January 2011 Grocery Challenge

ChocClare · 27 January 2011 at 11:35PM

DD has been a bit poorly and DS has been out so there are lots of uneaten things in the fridge - particularly veg. I have kale, broccoli, savoy cabbage, carrots, beans and leeks.

Anyone got any good veggie meals to use it up?;) TBH, it should last till next week, then I won't have to buy any more veg!

I think I will declare on Saturday, and get this month's last takeaway out of the remaining money tomorrow. So may still *just* make my budget. Wish me luck!

blondy24 · 27 January 2011 at 11:40PM

Hello, when is February's challenge thread starting? I would like to start joining as we are moving house next month so will be a good opportunity to start off on the right foot. Can I be added for £250 for Feb as we will need to stock up on food then I will lower it to £200 each month after

I am definitely looking forward to this challenge.

TheBees · 27 January 2011 at 11:56PM

It's taken me ages, as usual, to read the last few pages but despite being over budget by about £20 I KNOW we've spent so much less than we would if we weren't doing this challenge.

My biggest piece of advice to newbies is:

a) do a stock check of your cupboards, fridge and freezer to see what you've already got.

b) plan meals for the week bearing in mind evenings when you might need a quick and easy meal compared to some nights when you can spend a bit more time cooking.

c) to save time, and the temptation of getting a take-away when you're in a rush, try to batch cook and freeze spare portions to pull out when needed.

d) Never shop when you're hungry!

e) Try new recipes once or twice a month so you have plenty of variety and build up lots of enjoyable meals to choose from.

f) Think about a slow cooker.... I use mine a couple times a week and it's brilliant.

g) Freeze anything leftover, even if it's only enough for one person. We often have leftover nights with all four of us eating individual portions of different meals!!

Tonight we had a chicken casserole with dumplings that I cooked in the slow cooker. It was delicious and there were a few leftovers which I blitzed into a soup for 1 and put in the freezer for a lunch. I'm working tomorrow evening but I've made some home made burgers for DH,DD and DS to have in burger buns.

This weekend I plan to sort out my cupboards which are looking a mess, clean the oven and try to track down some coley!

Flat Eric was asking how people menu plan. I printed myself out an A4 sheet with three columns. Days of the week in the first, 2nd column has space to write if any events/clubs/appointments such as dentist, swimming etc which might affect what meal you want to cook, third column for the actual meal you're planning to do. I leave space at the bottom for things I need to buy for those meals if I haven't got them already and this is my shopping list I write on when things run out too and take to the shop so I can remember what I've planned. Hope this helps.

katenut · 28 January 2011 at 12:00AM

Well, we had an unexpected stroke of luck today - DH was helping a friend move house and they were throwing most of the food out of their huge freezer!!! Our little freezer is now packed, and we've also got two whole chickens in the fridge. I think we'll be eating chicken for a week - I can't even freeze the cooked chicken as there is no room! Some of it is not food I'd have picked, like processed food from Ic*land, but DH loves it so it can be his reward! He'd packed it all away before I came home so I've got no idea what is lurking at the back of our freezer now.
What I dont understand is that they have known for 2 months they were moving and wouldn't have such a big freezer - if that was me I'd have run our freezer stocks down rather than throw it out?! DH was stunned when he arrived, they were just throwing it all in the bin!!

rosieben · 28 January 2011 at 12:34AM

Main Meals & Side Dishes
Bacon and Cheese Fritatta with Tomato Salsa
Bacon and potato salad -Warm
Baked potato pizza
Bacon Roast Chicken with Potatoes (ext link)
Baked Beans (home made) ... Baked Beans (home made)
Baked Bean Tart
Balsamic Braised Beef (adapted for SW)
BBQ Cannelini Beans with sausages
Bean Curry (Slow Cooker)
Beef - Brisket
Beef Casserole
Beef Curry Dopiaza (Delia recipe)
Beef Stifado (Jamie Olive recipe)
Beef Stroganoff
Beef and Root Veg Curry
Belly Pork
Bolognaise (Remoska) .Bolognaise (2) Bolognaise (3) Bolognaise (4) Bolognaise (5)
Brie Burgers
Broad Bean Burgers
Burgers
Calzones
Carbonara
Cheese and Onion Flan
Cheese and Onion Fryits
Cheese and Onion Pasties
Cheese and Potato Pie
Cheese Pie - School days recipes thread
Cheese Scones
Cheese and Lentil Loaf
Cheesy dough
Chicken Adobo
Chicken Cannelloni
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Cassoulet
Chicken and Bacon Pasta
Chicken and broccoli bake
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Lasagne in the SC
Chicken, Cheese, Ham and Brocolli Pie
Chicken and Chickpea Curry
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken, leek and bacon pie / pasties
Chicken - Monker's Honey and Orange Chicken
Chicken - Parmesan Chicken
Chicken - Rubber Chicken (thread)
Chicken - Sticky Chicken
Chicken with Cannellini Beans
Chicken with Garlic, Cider & Cream
Chicken and Potato Curry
Chicken and Vegetable Slice
Chickpea Curry
Chilli....Chilli (2)...Chilli (Remoska)
Chilli Bean Tortillas
Chilli Chicken Ramen
Chilli Cheese Crostini
Chilli chicken with jasmine rice (BBC food)
Chinese Stir Fried Noodle or Fried Rice thingy
Chinese Pork Balls & Sweet & Sour Sauce
Chinese style cabbage
Cobbler (topping) see below for Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Coconut Rice
Cod - Crunchy Topped Cod
Coleslaw
Coq au Vin (SW)
Corned Beef Hash - MrsMCawber's recipe
Corned Beef Pasties
Courgette Fritters (1) Courgette Fritters (2)
Courgette Pie
Courgette and Tomato Layer Bake
Couscous with chorizo & chickpeas (ext. link)
Cowboy Hash
Cranberry & Soy glazed cocktail sausages
Creamy Chicken and Potato casserole
Creamy Lentil and Rice Dish (Khircheri) (BBC website)
Curry - Bhoona Curry in a hurry LOW FAT
Curry - Fruity Chicken Curry
Curry Sauce
Dahl
Diet Coke Chicken
Duchesse potatoes
Dumplings - Mushroom Dumplings
Easy cheese biscuits
Faggoty Pea Stew
Falafel Burgers
Fajita Seasoning
Falafel burgers
Feta and Potato Patties
Fishcakes
Fish Pie and Fish Pie
Fritatta
Fusilli with Broccoli
Gammon and Leek Crumble
Haddock - Grilled haddock on lemon leek and pea rice
Ham- Glazed Cranberry Ham
Ham Hock (slow cooker)
Ham Salad (sandwich filling) external link
Harry Potter Stew
Hummus and Garlic Pitta Breads
Indian curried pork patties recipe
Individual chicken pies
Individual Potato Pies
Jambalaya - Cheap and Cheerful Jambalaya
Keema and spinach pilau
Lamb curry and paratha
Lamb Hotpot
Lamb Stew
Lamb Tikka
Lasagne ... Mock Lasagne
Leek and Cauliflower Puree
Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken with basil and tagliatelle
Lemon potatoes
Lentil Shepherds Pie
Liver and bacon pate
Liver and onions stir fry
Lobby (stew)
Macaroni Cheese
Marinade - Sticky Ginger Pork Marinade (adapted for SW)
Marrow - Veggie stuffed marrow .... Stuffed Marrow
Meatballs
Meatloaf (1) Meatloaf (2) Meatloaf (3)
Mediterranean Mince and Potato 'Pie'
Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
Mince & onion pie
Mince and Totties and Dumplings
Minced Beef Curry
Mince - Mexican Style Mince
Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Mini Goat's Cheese, Pear & Walnut Quiche
Monday Pie
Moroccan Inspired Braised Chicken (ext. link)
Moussaka
One Pot Beef and Red Wine Pasta (adapted for SW)
Onion Bhaji ....... Onion Bjahis
Open top 'pizza' pie
Pasta with Tomato Sauce ....... Pasta and Sauce
Pasta Cheese and Onion Bake
Pasta with Chicken and Asparagus
Pearl Barley Broth the old way
Pease pudding
Pizza / Pizza Base Recipe / Pizza Base
Pork - Slow Cooker Chinese Pork (adapted for SW)
Pork - Barbecue Pork
Pork Burgers with Salad
Pork and Beef Meatballs
Pork Ribs - cooking and sauces
Pork Steaks in Mustard and Cider Sauce
Potatoes - Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes
Potato, Bacon and Onion Hotpot
Potato bake
Potato Kebabs
Potato layer bake - with cheese, leeks and stock
Potato layer bake - with cheese, onion and white sauce
Potato layer bake - with chorizo and bacon
Potato layer bake (Teisen datws)
Potatoes - Lemon Potatoes
Potatoes - Roast Potato Rosti
Potato Scones
Potatoes - Twice Baked Potatoes
Potato Wedges, Home Made
Prawns and Peppers with Saffron and Rice
Quiche Lorraine
Refried Beans
Rice: Summer Rice Salad .....Rice Salad
Risotto:. Easy Risotto with Bacon and Peas .. Risotto - oven baked
Rumbledythumps Rumbeldethumps
Russian Salad and Russian Salad
Salmon Broccoli and Potato Pie
Salmon and Dill Fishcakes
Salmon - Thai steamed salmon
Sausage, Black Pudding, Bacon & Bean Stew
Sausage and Rice bake
Sausage and Stuffing Plait
Sausage and Tomato Spaghetti
Sausage Bean Stew
Sausage and Potato Roast
Sausage Casserole - Sausage Casserole - Sausage Casserole - Sausage Stew
Sausage Meat Patties
Savoury Crumble
Savoury tarts - pastry-less

Main Meals and Side Dishes continue into next post

rosieben · 28 January 2011 at 12:35AM

Main Meals and Side Dishes contd.

Slow cooker Goan pork curry (adapted for SW)
Smoked salmon soda breads
Smoked Salmon - Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Spaghetti with courgettes, tomato and brie
Spanish Rice with Chicken and Chorizo (adapted for SW)
Spicy Bacon and Tomato Pasta
Spicy Bean and Lentil Loaf
Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Stew
Spinach pancakes
Steak and Kidney stew/pie filling
Steak Sauce - Quick Steak Sauce
Steamed Oriental Buns
Stifado (1) .... Stifado (2) - SW
Stuffing - MrsMcawber's recipe
Suet crust pie with quorn
Super Tasty Bacon, Bean and Sausage
Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork
Sweet Potato and Pea Curry
TexMex Skillett
Thai green curry
Toad in the Hole
Tofu burgers
Tomato paste (external link)
Tomato sauce for Pasta Batch cook recipe or Tomato Sauce
Tuna Fish Mousse
Tuna Fishcakes
Tuna Lasagne
Turkey and Bubble and Squeak Pie
Turkey Pasta
Turkey Pasta Cacciatore
Vegetable Casserole
Veggie Chilli and some variations
Veggie Haggis
Vegetable Samosas
Walnut Sables
White Sauce
Yorkshire puddings

