January 2009 Grocery Challenge

CRANKY40

SavvyStudent wrote: »

Ok, so the OH just comes RUNNING into the kitchen in a flurry of excitement while I was in there a min ago putting cottage pie in the oven. He's like 'LAURA! LAURA!! Guess what!!? I've had an AMAZING idea..'. So I'm like 'What's up?'... and he goes - and I quote 'wouldn't it be a good idea to make one big meal a couple of times a week and use leftovers for the rest of the week???'. [Last time I checked I'd been feeding him jazzed up leftovers 5 days a week for the past 2 years lol...!!].

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: That's one of the funniest things I've read today!

Lynn11

butterfly72 wrote: »

Well, my first week of the challenge finished today! Have a monthly total of £250 and spent £59.33 this week. However, we did buy some organic meat that had been discounted for the freezer and extra rice as that was on offer.

We are doing our shop for next week today and already I've made some savings - I hope. We took a rather fresh walk round to a relatively new fruit and veg shop in our high street. I got

4 large carrots
large head of broccoli
2 large onions
bag of mushrooms
avocado
pack of 3 peppers
2 parsnips

all for £4.78. Because I'm new to this challenge tbh I don't know if this is good compared to the supermarket?? I've never really paid attention to the prices I've been paying because I didn't have a choice but to shop there.

Anyway, OH has had to go to Mr S. to finish the shop as we need a few extra bits and pieces. It'll be interesting to see what bargains OH can bag!

I have been going to my local fruit and veg shop for over 4yrs now and know the owner rather well. My daughter loves going to the shop also now and sometimes gets a free tangerine from the owner. I tend to look at prices and note that fruit and veg shop has mostly prices lower than the supermarket and also the fruit tends to last longer in the fruit bowl without going mouldy from the fruit shop.

candygirl

Spent £25.15 in ASDA today and got a few bargs, inc wagg dog food at £7 for 17kg!!!wish I could store it and I would've got more:rolleyes: Just off to add it to my months total;)

carolt2

Changingme wrote: »

Think I'm going to try adding some water to my milk we seem to use loads,do you buy semi or full fat as want to know whether this makes a difference.

Hi there, sorry if you had a reply to this already, i could not see it on thread....

Personally I buy full fat milk and water this down. Its like turning full fat into semi skimmed IYSWIM.

Its up to you how much you water it down by, some people will add 1pint water to 4 pints milk. I usually do 1&half pints water to 4 pints milk.
Doing this means milk lasts longer here.
I tend to buy Mr T's pure milk as it got a long date on it.
ATM its on offer at 2x2litre bottles for £2.60, offer on until end of feb i think.


Also wanting to update spends. Popped to Mr T for a few things last night and spent a total of £11.05

glitterball

My shop today consisted of £4.62 in the greengrocers for soup veg a couple of potatoes for baking and a head of brocolli. I'm sure I could have got it cheaper elsewhere but I have learned that I am better off going there than the supermarket where there is too much temptation to add other things to the basket, I never seem able to get out of MrA without spending £17 or more.

It also makes me feel good to think that I am supporting a small local business.

angelatgraceland

For those of you who want a quick snack and have a tin of red kidney beans-you can make a veggy pate out of this and its very nice. Good on toast or crackers! Very cheap and nutricious too!
1 tin of kidney beans put in food processor and turned to a mash. A sprinkle of chilli powder-or more to taste, some pepper to taste and a good squirt of tomato ketchup or tomato paste. Mash it all up and put it in tubs in the fridge. Its better when its cold and has set a bit. Before you use the beans wash them and drain them off as much as possible. costs all of approx 30p and makes lots!

rosieben

CRANKY40 wrote: »

I don't like the word failed. We are all trying to feed our families and ourselves on healthy cheap home made food. Some months we may not do as well as other people have, or even as well as we did on previous or future months, but none of us are failures.

Is there anyone here who passed their driving test after one lesson? It took me a lot of lessons and two goes at the driving test. I wasn't a failure, I was just a learner.

Sorry if I sound like a big dope, it's hard to put into words. Lets just keep reading and learning.....

Take care x

Well said CRANKY, it saddens me to see people beating themselves up when they're trying so hard, and doing so much better than they would have done pre-GC. We're all on a learning curve

SavvyStudent wrote: »

Ok, so the OH just comes RUNNING into the kitchen in a flurry of excitement while I was in there a min ago putting cottage pie in the oven. He's like 'LAURA! LAURA!! Guess what!!? I've had an AMAZING idea..'. So I'm like 'What's up?'... and he goes - and I quote 'wouldn't it be a good idea to make one big meal a couple of times a week and use leftovers for the rest of the week???'. [Last time I checked I'd been feeding him jazzed up leftovers 5 days a week for the past 2 years lol...!!].

So anyway I just smiled and told him what a great plan that was. If he thinks it was his idea that'll make my life all the easier... xx

That just cracked me up! but he's on board that's the main thing, how he got there doesn't really matter

Baileys_Babe

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

I have managed to meal plan for a few nights this week:
Monday: Likely to be eating at parents
Tuesday: Vegtable lasagne
Wednesday: Mushroom rissotto
Thursday: Fish pie
Friday: Pasta & HM sauce

Above is the meals we planned to have and below is what really happened:

Monday: ate at parents (spent the night also had breakfast & lunch)
Tuesday: Mushroom rissotto
Wednesday: Pasta & HM sauce
Thursday: Vegtable lasagne
Friday: Pasta & different HM sauce (spent the night at parents again breakfast & lunch)
Saturday: Ate at sisters

All in all happened to have 6 meals whist visiting family very MSE :money: Also ended up eating very easy/quick meals as we are still recovering from being ill over Christmas/New Year and DS is failing to go to sleep at night :mad: last night it was gone midnight and then he fell out of bed an hour later and took an age to resettle.

Off now to update signature and meal plan some more, think fish pie will feature.

igaveupnowimback

First time I tried bought pesto - hated it - so tonight scalped the basil plant, used little garlic powder, few old pine nuts, oil & parmesan and tried Jamie Oliver's recipe, - (guessed not measured) ! Utterly fantastic
:T

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-and-pizza/basic-pesto

Always wondered why people raved about pesto, now I know

hannamint

I have a problem at the minute, my partner and I end up wasting so much money on take-aways because at the end of my working day i'm just too tired to make an effort (sometimes as late as 9pm). I love cooking and experimenting, i'm only 19 so it doesn't always turn out how i planned it! but we just can't seem to stop wasting our money on a quick food fix. We're both going to end up fat and unhealthy. I just wondered if anyone has any ideas?