October 2010 Grocery Challenge

cw18

Spiggle wrote: »

This made me laugh Cheryl, I was thinking of editing to say that this would not apply to those who work in them!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: I know that you almost exclusively shop from whoopsies and are very very organised about how you record and analyse those spends. There are definitely a couple of others on here who also work in the sm. Sorry for offence to anyone.

I assure you there was no offence taken here - hence the rather than a , or :mad:

cw18

Hippeechiq wrote: »

I'm not reducing my figure because I'm more than happy if I can come in at that every month. If I repeatedly come in lower, then I many consider it, but that's highly unlikely with the price of food rocketing and the VAT increase looming in January

I'm currently trying to figure out which of my 'essentials' are vat-able items, and which of those are ones that can be stored (safely, and without clogging up my freezers even more ) for a decent length of time - with a view to doing some stocking up before the end of the year.

I already have enough loo rolls as the make I like were on offer in Nett0 on Monday of last week, so I went and bought 72 rolls of the stuff...... I was in desperate need for some for the rest of this year (about 10 weeks/rolls), so 52 rolls for next year means I should have Jan (& hopefully Feb) 2012 covered as well - as long as I don't have too many visitors in the meantime (The one roll/week seems to work out pretty well for me when figuring how long what I have will last)

sharronej

okay so I am officially over but I'm still pleased that I've managed to get so close with the birthday meal counted in as well. My November will run from the 1st to the 30th to run in line with my direct debits - dh and I are both self employed and as such don't really have a start and finish to the month this is something that I think hinders us in seeing the reality of what we spend. The last time I was on the challenge my target was between £160 and £240 a month but I became completely obsessed, ended up being really repetitive with the food I was serving and just generally got a bit ridiculous about it all. I will run at £325 until after Christmas and may consider an annual budget with a monthly guide to take bulk buying into account.

katholicos

Spent today on an AF order. Some of the bargains were just to good to miss. Tomorrow i may be placing another order online at FB as they have let me know that they will have more clearance stock in tomorrow and it could be on things like pulses etc which i want to stock up on. Will try not to go over the grocery budget but no need to 'cut off my nose to spite my face' as the saying goes!

So todays spend (minus the p and p) was £15.50.

katholicos

rosieben wrote: »

Giving you plenty of notice Saturday November 27th 2010 will be the next Buy Nothing Day (UK).

Thanks for posting about this Rosieben. I will aim to purchase nowt in that day

katholicos

MRSMCAWBER could you please put me down for £110 for November. Thanks ever so much.

Hippeechiq

***Rant Alert***

I'm getting together my online shop for when OH gets paid and I can do my 1st order for November, and I go to add Loo Rolls to my trolley, Smart Price ones at that, and they've gone up from £1.29 for 12 rolls to £1.46!!

If items at the cheapest possible end of the market are going up by those kind of amounts within a 4 week period, is it any wonder that a lot of us struggle to come in on budget? All it takes is 6 items to have gone up by that much, and it's another quid on the price of our shop - and we all know that a lot of things go up by a lot more than that. Eggs for example have pretty much doubled.

Okay, I've thought about it, and I get that a lot, if not all chickens are corn fed, so because of the wheat shortage the cost of rearing them has risen and so the cost of chickens and eggs will rise, along with a million other wheat related/affected products....but loo rolls?!!

Looks to me like the cost of everything is going to rocket, and for those of us who have no more money in the kitty available to them for groceries, are all going to have to work our backsides off to put basic good food on the table.......... and I for one, already am

***Rant Over***

~moneysavingnovice~

cw18 wrote: »

I'm currently trying to figure out which of my 'essentials' are vat-able items, and which of those are ones that can be stored (safely, and without clogging up my freezers even more ) for a decent length of time - with a view to doing some stocking up before the end of the year.

