January 2012 Grocery Challenge

MissOrganised1972

Had thought I would be able to wait until the weekend for main shop but needed 1 or 2 things & so decided it would be best to buy everything at once to avoid multiple trips to SM & potential multiple overspends. I went to Al*i, M*rrisons & T*sco. Had intended to go to just Al*i & Mr M but (with my T*sco priced list in hand) I was surprised how much more expensive Mr M was! So, ended up with quick whizz to T*sco too! Spent £31.34 (budgeted £30) but that included everything (I think) for the meal plan til a week Sunday (apart from the 3 things I forgot-which I'll grab today).

Simple Goan Chicken curry for tea tonight!

prophecy_grrl

Just a quick update - I spent £8.30 on GC this week, so am up to £29.37 so far this month. I budgetted £50 to spend to this point, so am doing really well. Have been sticking to my meal pln religiously and it's working a treat - as an added bonus I've lost a few lbs too!

Have to do a small shop next week - budgetted £25, have done meal plan and estimate that I'll need to spend around £20, less if I can help it!

Thanks to all GC posters for the continued motivation

p_grrl x

quintwins

hmmm the pancakes i bought yesterday were abit mouldy this morning, not too bad tho so i picked it off and gave theem to them anyway thats never happened to me with whoopsies before the rest are in the frezzer so hope there ok

im feeling very unwell today im trying to drink some coffee, i havent lifted anything out for dinner, the kids can have scotch eggs and spagetti cause hubbys not feeling great either so i won't know if he wants anything til hes home, i dont think i can eat anything i might try a cupa soup or something at tea time if i feel any better

TylersMummy

Hello all! Had a very well behaved week as I've had 3 NSDs since Sunday and hoping for at least one more by this Sunday.

Have spent £8.15 this week but have got quite a lot for this and some amazing buys as have been to Mr T twice in the evening and got some wonderful reduced items, such as a cabbage 2p, some casserole veg for 8p, a Happy Egg Co. quiche 7p, 2 chicken and white wine pies for 9p each, and a tonne of rolls for the freezer for OHs lunches and they were only about 15p a packet Also got milk, some chicken fillets and razors which is stuff we needed.

Am thinking we should definitely be able to stick to our £100 budget this month

Good luck all, keep it up

lemmings1986

morning guys hope every1 is well
thanks suffolklass and budget123 for ideas will give them a try
nsd today as just got home from work so off to bed and back at work tonight and taking packup so shouldnt spend anything.
have got a busy at work this week so not having a day off but am off monday and tuesday HOPEFULLY so plan to do loads of batch cooking to put in freezer for meals for me n oh to take to work,freezers are still quite full but its all meat and no leftovers left or anything you can cook without defrosting it so plan for monday,tuesday is chicken chausser,chicken curry,chicken pie with mushroom soup,pastabake with chicken or mushroom soup,spaghetti bolognaise,cheese and onion pastys and bacon and tomato pie.ps we like chicken and wont have to buy anything as we have it all in to make these meals
also quick question if i made mash and roastys could i freeze them????

lemmings1986

just checked on google and found this
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/64382
i love :money:
also found a recipe on here for patato cakes posted by mrsatobe may have to give them ago for anyone interested the recipe is

mrsatobe
Here's the recipe I use:

450g cooked potatoes
25g melted butter
3 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper
40g butter for cooking

Mash the potatoes, if necessary
Add the melted butter, stir in the flour, salt and pepper.
Turn the mixture onto a floured surface, and press out until 1cm thick.
Cut out with 7.5cm cutter.
Melt the cooking butter over a moderate heat, and then fry the cakes for approx 3 mins each side.

tigerfeet2006

Dinner last night was Bacon, broccoli and pasta bake (GF and DF). I made two one GF and one normal. For the GF one I used MrT Free From pasta and Doves Farm GF Plain flour, MrT own mustard and Genius bread blitzed to make crumbs. To make it DF use Lactofree Milk and cheese and something like Pure Spread or most baking marg's are DF as well.

