January 2011 Grocery Challenge

bella121984

tracey_h wrote: »

This challenge has really made me think about what i buy and if it will get used or not. I have thrown so much away in the past and i am determined this year to have as little waste as possible.

Txx

I totally agree with you! I havnt thrown anything away since I started this challenge..I guess thats the difference meal planning makes!

~moneysavingnovice~

Two naughty £9 shops in the ridiculously overpriced shop across the road

Must do better *sigh*

2joanne

Hi All

Doing great on challenge, still well within budget - just booked Mr T delivery for tomorrow (will update sig when recieve final costing done with delivery - but should be around £70) All down to cooking extra and planning ahead - we have a cottage pie and spag bol in freezer already for next week.

Had leftovers from Sunday dinner yesterday (Roast chicken, pots and veg) I am absoultely amazed at how far a roast chicken can go when you try - I'm also ashamed at the amount we would have wasted in the past.....

Another NSD day today - thats 4/31 - i dont think we've ever had a no spend day EVER and now with just a little effort we're at 4 on just the 17th of the month (feeling so confident I'm gonna set a challenge to do at least another 6 before the months out!)

Ooh and another 1.5lbs lost - thats 5.5lbs in two weeks!

Have a good evening everyone!

CupOfChai

I've just thought... those of you who make your own bread, how do you find it keeps? Would a loaf last, say, a week and still be reasonably fresh, or would it get too stale to eat as is after a couple of days?

Or does it not hang around long enough for you to find out?

happycrafter_2

CupOfChai wrote: »

I've just thought... those of you who make your own bread, how do you find it keeps? Would a loaf last, say, a week and still be reasonably fresh, or would it get too stale to eat as is after a couple of days?

Or does it not hang around long enough for you to find out?

The second option for me usually it all goes before I get a chance to have some.

salski

How do you guys go on 1) cutting your HM bread and 2) making it dead soft and nice/ Mine always comes out of the bread maker DEAD hard on the outside (yummy) but also very dense and hard int he middle?
Sal x

katholicos

Hi folks, I've been absent for a couple of months due to lack of internet access, i'm hoping you'll all have me back on board now i'm up and running though. Could some kind soul put me down for £80 for this months Grocery Challenge, pretty please?

angelatgraceland

salski wrote: »

How do you guys go on 1) cutting your HM bread and 2) making it dead soft and nice/ Mine always comes out of the bread maker DEAD hard on the outside (yummy) but also very dense and hard int he middle?
Sal x

Ive had it like that but not lately-I use a little less yeast and a little hotter water-seemed to solve it. I also add the butter in the recipe rather than making it optional.

Re cutting it, ensure you use a proper "bread knife". Let the bread cool completely before attempting to cut it.

Ilona

Thanks catsloverlycats and martafdz for the welcomes. This thread moves very fast, doesn't it, I will try and keep up. Sorry for spending a lot of money today on a car, but I had saved up for it, and I had to buy a new (second hand) one because my last one was written off. So now my bank balance is very very low, so I need to stop spending for a while.

Today I spent £1.28p, it was £1 for five packets of strong mints, and 28p for four creme caramel puddings, reduced price, both from Net-to.

Tonight I made a cheap dinner. A big pan of veggie stew, with pulses, veggie mince, and carrots, onions, and butternut squash. The pulses were a bit hard, so I zapped it with a stick blender and made it into thick soup, more like baby food actually. But it tastes nice and it will make two more dinners.

I dont know how to do the budget on the signature, so I'll keep posting here. I am not sure about making a budget, I just want to spend as little as possible.
Ilona

janie-h

Hi All :wave:

Quick update with spends yesterday -
C**p - 99p
L**l - £12.66
A**i - £15.26
I**land - £8.25

Total = £37.16 Not doing too bad so far
Will update sig.

And must, must, must do meal plan and stick to it and not let 19year old, very carnivorous, very fussy, body building son scupper my plans! Still, I stopped smoking last week and he's wise enough to keep out of my way LOL!

Have a good week everyone x