December 2006 Grocery Challenge

miggy

squeaky wrote:

That wasn't my weekly budget it was my monthly one!

I'm pretty well stocked up and should only have to buy milk from now on.

And chocolate

Wow Squeaky - I'm in awe!
My pathetic effort has just been further sabotaged by DD and DH, shopping for cookery ingredients for school. I thought I didn't need to worry as they're making cake - but no, it has to be caster sugar and Stork margarine! Is the school being sponsored by Stork, I ask myself?

I used up two packet mixes of cheese sauce with pasta today for dinner, which was a mistake - the sauce had no real flavour and DS made himself some bacon butties instead. At least I know not to take that short cut again, plus I didn't waste the packets :-)

Oh, and I think the milkman is due tomorrow - which I also forgot when I blithely said we could eat for £90 a week!
At least I still have tons in the freezer.

Squeaky... d'you feel like doing my shopping for me? LOL. I have become far too slapdash and complacent. No wonder the cost of living seems to have increased round here!

newlywed

miggy wrote:

I notice you
a) have a meal plan and
b) stuck (more or less) to your list
... so Brownie points winging your way!

I'm actually trying to meal plan for two weeks at a time - although at the moment I've got meals planned and all the meat bought right up until 23 December. So hopefully just milk bread and veg left for my month!!

Should get paid early this month so all the holiday shopping can be done from next month's budget. Freezer won't take anything else anyway (it's only small and creaking under the strain!!! )

And thanks everyone for the inspiration - everyone's OS tips have helped me drop the food bill from a shocking £450 a month :eek: to a reasonable £180 this month (hopefully I'll stay on target). My goal long term is £150 a month but that needs a bit more planning!!

redspot24

I too have miscalculated my success with this week... Having thought we'd spent about £23 on week one, have had to buy extra fruit (not too bad, I guess) but also ended up getting cookies and then went out for dinner last night - so that's another £20 gone. Oh dear!:mad:
I guess that eats up any money we'll save by going to our parents over Christmas!

I have a query which may seem a bit stupid but I guess this is the place to ask it: when you make extra portions and freeze them, what do you put them in? A food bag? Or is there something more o-s than that?

I have a lot to learn... Anyway, am off to make a pasta carbonara (using up some bacon from the freezer and some eggs from last weekend - so maybe I am learning a bit!)

mikeD

Maybe it's not so much what you buy as where you buy it from. For instance take the price of Medium turkey crowns. From Tesco they cost £12.92 and from Waitrose £17.14.

Now be honest folks. Which would you buy if the family were coming for Christmas dinner?? :eek:

kiwi88_2

redspot24 wrote:

I have a query which may seem a bit stupid but I guess this is the place to ask it: when you make extra portions and freeze them, what do you put them in? A food bag? Or is there something more o-s than that?

Hi redspot

Not a stupid query at all and this is definitely the place to ask :T

I use the plastic lidded containers from my chinese take aways This was before my OS ways of course You get quite a few when you have one and they're already portion sized, they stack really well in the freezer so they're great space savers as well and you can re-use them several times so 3 cheers for the take away containers :rotfl:

However if you have a small tupperware container, line it with a labeled freezer bag, fill it, tie it, freeze it and then take it out of the container and put it back in the freezer. You still have use of your container and you can stack the freezer bags when freezing more meals

Hope that helps.

newlywed

I use Tupperware or else the actual casserole dish I'll want to cook it in - if I've meal planned to use the frozen meal it in the next week or so of course. I bought an extra couple of dishes just for this as I found it easier.

redspot24

kiwi88 wrote:

Hi redspot

I use the plastic lidded containers from my chinese take aways This was before my OS ways of course You get quite a few when you have one and they're already portion sized, they stack really well in the freezer so they're great space savers as well and you can re-use them several times so 3 cheers for the take away containers :rotfl:

Hope that helps.

This sounds like a good excuse to eat a takeaway at the weekend... Thanks!
I only have a couple of tupperware dishes, but putting freezer bag in them is a great idea.
Can you put margarine tubs etc in the freezer?

kiwi88_2

redspot24 wrote:

This sounds like a good excuse to eat a takeaway at the weekend... Thanks!
I only have a couple of tupperware dishes, but putting freezer bag in them is a great idea.
Can you put margarine tubs etc in the freezer?

OH NO I've started something now :rotfl:

Don't know about marg containers but I would think so as they make them for the fridge so they would have a better chance of lasting longer than take away containers that are made for hot food

Phew, no excuse for take aways now so I can deny all knowledge of having started something :rotfl: :rotfl:

mikeD

mikeD wrote:

Maybe it's not so much what you buy as where you buy it from. For instance take the price of Medium turkey crowns. From Tesco they cost £12.92 and from Waitrose £17.14.

Now be honest folks. Which would you buy if the family were coming for Christmas dinner?? :eek:

Now come on people, talk to me .PLEASE!!:o

redspot24

mikeD wrote:

Now come on people, talk to me .PLEASE!!:o

I'd get the more expensive one - it's dearer but Christmas comes but once a year and although there's no guarantee that the Waitrose one will be nicer/better quality etc, it might minimise the stress of cooking Christmas dinner if you know that you've bought the best you could.

Don't worry, Kiwi88 - I've resisted the urge to get a Chinese over the weekend by deciding to cook Chinese prawns with noodles for dinner tomorrow. Am feeling particularly chuffed and os with that! :j

Have just been and done the bulk of food shopping for the week. Am really pleased with what I've planned menu-wise, although spent a little more than normal as some friends are coming for breakfast on Monday (long story!) and I don't feel I can palm them off with branflakes, so bought some extra muffins and bacon. Also couldn't carry some stuff, so know I'll have to get a few more bits. Should come in at around £34 all-in-all. I must get on the case and do internet-shopping so can save money with better offers and save my arms!

In os / storecupboard style, I'm now going to get one of the beers that has been lurking in our fridge since we moved in :beer:
Must check the dates though - we moved in on Easter weekend!:rotfl: