January 2009 Grocery Challenge

orchid-96

Managed a nsd yesterday and a sort of one today (nipped to boots late in the day and got a few birthday pressies sorted, but out of a different budget) resisted the urge to nip to MrA's for a mooch (but to be honest my twins were such a nightmare, they are the real reason I resisted me thinks!)

Anyway I am really pleased as I feel like for the first time in a long while I am actually using stuff up, which I know sounds funny, but when I am not watching what I am doing I tend to randomly shop and 'nip' out all the time if I fancy something specific for dinner (and then other stuff gets thrown in the basket as I notice all the lovely bargains!)

Anyway I do really need to get some shopping, am totally out of yogurts and desserts for the kids, fresh fruit, cheese and the washing tablets are looking low...but I am going to do my best to stick to a list when I go tomorrow and meal plan for next week...

I know this is probably easy to find on here, but does anyone have any really quick and easy recipes for muffins/buns or flapjacks or could anyone point me in the right direction.... I really want to do more home cooking for this type of thing as the shop bought stuff just doesn't seem all that nice/substantial....

Free re your last post, don't beat yourself up too much, the main thing is you know where you are at which is something most people don't really..


sorry for all the waffle, all in all I am pleased with my spend so far and it has proved to me how much I had in already and how much I didn't need to 'automatically go shopping' each week to add to what I have.....especially as 12.95 of my spend was from the takeaway!

clutterydrawer

gillst - how did they manage to eat that much cheese??! It's time for locks on the fridge/cupboards!

rumncoke

Feel really pleased this week. Shopped today & only came to £45.60. Back on track now after OH spent over £20 at the weekend. I am well stocked up on crisps & biscuits (supplies hidden otherwise they would be gone by next week)
As DS is working Sunday hoping I can persuade OH to have big cooked breakfast (all items in) & eat out of freezer for tea, rather than having to buy a joint this week. That way I will only need to get some milk at the weekend.

LittleAnna

Are whoopsies things that have been reduced?

jtb2412

Evening everyone, not posted for a few days as nothing much to report.

Went shopping tonight for my 'main' food shop and spent £56 in Mr T's and £11 in Mr S (Mr S had a few things cheaper so popped in on way to Mr Ts to get them, mainly milk and cheese).

Got a few whoopsies too (which is extremely rare - I never seem to time it right, too early and they've not stickered things or too late when everything has gone. But, tonight, I managed to find some ! :j ) Got 5 bags of ready sliced carrots for 12p each (in freezer), 3 swedes for 21p each (original price was 84p :eek: and they weren't very big !) Swedes will be cooked tomorrow evening, mashed, portioned up and popped in freezer for later on next week. Also got some reduced pears which will be used for the belly pork recipe i'm going to do for dinner tomorrow.

I need to start using up some of the potatoes in the sack I got last week so going to do a big batch of leek and potato soup, again will go in the freezer. However DH keeps reminding me that we're supposed to be running down the freezers ready for the summer months when they'll be full of runner beans :rotfl: (amongst other home grown veg of course ).

So, all in all, very pleased with my shop. I stuck to my list, all bar 2 things (which were things I needed but forgot to put on my list :rolleyes: ), got a nice little lot of whoopsies and enough to feed us for about the next 9 days. I've got approx £115 left to last the month and am feeling very optimistic as I shouldn't need to go shopping again until 24th/25th Jan - then i'll only have a week to go until next months budget :j . Any money left over at the end of the month I plan to use to 'stockpile'.

Elizabunny, just want to concur with what you say about home cooked food being so filling. I'm eating half the portions I used to and feeling fuller for longer. It's having an effect on my weight too because i've lost the 6lb I put on over Xmas . Eat less, move more - simple and it's working for me :T (if only i'd realised this before, spent 5 years of being every diet going :rolleyes: but that's another story).

I will admit to finding it extremely tough to stay out of the shops and only buy what I need, instead of what I fancy but willpower is prevailing at the moment - It may not last forever though !

For those of you not doing so well, try not to beat yourself up too much. If you spend a couple of months 'practising' then so be it - you know what they say, practise makes perfect !

Hoping to have a few NSDs now, think I've remembered everything :think: lol

Have a great evening everyone xx

rosieben

orchid-96 wrote: »

...
I know this is probably easy to find on here, but does anyone have any really quick and easy recipes for muffins/buns or flapjacks or could anyone point me in the right direction.... I really want to do more home cooking for this type of thing as the shop bought stuff just doesn't seem all that nice/substantial....

Several muffins recipes on the Grocery Challenge thread recipe list which is updated whenever a recipe is posted here, and you might find something of use in the Complete Cooking Collection.

mrssnowy_2

CurlyTop wrote: »

Back to work for me yesterday after having been off for a while, having lost my dad. .

Sorry for your loss CurlyTop

mummy2mygirls

hello all just had a thought i have gone on to the annual challenge as i thought it would be good for us and i kept it at £3000 which is £250 a mth but i didnt think about the fact i have only just lowered to this amount recently and from March i will have another one in nappies and maybe formular etc etc to buy........opps it will be soooo tight if i can keep to the £3000 now...not sure if i should change it or just try my best..........

elizabunny

CurlyTop wrote: »

Back to work for me yesterday after having been off for a while, having lost my dad.

Sorry Curly Top -I somehow missed this in your post. So sorry for your loss x

Maisie_M

£10.89 for me at Mr T's today. Only £27.26 to last me to the end of the month :eek: I will give it my best but wont be too upset if I go over by £10-20 as its my first try.