January 2012 Grocery Challenge

gailey_2

Talking of sausages just did sausage casserole maybe im too generous but hubby likes least 4 sausages kids have 2each. me none as dont like sausage.

today well last night got 8pack peters from spar reduced to 75p:D
I served with rice today for change but sometimes serve with mixed frozen veg and potatoes.

But I buy most of m sausages from mobile bucther called meat machine in local pub carpark he also does markets sounds dodgy but they fab more you buy more discount and he gives me advice on how to cook stuff.
I tell him how much want in value so 5quids worth.

£5 worth of sausages he gives me about 20
mixed flavours normnal, cumberland and chilli ones.They huge , meaty and look like the premuim ones in the supermarket they certainly not value maybe if you have butcher at market worth a look.

sainsburys have them on multibuy or I buy reduced sausages as spar and co-op always have reduced. find sausages the cheapest really.

Find tesco expensive for meats and my problem I know but prefer free range poultry or rspca freedom foods which is expensive in tesco(willowfarm) but the co-op elmwood is rspa freedom and sainsburys not too bad either as make one chicken make 3meals at least and buy cheaper cuts like thighs and legs for casseroles rarly buy breasts unless they reduced.

One place maybe overlooked but have done multi buy meat deal in marks and spencer think was 3 for £10.
Another thing they often do is have that weekend dine weekend and sometimes they have a whole chicken included in £10 deal with side dish i pick bag pototoies, wine, and dessert and get best value out of it.

This is going to sound nuts but dont go straught for value lines as they going up in price hate value mince so buy nice mince reduced or on offer and bulk out with red lentils.
I spend ages looking at and comparing weights too
other month they had 2packs of salmon 4measly sized fillets for £6
got whole salmon instead in morrisons £11 and cut into £10portions bigger than prepacked so just over £1 per portion and the other measly ones were £1.50 a portion.

I need to do aldi super six as hubby works next door we do most fresh veg from lidls and frozen from farmfoods.
Been told about new cheap veg shop going to try
also going to try get to market compare their prices.
My fave is at big carboot when beg man sells fruit/veg stupidly cheap think must be whats left from his stall but only get that in summer.

We grow some stuff need to decide what to grow and going to aim to grow all year round as bbc programme few years ago did the winter garden was good.

I plan meals around what i have , whats cheap and reduced,
As found before mealplanning around recipies in books or cards worked out more expensive my mate does that does these elabofrate recipies and has to do mini shop before each one costs her more.

Some fabby ideas.

might try soup and pudding night.
I give the kids spaggetti or beans on toast.

oldtractor

some good ideas. I think I'll instigate a soup and pudding night. Also a something-on-toast night and a couple of vegetarian nights in addition. The frozen veg thing sounds good too.

beautiful_ravens

I just got a load of reduced veg in tesc@ and spent a few hours dicing it and freezing it all, mainly for my soups but also for meals. I find frozen veg to be zero waste - it lives in the freezer til its all gone, whereas fresh is more risky in my house, it may get forgotten about and be wasted. So I generally only get potatoes and carrots fresh, and the occasional brocolli.

wishfullthinking

My budget im a first timer £360 usually 400plus 2 adults 3 kids 1 grandchild 4 big dogs and a parrott wish me luck will save receipts and do a diary will let you know end of Jan

JulieGeorgiana

That's another thing I'll do... buy £5 worth of veg and DH and I will chop and dice it all... and make 'soup packs' with potato, carrots, swede, turnip, onion and leeks! Bag them up... freeze them and when you need them just bung them in boiling water with lentils for a quick meal!

I find that there is much less waste doing it this way! And now I have a V-Slice it all get's chipped and chopped very quickly!

Oh and a nice thick soup tastes wonderful with some value cooking bacon thrown in (I cook and bag packs of this in little portions) then served with Fresh HM Rolls! Yummy!

SuziQ1962

Hi i would like to join to please- aiming to spend £60 per week so I think Jan is a 4 week month so will be £240! There are 6 of us in total and one cat!
Will be meal planning and making from scratch with soups and puds being utilised to fill us up!

dreamingofmoney

Happy New Grocery Challenge everyone

Could i please be put down for £300 for Jan Please. My month runs from 1st to the 31st. I lost my way in Dec but won't beat myself up about it as i had a good oct and Nov

Good luck to all, and a great big thanks to all who keep the thread running.

Dreamer

oldtractor

I'm coming round to your house for tea JG!

BohemianCoast

OK, last month was my first month and I blew the budget but then again, Christmas. We'll still be eating leftovers well into January (we were given two hampers) so I am going to say £350 and hopefully have a little leftover. That's two adults, two kids who eat like adults (14 & 11), the occasional waif and stray, and the 'treat' takeaway if we avoid them the rest of the month.

ClaireT13

Hi

Another addition for today - DH did a quick shop for toiletries and all kitchen cleaning equipment for the month so adding another £16.93 to the total to take me to £93.00 for the month so far.

Hope all this stuff lasts as long as I predict it will :eek:

Claire