I already have enough loo rolls as the make I like were on offer in Nett0 on Monday of last week, so I went and bought 72 rolls of the stuff...... I was in desperate need for some for the rest of this year (about 10 weeks/rolls), so 52 rolls for next year means I should have Jan (& hopefully Feb) 2012 covered as well - as long as I don't have too many visitors in the meantime (The one roll/week seems to work out pretty well for me when figuring how long what I have will last)

I haven't been thinking about VAT at all but it's such a good point- is there a magic list on the net somewhere which tells you what items have VAT?

rosieben

Main Meals & Side Dishes (Soups now listed separately, below)
Bacon and Cheese Fritatta with Tomato Salsa
Bacon and potato salad -Warm
Baked potato pizza
Baked Beans (home made)
Baked Bean Tart
BBQ Cannelini Beans with sausages
Bean Curry (Slow Cooker)
Beef - Brisket
Beef Casserole
Beef Curry Dopiaza (Delia recipe)
Beef Stifado (Jamie Olive recipe)
Beef Stroganoff
Beef and Root Veg Curry
Belly Pork
Bolognaise (Remoska)
Brie Burgers
Broad Bean Burgers
Burgers
Calzones
Cheese and Onion Flan
Cheese and Onion Fryits
Cheese Pie - School days recipes thread
Cheese Scones
Chicken Adobo
Chicken Cannelloni
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Cassoulet
Chicken and broccoli bake
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Lasagne in the SC
Chicken, Cheese, Ham and Brocolli Pie
Chicken and Chickpea Curry
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken, leek and bacon pie / pasties
Chicken - Monker's Honey and Orange Chicken
Chicken - Parmesan Chicken
Chicken - Rubber Chicken (thread)
Chicken - Sticky Chicken
Chicken with Cannellini Beans
Chicken with Garlic, Cider & Cream
Chicken and Potato Curry
Chicken and Vegetable Slice
Chickpea Curry
Chilli
Chilli (Remoska)
Chilli Bean Tortillas
Chilli Chicken Ramen
Chilli Cheese Crostini
Chilli chicken with jasmine rice (BBC food)
Chinese Pork Balls & Sweet & Sour Sauce
Chinese style cabbage
Cobbler (topping) see below for Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Coq au Vin (SW)
Coconut Rice
Coleslaw
Corned Beef Hash - MrsMCawber's recipe
Corned Beef Pasties
Courgette Fritters (1) Courgette Fritters (2)
Courgette Pie
Courgette and Tomato Layer Bake
Cranberry & Soy glazed cocktail sausages
Creamy Chicken and Potato casserole
Creamy Lentil and Rice Dish (Khircheri) (BBC website)
Curry Sauce
Diet Coke Chicken
Duchesse potatoes
Easy cheese biscuits
Faggoty Pea Stew
Falafel Burgers
Fajita Seasoning
Falafel burgers
Fishcakes
Fish Pie and Fish Pie
Fusilli with Broccoli
Haddock - Grilled haddock on lemon leek and pea rice
Ham Hock (slow cooker)
Ham Salad (sandwich filling) external link
Harry Potter Stew
Hummus and Garlic Pitta Breads
Indian curried pork patties recipe
Individual chicken pies
Keema and spinach pilau
Lamb curry and paratha
Lamb Hotpot
Lamb Tikka
Lasagne
Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken with basil and tagliatelle
Lemon potatoes
Lentil Shepherds Pie
Liver and onions stir fry
Macaroni Cheese
Marrow - Veggie stuffed marrow .... Stuffed Marrow
Meatballs
Meatloaf (1) Meatloaf (2) Meatloaf (3)
Mediterranean Mince and Potato 'Pie'
Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
Mince & onion pie
Minced Beef Curry
Mince - Mexican Style Mince
Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Mini Goat's Cheese, Pear & Walnut Quiche
Monday Pie
Moussaka
Onion Bhaji ....... Onion Bjahis
Open top 'pizza' pie
Pasta with Tomato Sauce ....... Pasta and Sauce
Pasta Cheese and Onion Bake
Pease pudding
Pizza / Pizza Base Recipe
Pork Burgers with Salad
Pork and Beef Meatballs
Pork Steaks in Mustard and Cider Sauce
Potatoes - Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes
Potato bake
Potato Kebabs
Potato layer bake - with cheese, leeks and stock
Potato layer bake - with cheese, onion and white sauce
Potato layer bake - with chorizo and bacon
Potato layer bake (Teisen datws)
Potatoes - Lemon Potatoes
Potatoes - Roast Potato Rosti
Potatoes - Twice Baked Potatoes
Potato Wedges, Home Made
Quiche Lorraine
Refried Beans
Rice: Summer Rice Salad.....Rice Salad
Risotto:. Easy Risotto with Bacon and Peas .. Risotto - oven baked
Rumbledythumps
Russian Salad and Russian Salad
Salmon and Dill Fishcakes
Salmon - Thai steamed salmon
Sausage and Rice bake
Sausage and Stuffing Plait
Sausage and Tomato Spaghetti
Sausage Bean Stew
Sausage Casserole or Sausage Casserole or Sausage Casserole
Sausage Meat Patties
Savoury tarts - pastry-less
Smoked salmon soda breads
Smoked Salmon - Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Spaghetti with courgettes, tomato and brie
Spicy Bacon and Tomato Pasta
Spicy Bean and Lentil Loaf
Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Stew
Spinach pancakes
Steak and Kidney stew/pie filling
Steak Sauce - Quick Steak Sauce
Steamed Oriental Buns
Stifado - Beef Stew With Tiny Onions Recipe
Stuffing - MrsMcawber's recipe
Suet crust pie with quorn
Super Tasty Bacon, Bean and Sausage
Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork
Sweet Potato and Pea Curry
TexMex Skillett
Thai green curry
Toad in the Hole
Tofu burgers
Tomato paste (external link)
Tomato sauce for Pasta Batch cook recipe or Tomato Sauce
Tuna Fish Mousse
Tuna Fishcakes
Tuna Lasagne
Turkey and Bubble and Squeak Pie
Turkey Pasta
Turkey Pasta Cacciatore
Vegetable Casserole
Veggie Chilli and some variations
Veggie Haggis
Vegetable Samosas
Yorkshire puddings
Soups
Bacon and Carrot Soup
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Carrot, leek and butterbean soup
Carrot, parsnip and lentil soup
Celery Soup
Cheats Minestrone
Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup
Courgette & Tomato Soup
Cream of Tomato Soup
Curried Parsnip Soup
Gammon and lentil soup
Ham and Lentil Soup
Iced cucumber soup
Leek and Lentil Soup
Leek and Potato Soup
Lentil - Golden Lentil Soup
Moniker’s Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and sweet potato soup
Moroccan Chickpea and Broad Bean Soup
Onion Soup
Oxtail Stew + Oxtail Soup
Parsnip & Apple Soup
Pea & Ham Soup
Red Lentil Soup
Real Tomato Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Soup - Red pepper, carrot & lentil soup
Spicy Carrot and Tomato Soup
Spinach Soup
Split Pea and Courgette Soup
Vegetable Soup

