October 2009 Grocery Challenge

Frugaldom

Rosieben, Our local $ainsbury's had either gallon or half gallon containers of vinegar, I think, as did C0stcutters. Can't remember if it was malt or plain white stuff, though.

Edited in - just checked their website and it's only 2L (half gallon-ish) malt vinegar in $ainsbury's

My living from store cupboard, freezer and LETS trading seems to be helping with the budget a bit but I'm now finding that I spend most of my spare time in the kitchen. This is exactly WHY I'd love a proper farmhouse kitchen, so I could squeeze in a couch, chairs, table, telly and computer desk. :rotfl:

taka

Blairweech wrote: »

What can I do with spinach, aubergine, courgette and leek? Was thinking maybe a veggie curry or something? Don't mind buying extra ingredients, just need the inspiration!

I have about £26 + change to get me through the month now. Bah! Off to read the 'super cheap meals' threads Especially cause I am so low on storecupboard/freezer ingredients!

Ermmmmm...

Spinach and feta parcels (spinach + feta in filo pastry or even puff pastry if you don't have any filo)
Leek and potato soup
Leek bake
Leek and potato pie/pastie
Ratatouille (sp?) with the aubergine and courgette
Veggie curry eg Aloo Sag, Chickpea and aubergine curry, aubergine and spinach curry... pretty much any combiation of what you have or may be willing to buy other than the leeks would work!
Roast veg with the aubergine and courgette - could be made into pasta sauce with some tomatoes if you don't fancy them as is.

Hmmmm my random veg needing used seems to be very similar to yours... :rotfl: I have a sneeking suspision some of these will be on my menu shortly! :rolleyes:

Eltee12

Thanks Keiss21, Rosieben, Nykmedia for info. I use it for cleaning, and more recently fabric softener etc. so am going through loads of it.

Just spent £26.54 in the chemist!!!!!!! it did include LARGE Olba$ O!l, painkillers, plasters, BOGOF mouthwash and large pack of sticky-things-across-the-nose-to-stop-me-snoring thingys - they cost 0ver £13 but last me a month. Still £26-odd :eek:

Off to update siggy

(£26.54 - in the chemist - didn't even look to see if they sold distilled vinegar:D)

helen_jelly

Hi everyone

I'll be doing the thread for November as MrsM will be indisposed, thank you to everyone for helping me so far and its been a pleasure doing it. Good luck to MrsM for the op and we all hope to see you back on here very soon as its not the same without you,

Off to update siggy in a mo as DH went to MrM and got some bits;
Coconut Milk 2 for 75p
Can't Believe Butter 50p each [got 4 for freezing]
Fruit, veg and ham and other bits

No whoopsies!!!! DH was told not to get them as the freezers are full to bursting

See you all later
Helen x

scotsaver

Good to hear from you MRSMC - thanks for keeping us updated and fingers crossed for the new Op date.;)

Thanks also to HELEN for agreeing to take care of us once again in November GC.;)

A NSD today, just as well as there isn't much left to spend anyway.:o

Dinner tonight is Cheese Pie from the recipe index on the front page, taken from the School days thread, serving it with Salad Potatoes that are on offer in Lidl for 39p a bag, and some Baked beans, also made the Chocolate Concrete from that thread so instead of Pud we will have a slice of that with a nice Cuppa.:cool:

Have a good evening everyone.:D

WelshWoofer

Good to hear from Mrs M!
Good luck with the op - take two!

Had a bit of a tea disaster last night - took a portion of what we thought was a bolognese out of the freezer for OH to have (thought it would be easy as I was having meatballs and spaghetti), defrosted it overnight went to put it in a saucepan to warm up and lo and behold its chicken jalfrezi! I tried to convince him it would be lovely with spaghetti (which was already cooking) but he wasn't keen - can't understand why:p

So the dog got the extra spaghetti and he got rice....

Funnily enough he's having the real spag bol tonight.

I'm using inspiration and using up potatoes, cheese, onion and tomatoes to make cheese and potato pie and baked beans (yummy!)

ellemm

Have done the shopping for this week and only spent £23.17 - amazed at myself!

Went to Aldi for 99p milk, new potatoes @ 29p a bag - bought 2, plums 69p and mini bananas 99p. OH got his supply of biscuits for the week and also picked up Premium Lean Steak Mince reduced from £2.49 to £1.89.

Then toddled off to the Co-op and only bought what I went in for - a half price Elmwood chicken for £2.43.

Last stop Morrisons for the remainder of the list, some meat and cheese and a few other bits but also got half price piece of plaice, 65p and 4 lamb chops also half price @ £1.99 - total there £11.01.

Very well pleased tonight :T

millienjacksmummy

NSD for me today

Baked 2 dozen choc muffins when I got in from work (some to take into office tomorrow - yummy) and still sticking to our mealplan (minor miracle! -usualy I would have weakened and got a takeaway by now!)

Fish pie to make tomorrow

Trying to be extra frugal as car needs some work done tomorrow and we never know how much that costs and was aiming to save some cash this month but already paid 25% deposit on double glazing for our house!!

Anyway -off for a bath and glass of wine

Bye

Sam

Julimk

Did this week’s shop today & spent about £27. That should be everything for the rest of this month barring some more milk mid-week. I have DD with me this weekend & she doesn’t stop eating at the moment, so there may be one or two more bits needed after she has munched through the supplies! But there is £7.55 left, so should still be OK.

I am pleased to say that despite it being near the end of the month I am as well stocked up as at the beginning, and on a budget of half what I was spending pre-GC. It is amazing how far the money goes with a little know how – so thanks to all!

TheBees

Evening everyone - Managed another NSD today but I'm off to MrT tomorrow with a shortish list and a guestimate of how much it's going to cost. I'm hoping it won't cost more than £50 so I'll report back tomorrow! I think I'll take a calculator and add as I go round. I don't care what other people think. I'm also hoping to hand over a wad of money off coupons too.

Had a slight disaster making the rissotto tonight. I poured in a packet of what I thought was rissotto rice but it was actually couscous! Managed to scoop most of it out of the pan and replaced it with normal rice!:rotfl: