December 2009 Grocery Challenge

mummysaver

Think I'm getting a grip on these NSDs! Finally! Have a chicken in the fridge that needs to get into the freezer, so have removed some quiches and the kids will have those for tea tonight with hm chips and veg. Chick was going to be for Sunday lunch, but doh, kids are with their dad this weekend! Also have pork in the fridge for sausage making, so will need to get those made and frozen. Will be transferring so much stuff into freezers that they will be full again I think, which is great for discouraging shopping!

Do need some more bread flour and some onions and vinegar for chutneys though, but can get those tomorrow I think!

franby64

Hi all - just updating.

Flat Eric - I like the sound of that cookery book too - I will put it on my list of books to keep an eye on and buy when they get cheaper!

Only spent £4.40 today but spent £20 yesterday - another of those Co-op £2 off £20 voucher jobs so I stocked up on bacon and sausages and I've forgotten what else but I'm sure it was all necessary!!

Anyway will try to have a few frugal days now just to slow down on the budget. Luckily my Mum is bringing the meat at Christmas so I just have to stock up on basics and some christmassy bits.

As you can see I am not really getting the hang of these NSD's!!

poppy-glos

£13.18 today in Mr T, need to try harder on this using what i have rather than buying what i'd prefer! of that there were some spends of things we needed (milk, bread, fruit,veg), a 2 for 1 (a bargain if we eek them out over two weeks rather than eat all the maltloaf now:rotfl:), and discounted fish fingers which are sure to go up again at some point so count as pay now rather than paying more later.

There... I have now justified all the spending! Just need to understand i can't carry on doing this as will be over budget for the month, and my aim currently is not to get into (further) debt.

I am doing quite well on using up the list of items which are in my freezer and cupboard from before i joined this site. Must carry on and aim to use it all by christmas! We've had lasagne with spag bol sauce i didn't fancy using for spag bol, and lots of tinned mandarins in jelly (i had about six tins of mandarins in the cupboard) and jelly and fruit is popular for puds at home and for pudding for school lunch.

I made pureed curry base yesterday and didn't particularly like it (onions, spice, sweet potatoe, coconut milk, ground almonds), so added tinned tomatoes and still did not like it. Got a neighbour to try it today and she says it's my tastebuds and it's ok. So going to freeze it into portions and try to have one curry meal with it a week and see if i can add to it so i do like it! any suggestions gratefully received!

I'm working near to lidl tomorrow so butternut squash has to be bought there! Either roasted with butter and ginger or into curry it goes down well in our house.

Sorry i've nattered on an on.. looks loads in this box but once on the forum they get shorter in length as the page of text is wider-- another justification:beer:

Long_tall_sally

WingedOne - thanks for that. I shall give it a go, tomorrow probably. Not sure that I have any salad potatoes though, would normal or new potatoes do?
Been to Mr T's, Co-Op & Farm Foods today. Have updated signature. I am really gonna have to use up my store cupboards & freezer stuff if I am to reach target this month. Thing is both of them are full so no excuse really. Will just have to find the motivation to do a freezer audit seeing as I cannot find my previous one. Planning on doing some xmas baking plus stuffing at the weekend so I need some space in the freezer!

Just remembered that £7.80 of Tesco shop was a xmas prezzie so will take that off total spend.

Botany

A quick update to my totals: spent £2.21 in M&S today, and £15.52 in Aldi, which leaves me with £157.52 in the pot for December. I'm going to have to go back to the shops for milk, bananas and a couple of newspapers later this week, but apart from these bits and bobs I think I've got enough for the week (provided I'm half-decent at sticking to my very dumbed-down meal-plan) . :rudolf:

scotsaver

Hi everyone - a NSD today.;)

Dinner tonight is nice and easy, sausages, mash, carrots, green beans and loads of gravy - got so many sausages to use up in the Freezer, still working our way through the Freezer/cupboard inventory and looks good now there is some space.:o

Have a good evening everyone.:D

coffeeholic_2

Hello everyone I haven't posted for a few days. Hope you are all well.

By some fluke the shopping that we did last week has actually lasted all week, for the first time in aaaages. I am definitely shopping this way more often, we still have meat in the freezer, veggies and plenty in the cupboards to keep us going for a couple more days at least.

Before doing this challenge, OH and myself would be chucking ready meals in the trolley and snacky convenience foodie bits but now we are making a conscious effort to eat better and saving £s as well (hopefully!)

So I am still on £50 for this month and racking up a few NSDs as I go along, its all good.

albacookie

Hi All,
Have to add £1.37 as bought some ham to make sandwiches.
Trying to make sure each dinner this week uses something from the freezer as it's full to bursting! Tomorrow is kedgeree - yum!

Kitchenbunny

Well, I've done my main weekly shop at Tescadiddles tonight and have spent another £41.12 - this included quite a few bits we won't have to buy again this month It also included a couple of items for Christmas. I'll update my sig now.

I'm not feeling too good about this challenge. At this rate I'm going to blow it big time. We have to keep trying though. I'll not run out of instant cappuccino until mid-January at least

Going to make some bits and bobs to freeze tomorrow night so I don't have a rush at Christmas. Some cheese pastry shapes, some stuffing shapes, and something else I've not decided yet. I'll make them, freeze them, and then Christmas will be a doddle. Tomorrow night's tea is only an omelette, so it won't take long. I must do a freezer inventory as I've got an awful lot in!

Kitchenbunny xx

Flat_Eric

small spends today including xmas tv guide (£2.20 :eek:), spuds (2 x 1.5kg king edwards for £2.00) :jand £8.03 in sainsborys including 19p for a £1.49 papaya and 19 p for some 68 p sage :T:T

menu is planned up until weds next week :j but do need to itemise contents of freezer asap as trying to plan long term but can't as don't know what goodies are hiding in the freezer :rolleyes: so once freezer sorted, should be able to plan up until end of february ?? might not have everything needed in the house but if plan far ahead, will be able to shop accordingly.

im cooking the brisket at the weekend that the lovely people at a)da sent me in error the other week. there is a nice recipe in the good housekeeping book I mentioned previously.

Im also a tad annoyed as the £3.50 voucher I retrieved from the cashier at Tescadiddles on Fri. doesnt appear to be valid? might have to ring them up. this was the voucher that I handed over but the discount wasnt applied. all very strange. does anyone know if you don't spend a voucher, do you get it again as part of your next lot of points vouchers ? I can't see how this can be the case however as the vouchers are valid for two years??