June 2010 Grocery Challenge

Kitchenbunny

I haven't been a part of this for a while, but I'd like to be included for July if that's OK? My target will be £180 and will start from July 1st.

Thanks in advance

KB xx

Long_tall_sally

Thanks to all who run this thread.

Declaring at a whopping £576.03 against a £450 target. Mrs M, could you put me down again for £450 for July please (I can but hope!) and for which I have already spent £24.79.

tessie_bear

hi...lovely warm weather here which is lovely and makes salad very tempting...we have been eating it all last week but as noone has complained we shall carry on for a bit

went to mcdonalds today...the kids think its wonderful...i can take it or leave it to be honest going to have a bbq for tea but it will be later so the sun has time to drop a bit

i seem to be running out of things at the moment so will need to do a proper list for asda as i find it annoying when i have to go back to the shops for one thing and end up spending £20 when i went in for mayo

could i ask the poster who said they were having x2 veggie days a week what they are serving up...i agree it is a good way to save and would like to try the same but lack ideas for veegie alternatives iykwim

thanks
tessa

carolt2

Afternoon All,
Not posted for a long time on here, dont think i have posted on this months challenge yet:o.
I have lost track of spending:( so i have guessed what we have spent and added it to my signature.

Have managed to catch up on the thread.
It's nice to see new names and that everyone is still doing well in their own challenges.

Would like to declare my running total for this year as £845.01.

hex2

Long_tall_sally wrote: »

Thanks to all who run this thread.

Declaring at a whopping £576.03 against a £450 target. Mrs M, could you put me down again for £450 for July please (I can but hope!) and for which I have already spent £24.79.

I am going to be over again too so we can be optomistic together again next month. I hope you don't mind me asking but have you looked at what you are spending and worked out where the issue is? For me it is popping into the Co-op for none food stuff and buying 'bargains', and to an extent I have cured this by buying wine by the case, fags for DH on the monthly supermarket order and by having the weekly veg box then I dont need to go in. Two months ago I went to the co-op 18 times, this month I have been 5 (milk). I tried the local veg box scheme www.sealwood.com and thoroughly recommend it if they deliver to your area, I remember that you aren't that far from me so they may do.

WelshWoofer

Declaring at £1.25 under target! :j:j
It would be better but OH came shopping with me today at Mr M's (never normally go there) and we ended up buying extras and things for treats (as men do!)
I must say I wasn't very impressed with the shop - not a lot of choice and seemed very oddly arranged, probably one of the reasons I spent more than anticipated (£56 rather than about £45).

Mrs M - Please put me down for £135 for July - its a 4 week month for me (starting next Saturday) and we're on hols for a week.
Thanks!!

Hippeechiq

tessie_bear wrote: »

could i ask the poster who said they were having x2 veggie days a week what they are serving up...i agree it is a good way to save and would like to try the same but lack ideas for veegie alternatives iykwim
thanks
tessa

Hi tessa - that would be me I think This is only my 2nd month of doing this so don't have endless veggie dishes, but this is what I have at the moment:

Mushroom Quiche, Cold New Potatoes and Large Mixed Salad
Potato & Onion Hotpot, Broccoli & Sweetcorn (Depending if I have bacon in, I do sometimes add a diced slice of bacon per person to this, but it still makes for a cheap meal)
Roasted Veg Tagine, Cous Cous & Chunky Bread (a new recipe for me this month)
Shepherdess Pie, Peas & Broccoli
African Beans, Brown Rice & Salad (a new recipe for me this month)
HM Cheese & Lentil Loaf, Cous Cous, Large Mixed Salad
Vegetarian Bean Curry, Brown Rice & Garlic Bread
HM Onion Tart, Cold New Potatoes, Large Mixed Salad
Moroccan Mushrooms, Cous Cous & Garlic Bread (a new recipe for me this month)
Spicy Mushroom & Bean Chilli, Brown Rice & Naan Bread
Shepherdess & Sweet Potato Pie, Cauli & Sweetcorn
Egg, Chips & Baked Beans

I've planned my menu for 4 weeks (am about to finish week 1 of 4) and most of the above are part of this months meals.

I just trawl the internet until I find a dish that appeals to me. New dishes I've found for me to incorporate and try in next months menu planner so far are:
Caramelised Red Onion & Feta Pasta
Chickpea Curry and
Cheese Leek & Potato Fritatta (never made a fritatta before)

A couple of cheapie meals I also make - although not veggie - are
Corned Beef & Potato Hotpot, Sweetcorn & Broccoli
Bacon & Pesto Pasta with Salad
Bacon Tomato & Wild Mushroom/Roasted Veg Pasta (Lloyd Grossman I'm afraid , but only when on offer - I need to start making my own) with Garlic Bread, Naan or Salad

And of course, theres Pizza with whatever for a cheapie meal, but I'm not a great fan of Pizza, and also Omelettes. HTH

I could do with some more pasta dishes really, but I tried a Lentil Pasta dish, Ratatouille Pasta & a pasta dish with Tuna in it...and they were all a bit _pale_ so it's kind of put me off, but apart from the Mushroom Quiche & Egg & Chips, all the other meals I've mentioned I've discovered in the last 2 months, so it's worth sticking with

Sarabelle

Hi!

This is my first ever post! After reading your forum posts in May I was inspired to cut back our grocery spend (there's only me and the lovely bf) - we were spending £80 for a weekend shop and then at least £40-50 in the week and maybe a takeaway. I decided to take drastic action! Our budget for June was £60pw which we pretty much managed thanks to some £10 off £60 vouchers from Sainsburgers, and we'll continue into July with the same for now. My lovely bf got made redundant last week, so it's even more relevant now that we tighten our belts! Your recipes and meal planners have prompted us to plan plan plan - and it's working! Apart from Aeros (oops!) we don't run out of food in the week, we make our own bread so have yummy lunches, and fab teas thanks to the cheffing skills of said lovely bf. So I'll continue to read the Grocery Forum challenge for fab inspiration, thanks lovely ladies and gents! xxxxx

meanmarie

Spent €6.36 in Tesco to-day...needed strong flour as Lidl/Aldi don't do it here, went to T as I had some vouchers which needed using, so now we are all set...although I need sugar as picked 9 lbs gooseberries and 4 lbs red currants to-day.....some of gooseberries will make a gallon of wine,
some will go on pavlova with some currants to-morrow and rest will make jam....have given up making stones of jam as we don't eat very much.

Good luck to all

Marie

Hippeechiq

Sarabelle wrote: »

Hi!

This is my first ever post! After reading your forum posts in May I was inspired to cut back our grocery spend (there's only me and the lovely bf) - we were spending £80 for a weekend shop and then at least £40-50 in the week and maybe a takeaway. I decided to take drastic action! Our budget for June was £60pw which we pretty much managed thanks to some £10 off £60 vouchers from Sainsburgers, and we'll continue into July with the same for now. My lovely bf got made redundant last week, so it's even more relevant now that we tighten our belts! Your recipes and meal planners have prompted us to plan plan plan - and it's working! Apart from Aeros (oops!) we don't run out of food in the week, we make our own bread so have yummy lunches, and fab teas thanks to the cheffing skills of said lovely bf. So I'll continue to read the Grocery Forum challenge for fab inspiration, thanks lovely ladies and gents! xxxxx

Welcome Sarabelle :wave:

Sorry to hear about you BF losing his job but well done you for embracing budgeting and meal planning with such enthusiasm

Very impressed that you're making your own bread :T I've yet to try...... got the yeast and bread flour, but not quite summoned up the courage