Grocery Challenge - February 2012

rumblytum

Hi everyone,

I'm doing OK with my first GC, but realised that I 'treat' myself far too much with stuff from the cafe/newsagents :eek:

However, my spend is now at 105.67/300

I thought it would be worse than this, as I've done a massive shop to feed 11 people for a three course meal next week, but the food isn't too bad - making a batch cook chilli bean bake amongst other things, so the bill wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. However, the alcohol bill, which I'm not including in GC at the moment, was huge

Heigh ho, still going to come under, I think which is fab :T

rumbly x

Herbyme

Compbunny, have you tried Spatone sachets? Apparently the iron in them is easier for the body to absorb than tablets. Also take with citrus fruit juice, that is meant to help the iron to be absorbed.

tigerfeet2006

DC1 has been out for the day with his Grandad for a belated birthday treat.

DH said I should go to the cinema to see the Muppets as I was the only one who wanted to see it and he would have some Wii time with the other two. Got to the cinema to find a queue out the door. Asked what they were there for and the lady said that they wanted Puss in Boots but it was full already so they were all taking the kids in to see the Muppets. So I decided not to bother and I would walk down town to do a charity shop run.

We have ten CS in town, including two which sell furniture ( three piece suites for £250 anyone) and four house clearance/antique type places (2 sell 'vintage' clothes). I picked up a Boden tshirt for £4.99 and two books, a make do and mend type book and a 400 budget recipes book. I noticed that the starting price for clothes seems to be £4.99, with most being £5.99 and a lot being £6.99. It seems to be the same in every shop. I wanted some cheap jeans to make a pocket holder thing for all the remotes but at £5.99 that was too much for me as I wanted a couple of pairs. I have noticed their prices seem to be going up a lot in the last six months. I cringed a bit at paying £4.99 for a long sleeved tshirt but it was Boden and the material was very good quality but I don't want to pay that for a BHS tshirt. You would think with the competition they would bring prices down but they seem to be conspiring to keep prices up. CS are not places to find cheap bargains at the moment.

Dinner tonight is HM ready meals from the freezer, 2 DC are having East African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew and rice. Another is having Lemon and Honey Chicken with Wedges and Carrots and some rice left from the other two's meal. DH is having Chilli and rice and I am having Leek, Sweet Potato and Goats Cheese Pie and veg.

rising_from_the_ashes

xxlouisexx56 wrote: »

I'm sick

So sick that DF is off work to look after the kids :0

He popped to morrisons for baby milk, lunch and dinner stuff and spent £30!!

Ohhhh Louise - sorry missed this earlier:o - hope you're better soon ...

CompBunny wrote: »

Had some blood test results today, need to have yet another in 6 weeks. My blood count is low, but the thing is I have been taking iron tablets every single day for over a year now and improving diet...so why is my blood count low? I'm seeing the doctor soon but has anyone else had this?

Obviously you don't need to "declare" anything on here - but do you have any underlying medical conditions which may affect your blood/the way your body absorbs things?

I've got Crohn's and some of my levels are always all over the place (some bits way above what they should be and others really low).

I struggle with iron especially too - apparently down to the fact that I don't absorb vitamins & minerals properly.

Fiasco55

Yesterday was a NSD and ended up with chicken curry for dinner.

Today's lunch was supplied courtesy of my work :money: - very rare these days!

Also bought bulk some juice cans from B00kers, so £14.40 and will last aaagggggggeeeeesssss

Mum is coming over for dinner tomorrow night and then the cinema. Going to see Warhorse so hankies at the ready. Not sure what to make for us as mum yet but think it will involve either the pork mince or pork chops in the freezer.

[Deleted User]

well I was going to get some shopping today but got distracted by DD and her 'Do you fancy coming for a bracing walk with son-in-law and i and tribe plus dogs to Whitstable' so only spent £2.00 on milk and a soya and seed loaf at Icelands from my food purse but will definitely have to buy some bits tomorrow.Great afternoon out though if a bit chilly and it certainly blew the cobwebs away

mummyyof5

Update of £35 at MrMs last night but at least a NSD today as went to Meadowhall and met some lovely "friends" from the Flylady site:T..had a lovely time.

OH made mutton curry for tea and there is enough left for tomorrow so hoping for a NSD again although we are going to book the table for DS1s 18th party meal then taking LO to Clarks retail shop for new school shoes so other budgets will be eaten into:(

Get well soon Louise x

coldcazzie

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

I've never been able to master the cheese sauce (no idea why, I'm not a bad cook and can do most things if I put my mind to them but ... cheese sauce defeats me:o)

I used to be the same, but now I use a different method... I measure out the butter, flour and milk (usually about 25-30g flour/butter per half pint of milk - we like thick cheese sauce!), put everything in a pan over a medium heat and whisk gently but constantly until thickened. Then once thickened simmer on the lowest possible heat for 5 minutes, then stir in your grated cheese (50g per half pint of milk), season, job done

CompBunny wrote: »

I have been taking iron tablets every single day for over a year now and improving diet...so why is my blood count low? I'm seeing the doctor soon but has anyone else had this?

carolinerunner wrote: »

Compbunny, have you tried Spatone sachets? Apparently the iron in them is easier for the body to absorb than tablets. Also take with citrus fruit juice, that is meant to help the iron to be absorbed.

I second spatone - you can buy it online or in Holland and Barrett. Another one to try is Floradix. They're more biologically accessible forms of iron: the iron tablets aren't actually very easily absorbed by your body. Drinking citrus juices is also good. Remove tea from your diet. The tannins interfere hugely with your iron absorbsion. Green veg (peas, broccoli) and red meats are supposed to be good too, but you'd have to eat a lot, lol:rotfl: plus don't go mad - not saying you should be overdosing on broccoli for example if you don't like it.

ixia

£7.73 spent today at ald! for some stuff I needed for dinner and I had ran out of parmesan.

mrs-moneypenny

comp bunny im in the same boat blood donors got so fed up refusing me they sent me a lovely letter asking me not to bother again as my need is greater than theirs. ive been on iron tabs forever and at last blood test dr said i should up them to 3 a day. i am veggie but thats not the problem dd who vegan and worked in holland and barret for a time said washing the tabs down with one of my many cups of tea rendered them usless. so if you want to build up your iron levels ditch the tea and take them with vitamin C like orange juice as that helps. DD said floradix is betterthan tabs as it absorbs easier.
HTH