April 2011 Grocery Challenge

Hippeechiq

Thought it best to split my posts so they don't read like war and peace, lol.

espresso I know some folk on here reguarly boil up excess potatoes that they mash and freeze for later use, so maybe that's an option for you?

sistercas wrote: »

hippeechiq how sweet of your dad, i am a beginner with growing veg being doing it for the last couple of years and dont get much yield but i get so excited when i get fruit or veg that i have grown from a tiny seed :j last year i got 3 tomatoes and 6 strawberries :rotfl:but loads of courgettes carrots and potatoes

just found out one of dh's cc payments is being increased by £100 a month :eek: due to the new regulations. the only way i can accommodate this is by taking it off the food budget

That made me :rotfl: - I'll try not to be to optimistic about my future crops then
I don't understand why your DHs cc payments are being forcibly increased to £100 a month though?

Mothership wrote: »

Just getting over ANOTHER tummy bug the 2nd in 3 weeks. Never mind I'm still alive. DGD brings them home from nursery and gives it to me to keep her company She grabs me by both cheeks and kisses me full on the mouth, no escape.

Really sorry to hear that. These bugs just wont bog off, will they? DD has just surfaced and has immediately had Diarrhoea, although her muscle aches and headaches have become less severe over the weekend, which is something. I guess there's nothing to kill these viruses off, is there Hope you feel brighter soon x

Thanks for the suggestion of getting DD involved in growing the veggies - it's certainly worth a try On days where I'm able to motivate her, I think she'd quite enjoy it, and she may even enjoy having a couple of plants that she's responsible for. Anything that takes her attention away from how awful she feels is worth a try.

I'm glad you found a way to overcome your depression - I know it can be done as my ex H now manages his very well. DD has BPD and Depression...a double whammy I think that's why it's proving so difficult to treat. They have to try to completely rewire how she thinks, reacts and feels. That's the key to her recovery, but sadly she's not grasping it at the moment. That said, we've now had 3 days, where she has smiled, laughed and been awake for 3 days in a row. I can't remember the last time that happened, and I'm grateful for it

I couldn't agree with you more about the lovely supportive people on this particular board - yourself being one of them - and I for one, thank the day I found this forum

espresso21

Thank you - what just mash them as per normal (butter and milk) and freeze?

Elmo1985

can i please sign up for £140.00 a month please starting from May? (well this friday actually but its May food shop )

quintwins

didn't manage a nsd, we took the kids to the petting farm and they had great fun but oh wanted to go round mcd's for cokes i compromised with some ice creams from iceland so a £1 spend, while i was there i saw chicken fillets reduced to £1.50 for 3 big ones/4 med ones so i bought all 3 packets and got 11 chicken fillets for £4.50 i'm gonna count these in mays budget because i have meal planned for the rest of the week anyway, we don't really eat alot of chicken fillets because there so dear altho i will stretch these out anyway so i'm a happy bunny, my freezers so full i had to split them into singles to squeeze them in, so for that reason i'm going to drop my may budget abit and use up what i've got first, so...

can i have £175 for may please

not gonna declare just yet because oh has another 2 days off this week and i might need a bag of spuds before the weeks out

cat_smith

espresso21 wrote: »

Thank you - what just mash them as per normal (butter and milk) and freeze?

Yup. I do that all the time. Or if you like roasties, par boil the potatoes and freeze. When you want to cook them, take them straight out of the freezer into VERY HOT fat and just give them an extra 10-20mins. They turn out lovely and crispy.

espresso21

Too late for par-boiling I'm afraid as I have already cooked them. But I'll do the mash and freeze idea. I'm sure I saw somewhere how to make potato cakes with egg but can't remember where.

quintwins

espresso21 wrote: »

Too late for par-boiling I'm afraid as I have already cooked them. But I'll do the mash and freeze idea. I'm sure I saw somewhere how to make potato cakes with egg but can't remember where.

you could make potato cakes alright, dice an onion, or some bacon or peppers really what ever you have mix it in with mash, then squish them into circles, coat in flour then beaten egg (or milk if you have no egg, dip in breadcrumbs and repeat, then you could fry them or cook them in the oven or you would be ok to freeze them before cooking, great for kids or with cooked breakfasts

espresso21

Brilliant idea, especially since I also have a bag of onions that is about to expire, and I got a pack of bacon in a bogof special today. I also grated some stale bread and froze the breadcrumbs yesterday, so that is a fab idea. Would you freeze them before or after cooking?

espresso21

Sorry I'm an idiot - I just re-read your post and saw that you said to freeze them before cooking! Duh!

Brassic

Hello all,

I haven't posted for a *long* time, but am really struggling again with my monthly shop for my family of 5. We've recently moved to a bigger house so all the bills have gone up, so I really can't afford to be spending well over 500 quid on our groceries any more :eek:

Please could I join in May's challenge with a target of 500, which I'd like to slowly reduce to 400 over the next few months. I include toiletries, cleaning products and wine in this budget, does everyone else?

Thanks,
Brassic