Cakes, Biscuits, Sweets, Snacks & Desserts
Apple Braid
Apple delight
Apple Charlotte
Apple - Microwave Autumn Apple Cake
Apricot Flapjack bars
Baileys Chocolate Truffles
Bakewell Tart
Banana and Honey bread pudding
Banana Cake (bread)
Banana and lemon drizzle cake
Banana Muffins (wholemeal) (1)
Banana Muffins (2)
Banana Muffins (3)
Banana and Walnut cake
Banana Ginger Parkin
Biscuit recipes (Owens3116 thread)
Blackberries - Grated Blackberry Bake
Branflake cake
Brownies
Bounty Balls
Bran Fruit Loaf
Bread & Butter Pudding ... Bread Pudding
Bulk pancake mix
Buttercream topping
Butterscotch squares
Caramel Shortbread (Millionaire's Shortbread)
Cheesecake - Misers white chocolate cheesecake
Cheese n marmite twists
Chocolate Biscuit Thins
Cheesy Biscuits
Chocolate and Pear Upside Down Pudding
Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Concrete
Chocolate Coookies - Cheap and Easy
Chocolate Courgette Cake
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate Krackolates
Chocolate Log - gluten free
Chocolate orange muffins see also Muffins
Chocolate pudding (microwave)
Chocolate pudding - self-saucing
Chocolate Trifle
Chocolate yoghurt cake
Christmas cake - baked bean tin size
Coconut Cake
Coconut Flapjacks
Coffee Cake
Coffee Fudge Frosting
Cookie Dough
Cornflake Tart
Courgette Tea Bread/Muffins
Cranberry And Chocolate Brownies
Currant Loaf
Custard Cookies
D&DD’s Apple Braid
Date, Nut and Oat biscuits
Easy Syrup Sponge Pudding
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Fifteens
Flaky Bars
Flapjacks and Flapjacks and Microwave Flapjacks
Fruit Cake .... Fruit Cake
Fruit and Mascarpone dessert
Fudge Tart
Gingerbread Men (1)....Gingerbread Men (2)
Ginger Raisin Crunches
Ginger Refrigerator Biscuits
Golden Syrup Tart
Gluten-free Chocolate Log
Healthy Snack Bars
Honey Frosted Buns
Honey Crunch Bars
Ice Cream - slimmers world - Mint Ice Cream
Iced Buns
Impossible Coconut Pie
Jam Buns
Jammy Buns (1) ...Jammy Buns (2)
Key lime pie
Krispie marshmallow bars
Lemon and Cranberry Muffins
Lemon cakes
Lemon Curd Cake
Lemon Curd Ice-Cream jenid's / MoneySavingDiva's
Lemon Drizzle Cake
Lemon Flan
Magic Lemon Pudding
Malt Bread
Mango Cake
Marshmallow Crunch Bars
Marshmallow Squares
Mascarpone and Lime Torte
Mascarpone Ice-cream
Meringues
Microwave sponge puddings(Spotted !!!!!!) Microwave sponge puddings
Millies Cookies
Mince Squares
Miini Krispie Christmas Puddings
Muffins: Basic Recipe / Chocolate Orange Muffins (1) / Chocolate Orange Muffins (2) / Fool proof Muffins Gingerbread Muffins / Kiwi Muffins / Sticky Date Muffins / Strawberry Muffins / Toffee Apple Muffins
No fat sponge
Oatmeal Biscuits (Be-ro Website)
Oaty Pancakes
Oaty Shortbread Biscuits
Orange and Poppy Seed Cake
Palmiers
Peach Cobbler (Slow Cooker recipe)
Peanut Butter Cookies
Peanut Butter Fudge
Petits Pots au Citron (Little pots of lemon)
Pineapple, Fried
Pineapple Sponge Cake (using tinned pineapple)
Rhubarb and Orange Jelly
Rice Pudding ....Rice Pudding in the Slow Cooker
Rock Buns
Scones ... Scones
Scotch pancakes
Spiced Apple Bars
Spiced Marmalade Cake
St Peter's Mud Pie (no cooking required)
Sticky gingerbread
Sticky toffee apple crumble
Teacakes
Tiffin (1) Tiffin (2)
Twink’s Hobnobs
Weetabix Brownies
Weetabix Cake
Weetabix Fruit Loaf
Welsh Cakes
Wonderbites
Xmas Pudding Loaf
Xmas Pudding Scones
Yoghurt: Homemade yoghurt, Slow Cooker Yoghurt
Yoghurt Cake (the easy way)

rosieben · 28 January 2011 at 12:35AM

Soups
Bacon and Carrot Soup
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Carrot, leek and butterbean soup
Carrot, parsnip and lentil soup
Celery Soup
Cheats Minestrone
Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup
Courgette & Tomato Soup
Cream of Tomato Soup
Curried Parsnip Soup
Gammon and lentil soup
Ham and Lentil Soup
Iced cucumber soup
Leek and Lentil Soup
Leek and Potato Soup
Lentil - Golden Lentil Soup
Moniker’s Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and sweet potato soup
Moroccan Chickpea and Broad Bean Soup
Onion Soup
Oxtail Stew + Oxtail Soup
Parsnip & Apple Soup
Pea & Ham Soup
Pumpkin Soup
Red Lentil Soup
Real Tomato Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Soup - Red pepper, carrot & lentil soup
Spicy Carrot and Tomato Soup
Spinach Soup
Spinach and Avocado Soup
Split Pea and Courgette Soup
Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash
Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
Vegetable Soup

Pastry
The best mince pie pastry ever
Pastry economics
Making pastry
Basic pastry
Flaky Pastry (BBC Food)

Bread
Bagels
Baguettes
Banana Bread
Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread) Bara brith teabread
Basic white bread recipe (makes a 2lb loaf)
Bread - Mrs McC's recipe for Remoska
Breadsticks MrsM's / angelnikki's (No Salt Recipe)
Chapatis
Cheese, Onion and Herb Bread
Cheese and Parsnip Loaf
Cheese & Potato Bread
Cheesy Bread Rolls
Chewy Soft Flour Tortilla
Chocolate Bread
Chollah
Courgette Flatbread
Focaccia
Garlic Dough Balls
Herb Quick bread
HM Bread
Irish Soda Bread
Lahmachun
Malt Bread
Malt Loaf
Naan Bread .. see also .. Curry Queen's ...... Mrs McCawber's ...... OrkneyStar's
Oatmeal bread
soft bread rolls
Super Seedy Bread
Bread Recipes for Bread Machines (ext link)

