November 2008 Grocery Challenge

Hawthorn

Absolutely! Carrot, coriander and cream.....nom noms! Haven't tried the cheap white sauce mix, but I would imagine it would be ok.

Edit - any soup.....I don't know that I'd add it to a beef or lamb soup. Haven't tried it, but I don't fancy it for some reason. It's better with chicken and veg dishes.

An easy pasta sauce is slice and dice a couple of onions and a medium carrot. Fry in butter/olive oil until soft, add 500g passata, bring to the boil, simmer a few minutes and when carrots are cooked, blend the whole lot. Add sliced mushrooms, garlic and basil, season, then add cream. Serve with Pasta. Mind you, my kids would eat this just as they would soup I reckon!

maman

Blondy, is this money all for food or does it include wine, beer etc (like my supermarket bill)? You can get the actual food bill down hugely from that if you folllow advice from these boards. What you need to do is post an average week's spending and advice will come flooding in.

angelatgraceland

Sure you can but you will need some other ingredients too! If they have been scrubbed the peeling wont hurt you. Saves waste and makes the veggies go further. Just use in any veg soup/stew or chicken soup-whatever soup you like. If you have peeled the veggies for lunch-save the peelings for soupmaking in the evening. I dont do this myself as my guineau pigs always get them! Otherwise I have to give them more veggies but if not for the pigs in the soup they would go! If you have any roast pots over you can chop those up too and chuck them in the soup at the end. Not too soon as they would go mushy-unless oof course you want to use them to thicken the soup. different soups with different ingredients every time in my experience. That reminds me-I must make the parsnip and apple soup tomorrow(peelings for my pigs)-it will provide lunch for me at work on Wednesday and Friday.
Got Asda delivery tomorrow evening-could have cancelled it but realised a bit too late today-never mind-I do need the f/v-just a case of finding room to store the frozen and the bread.
Have lots of bits of bread over I discovered this morning where my family keep starting new loaves. I thought I migh try a new variety on bread and butter pudding? Has anyone ever tried a savoury one? Im thinking of layering it with chopped bacon and onions and mushrooms-and the normal eggs and milk would make it like a sort of bread quiche Im thinking. Add some herbs and garlic too-anyone tried anything like this? I cant believe it wont work myself.

JAMIEDODGER

Have gone over this month on grocery challenge:( Only 6 days left and I know I still need a few bits.... will post total figure spent on 30th as I start new month on 1st december can you put me down for £270 for december please:)

sharronej

HI,

I still have a few days left on this challenge but will put myself down for £40.00 per week plus £60.00 for christmas food and drink, making a monthly total from the 1st to the 1st of £220.00

I will be more organised next year and have a seperate budget for christmas, I used to do the christmas vouchers but lost £1000.00 when the company went bump - so as I'm sure you can understand that put me off!

Hoping to come in on target from November

sistercas

just caught up with the thread
CW18 so sorry to hear of your loss (((hugs))) to you and your family

gone over this month, spent £20 in iceland (for xmas)
declaring this month at £320 mrsMC £20 over

£400 for december please ( thats for 2 adults 2 teenagers and a houseful over xmas)

• will try and shave the budget even further in the new year (or attempt to stick to it at any rate lol)

biscotte

another 160 over the weekend and need a few litres of milk and eggs.

So I think I'll declare at 920 CHF for the month.

Well, that's over budget so next month I will try and do better - not going to be easy with Christmas but I have put by most of the 'treat' food already.

So Mrs M, I'll ask for the same amount 800CHF next month please.
thanks

frazzmunch

aaarghh!! okay, lost the plot....too much stuff going on....decided my new year resolution is to make sure that i complete at least one of these challenges without completely messing it up half way through!!!! i have no idea what i have spent for november...so i am opting out....have started my december challenge but can't find the thread....so will declare that my target for december is £250....although i have already spent £118 of that!!!!:mad:

PurpleSkies

Hoping to do my last shop of the month on Wed so confident about being under target this month.

Made some lovely soup yesterday so have stuck the extra in the freezer for future lunches on cold days!

Anyway I'm looking for some inspiration for what to do with some chicken breast. I don't really fancy curry and since winter is well and truely here I was thinking more along the lines of a casserole or chicken pie, although I think I'd be too worried about making my own pastry!
Anyone have any good recipes?

the_cat

Have decided to withdraw from this months challenge. I haven't overspent on food for this month at all, but owing to voucher offers received from MrS and the MrM one, I have been stocking up (lots!!:D )

I will have enough cleaning stuff and toiletries for about a year and lots of food stuff that will last months too. Trouble is I have lost count of what stuff is from this month's budget and what isn't. So I don't know what my total is. It will all save me money in the end though:D

I will set a budget to include spending my vouchers (min spend type ones) at £350 for December. Famous last word I know, but should be able to spend very little for Jan and Feb..........