July 2009 Grocery Challenge

lynzpower

you don't seem to make many meals that you and oh can eat together after you have done a vegi to meaty convertion.
for example you have tomato and basil pasta(with pine nuts maybe?) then chuck a couple of meat balls in the sauce for O.H.
Batch cook lasagne,1 meaty 1 vegi then cool and cut into individual portions,freeze and then when needed take out one of each to reheat,you can then both have garlic bread and salad with it.

Excellent idea. Another one is a substantial mushoom risotto which can be served with galic bread and abit of chicken or a pork escalop for him. one good meat for this is pork fuillet, you can cut this into medallions, or strips fopr pasta / kebabs- and a v good value cut- no waste! A couple of porkmedallions suffices for one, we usually get 6 medallions out of a fillet.

Another good idea for meatballs is mexican meatballs ( al bondingas)

Mince, chilli powder/ or lazy chopped onions bit of corinder if you have it . Roll them into meatbals then do in griddle pan.

With this I serve a spicy tomato sauce - chopped toms whizzed in blender with chilli paste, a dash of cocoa poweder , pinch of cumin and some paprika - jsut experiment with what you got.

I stirfry a red pepper some sliced onions, sliced mushrooms ( few) and then pour over the yhot tom sauce in a pan. Serve with Rice. And blackbeans.

You could easily gie him a cuople of meatballs and you go without, the rest is a substantial meal, and with the black beans is a cheap source of protein for you - tins are about 60p and half a tin does me & OH- I freeze the other yhalf a tin for the next time . I sometimes serve with creme fraiche / sour cream, some salsa and some tortilla chips or wraps. This is a good "odds and ends " meal for us, and its one of my faves.

eckythump

Pizza is another good one,its very easy to make( buy a packet mix if you don't feel confident enough) and make a vegi one for you and a meaty one for O.H very good for using up bits and pieces.
a good tip is to buy a large block of cheese and grate it,keep it in the freezer in tupperware tub,take out what you need,when you need it.
you will have no wastage and you tend to use less as its easier to sprinkle lightly.
Do you know you can freeze filled rolls for OHs lunch?
as long as you don't put salad in most fillings freeze well.
that way you can buy large packets of rolls/cold meats and make a saving with the larger packs.

karenccs67

all of us Mums who feel exactly the same... My DS(15) regularly comes home having not eaten his packed lunch which drives me MAAAD!:mad:



I hate this, because they come home starving, raiding the cupboards for stuff to eat and moan because I haven't filled the cupboards with junk....:mad::mad::mad:

elantan

Sorry all on the iPhone again so will try my best .. U are totally tight hubby and I don't seem to eat the same things ... He doesn't like the same things as me hates pasta ( unless it's spaghetti with bolognase) have to admit I have nver made meatballs in my life have started a list of things to learn to make that is on it now thanks .... Funny you mention chick peas I put some on to soak tonight lol .... Pizza is another thing ihave never made am in the process of writting a shopping list have put it on it .... I think one of the reasons hubby and i eat so differently is due to my work pattern ... But I no longer work the two jobs so I should be looking at cooking this way it should deff help with the money ...


Although I live a good distance away from Aldis it is not too far from my work so am going to stop by tomorrow to buy fruit as. Hear they have stuff at 49p ... I amnearly done with a shopping list and meal plan for the week will post it when I am done.


We do have an Asian supermarket about 1 hr drive from me it is close to costco as well so I stock up with the two of them at the one time it isn't worth going weekly to though for veg etc due to distance



So tonight things seem quite in work so the plan is shopping
list meal plan learn how to make meatballs ( I think that is a very good idea) and pizza .... Please keep the ideas coming they are all helping me think and come up with plans ... I am starting to feel that I acn do this now ... Thanks to all our help that is

elantan

Oh and I forgot to say no I honestly didn't know I could freeze hubbys rolls for lunch cheers that will deff help

mooomin

I've been naughty and not posted, but I have been keeping up with my grocery challenge - I have £17.99 left and get paid on Thursday, so will be starting my grocery challenge for August then

I have no hope of catching up with the thread, so hope everyone is ok and I look forward to seeing how everyone is doing in August!

elantan

Just Reading that back sorry about spelling I really don't like this phone much lol

elf06

I managed to get out to Mr T yesterday and was the first time out the house since Wed. Havent updated yet but only cos I have misplaced my receipt . I know I spent more than I should have/needed to but I had a double points coupon (use points for hols) so wanted tomake the most of it but did stock up on shampoo, loo rolls etc which will always get used. Back to work today so will update later. Hope you all are well

scotsaver

Morning everyone - well as you can see from my signature I'm already over budget yet again.:mad: Had friends over for the weekend with their kids and they stayed over as it's the School Hols so extra shopping had to be done and extra Alcohol had to be bought.:o With 4 kids in the house from ages of 10 to 13 you can imagine how much was eaten, like a plague of locusts. Not to mention the Adults.:rotfl:

The only upside of this is that we have a lot of leftovers in the Fridge so will see what I can put together for Dinner tonight - looks like it will be cold meats and salad and still got Salad potatoes so no spend needed there.

Off now to get a nice cuppa while it's quiet as no-one else up yet. Have a good day everyone.:D

highland_fling_2

hi everyone
have gone over budget already (and that was increased for this month) but to justify my overspend I have been to discount stores and stocked up on tinned goods, teabags, toilet rolls, etc. So I shouldn't have to buy these items for a few months.

Still receiving gifts from the allotment and have been blanching and freezing garden peas and broad beans. Also have been eating the most delicious garden potatoes.

My cupboards are groaning so much I have made an old fashioned larder/store cupboard from a cupboard under the staircase.

Hope everyone is doing o.k. and grabbing those bargains.