March 2011 Grocery Challenge

tigerfeet2006

Thanks rachbc and martafdz

I have been thinking about how I am going to go forward as from next month. I still need to drop the grocery bills and shopping at MrS or MrT ain't going to do it wholly.

Think I need to do a menu plan for 5 weeks. Write out name, where to find recipe, meat needed, veg needed, any other needed. Going to take a while I think, unless anyone knows of something I can use that doesn't need much intelligence to use and I don't have to play around with.

Once that is done then I think I will ring our local butcher with a list of what I need for the month and take my granny trolly down to town and pick it up.

Then I need to catch a bus to the town that has a Lidl and an Aldi, with my trolly and stock up with whatb I can for the month. Anything I can't get I will do a online order.

Will have to get another freezer, sooner rather than later. Was going to get one for when our new allotment starts producing stuff. That will help bring the bills down, I hope.

What does everyone think of that plan? Any flaws? Any other ideas? Is Aldi/Lidl comparable in prices for toilet rolls, toiletries etc. to Wilko's or the Pound shop?

quintwins

morning all, gonna be another nsd for me today, just about to throw some chilli in the sc

Birdy12

When you guys put your proposed monthly spend on this thread, is that just solely for food? I ask because I spend around £100 a week at the supermarket (for 2 adults, 2 children, 1 cat and 2 fish!) but this does include around £10 on wine and any cleaning products or toiletries.

Shall I take these out of the equation and then look at how much I spend? I want to see if I can get it down, (which is tough for me when, given a choice between cooking or cleaning the bathroom/ironing/hoovering/putting the washing out/making the beds, the latter win every time...)

Cheers, Birdy

quintwins

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

Thanks rachbc and martafdz

Think I need to do a menu plan for 5 weeks. Write out name, where to find recipe, meat needed, veg needed, any other needed. Going to take a while I think, unless anyone knows of something I can use that doesn't need much intelligence to use and I don't have to play around with.

this is my first month doing this and it went great, i did a meal plan for the whole month on my calander, and what every recipe needed on a note pad beside me, i then went round my cupboards and freezer and crossed off what i have then added baking and fridge things to my list

next month will be diferent, i'm hoping to have run my freezer down enought to do in inventory and pick meals that way

quintwins

Birdy12 wrote: »

When you guys put your proposed monthly spend on this thread, is that just solely for food? I ask because I spend around £100 a week at the supermarket (for 2 adults, 2 children, 1 cat and 2 fish!) but this does include around £10 on wine and any cleaning products or toiletries.

Shall I take these out of the equation and then look at how much I spend? I want to see if I can get it down, (which is tough for me when, given a choice between cooking or cleaning the bathroom/ironing/hoovering/putting the washing out/making the beds, the latter win every time...)

Cheers, Birdy

it's up to you, for me mine includes everything i'd buy in the supermarket, including random clothes i tend to grab on offer i then save birthday/xmas money for when they change sizes (and usually spend double that :rotfl:), mine doesn't include dog food because we get it off a local supplier

Chloris

Trip to Mr M and spinach from c0-op £41.78, sig updated. Had a made up meal last night, smoked haddock, poached egg and a lovely potato, tomato and pea curry. It was delicious. Dh and I agreed it would make a lovely filling for a pasty.

We have some ropey looking mushrooms in the fridge so I'll make mushroom and spinach lasagna for tea tonight and some extra for the frezzer. Got to make some bread, biscuits and carrot cake too what with the weekend coming up!

martafdz

tigerfeet your idea is pretty much what I also want to do. However, I cannot see myself planning for 5 weeks at the moment so I am trying to do one week at a time, or 10 days. I found this weekly menu planner: http://www.simplify101.com/hs_files/grocery-list.pdf where you write the menus for lunch and tea on the left side and the shopping list on the right. I am also doing a binder with recipes I like or I know how to get right lol, I still have a lot to go but I think once I have a good amount I could just go there and choose 7 every week, then just add the total of ingredients together and take off the list whatever I have got.
Somebody posted a brilliant idea last week but can't remember who. She had a small binder only with the meal name and the ingredients needed and then her family just put to the front the meals they fancied. I thought that was great because I like cooking but I don't like having to decide always what's for tea.

Angel, I hope everything went ok for you two *hugs*

rosieben

martafdz wrote: »

...scotsaver, your dish sounds lush! How do you make the HM chips? I used to fry them (and loved them!) but my DH does not like anything that has been fried pretty much. I mean, he would have it but then would say about how better and healthier they are in the oven... Do you make them in the oven? Anyone?

guess what! we have a Home Made Oven Chips thread


scotsaver, I've added your Tuna Pasta Bake to the recipe index

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

... I managed to break through my 8st barrier this week -so 8st 1lb gone -just the last 4st7lb left to shed :j ...

MrsM you're an inspiration! :T and your recipes too of course

cutiepieabf

martafdz wrote: »

tigerfeet, ideas:
- with the mince meat: lasagne, shepherd's pie, bolognese, chili con carne, burritos, meatballs, burgers...
- with the pork chops: chopped and in skewers, chopped and in batter for sweet and sour pork, chopped and in stew or pie, grilled with garlic and rosemary, with apple sauce...
- I like my pork fillet with either a barbeque sauce or sticky honey/chinese sauce, then made into medallions before serving. Or with apple sauce if you like it.

i like grilling pork chops, and topping one side with apple sauce and then cheese on top. mmmmmm
however, as we speak i have cider and honey mustard pork in the SC. it is the first time i have made it and i am following the ingredients from a normal recipe (except i increased the amount of liquid). (4 pork chops, 2 tbsp w.g mustard seed, 2 tbsp honey, 2 shallots/half onion, can of dry cider, tub of creme fraiche (which i will add when i get home, stir and then put on high for a bit to finish it off)).
i am quite excited about what is going to be waiting for me when i get home from work...

cutiepieabf

rosieben wrote: »

guess what! we have a Home Made Oven Chips thread

Wow, there really is a thread for EVERYTHING!!!