April 2009 Grocery Challenge

jessie18

wmf wrote: »

This has to be my lowest cost week - still just the 88p for 2 pints milk at the local shop. I've amazed myself at adapting meals to what is in the fridge/ cupboards. I am missing bananas but am sure there are some brown ones in the freezer if I rummage. They are delicious nuked - very sweet.
have made my shopping list for Tuesday as DH will be back by then. Hoping to stay in target this month as we have a few extras which we hadn't expected.
Good luck with the challenge everyone
w

:hello:Have i read that right can you freeze bananas? I so love bananas

Mountain_Ash

Evening folks.

Quick update. As per my signature, my grocery spending this month now stands at £40.66.

The additional consists of £2.06 spent on veg at the local greengrocers and £13.94 spent at Asda, chiefly on replacement tins of staples such as chopped tomatoes, chickpeas and kidney beans, and also on stuff for next week's packed lunches.

That leaves me £34.34 for the rest of the month, but I shall be away for a couple of days and also have quite a lot of HM stuff in the freezer to keep me going, so I'm not really worried about going over budget.

Am only 1lb away from my Slimming World target - would probably spend less if I wasn't trying to lose weight.

Wishing you all the best for Easter.

Ro

kezlou

Julimk wrote: »

I like a suet crust on savoury pies. You can buy veggie suet. Follows the basic principle of half fat to flour but as the suet is already grated there is no rubbing in. Just mix the flour & suet together (say 8oz flour & 4oz suet). Add cold water slowly, mixing with a knife until it is nearly there & then put hands into the bowl to bring it together. I think it is more what would usually be used with a savoury pudding (like steak & kidney pudding) but does crisp up nicely on top in the oven.

For flaky pastry:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/flakypastry_1282.shtml

If memory serves, when we made this at school (it was a while ago!) we used all butter. Or could substitute the lard with something like Trex.

Or if you go to post 6 on the first page of this thread there are some links about making pastry. HTH.

I have had a couple of NSDs too & should be tomorrow as well. As I was going to my parents’ for dinner I wanted a fairly light lunch & made some khicheri – Indian rice & lentils:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/creamylentilandriced_86573.shtml

DD will be home tomorrow & I have taken a whole chicken out of the freezer to defrost for our dinner. Mind you, after the batch cooking yesterday there wasn’t room for it to stay in the freezer!

Will mix some of the left over chicken with some left over gammon I already have & a can of condensed mushroom soup from the storecupboard & add a suet crust for a chicken & ham pie. Use the last of the meat for chicken curry. And then use the carcass for stock/soup!

Thanks so much for the links, will definitely have a go either tomorrow or Tuesday with that recipe.Sounds great, i have some veggie suet in so will try using that. Were not vegetarian its just i cook a lot of vegan food.

I do that that with the chicken carcass, i cook mine in the slow cooker then strip and make stock from the carcass. Just defrosting the chicken stock i made last time. I also freeze the bits of chicken into smaller bags for sandwich fillers for the children's pack lunch.

Well didn't have the bean pie for tea as the pastry hadn't defrosted made the porridge (they request) and made veggie stir-fry in plum and coconut sauce.Used up some veg i'd previously frozen along with some spinach, chickpeas,peppers coriander xhilli and and leftover rice. I cheated an grabbed a uncle bens sauce from the cupboard, it was only 10p from bargains that's my excuse anyway . Made enough for two meals so put one lot in the freezer for another day. So now we have two lots of bean stew in the freezer for the coming month, my lot are going to love me.

oo going to try the creamy lentil dish might have that instead of the veggie burgers or liver and onions.

Oh yep you can freeze bananas i do it all the time, ripe or not. Defrosts great and taste the same without going soggy.

Ro congrats on getting to your slimming world target :T well done!

sunshine_girl_2

Hi all

Just spent ages catching up as been away for a few days in the beautiful Peak district - lovely! Added up my receipts this evening - scary how quickly I'm spending, even when I'm trying to cut back :eek: I really need to do a meal plan and find some recipes for inexpensive dinners - can anyone point me in the right direction? I'm fairly new to this site and find it quite difficult finding my way around - probably just me though!

Anyway Happy Easter to all!

Miss_Liquorice

Hello guys,

So I'm needing to get some fresh veg tomorrow, and should consider doing a big shop at some point, but my freezerand cupboards are full. I don't think I'll need much past eggs, bread, milk and some piggie food.

Despite the massive cut to £60 from £105, I don't think this month is going to be a problem tbh....

SunnyGirl

sunshine_girl wrote: »

Hi all

Just spent ages catching up as been away for a few days in the beautiful Peak district - lovely! Added up my receipts this evening - scary how quickly I'm spending, even when I'm trying to cut back :eek: I really need to do a meal plan and find some recipes for inexpensive dinners - can anyone point me in the right direction? I'm fairly new to this site and find it quite difficult finding my way around - probably just me though!

Anyway Happy Easter to all!

There is a link to quite a few cheap recipe threads on post number 2 of this thread. Hope this helps

highland_fling_2

Good Morning everyone,
Due to the fact I am on holiday from work and have been catching up with lots of friends (Lots of lunch dates and morning coffee get togethers) I have spent more than I normally would. However I am not taking the expenses out of my budget as my Mother gave me money for my Easter gift and told me to "treat myself". I consider time spent with my friends as nice a treat as I can have so feel fully justified spending it in this way.
However I am trying to compensate a little for all my "treats" by eating very frugally at home this fortnight. Just about to use bones and scraps from leg of lamb yesterday to make a stock for soup.
So conscience is clear.

Barneysmom

Hello everyone, we're having a great break from work, had a few days in Scotland and now it's time for me to do my total.
I just found a Mr M's receipt for £41.61 so my balance is now £97.39.
I think I've got another one from Asda somewhere so when it turns up I'll put it on.

mooomin

Ooh, it's the little spends that get you down...

£1.53 on milk and £0.99 on rolls yesterday, and I have to go and buy flipping bread later too. Might try and send t'other half instead

Sunny_Donny

Hi all
£33.59 at Mr T's, Sainsbugs, market and new butchers.
Still on target. BBQ this afternoon as OH puttingup a fence with next door neighbour - so just cleaned BBQ and everything defrosting nicely - sausages & burgers.
Aiming to come in well under budget- freezer looking a little bare, but enough frozen veg for this week - I see a trip to Mr Iceland coming at the weekend.

Have a good day all