November 2010 Grocery Challenge

Spiggle

Hi All,

We did a bit of shopping yesterday but I haven't got the amounts so will update sig later.

Chloris, I checked with our butcher on the price of braising/stewing steak. He calls it braising steak if its in a single piece and stewing steak once its cut into chunks so basically it's the same cut just prepared differently. The price with ours is £2.97 for a lb. So if I'm right that a kilo is 2.2.lb that would make a price of £6.53 per kg. I hope that helps with checking whether the Coop meat is a good deal.

Right I want to do quite a few things today so I'm off now but will be back later to update.

Have a great Sunday,
Spigs

gailey_2

Can I be put down for 250this month, may seem high for 2adults and kids but had to buy xmas related stuff like brandy to make mincemeat so boosted price up.

Been able to start early dont normally start until 15th as hubbys payday but had extra money this month.

so far hubby spent 20 sainsburys
I have sepnt 25sainsburys
morrisions 105pounds.
10pounds local shop
15marks and sparks.

total 175

Not done this months farmfoods yet but do need more milk.
Freezer still full from last month am sick of eating frozen and trying to run down freezer for xmas meat and all the good reductions I buiy xmas eve,boxing day and new years.

Omg morrisions have upped prices on their value range toiliet rolls anf flour gone up by 10p in a month. value passata wasent there anymore shame as at 25p was cheapest.

Going to compare lidls and sainburys for same items.
also see what adlis super 6 is this week.
Definitaly need to shop around to beat all the rises but so time consuming.

went to wilkos found it pricey for food but got big bottle fairy 99p!
went to family bargains not sure if its a chain where woolies used to be in city centre got toystory weetbix choc star cereal for 99p they had lots of cheap deals on crips and pop.

Noticed tj hughues had some very good xmas confectionary deals including thorntons box of chocs 1.99!

Local greengrocers had some very cheap fruit deals got lillies 1.99 and 2punnets of red grapes for a quid!

adelight

Well, I rocked up to Lidl 5 mins before it opened and joined the queue waiting to get in and grab the weekend bargains...

4x 418g tins salmon(77p each!! it's a bargain at the normal price!)
4x 2 lean beef steaks
3x 750g luxury museli(each bag will get bulked out with 500g oats )
for £9.86 :j

I wasn't sure whether to count it in this GC or keep the receipt in my yearly running total, but some people here split the cost over however many months the stuff will last which makes more sense as I won't eat all that before Christmas :rotfl:
Hmm, what to do?!

Long_tall_sally

NSD yesterday for me and was hoping today would be the same but just remembered that DD is making macoroni cheese tomorrow at school & I don't have any macoroni. Do you think fusilli pasta would be ok as I do have some of that?

elf06

adelight wrote: »

I wasn't sure whether to count it in this GC or keep the receipt in my yearly running total, but some people here split the cost over however many months the stuff will last which makes more sense as I won't eat all that before Christmas :rotfl:
Hmm, what to do?!

I am having the exact same prob just now as i got a BBFL order on its way for just under £19 however I will be getting 20 tins of beans and 20 tins of soup (along with lots of other stuff) and I cant decide what to do with the spend. At the moment I have included it as this month but I still feel its not going to be an acurate amount. Maybe next year I should set a yearly figure to allow for such spends............

findingmyfeet

afternoon everyone,

just picked a load of veg from the alotment and got stuck with the red cabbage. i will do some jars of pickled cabbage for christmas but what can i do with the rest ? can i wash , chop and freeze it ? does anyone have any suggestion please, despartae not to waste it.

adelight

findingmyfeet wrote: »

afternoon everyone,

just picked a load of veg from the alotment and got stuck with the red cabbage. i will do some jars of pickled cabbage for christmas but what can i do with the rest ? can i wash , chop and freeze it ? does anyone have any suggestion please, despartae not to waste it.

A freshly picked cabbage will last ages in the fridge, months. I've had a whoopsies red cabbage in my fridge for 2-3 weeks and it's still fine.
Make coleslaw with finely sliced cabbage, onion and carrot marinated in mustard, lemon juice and salad cream.
Fry it with onions in paprika and butter, delicious, add some cream at the end if you like.
Cabbage and pasta in butter is surprisingly delicious, or curried cabbage with rice. Stuffed cabbage leaves?

findingmyfeet

thanks for that adelight- never eaten red cabbage much before, frying it sounds nice, have made coleslaw all summer but didnt think to do it with the red and didnt realise it would last so long either

Herbyme

Hi all,
Quite agree about the portion thing from a couple os pages back. What I've been trying to do is write down the volume of stuff we use - eg so many ml = rice for 3, or porridge for 4 - so I don't overcook. It does work if I remember to write it down when I get it right, and check it next time.

Don't quite know what's happened to the budget this month. Have had guests this weekend but can't blame it all on that. Does anyone offer budget coaching like life coaching?! Sit in my bag for a few days and tell me what I'm doing wrong?!

Longtall sally, it would be absolutely fine, it's all the same stuff, just different shapes!

Sue14, glad it's not just my OH who does that! Chicken stock? Thought it was dishwater. Thanks a bunch!

MancMillyMolly

Another £77.18 to add to the total for the month so far. Always seems worse for the first couple of weeks as I do my 'big shop' (toiletries, pet food etc) at the beginning of the month and then have a smaller budget for the remaining weeks.....

Think I might re-invent my meal plan for the week after next and use as much of the freezer stuff as I can to have a little clearout before the festivities start in December. Should also help the budget as well.

MMM