December 2010 Grocery Challenge

adelight

Hi all! Spent £2.23 on apples and 400g of bacon at Lidl. Lidl's 2x200g bacon is £1.24 over the weekend and it is delicious!
I'm still well stocked up, i'm getting used to meals without meat again and meals without a sauce component so I've still got plenty of meat in the freezer.

Hippeechiq

kippers That sounds like a fab idea. Chilli always goes down well, as does pizza with kids, and it'll make a nice change from the usual Christmas fayre, which they're bound to have plenty of during the festive week. And I think on the cake/dessert front, you've got enough there too

FlatEric I have to get my weekly groceries on foot too, and I also buy too much than is comfortable to carry. I do it time and time again - so you'd think I'd learn but I do it on the basis that if I buy enough for two or three days, I will be able to have a NSD now and again.

I've found I can carry a lot more in a backpack, but because I've found this, I just seem to load it up even more, and boy does it hurt my back some days. I'm thinking I just need to to say hang the NSDs, as my back is more important than being able to say I didn't go out shopping for ex amount of days a month.

Craftyscholar wrote: »

Much appreciated.
I have always been a bit wary of £idls alcohol - no idea why as everything else I have tried from them has been OK - so I will be interested in your investigation on our behalf.

Well on the £idl Sherry front, I'm sorry to report that it's rather rough quite frankly _pale_ It wont come to me exactly what it smells and tastes like, but it's something along the lines of either meths, paint stripper, turps or white spirit :rotfl: I don't even think I could add it too a cake or trifle, as I think it would ruin both. When I'm absolutely desperate for a drink, and I have no wine in the house, I may resort to drinking it a little at a time, but I will have to be desperate.

Norman_Bean wrote: »

I've just added up my grocery spend for the last 12 months (since being OS!) and I am sooo pleased .... €2,312.76 that's an average of €192.73 a month! :j

I have learnt so much over the last year from OS MSE and just can not imagine not being MSE now ... I have only been lurking infrequently over the last few months but still want to thank the Jackies (O and Glasgow), CCP and SunnyDay (HM vino expert) you have all really inspired me x Thank you x

I am back with MSE now so will be trying to contribute lots!

I need to devise a monthly food budget for next year now ...

Thanks again all on OS, I hope we all have a wonderful (and MSE) christmas and a properous 2011 x

Norman x

I missed this post earlier as I joined the thread late - but it's very inspiring. Well done you and thank you for sharing :T

losingpatience wrote: »

In other news my laptop ( which is less than 2 years old ) has just completely died and the washers on the car won't work. We thought it might have been a fuse gone but replaced it and it's still not working Just wish something would go our way for once. On a brighter note we were down Birmingham again on Thursday for my fiance's 3rd injection and they measured his leg and it is 1.3cm smaller than the week before which we're hoping means the tumors shrunk a bit :j. Not back down until the 21st again now.

Sorry to hear about your lappy and car hun, but thrilled to hear there's a possible improvement with regard to your fiance's tumour. That would indeed be a wonderful Christmas present. I'm sending every possible positive thought and hope your way

On the GC front - I'm actually having a NSD today, although I don't think I'll be having many of them this month somehow.

Moniker

Well my visitors have just left and I think that was the worst roast dinner I have ever cooked! The potatoes and parsnips were over- cooked and the other veggies under-cooked! Meat was ok though and there's enough left for a reheated roast tomorrow and a shepherd's pie for Tuesday. Likewise, the French apple tart tasted ok but pastry was a bit harder than I would have liked - why is it that when I cook just for the two of us it is always delicious (even if I do say so myself) but when people come it doesn't go quite right?

I had to buy some cream form the village shop this morning and it cost a whacking £1-99! I don't know why I did this - I just fancied some double cream for the apple tart! So not a NSD for me! Will also need some bananas tomorrow or Tuesday but am hoping to stay out of a shop otherwise till Thursday!

Off to update my sig, then making soup for our packups and slicing a new loaf before freezing it.

Good luck everyone - hope you have a good week and keep warm and safe!

Moniker

larmy16

I have been a total domestic goddess today!

I have made:-

Loaf of mixed flours (white/wholemeal/granary/seedy)
Big Pot of Lentil Dahl
Leek and Potato Soup
Quorn Curry
Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe from The Takeaway Secret)

I will count my allowance from today until the end of December as I have just joined and am a few days into December.

My spends today - not been near a shop since Wednesday!!!

Cat litter, Wild Rocket leaves (reduced), Chives, Cucumber, Choc chips, Elmlea cream, 2 tomatoes, Radishes. Total £9.16

I am starting of with a £250 budget, but as I join in with you ladies, I hope to reduce that in time.

I shall aim for £50 for food but I like to have an exta £10 to take advantage of any offers which I would need anyway, eg toilet rolls.

My main problem is that I am not consistent. I will be all gung ho like today, but then when I get back working, I am so tired and it all goes pear shaped. I will do my best though.

Loved your post Spiggle. Thank you.

Regarding leftovers, I read somewhere to try and serve in dishes (bit more washing up though) and that way you can keep any leftovers, rather than having a load of mush on plates which you then have to dispose of.

katholicos

We've been eating the remainder of the big Quorn chilli i made yesterday and also ate home baked bread with some strong cheddar cheese and some homemade courgette chutney for tea.

May be offline for a few days as have to send the router back to o2 tomorrow, so keep up the good GC work everyone!

NickJW

Finished my Xmas shopping today! All discounted as well in the Debenhams 20% off sale. I'm debating whether to count the discounted price or the original price. I have a set budget per person, and because of the sale, I've spent less...I'm thinking of using the original price because it's the thought that counts....? Or do you think I should get people a little extra present on top so I meet my usual spend?

Anyway - £3.40 spent on lunch today along with £5 in B0ots. Will update signature.

katholicos

NickJW wrote: »

Finished my Xmas shopping today! All discounted as well in the Debenhams 20% off sale. I'm debating whether to count the discounted price or the original price. I have a set budget per person, and because of the sale, I've spent less...I'm thinking of using the original price because it's the thought that counts....? Or do you think I should get people a little extra present on top so I meet my usual spend?

Anyway - £3.40 spent on lunch today along with £5 in B0ots. Will update signature.

No! The recipients of your gifts don't know you got their present cheaper than you thought they would cost. Also, the value of the items you purchased do not change because they were reduced somewhat.

NickJW

Thanks katholicos - I guess that's true. The recipients aren't to know, and I spent a lot of time thinking of gifts everyone would like, so that's important as well

boultdj

Another $6.70 spent in Mr.M's. Rubber pork this week :-]

freakyogre

£5.23 spent since my last update.

£3.23 in Lidl on Saturday on diced beef and a pack of bacon.

I am adding £2.00 on as I stayed at my sisters last night and we had a pizza night! I picked up everything on my way over so won't count that, but I did bring one pizza back with me, so i'll include the price of that one.

Had a lovely meal out on Friday night with my old work colleagues, it was really nice to see them and the meal was delicious. I had tomato and basil soup with croutons to start, then salmon fillet with sweet chilli, coriander and lime glaze with new potatoes and vegetables, followed by profiteroles! The salmon was gorgeous so I might have a go at that at home one day.