January 2011 Grocery Challenge

Chloris

Deep breath - I having been avoiding the fred as I know I have gone over budget. I have spent £375.11. Not great. But I am doing an annual and I hope to claw some of the over spend back. For me January included Yule, 5 weeks and DH birthday and my daughter wanted to do a party with lots of party food that we don't normally have (think jamie dodgers etc). I was going to use a celebration budget for this but as there is soooo much left I have included it in the GC. It will do packed lunches, snacks and puddings.:D Also am going away for a week early Feb so that with be holiday budget.

February starts today! So declaring £375.11 for January. Hoping for £300 in February (or less please!).

martafdz

I received my first box from A&C today. I now have two swedes and a red pepper that I need to think about how to use. I might roast the red pepper with olive oil, I loved them in Spain with some chips and steak! They also last for a week or so in glass containers. I have not got a clue about the swedes, I might roast them with potatoes in cubes and add some herbs and garlic or something. I never cooked them from scrath *embarrassed smilie should go here* I have only had them if they came in some prepared veggies bag *another embarrassed smilie*. Any other ideas out there? I have onions, garlic, swede, potatoes, one red pepper, chestnut mushrooms and tinned/frozen carrots and peas.

Btw, is there anywhere where I could buy cheap: olive oil and brandy? Not for the same recipe lol. I need the cheapest brandy for truffles and cooking. We do not drink, so I do not mind if it is not that good or give huge hangovers, it will be used only for cooking.

Chloris

kippers wrote: »

Anyway, i've asked my DH to buy some butter for me on the way home so i don't have to put my 2kg stork margarine tub on the table.....it's never a problem for us when we eat so perhaps i should tell my husband not to buy it...what do you think?

Have you got a pretty little pot you could put some of it in? Like a ramekin? You can scoop whats left back into the massive tub after they go home:rotfl:. I remember my mother only bought butter for family parties because my grandad would be there. Only time she cleaned the teapot out too. HTH:)

Pernicious

rosieben wrote: »

you don't need a food processor, just chopping the veg up quite small would do, the food processor is needed if you are trying to sneak extra veg into kids without them knowing

I don't have that problem yet, but thanks for the tip

I ended up cooking the veg with some extra pasta & made a tomato sauce which looks like it will do both me & my OH's lunches for 2 days :j Makes a nice change from the usual sarnie!

scotsaver

Hi everyone - logged on here to catch up and have a break from the Kitchen, been in there since 8am this morning. Made some Bread, some rolls, leek & potato soup for tonight, pineapple upside down pud for tonight. The house now smells lovely - you can't beat the smell of HM Bread.

Dinner tonight will be Soup mentioned above, Lentil Rissoles, this is our "meat free" night and also this is a new recipe as I want to continue with trying 1 new recipe a week and then Pud mentioned above.

I shouldn't need to go to the shops today so will still have my last £1.35 intact - will post my totals tomorrow when my Feb GC starts. Off now to get some Housework done, have some lunch and keep my mind off the Shops.:o

helen_jelly

We ran out of milk, ham, cheese, butter and DH wanted Liver so that and beer spends comes to £20!! I've made cheese bread twice now from the Carrs recipes and its lush. Used bread flour from Lidl for one of them and it was far better than MrT's stuff so thats a change for the better

Helen x

greent

I'm declaring at lots over! I've gone over and have a couple of lost receipts still to add - still, I've stocked up on tins, loo roll, shampoo, cereals & 20kg basmati rice, so not all bad news. Will start afresh in Feb and draw a line under Jan!!

CherryPie

kippers wrote: »

Well tonight i have 3 of my old friends from school coming round for dinner. We take it in turn to go round each others houses every couple of months. As it's at my house i'm cooking the main meal, one of them will bring drinks and one will bring a starter and one will bring chocs for afterwards...so we are always very stuffed afterwards.

I'm sure all this sounds wonderful and cheap, which it is, but i don't like it as i feel i have to cook twice as i have to cook for my DD's and DH first...i'd much prefer to get a takeaway as it would be a real treat for me as we never have them because of money...but i think takeaways must be a regular thing for my old friends as they all seem to have loads of money.

Also, i've got to go and give our house a hoover and dust...it's the only time i get embarressed about my house when they come round, as their houses are all like show homes with all crockery matching etc....i'm lucky to find two plates without chips in let along matching lol.

Anyway, i need to pull myself together...Me and my DH chose for me to stay at home to be here for the girls after school and have 3 allotments, i am very lucky as we are a very close family and i wouldn't have it any other way.

The main meal i'm cooking tonight for a change is pizza, jacket potatoes, coleslaw and salad. I'll also put out my h/m beetroot, pickles and chuckneys to impress them. I never know what to cook as they don't eat spag bogs, currys or chilli's

Anyway, i've asked my DH to buy some butter for me on the way home so i don't have to put my 2kg stork margarine tub on the table.....it's never a problem for us when we eat so perhaps i should tell my husband not to buy it...what do you think?

I think this a fab idea that you all bring something. I do this with my friends too. It all works out in the end.

If these are real friends, they won't care if your plates match, if the carpet needs hoovering or theres a bit of dust around.

You are giving your girls the best start in life by being there as much as possible, and by teaching them that there are more important things than money. I used to love digging the garden with my Mum when I was young, then planting veggies, and nagging her every day to see if they were ready yet!:rotfl:

Your dinner sounds delicious, and I'd be proud of the h/m chutney's etc. As for the butter, i'd buy a nice one for the table you'll use it up anyway. Although I have just read the tip about using a ramekin or small dish and will def do this in the future!!

Me, I'm about to organise some "stuff pasta" for tonights dinner. You know, when you chuck in a bit of everything and it (hopefully) tastes lovely! I shouldn't have to spend anything for the next couple of days so will start my Feb budget on Friday - Payday :j

x

gdyr1945

Feeling hungry reading about the meals you are all having. Wonder if mothership wants a lodger? I love cooking but sometimes its 'what on earth are we going to have for dinner?' Not a lack of food just brain dead. I must have 50 cookery books and endless recipes torn out of magazines or printed off internet so shouldn't, in theory, have ANY problem.

cat_smith

Another NSD today:) At least the GC is going better than flying. House is a tip.

Tonight is leftover brown rice plus everything that needs using in the fridge. Taken out some frozen mixed seafood. Lots of carrots, spring onions and chilli's that need using up.

Will need to do final shop tomorrow for basics, but will resist freezer food - Donald Russel order arriving next Tues.

Off to de-flea dog and sort some laundry. Then meal plan for next week. Need to bear in mind I go away on 17th for a week and a bit so need to ensure freezer packed for DH otherwise he'll live on cheese sandwiches. Ugghh.