January 2009 Grocery Challenge

angelatgraceland

miss_keep_counting wrote: »

I’d heard of chickpeas but never tried them, are they the type you get dried and soak in water first, they’re sort of off white and round? I’d be interested in making them into burgers, I’m going to google some recipes so thank you for that suggestion, I need to keep myself interested and I’m sick of making soups due to my cooking skills… what do you mean by grown sprouted?

]

Sprouting-like the aduki beans and mung beans you buy in the greengrocers in packets? As a kid you may have sprouted some in a jar or a little tub on some tissue paper. Nice and crunch in salads and fresh too. Im going to ues the plastic clear baskets from my old steamer-put some kitchen roll in each basket,aduki beans in one,mung beans in one and chick peas in the other. Pour some water over so the tissue is wet-keep it wet but not floating. I will have a plate at bottom of steamer baskets-same as a sprouter-there are some pics on this thread somewhere which someone kindly put on. If not this thread it could be the "live on 4k thread". Anyway yes-as you describe them-verl light in colour and quite round. Im now going to soad half a packet(about 35p)for a veggy curry.
I used to grow them on plates or jars before but the other week someone was talking about a sprouter. When I saw the photos it was just like my steamer baskets so they will now get used(I knew we saved them for something-we just didn't know what)
Now have mangoe chutney cooking on the stove and I think it will work out about half the price of bought stuff. Mangoes were 20p each in Lidl. Never done it before so its another experiment. Kitchen smells lovely.

redmel1621 wrote: »

Hi All

Since Tuesday I have spent another £29.59, almost £10 of that was on complete rubbish...ds1 has guitar lessons on Tuesday at 4pm, which doesn't give us enough time to go home and back again after school, so we end up just roaming over the road to the shop and buying pasties, sweets, pop etc...I will have to come up with a plan to combat this!!! although it won't be so bad in the warm/dry weather because we can just hang outside on the grass and play are until he goes in.

Mel x

As others have said-take a pcked lunch! Some sarnies,fruit and twinks and a drink. It will be better quality too and not the junk food.

princess_leia wrote: »

Well, just spend another £22 in Mr T, and I am distraught that I paid £1.28 for a cucumber that was so small its disgusting and I should never have bought it really.

Now I do believe in voting with our feet! If we give in and buy it at that price then they will charge it as they know they will get it. I just change the menu when this sort of thing happens-I choose another salad item instead.

inamess200-you could possibly use frozen pollack from Lidl-its on offer for £1.99 per pack at the mo.

inamess200

Well just ordered my final asda shop for the month (£75.28) - had to iinclude a few bits for my store cupboard so I could get free delivery so total spend for the month including that shop is £311 :T - I can't believe its soo low - this includes my hubbie eating at mine several times over the last few weeks while he is visiting the children - I will have packed storecupbards going into Feb so my budget for Feb will be £250:rotfl:

Wont declare for jan yet as I expect a few other sneaky bits from Tesco will come my way (especiially as DD1 has requested Jamies fish pie on sat tea and I have to get fish for it (not got from mr a online as can never work out what weight i need in kg so rather go to mr m fish counter and see what i'm buying!!))

gtx

Mrsm will you put me down for £180 for february - have done a shop already because its my day off - went to mr a instead of doing it online because i had £6 in voucheers for there. stocked up on flour, herbs etc already made soups and bread buns.

hope everyone is well

gtx

Barneysmom

I'm justupdating my sig after spending £39.00 in Mr.M's. This does include 2 saver stamps, I never got any last year and missed the extra for Christmas,
got loads of stuff though. But forgot the bread so I'll go and make some later.

redmel1621

Sylvan - yes I walk to and from the school. I will probably start taking some kind of food with me (not sandwiches as they have pack lunch for school dinners). As I say summer will be fine as we could all sit outside:D but in the cold/wet weather there is only the tiny reception to wait in. They only have one chair and the cleaners are in at that time too:cool:.

Moniker, I hadn't thought of the library, it is just around the corner, although it does have very limited opening hours, so will have to check it is open at that time. wouldn't be able to eat in there though;)

Thanks for the input everybody, I'm sure I will work something out:)

Mel x

katholicos

I think i need to get my head sorted about what i am going to include in my GC Budget for the month, and what i am not going to include. For instance, in the sales i bought two M and S hampers...i bought them at really good prices and i only bought them because i don't drink and the wines and port in them would make great Christmas gifts for 09...there was some nice choccies and Christmas cake etc that came with the hampers and me and mine have eaten almost all of that now, but i included the hamper prices (£30 altogether) in my GC monthly amount and i'm wondering if i should have done that or not.

What would others have done?

scotsaver

angelnikki - last night's Jambalaya was lovely so thanks for that, shall definitely be making it again as so quick and easy, will make it next time with Sausages I think and cut down on the Chilli as the kids thought it was a bit spicy.;)

Dinner tonight is HM Macaroni Cheese, HM Wedges and a big bowl of salad.:D

Have a good evening everyone.:D

shykins

nice to see some other lowcarbers here, in case any of u are interested we have a lowcarb thread on the health and beauty board .. that said now some suggestions to add to the VERy good ones already made

i only buy meat from my butchers he does a family pack which is basically 5lbs chicken breast, stew steak, mince, pork chops, sausages all for about £45, this lasts a couple months... whole chickens i roast one day, eat cold another day, then strip all the bits and have in a curry or something.... mince is also your friend cos u can doSO much with it

i grow lettuce leaves on my window sill in the kitchen all year,,, i buy tesco Value mature cheese, very tasty and a LOT cheaper... i only buy own brand cream cheese as its cheaper

i definitely second making your own coleslaws etc a white and red cabbage are very cheap and make a TON of coleslaw etc... my eggs are from the farm but only £2 a dozen ok more expensive than supermarkets but the taste difference u cannot compare

i really havent found atkins any more expensive than the way i ate before

HTH and maybe see some of u on our other thread wheres there is loads of suggestions

redmel1621

furndire wrote: »

Certainly would not have thrown it away, If in doubt, I would have put it in a pan, and brought to boiling point (if too thick add a drop of water)

furndire - Sorry I missed your reply to my question when reading through earlier. I suppose I am just being a little extra careful as I am pregnant and don't want to risk anything:rolleyes:. The other thing is, I have read that you are not meant to let food cool down in the SC as it cools so slowly and the warm temperature is a breeding ground for bacteria?? I don't know if this is right or not

Mel x

Rainbow_Butterfly

Thanks all for your replies.

The local eggs idea us a good one, we used to have a lady with chickens 2 doors down from us when I was a child.. was always being sent round with an empty egg box by my mum.

How would I go about finding somewhere local that sold them now? I think im being a bit dense but I have no idea where to look. I know there is a farm shop near my mum and dads but thats about 60miles away and we only go over there every couple of months.

I cant stand liver im afraid, it was cooked for the dogs in my house when I was growing up and even the smell of it now makes me go a bit green. Cant manage kidneys, heart etc either.. never tried them, just cant seem to make myself.

I was thinking about getting a slow cooker as we have a few argos vouchers.. what low carb things could I do in it though? I though they were mainly used for stews/ soups etc. How would I cook meat in them?

Will have a look for sliced meats next time im down lidl way.

:money: