer hun!

This Saturday we are heading to France - any suggestions on cheap stuff apart from Olive Oil, mayonnaise, mustard & wine?

kymbogs

Afternoon all.

Well although we're barely into October my 'GC October' is in its last week, I get paid on the 16th this month. Have plenty left in the budget too. I've just come home from town and, don't know if someone has posted this already, but I got 20 bottles of Carlsberg Export for £5 instead of £14.99. The sign said it was the 18-bottle packs that were on offer but there were some 20's too so I took it to the till and it was a fiver. It'll see me through the winter lol.

Also picked up some whoopsied carrots and parsnips and was about to wander through the rest of the supermarket (is a small town-centre one) when I realised I don't actually need anything else so it was pointless.

Got a voucher for £3 off Huggies nappies at the till which will come in very handy indeed. Shame I can't use it online though.

OK so am off to look through he recipes at the beginning of the thread to get inspiration for next months' meal planning

Hope everyone is well!

Love Kimberley x

NorthWest-Lass

Hi MRSM

Hope you don't mind a question from someone who is an avid lurker rather than a poster but you mention baking bread in your Remoska, may I ask what size of bread/buns. I would love a Remoska but not sure if I should go for the standard or grande. Im glad I'm not the only one whos fingers twitch when a new Lakeland catalogue drops through the letter box.

May I thank everyone running this great thread, I have learned lots and saved loads and I will try to contribute when I pluck up the confidence.

cw18

Ooooo! *** waves to NorthWest-Lass *** A local lass!!! Is all excited now :j


Nipped into Co-Op this morning and got some Whoopsied garlic bread for the freezer. Somerfield turned up some Whoopsied tomatoes -- and to my shame I didn't manage to resist getting myself a treat while there!! I keep looking at chocolate bars (Twix etc type) and balking at the price. But the pack of 5 whoopsied jam donuts (down to 32p) just wouldn't stop calling my name I kept telling myself it was OK, as it's cheaper than chocolate and we all need a treat sometimes -- but I feel really guilty about it now even though DH has some money for beer and DS was treated to some Muller Corner yoghurts at the weekend (and he still has a couple left which has amazed me.... he used to eat 2 a day when they were on offer, as "it doesn't cost as much as it would for one at normal price")

egon

Hi,

I had to spend £0.88 for milk yesterday. I also spend £5.23 in Morrisons and £18.65 in Lidls today.

Our Lidl has semi skimmed milk (4 pints) on offer 2f£2. Doesn't with full fat milk though! Some of my shopping are for christmas hampering baskets.

DH is away for the next few weeks, so I should need less then before.

Egon

MRSMCAWBER

Hi Northwest Lass

I have the standard remoska as there are only 2 of us ... although we get through bread at an alarming rate
I normaly make bread by hand and bake in the oven.. so I use the same recipe -but a little less liquid (the same amount of liquid makes the bread a bit doughier when cooked in the remoska)
I do :-
500g white bread flour
3tsp salt
300ml warm water -350ml if baking in oven
14g fresh yeast
when its mixed and proved for the 1st time I cut it into 2 x 400g pieces -shape and drop both in the remoska -stick the lid on and leave to prove, then switch on -as it warms it finishes proving
It takes about 25 mins then I tip it out and turn it over for 5mins to finish the bottom... then just pull the 2 apart whilst warm -and leave to cool
I have used half the mix to do 7 cobs/rolls too and they come out better than in the oven
I have always made nice bread -but it tastes better from the remoska
Its ideal for hubby taking it with his HM soups and its big enough to toast too
I know some people with the Grand remoska put bread tins in it

Herewegoagain.... :rotfl: Shall I put the spare one in the loft space -so you have a bit more room we have lights n sockets up there:D

OrkneyStar

Afternoon all,
Not much to report on the GC front- not spent much this week really and still struggling to make space in the freezer! As a result my meal plan for next week features lots from the freezer! (here is a link to this weeks meal plan thread, thanks Denise for the last one ). good though as this week again we will likely only need milk, some yogs (maybe) and some other bits and bobs.
Off to make some wholemeal scones from a recipe I got in a local cook book (can post if anyone is interested ).
Also want to ask Moniker, does this recipe need to be creme fraiche (could I use cream ?)- sounds so good its on my meal plan for next week .
MrsM I want a Remoska !!!!! (two, you lucky thing! )
Keep at it everyone.
x :wave:

kindlesgirl

Great bargains in Iceland today! 2kg chicken whoopsied to £2.50 and 500g chicken breast whoopsied to 1.75! don't usually find bargains there!
updated sig accordingly!