Dips, Jams & Chutneys and Drinks
Alioli / Traditional allioli
Bean Pickle
Beetroot and Apple Chutney
Broad Bean Dip
Brown Sauce
Chilli Jam
Compost Heap Jelly (using fruit peelings)
Elderberry cordial
Feisty Rhubarb Relish
Jams & Preserves
Lemon Squash
Miser's Marmalade
Onion - Caramelised Onion chutney
Onion Marmalade
Piccalilli - Diva's pick a lilly
Pineapple Salsa
Riata - Mint, yoghurt and Cucumber Dip
Tomato/Chili Salsa
Red Tomato Chutney
Spiced Apple Chutney
Tomato Chutney
Mango Chutney
Xmas Chutney
and last but by no means least: How NOT to make marmalade

Top Tips (OS threads)
Batch cooking ideas
Cheapest recipes? links to various OS threads, thanks Pink!
Complete Menu Plans Collection
Cooking for the Freezer
Frozen food safety - misconceptions
Grocery Challenge Top Tips
Laundry Washing Gel/ Gloop, Fab conditioner, vinegar.....
Meal building blocks for the freezer
Microwave Recipes
Mr Badexamples Cooking Index
Store Cupboard Lists/Ideas threads

External links
Baking Mad (includes loads of bread maker recipes
Batch Bake Minced Beef Recipe
Easy and Cheap Biscuits (DowntoEarth forum)
Cheap Family Recipes (our own Weezl's excellent site) and the Christmas Menu here
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet... (Webook)
List of conversions
Love Food Hate Waste website
Jamie Oliver Recipes
Show Jamie How To Cook On A Budget Champagne Contest
10 Great Tips for starting out with meal planning
Sprouting Seeds and Beans - Free Guide (PDF)

Home Made Dog Biscuits
Home Made Dog Biscuits (2)

Homemade Play Dough

scotsaver · 28 January 2011 at 7:43AM

Spiggle wrote: »

Well I've been working from home today. OH got knocked off his bicycle by a car on his way to work yesterday morning. :eek: We did the hospital, police, etc bit and thankfully there are no broken bones but he's pretty battered, bruised and stiff from it. Our biggest worry was any internal bleed because of the warfarin but nothing detected yesterday or today so I think we can stop worrying on that front now. Thankfully as well there was no car coming in the opposite direction or my dear OH could have come a cropper as he ended up on the other side of the white lines. Why on earth don't drivers stop when they come to a T junction? :mad:

Take care all,
Spigs

Spigs - what a shock for both of you, so glad no damage done.;)

Flat_Eric wrote: »

Out of interest - what do other people use to meal plan ?? Do you write it in a spreadsheet / diary / etc ??

Flat Eric - I just use A4 pads or any spare paper lying around. I base my plan around what we have in or what needs using up and for this Year I've decided to cut down on the amount of Meat we are eating so each week we will have a "veg" meal one night, a pasta meal another night, fish on a Friday and then meat the other days. Along with that I'm also trying to cook 1 new dish a week as we were getting stuck in a rut, I'm using the Recipe index and also my Cookbooks.

My Meal Plan is not always set in stone, if I pick up a whoopsie then it gets changed. Tonight is a perfect example of having to make a change - we normally have Fish on a Friday and I had planned to go to MrM's fish counter rather than having our usual Cod but DD1 has had her night out with Friends cancelled so I now have 4 extra Teens to feed tonight.:eek:

Mothership - thanks for the 2nd Purse explanation again - think I'm finally getting my head round it.:o

Need to go shopping this morning for Tonight's dinner, haven't decided what we're having yet but once DD1 gets up for School then I shall run through some options with her - making sure I stay on budget. MrM's fish counter will have to wait until next week - just fancy trying some different Fish after watching HFW and Jamie on Channel 4.

Have a good day everyone and good luck to those still to declare.:D

skilly · 28 January 2011 at 7:49AM

Morning all, I have now taking stock of my two freezer which I do twice a year and have done over half of my kitchen cupboards ,well ....No need to buy any tomatoes or beans for least a year .I do feel better now knowing what I have got in, I have never really taking stock Of my kitchen cupboards before. .I now have a book which list all my ingredients and dates showing when items run out .there must be somethink in the air at the moment as I can't seem to stop tiding in up !!!