September 2009 Grocery Challenge

Winged_one

Sorta GC related (apologies if it's in wrong place), but DH saw and purchased a whole coconut when we were in Mr. M's on hols (I think it was 85p, so I allowed him!!). He thought it would be great to get the milk straight from it (I think I'm right in that the liquid is not actiually the milk - that involves grating and soaking in water and squeezing out the actual flesh?) and use the flesh for something.

As we are having an actual family weekend at home, for the first time in WEEKS, and relaxing, that means we are planning a nice dinner Sat night for the 2 of us. We will be having a curry of some sort (from a variety of spice mixes we get at the farmer's market when visiting our parents), and I have been landed with making a desert using the said coconut. (And I will probably get some doleful eyes requesting some fresh naan bread as well!!).

What can I do with a whole coconut? I am not great at pastry but can do it. Reasonable baker though (which also means reasonable stock of ingredients available). And would happily take any suggestions. I should have most of Saturday afternoon to set aside if needed - or to do things and potter off around house and back to kitchen.

russetred

Well that's me declaring at £338.38 for Sept.A whole £1.62 for the holiday pot.Most of this month I've been reducing the stocks in my freezer to make room for my whole butchered mutton which lasts ages.But I'm reeling we got a phone call yesterday to say the price has gone up...GONE UP try doubled! from £65 to £130 so we told them we cant afford that.Now I'm left with a half empty freezer.Oh well back to whoopsie hunting for me.:rolleyes:

ifonlyitwaseasier

russetred wrote: »

.But I'm reeling we got a phone call yesterday to say the price has gone up...GONE UP try doubled! from £65 to £130 so we told them we cant afford that.Now I'm left with a half empty freezer.Oh well back to whoopsie hunting for me.:rolleyes:

WOW!!! thats a heck of a rise in price!!

well fingers crossed for me my GC friends, i had an interview yesterday, which was basically a chat with a friend, so if an interview i have on tuesday doesn't work out then i alreay have a job lined up! is a big drop in basic salary but the incentives could mean i'd earn more than where i am, but as thats ending soon anyway then i'll either be employed or on JSA and as i have the option i think it would be rude not to grab it with both hands!!!

as for the budget i started the new one today spending 99p at lidl for their lunch deal. and 55p from the vending machine at work for a caramel!

hugs if you need one and if you want too!!

ioiwe x

nmlc

Afternoon all

Have been missing from Grocery Challenge for a while but am now back, have been so busy over the summer months and now children have been back at school 3 weeks with October half term fast approaching! WANT TO SIGN UP FOR OCTOBER GROCERY CHALLENGE STARTING TODAY FOR £350 PLEASE.
Have done first shop of the month today and spent £76.01. I'm still trying to eat healthily and have still lost around 1 stone to 1 1/2 stone since end of May this year. We've had some big eating/drinking weekends (hence why the grocery challenge budget gone off the rails!). Still trying to cook as much from scratch as possible.
Hope you all well and big hugs to those that need them, enjoy your weekend everyone.
Keep safe and well
nmlc

SmlSave

Hi everyone

Looks like we should be under budget this month just bought 3 chickens for £8.50 so we def won't run out for a while!

scotsaver

helen jelly - sorry my link didn't work to the Weetabix cake but thanks cw18 for reposting, should have mentioned that it's in the recipe list on the front page of the GC.;)

A NSD today and making HM Macaroni Cheese for Dinner tonight.

cw18 - must check out that Aldi ice cream next week, that's a great price.;)

Got meals planned until the weekend so shouldn't need to spend anymore but will declare on the 26th just in case.:o

Coxy11

Hi everyone,

I'd like to rejoin for October please - £400 for Coxy11.

I didn't do the GC in September as I had too much going on. I was 40 and had a big party, plus 11+ tests for DS1, plus my nephews christening. I didn't do too badly on my own, but know I can do a lot lot better with the support and encouragement on here.

I've already spent £98.98 of my Oct budget, but this did include a Sp0ngeB0b cake for DD's birthday next week and a small gift from DS1 and DS2 to her. Birthday gift from us and party food is coming out of a different budget.

My Dad is staying with us at the moment, so I've meal planned up until Wednesday next week and have everything I need except f&v. We are going away tomorrow to St. Austell (without the kids - birthday treat from DH) so all expenses this weekend are on him(!). Hopefully will come in near on under budget this month.

Off to update sig.

Have a good evening.

Coxy
xx

Frugaldom

Hi guys, I'd like to declare my total for September at £81.89 as I've just been into town and picked up everything that's needed to last me the remainder of the month, including my 12 litres of cheap UHT milk from Ald!. (They had no ice cream left in ours, CW.)

Year to date total now standing at £1083.20 for 3 adults. NOT good, as I was hoping to manage on a budget of £1200 for the entire year. :rolleyes: Will make extra effort not to ober-indulge during final quarter of the year but can't really see £117 lasting me 3 months when there will be more visitors on several occasions between now and December. Pasta anyone? :rotfl:Huge plus - gifts received recently = breadmaker, deep fat fryer, pasta maker. No excuses now, eh?

notjustlaura

Well, I don't really but my first attempts have been disastrous! I did really well until last weekend when I had a couple of unexpected outlays and it was all downhill from there. This week I haven't even kept receipts so I've no idea what I've spent *and* I've been using the credit card which I'd 'promised' myself I wouldn't do.

Fortunately, the week and the month are nearly over and finding <i>Economy Gastronomy</i> at half-price in ASDA has given me a much-needed boost. So I'm going to draw a line under the past however-many days and just learn my lessons:

1. I cannot change everything at once.

2. If I go over budget I still need to keep track..

3. I need to keep close to this forum.

So those are the lessons.

_____________________

And there's the line.

Frugaldom

WINGED ONE - One of my part time jobs was assisting in the kitchens of 'an eating place' and a great favourite for desert involved coconuts. The shells were sawn in half and the coconut scraped from inside then finely grated or chopped. This was blended with white ice cream and then repacked into the coconut shell. Each was garnished with a wafer thin chocolate, but you could always grate the chocolate over the top. The ice cream with the coconut tasted absolutely delicious and it was a very attractive looking dish to serve.

These were individually wrapped and then frozen in the coconut shells.