rosieben

Bread
Bagels
Baguettes
Banana Bread
Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread) Bara brith teabread
Basic white bread recipe (makes a 2lb loaf)
Bread - Mrs McC's recipe for Remoska
Breadsticks MrsM's / angelnikki's (No Salt Recipe)
Chapatis
Cheese, Onion and Herb Bread
Cheese & Potato Bread
Cheesy Bread Rolls
Chewy Soft Flour Tortilla
Chocolate Bread
Courgette Flatbread
Focaccia
Garlic Dough Balls
Herb Quick bread
HM Bread
Irish Soda Bread
Lahmachun
Malt Bread
Malt Loaf
Naan Bread .. see also .. Curry Queen's ...... Mrs McCawber's ...... OrkneyStar's
Oatmeal bread
soft bread rolls
Super Seedy Bread

Dips, Jams & Chutneys and Drinks
Alioli / Traditional allioli
Bean Pickle
Beetroot and Apple Chutney
Brown Sauce
Chilli Jam
Elderberry cordial
Feisty Rhubarb Relish
Jams & Preserves
Lemon Squash
Miser's Marmalade
Onion - Caramelised Onion chutney
Onion Marmalade
Pineapple Salsa
Riata - Mint, yoghurt and Cucumber Dip
Tomato/Chili Salsa
Red Tomato Chutney
Tomato Chutney
Mango Chutney
Xmas Chutney

