December 2009 Grocery Challenge

Winged_one

So far, I have spent a grand total of €22.57. €15 at the farmer's market - 2 pork chops, small Christmas pudding and mulling spices. And €7.59 in Aldi for veg, bread, milk and ham.

But I am stuck this week - we didn't do any proper shop at the weekend and are almost out of freezer items. So we are having prawns and sauce and rice tonight, but I need to buy meat tonight for tomorrow and the rest of the week. I have half a chorizo, so I will make a potato bake tomorrow - but I need a pack of bacon pieces to add to it. I think some chicken for Thursday, and perhaps a macaroni cheese on Friday.

And we are going out for dinner on Saturday, so that is from another budget. I am waiting on buying alcohol until after the budget tomorrow - I can dash out tomorrow evening if there is a change the wrong way, but I think it would be worth my while waiting.

But I do have quite a large shop to get over the weekend - lots of cleaning things are running out, DH is drinking hot choc like it's going out of fashion, and I am running through honey (for hot lemon juice drinks) as well, and the fact that we're practically empty in the freezer. And we have no goose fat left for roast potatoes....ah BOOOO!! Will probably be around €150 this week.

Long_tall_sally

Winged One - funnily enough I have half a chorizo in my fridge and some bacon cubes! Could you explain your potato bake dish a bit please?

i'm off to Mr Ts soon, so will report the damage later.

nickynoo08

Morning all did a big xmas shop at tescos last night. Got all (i hope:rolleyes:) xmas choccies, biscuits and sweets plus another xmas pressie. Grand total £63, used another £50 in tesco stamps so only cost me £13 cash:D.
I've just got xmas veg and party food to get now.

thisismoneysaving

I manages to only spend £2.80 on my lunch out yesterday! woohoo!!
Tomorrow will be a NSD - I'm bringing lunch in and dinner at over with family...
Flat Eric - I really like the look of that book. I think I'm going to buy it (or ask for it for Xmas!)!

Winged_one

Long Tall Sally,
It's a very simple dish actually, and great to pop into oven (on timer if you have it) for an easy very yummy dinner.

Chop half a chorizo (I buy the Lidl U-shapes) into slices. Throw into an oven proof dish with a small pack of bacon lardons (I use one portion of the Lidl double pack) - this was an extra from original recipe but does really add something.

Pour in a bag of salad potatoes (we grow a lot of them, and the last are now gone so bought them on special in Aldi for 49c at the weekend) and mix together with a jar of Tomato and chilli sauce (Llyod Grossman ok, but we LOVE the Sacla one with cherry toms). When all coated, put into oven at 180 degree C for about an hour til spuds are done. Throw a couple of handfuls of spinach leaves over the top to wilt if wanted (nice but doesn't spoil not to have). Could also chop a red pepper into it before cooking if wanted more veg than just tom sauce.

Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche/sour cream. One dish meal on a plate - which does very well setting oven timer in the morning. And doesn't spoil quickly either so can cook away for 90 or more mins quite happily. Cover with foil if want softer spuds - leave off if want crispier (or take off when finished cooking and leave off for reheating for later arrivals!). reheats well, freezes well. All round winner!

triticale

Did my main 'top-up' shop for the week on Sunday, milk, beer, some small storecupboardy things for Christmas and some candy canes - £10.49.

Also popped to Tesco last night looking for reduced fresh bread to slice and freeze - found a half-price bloomer as well as a small whole chicken for 96p(!), some diced pork for 90p and an individual cheese pizza for 10p. (Jazzed it up with some fried onion, spicy beef from my freezer and extra cheese, was yum!) Total £2.81, used £1 clubcard voucher so cash spent £1.81.

Sig updated.

BigMummaF

XSpender wrote: »

.......£3.20 on a box of Newberry Fru1ts for Christmas as I never ever see them for sale and we always used to get a box each from Nana when I was a girl. ....
Also will try and get a turkey crown from Ald1 that has been recommended at £7.99.......
There is enough in the freezer to feed us unitl Christmas and I will get the fresh stuff the week before. XS x

I used to love those jellies too, but when we tracked some down about five years ago, they didn't taste as good same with Tunis cake..may be our taste buds change over Time, but I do hate it when I see 'New Improved' on anything I already like Mind, with things like hot X buns & satsumas available all year round now, it kinda takes the edge off the anticipation of the Seasons delights & perhaps we are becoming complacent
Couldn't tell you much about them other than they looked very good, but MrM had fresh turkey crowns when I was in yesterday. We don't like turkey so I didn't go into detail altho they were generously covered in what looked like back bacon.

Flat_Eric wrote: »

.....
....it comments on how to double up (to save time in the future) when time might be short but you want a decent home cooked meal.
....loose rice. I typically buy the boil in bag rice but it seems silly and not very mse to buy more of this when I have plenty of the stuff albeit loose. Is there any foolproof way to cook it ? I know you should allow about 65g ? per person but how much water should I add ?? the instructions on the box are not very clear

There are truck-loads of threads on here that also give loads of advice. I'm not sure of the exact titles now, but there's one very similar to the "bedrock" idea of EconGas & at least two more on cooking for your freezer.
I have different sized mugs SIZE=1]as in tea cups[/SIZE & I choose the size dependent on how hungry we are, how many eating & always measure the dry rice first. For an example, five adult meal portions =2 purple mugs of rice & four of cold water. You can rinse the rice under cold water before putting it into the pan but I often forget :whistle: then bring it up to the boil, cover the pan & take off the heat. Leave it for at least 10mins but longer is better, & the water will be absorbed into the rice. I'm trying to improve our diet so don't add any salt to my cooking & the offspring haven't noticed yet :shhh:
My good mate lived in the spanish hills for five years & her in-laws taught her this method, & I'll not pay out for boil-in-the-bag unless it was a real emergency. This method also works for dried pasta.

mark88man wrote: »

......
bought everyone a freddo chocolate frog as a treat - its a sign of how mean I am now that everyone was delighted - should I be pleased or upset??

I'd say PLEASED! Since I've stopped buying things like snack bars, choccie biscuits & crisps as a matter of course every week, the Offspring jump on each offering now & really enjoy them as opposed to eating for the sake it.
I've done as much food-wise towards the 25th as is possible & just have to get the fresh stuff. Budgets gone a bit _pale_ but I'm sorting thru to see what's what so will post when done.

poohbear59

I spent £88 in Aldi last week and then another £12 in the wholefood shop. DD has paid me back the £13 spent on her shopping so my total is £87. Just remembered I spent £7.99 was on a C'mas cake and that comes out of me C'mas budget account so actually spent £79. That feels much better.

I am trying to be extremely frugal in our eating this month as we really have nothing to live on and then the C'mas feast will be all the more appreciated.

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy Mr M vouchers. I thought food vouchers might be useful for DS1 at uni. Could be his C'mas pressie.

earthmother

Just had a nice big Mr T delivery that should see us through the rest of the year (oh - that sounds good doesn't it ) - will just need to keep the fruit, veg and milk topped up, but I'm due some milk tokens before christmas, so so don't expect to spend too much more at all this side of Christmas.

I'm 9 days into my 5 week month, and have already clocked up 5 NSDs too :j

And - the biggie for me - I've finally found another meal to add to our rather small repertoire - it might only be a cheesy pasta concoction, but for once the majority of the men of this house will eat it (100% approval is unheard of :rolleyes:), and DH, who is the pickiest of them all, says he likes the look of that shepherds pie on the Knorr advert - the test will come when it's put in front of him, but I may yet add more variation to the menu plan - next year could be a good one. :j


I'm going to start putting a New Years order together now - the Tesco delivery chap said all slots will be just £2.50 after boxing day - and seeing as there will be no packed lunch stuff in the house, it seems silly to spend one of the last days of the kids holiday dragging them around a supermarket when I can get it delivered for less than the price of the fuel and spend the day playing .

yummyhoney

i spent €140 today but only going to add the €40 to my budget as the €100 were vouchers,,part of dh christmas bonus:D