February 2011 Grocery Challenge

monicaj

Absolutely delighted to come in at £260.45/ £!300 for the month !!!

Started to fortnightly plan and have saved loads - please don't ask me how but it has!! - It is probably due to a friend donating us a huge freezer free of charge so I'm happy to batch cook now and take advantage of special offers that are freezable. So - taking the bull by the horns, I have meal planned for 4 weeks for March - done my online shop and spend £160 for the month with the only extras needed for the month:

2 weeks fresh fruit and veg

Hoping to come in at £220 but happy to leave the £300 budget there for now.

Truthfully - I can't believe that we used to spen £150 per WEEK :eek: but we are now eating happily and healthily !!!

BTW for me my inspiration for meal planning comes from trying at least one new recipe per week - new ingredients, new flavours and lots of savings - I'm truly LOVING it !

Well done to all for Feb and good luck for March :T

Monica

scotsaver

jovi20 wrote: »

Although I have just had an e-mail from As*a and they have an offer on at the moment, case of 30 cans of coca c*lo, or diet c*ke for £8.00, reduced from £10) Thats about 26.5p per can, can anyone get it cheaper elsewhere?

jovi20.

Hi jovi - Lid! seem to have 6 pack cans of Peps!, l!lt, !rn-bru etc etc every week for £1.39, it varies every week, not sure what's in there this week as not been in for a few days.HTH

XSpender

mrs-moneypenny wrote: »

Xspender is the recipie for the quorn and leek pie you mentioned on here if not would you share it please:) it sounds nice.

another NSD here, jacket pots and quorn mince for dinner and we are out for a meal tonight with friends DH pays if we eat out:T

Here is the Quorn and Leek Pie recipe. It is from their cook book that they are offering for about £3 I think on their packs. If you eat quorn often I can recommend it.

This feeds 4 but I use 200g quorn pieces and half the pastry to make a pie for me and DH.

300g quorn chicken pieces
150g plain flour
1/4 tsp mustard powder
50g butter diced
75g grated wensleydale (I use mature cheddar cos I have it in)
5-6 tbsps cold water

40g butter
1tsp veg oil
2 medium leeks sliced
2 cloves of garlic crushed
25g plain flower
1/2 tsp mustard butter
1 veg stock cube dissolved in 100ml boiling water
200ml milk

Pre heat oven to 200c/400c/gas 6

Make the pastry first by mixing the flour and mustard poeder then rubbing in the butter. Mix in cheese then add enough water to make a dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins.

Next, melt the butter and oil in a pan, add the leeks and cook for about 5 mins until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic and quorn pieces and cook for a further 2 mins. Stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook for a minute. Gradually add the stock and milk and stir until thickens. Sppon onto a pie plate or dish.

Roll out the pastry and cover the dish. Brush with milk to glaze and cut a vent for the steam.

Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.

I have also used a mixture of leeks and broccoli. We like it best with HM chips and peas.

SavingJane

Thank you everyone that has posted great ideas on things to do with potatoes....I now have a load of different ideas which is great

Thanks again

Jane

rosieben

SavingJane wrote: »

Thank you everyone that has posted great ideas on things to do with potatoes....

I forgot to say that you'll find loads of potatoes threads listed under Vegetables in post #8 of the Complete Cooking Collection

just in case you didn't have enough

* * *

XSpender - I've added your Quorn and Leek Pie to the recipe list

rosieben

I've had to change around the recipe lists on the front page as some of the posts are full up; sorry if it causes any confusion for those of you used to the old running order

Sparklyfairy

Hi All, hope everyone is well! Popped into Morrisons & Aldi & spent a grand total of £6 making my total for the month £186! Whoop Whoop! £2 under budget & that'll be it for us for the month...I did an order with AF & it came to £25 which will come out of March's budget...due to arrive tomorrow - excited as they have lots of nice bread flour & I plan on using some new recipes for hm bread! Have a great Weds, all! SF xx

guccigoo

hi not posted for ages on here and totally lost track this month, so im ready to start a fresh in March
Please put me down for £260 mrs mccawber.
(((hugs))) to thiose that need them..

cutiepieabf

martafdz wrote: »

what is a SC? Storage cupboard? If so, not really.

hee hee, SC i meant slow cooker.
Ok so this is my 4wk plan:
wk1
Jacket potatoes with various fillings
homemade pizza (make an extra one for freezer)
homemade burgers
homemade curry (from SC) and homemade chips
chicken and brocolli pie with mash and honey mustard veg (make extra one for freezer)
sausage, apple and leek pie with new pots (one extra for freezer)
honey mustard chicken (from SC) with roast veg

wk2
chicken carbonara
sausage and mash bake
cheese and potato pie (one extra for freezer) with pork chops
gammon egg and homemade chips
chicken enchilladas
potato bake (one extra for freezer) with turkey steaks
cheesy tortellini

wk3
lasagne
beef stew (from SC) with homemade crusty bread
turkey pasta (usually just a throw in whatever is left in fridge jobby)
sausage casserole and mash
stuffed chicken and new pots
chicken in white wine sauce (from SC) roast pots
Eating out

wk 4
Freezer surprise
creamy honey, mustard and cider pork (from SC) and mash
toad in the hole
curry and chips
pizza (from freezer)
coq au vin (from SC) and new pots
hot dogs

as you can tell some of the days are lazier than others but that is due to OH not getting in from work until 11pm some nights, or having to do something quick between work and going out. I have only just bought the slow cooker so i am experimenting at the moment and hope to make more use of it as time goes on.
you can also tell... WE LOVE MASH!!! especially cheesy mash or spring onion mash or w.g mustard seed mash. mmmmm.:rotfl:
i am also getting good at making double portions of things and freezing one for a later date. this way it saves money next month and can just be stuck in the oven and taste just as good second time around.

if you want recipes for anything let me know.:)

TheBees

Hi cutiepieabf - I love the look of your menu plan. We have lots of meals similar to yours. Can you tell me how to do the mustard honey mash? Also is your chicken in white wine from a tin or home made? Recipe please!