As I did two lots this fed the five of us and the three kids will have it for dinner tonight as well. We have a special offer booklet through from Subway so we are going to treat ourselves to a Sub tonight once DH and the two eldest have come back from cubs/beavers and they are in bed. Bliss!

This serves four people.

Put water on to boil for pasta. Chop 250gm bacon and fry off( I used :cool:MrT value cookin bacon 99p for 500gm). Put pasta in boiling water to cook (I use MrT value pasta, 25p for 500g). Chop a head of broccoli into florets (around 300gm Ish) and cook for 3-4mins. Make cheese sauce by melting 2 tblsp butter in a pan. Add 2 tblsp flour and keep stirring until you have a roux. Add a little milk and stir, add a little more and stir, keep doing this, you will need around 500ml. Add a tsp of mustard and season with S&P. Add 200gm mature cheddar (I used MrT British Mature White Cheddar 500gm £2.50). Keep a little to one side to sprinkle over the top.

Put pasta in an oven proof dish, mix in bacon, mix in broccoli, pour sauce
Over and sprinkle LO cheese over the top. To make extra crunchy mix cheese with breadcrumbs and sprinkle. Put under the grill for 10-15 mins until bubbling.

REMEMBER TO CHECK ALL LABELS AS INGREDIENTS CAN CHANGE IN READY MADE PRODUCTS. Lactofrree products are lactose free but not casein free.

tigerfeet2006

lemmings1986 wrote: »

morning guys hope every1 is well
thanks suffolklass and budget123 for ideas will give them a try
nsd today as just got home from work so off to bed and back at work tonight and taking packup so shouldnt spend anything.
have got a busy at work this week so not having a day off but am off monday and tuesday HOPEFULLY so plan to do loads of batch cooking to put in freezer for meals for me n oh to take to work,freezers are still quite full but its all meat and no leftovers left or anything you can cook without defrosting it so plan for monday,tuesday is chicken chausser,chicken curry,chicken pie with mushroom soup,pastabake with chicken or mushroom soup,spaghetti bolognaise,cheese and onion pastys and bacon and tomato pie.ps we like chicken and wont have to buy anything as we have it all in to make these meals
also quick question if i made mash and roastys could i freeze them????

You can certainly freeze mash. Not a 100% with the roasties but don't see why not. Hopefully someone else will confirm it.

Herbyme

Coxy11 wrote: »

Evening everyone,

Just on to say that I've decided to operate a 2nd purse system (thank you to the lady who devised this system). I've been online to MrT and C00p and have decided to buy teabags, kenc0 refills and olive oil with this month's £10. Will be shopping tomorrow and will be stashing these items away in the back of a cupboard until we need to 'buy' them back. I am very excited about this small change. Blimey I sound like a saddo!

Coxy, I understand what you mean about going to these lengths possibly, to some, sounding like a saddo but just think of the lengths the SMs go to in order to persuade us to spend more money than we need to! (Saving you money every day my !!!!!). This is a very modest and proportionate response, in my view! I'm thinking of doing it myself (once I've worked out what the devil it is!). I don't think it is remotely saddo when you think about it like that

Got an Ocado 25% off voucher code so did a big shop to arrive Saturday 10pm - cheapest slot at £1.49. I find if you only buy occasionally from them, and ignore the 15% off vouchers, in the end they send you a 25% one.:D

Coxy11

Whoohoo, first purchases from my 2nd purse this morning. Got the olive oil and teabags. Need the oil now, so have 'bought' this back at the usual price. Off to MrT later to get 2 x coffee for my 'shop'.

Must say it was a weird feeling going into C00p with my purse and only a £10 note inside (plus loyalty card of course!). Felt a bit odd, as usually have 2 x debit cards and a credit card with me.

I think for me it's a case of re-educating myself how to use cash

Have a good day everyone and keep up the good work :T