Cakes, Biscuits, Sweets, Snacks & Desserts
Apple Braid
Apple delight
Apple Charlotte
Apple - Microwave Autumn Apple Cake
Apricot Flapjack bars
Baileys Chocolate Truffles
Bakewell Tart
Banana and Honey bread pudding
Banana Cake (bread)
Banana and lemon drizzle cake
Banana Muffins (wholemeal)
Banana Muffins
Banana and Walnut cake
Banana Ginger Parkin
Biscuit recipes (Owens3116 thread)
Blackberries - Grated Blackberry Bake
Branflake cake
Brownies
Bounty Balls
Bran Fruit Loaf
Bread & Butter Pudding ... Bread Pudding
Bulk pancake mix
Buttercream topping
Butterscotch squares
Caramel Shortbread (Millionaire's Shortbread)
Cheesecake - Misers white chocolate cheesecake
Cheese n marmite twists
Chocolate Biscuit Thins
Cheesy Biscuits
Chocolate and Pear Upside Down Pudding
Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Concrete
Chocolate Coookies - Cheap and Easy
Chocolate Courgette Cake
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate Krackolates
Chocolate Log - gluten free
Chocolate pudding (microwave)
Chocolate pudding - self-saucing
Chocolate Trifle
Chocolate yoghurt cake
Coconut Cake
Coconut Flapjacks
Coffee Fudge Frosting
Cookie Dough
Cornflake Tart
Courgette Tea Bread/Muffins
Cranberry And Chocolate Brownies
Currant Loaf
Custard Cookies
D&DD’s Apple Braid
Date, Nut and Oat biscuits
Easy Syrup Sponge Pudding
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Fifteens
Flaky Bars
Flapjacks and Flapjacks and Microwave Flapjacks
Fudge Tart
Fruit and Mascarpone dessert
Gingerbread Men
Ginger Raisin Crunches
Golden Syrup Tart
Gluten-free Chocolate Log
Healthy Snack Bars
Honey Frosted Buns
Ice Cream - slimmers world - Mint Ice Cream
Iced Buns
Impossible Coconut Pie
Jam Buns
Jammy Buns (1) ...Jammy Buns (2)
Key lime pie
Krispie marshmallow bars
Lemon and Cranberry Muffins
Lemon cakes
Lemon Curd Cake
Lemon Curd Ice-Cream jenid's / MoneySavingDiva's
Lemon Flan
Magic Lemon Pudding
Malt Bread
Marshmallow Squares
Mascarpone and Lime Torte
Mascarpone Ice-cream
Millies Cookies
Mince Squares
Miini Krispie Christmas Puddings
Muffins: Basic Recipe / Chocolate Orange Muffins (1) / Chocolate Orange Muffins (2) / Gingerbread Muffins / Kiwi Muffins / Sticky Date Muffins / Strawberry Muffins / Toffee Apple Muffins
No fat sponge
Oaty Pancakes
Oaty Shortbread Biscuits
Orange and Poppy Seed Cake
Peach Cobbler (Slow Cooker recipe)
Peanut Butter Cookies
Petits Pots au Citron (Little pots of lemon)
Pineapple, Fried
Pineapple Sponge Cake (using tinned pineapple)
Rhubarb and Orange Jelly
Rice Pudding ....Rice Pudding in the Slow Cooker
Rock Buns
Scones ... Scones
Scotch pancakes
Spiced Apple Bars
St Peter's Mud Pie (no cooking required)
Sticky gingerbread
Sticky toffee apple crumble
Teacakes
Twink’s Hobnobs
Weetabix Brownies
Weetabix Cake
Weetabix Fruit Loaf
Wonderbites
Yoghurt: Homemade yoghurt, Slow Cooker Yoghurt
Yoghurt Cake (the easy way)

Pastry
The best mince pie pastry ever
Pastry economics
Making pastry
Basic pastry
Flaky Pastry (BBC Food)

Home Made Dog Biscuits
Home Made Dog Biscuits (2)


Top Tips (OS threads)
Batch cooking ideas
Cheapest recipes? links to various OS threads, thanks Pink!
Complete Menu Plans Collection
Cooking for the Freezer
Frozen food safety - misconceptions
Grocery Challenge Top Tips
Laundry Washing Gel/ Gloop, Fab conditioner, vinegar.....
Meal building blocks for the freezer
Microwave Recipes
Mr Badexamples Cooking Index

External links
Batch Bake Minced Beef Recipe
Easy and Cheap Biscuits (DowntoEarth forum)
Cheap Family Recipes (our own Weezl's excellent site) and the Christmas Menu here
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet... (Webook)
List of conversions
Love Food Hate Waste website
Show Jamie How To Cook On A Budget Champagne Contest
10 Great Tips for starting out with meal planning

Homemade Play Dough