March grocery challenge

Lillibet_2

Curry_Queen wrote:

I know I can trim my shopping bills even further by planning ahead and just buy the stuff I need for meals that week but that's my stumbling block in the actual planning. It's not helped by the fact I currently have an extra mouth to feed, making 3 of us, and most of the stuff I have in already is in 2's or 4's :rolleyes:

There was a thread a little while ago where people posted their meal plans etc, can anyone remember what it was? I might be getting over-eager but it might help jump start people? (Sorry, I worship the god of organized planning!) Or I could just post my meal plan for the next fortnight if that would help anyone out? Don't want to push it on people if it won't help though!?

elona

Curry Queen

why not do portions for four and then keep one portion aside for another time?:):)

Galtizz

Wow, stuff disapears fast on here, it was on page 3 already! I'll bump it too the link is here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=23385

Please post your menu plan, I love reading other peoples, it gives me inspiration. I only have about 10 things I cook regularly so it can get a bit
monotonous.

Sarahsaver

my menu plan this week just evenings, breakfast is cereal toast or porridge, lunch is soup and/or sandwiches
monday pork chow mein using sundays leftovers
tuesday homemade pizza
wednesday homemade veggie burgers
thursday toasted sandwiches
friday pork chops with savoury rice (own recipe)
saturday i will be getting cheap fish off the market - £1 each when they are closing down:) either that or mussels which are very cheap right now!
sunday roast dinner with chicken, roast spuds, yorkies and veg

Curry_Queen

Thanks for the tips and encouragement everyone, I'll go back and read through the other thread again for some ideas

Lillibet_2

Here's my menu plan :

Breakfast is usually either porridge or toast in the week & waffels at the weekend (we have a waffle maker & they are sooo lovely & filling, we often have leftovers which can be quickly re-heated in the toaster in the week). Lunch is soup/sandwiches/pasta or cous-cous salad & lots of fruit & carrot sticks. I tend to make puddings once or twice a week to last a couple of days, we don't have it every night though.

Tonight : Jacket spuds with beans followed by home made packet-mix blamange (sp?) with fruit. (Cook extra spuds at same time to scoop out & mash for tomorrow). Save leftover beans.
Weds : Home made fish-cakes, made with mashed spuds (cooked previous night) tinned tuna, spring onion tops leftover from Saturday & herbs. Serve with leftover beans & brocolli. Freeze scooped out potato skins for stuffing at a later date.
Thurs : Pasta & cheesy vegetable sauce with garlic bread.
Fri : Grilled Salmon, rosemary roasted carrots & lemon cous-cous
Sat : Mexican casserole using browned mince beef with kidney beans, tomatos, onions, peppers, chillies & tortillas, topped with cheese (kind of like a spicy lasagne!) Should be at least one leftover portion to freeze. Will make a pudding, probably a crumble from frozen fruit, leftover bread crusts, oats, musli & brown sugar.
Sunday : Saussage casserole made with 6 sausuages, with rice or garlic bread. Save the 2 spare sauasges!
Monday : Out at friends for dinner!
Tues : Jacket Spuds with cheese & home made coleslaw
Weds : Tuna pasta bake with garlic bread. May get an extra portion to freeze.
Thurs : Stuffed potato skins using previously frozen potato skins (see last Weds), leftover sausages diced & mixed with onions & topped with cheese. Serve with whatever veg.
Fri : Prawn curry using Pataks Balti sauce, value prawns & onions with rice & nan bread. Cook extra rice! May get an extra portion of curry to freeze.
Sat : Crispy aromatic duck with cucumber & spring onions followed by pudding yet to be decided?
Sun : Quick risiotto using Fridays extra rice with whatever veg needs using up inc yesterdays spring onion tops. Pudding to be decided, maybe homemade rice pudding with fruit?

HTH

LearningToSave.

not got to sorting out my menu plan,seperate purse etc yet :rolleyes: but just did iceland online shop for £31 with loads of meat etc then off to asda later for some bits.....then tonight going to work out what im doing with what!!! decided to go with a big stock up at beginning of month then sep purse for bits during weeks.

r.mac_2

Lillibet

Do you make crispy aromatic duck, or do you buy it??? I would love a recipe if anyone has one that isn't too complicated.

thanks

r.mac_2

well, decided on £15 food budget per week. This is to include lunches for work as well. I'm not sure if it will last and I am using stuff fromt he freezer at the moment. I am aware that that will run out at some point!

Anyway, spent £6.50 since I started this week (Saturday) and should only need a coupl eof bits of veg to see me through to the end of the week now. So going well....

Lillibet_2

r.mac wrote:

Lillibet

Do you make crispy aromatic duck, or do you buy it??? I would love a recipe if anyone has one that isn't too complicated.

thanks

Afraid I buy it. It's very extravagant to have too often but it is a pregnancy craving, I am trying to keep it to once a fortnight, down from once a week! It is quite easy to pick up in the reduced section though, I find Monday mornings are the best time for it! I would have a go at making it as I believe it is only coated in Chinese 5 spice but I can't find anywhere locally that stocks the pancakes?