January 2009 Grocery Challenge

sazzledazzle

Went to MR TS and tried to buy only basic brand things and try some of their meals. Got the salmon and beef so making stew tonight and will make salmon pasta at weekend. Amazed how much better I am eating on a tighter budget.
also brought their own magazine as it was cheaper than my usual one and had some fantastic receipes in there. Also got my nan to pass over her good food mags so dont have to buy them. Not only am I saving money but really enjoying cooking, plus helping with my depression by keeping me busy. Thanks Moneysavingexpert, think you may be a life saver.

SAVVYMUMMY_2

Good afternoon everyone:hello:. Just a quick update really, another NSD for me today, so really chuffed with that(very easily pleased:D ). Making bread rolls as I type and will make a chilli for dinner, without kidney beans as I haven`t any in cupboard, with jacket spud. One of my DS is a fussy eater, so will cook him some HM sausage meat shaped burgers that I forgot I had in the freezer:p instead of the chilli, So he`s sorted. Anyway well done to everyone and keep up the good work.

fallen_angel_shelley

A quick qusetion, i'm going to make another quiche at weekend this time i'm going to make my own case for it as well, has anyone got a recipe for it and do I have to blined bake it and how do you do that?

MrsMc- a quick question for you because I know you have some greek cook books if I remember rightly, i'm making a moussaka a weekend, and wondered if you had any ideas of something else that I could make to go with it. thanks

I'm trying to stay out of MrT's until weekend, so am going to pick up some fruit and veg from the stall near my uni campus later, I passed it yesterday and it looks alot better quality than the stuff at MrT's, they had big punnets of grapes for £1, seemed a good price to me, but I have a feeling that they won't have the aubergine that I need for the moussaka.

Shelley x

MRSMCAWBER

Hi shelley

My pastry is ;-

• 300g plain flour
• 1tsp salt
• 75g marge/butter
• 75g lard -or you can use all marge
• 6tbs Ice cold water

To bake blind... Line the tin and stab with a fork and place a sheet of greaseproof paper on top -then you pile on ceramic beads, rice..or I use old coins -they absorb the heat and help it cook
Place in the oven and bake for about 15 mins... remove the paper/beans
and place back in the oven for a couple of mins to finish...then you can cool and fill

I will have a look for things to go with moussaka although off the top of my head I want to say "lemon potatoes" mmmmm... and if you can't get an aubergine -its nice done with slices of steamed potato instead

angelatgraceland

mummy2mygirls wrote: »

Well just been to mrTS and spent far to much and now im going to be VERY tight for the rest of the mth if i want to make budget!! I have just over £40 left but i think all i should need is fruit and veg!! Fingers crossed so i should just make target.........Which if i do i will be happy about as i have lowered it by £100 so will be saving lots - even if i did end up going a little over..... I have paid the milkman for the mth and have lots of meat and food for the freezer so lets hope ill be ok...

Everyone is doing well and well done miserly_mum on the weight loss!!

Also has anybody got any good ideas for including prunes, maybe in a cake or biscuits or something?? for my dd who has only just turned two? I have mixed them into her weetabix before and given her them to just eat but she isnt keen so wanted something i could kind of hide them in

They are nice in yoghurt!
Going out tonight but it was paid for last year-just need to pay for pizzaut but I have a 50% off voucher for that. Then off to see "Joseph". DD has been looking forward to this and its one of the treats for all the moneysaving last year! I spend some of my saves on treats I normally wouldnt indulg in and this year its theatre. The link to the voucher is on the homepage or the email I believe. Theres also a link for pizza italia so I will try to get there next month. Thats £10 off your bill!

greent

mummy2mygirls wrote: »

Also has anybody got any good ideas for including prunes, maybe in a cake or biscuits or something?? for my dd who has only just turned two? I have mixed them into her weetabix before and given her them to just eat but she isnt keen so wanted something i could kind of hide them in

I chop them (and dates and apricots - depends what I've got) and add to flapjacks - along with sunflower and pumpkin seeds - my kids will eat loads this way

Tinned prunes are also nice cooked slowly over a low heat with custard - makes a horrid dark gloopy mess, but lovely to eat :rotfl:

greent
x

OrkneyStar

mummy2mygirls wrote: »

Also has anybody got any good ideas for including prunes, maybe in a cake or biscuits or something?? for my dd who has only just turned two? I have mixed them into her weetabix before and given her them to just eat but she isnt keen so wanted something i could kind of hide them in

DS loves them as they are and I also often make porridge with chopped apricots and prunes in. Chop quite small and they are well hidden.

rosieben

gailey wrote: »

... Was so disapointed and angry! wa slooking foward to thur.
I keep telling him iceland is priceya dn only buy certain things in there feel hes wasted part of our budget now ehen thur comes we got les sto spend due to his negligance and may even go over budget our challange will be much harder as i cant amke meals from junk and convienaince food! gailey

gailey, have you had a good chat with him and explained what you're trying to do by joining the GC? maybe he doesn't really understand and that's why he's not more supportive? I dont know what else to suggest, other than bribing him with a treat out of the money you could save on food shopping? Its going to be very difficult to make headway whilst he's working against you like this. Hope you can get him on board somehow

mummy2mygirls

thanks for the tips on the prunes! i think ill try the flapjacks and also try and hide a little in her breakfast again as i might of just put a few to many in last time......

yummymummy05

Arggh spent another £20!! so that leaves mee with about £11 for until next friday! Although the only thing I should need this week is possibly some more milk by the weekend!

I bought some fresh broccolli (I normally buy it frozen as I resent paying for the big stalk which just ends up in the bin) and paid £1.72 for 1/2 kg!!!

Just a thought - ca you make broccolli soup just from the stalk?
gailey - your OH sounds like mine I can't send him shopping anymore as he always comes back with stuff we don't need. I still have a load of party food he bought as nibbles cluttering up my small freezer so I'm gonna do a pick and mix dinner - cook it all and just snack on it all night!! Either that or tell him he has to pay for my 2nd freezer out of his wages rather than the money I have saved up!!

anyway just popped on quickly to update - better feed dh before she screams the house down!!