Grocery Challenge - February 2012

pipersky

Snowing here. Urgh. Hate snow No grocery spends to report, just wanted to moan about the snow

DD - sorry for your loss, and to everyone else who've suffered a loss

helen_jelly

DD - sorry to hear about your loss

Its snowing in MK, has been since 5 ish, still is and there's loads of it, I love the snow. DS is feeling poorly, hoping he's better tomorrow so we can go out and play. I'll need Milk and bread so a quick visit to the local [don't normally buy from there as its dear but it'll save me driving anywhere]

Helen x

PS Budgets noted to here and I'll update tomorrow

PeanutButterJellyTime_2

For reptile owners, I have found for insects it is better to buy in bulk from Ebay, and then start breeding your own crickets and mealies. They are really easy to breed, but others just buy in bulk as and when you need.

forever_saving

I've spent £132.13 so far. Have a reasonable amount of food in for that. Chilli, cottage pies and spag bol all cooked, portioned up and in the freezer.
Lots of snow here so today i won't be going out, so won't spend anymore money!
DD, so sorry for your loss
FS

pepsi-kins

Hi all,
I'm feeling "lost" at the moment, no big shopping trips, no meal planning - nothing! My new kitchen is being fitted this week, although its been here for a month, so I have been running down supplies, to make it easier to move stuff. I know its probably sad, but I can't wait until the end of the month when I have the last of my holiday for the year, and I can do a really big shop, and then have a really good cook/bake up. I hate being so disorganised...

Have a good week everyone

tessie_bear

hi...there is a blanket of snow so here so hope everyone is staying warm...i need to defrost a chicken for tomorrow and prep some veg for lunch so not too bad....might be able to fit in some snowman construction

done a meal plan for next week and am hoping not to buy much....we'll see

take care tess

Kitchenbunny

Morning all. Hoping to have a no spend day today, but on the grocery front I've written out my mealplan for the week, worked out my shopping list and hopefully it'll be a lot less than last week's. I posted my mealplan on the mealplan thread but here it is:

Mon - Pork Fajitas
Tues - Shepherd's Pie
Weds - Chicken Tikka with Rice
Thurs - Toad in the Hole & Beans
Fri - BLT Burgers, Chips & a little salad
Sat - Pastitsio
Sun - Roast Pork Dinner

Amazingly, my shopping list has more fruit and veg on it than I've ever noticed before. I can only think that's a good thing really.

Red Peppers, Mushrooms, Potatoes, Carrots, Broccoli, Apples
Bacon, Cooked Meat, Pork Joint (could do with finding a really decent offer)
Milk, Yoghurts, Marg-type spread
Wraps, Burger buns x 4, Chocolate Bars for Mr Kitchenbunny's lunchbox
Woollen Washing Liquid
1 x 2ltr bottle Pepsi Max (if on offer)
and a TV book.

Again, I'm hoping it doesn't come to a lot of spends this week. If I can get below £30 for this week I'll be happy. I've got access to a Mr M, Mr T, Mr S, Lidl, Waitrose and at a push, a Mr A. I must start looking at the grow your own board to find how to grow potatoes and other veg in a foolproof way!

Take care, everyone. I feel organised this week so I'm hoping to stay that way!

KB xx

tigerfeet2006

Yesterday we had HM turkey burgers and chips for dinner. The kids absolutely wolfed them down with some Mayo and ketchup for dipping.

Last nights snow is still a layer on the ground but is ice. I wish people wouldn't let their children out so bloomin' early though. Mine slept in today, very rare occurrence, they are usually up at six and I was still asleep at just before 8, bliss!! I was woken up with kids screaming outside aaaarrgggh!!!!! Nine o'clock, fair enough but before eight, on a Sunday and with a dog barking, nope! not on, ya don't do it. Not a happy bunny.

On a nicer note we are at my Mums for dinner today so no cooking yay!!

123budget

angelatgraceland wrote: »

For those of you who are newbies and are menu planning you may like to consider this option:
Write out your menus for a week-or 2 weeks if preffered. do not put the day on the menu so you can jiggle themabout according to your free time-any extra ingredients you need-your mood! I find this more sucessful than a very strict regime where if you "screw up" one day it all goes down the pan!
Someone suggested earlier freezing small amounts of fruit juice etc-I can recommend this as I do this for sweet and sour(from scratch)when I need orange juice and pinapple pieces/juice. I also freeze any leftover juice from tinned tomatoes(when we use them as a veg rather than an ingredient)these go in the next bolognese or curry.
All bread offcuts are crumbed and frozen.If you don't use a loaf of bread without it going dry, just get out half a loaf or a few slices and freeze the rest! I am also skimming off a pint of milk now and then from my four pinter(the one that becomes 5)and freezing the pint I remove for when I am running low-this saves those expensive trips to the SM for a pint of milk and spending £30!(I add a pint of water to the remaining 3 pints)
I am now cooking a chicken for tomorrows dinner so I can use the kitchen heat tonight and less work tomorrow-meat easier to carve also.
Regarding dried beans and pulses the only ones I don't usually bother buying dried are red kidney beans as these are cheap when you buy the value ones and you need to be careful about boiling them for 10? 20? mins rapidly to remove toxins. all other dried beans and pusles are well worth soaking overnight and go a long way. Even when you weigh them after soaking they still absorb yet more water when you cook them a long time(thinking slowcooker). Definitely worth the effort. My veggie curry I cooked for about £2 actually served up 8 portions! 3 now ready for the freezer-tetris attack about to take place! GOOD LUCK TO ALL WITH YOUR BUDGETS-PLANNING REALLY IS THE KEY!
Just cancelled my Asda order which was dues Thursday as I just will not need anything!
Thinking of "other" things we order online-and cars-Ive just ordered my engine oil fron ebay-the toyota one if anyone wants to take a peek and reduced delivery for additional orders so Ive ordered 10 litres.

Thanks for all the advice:- have always frozen old bread for bread pudding and breadcrumbs but have never frozen much else in the way of leftovers.
Think I will have trip to W*lk* soon and get some ice cubes trays etc
Didn't meal plan for this week but think I will be ok but think I will make up some of my own sauces _ sweet and sour, curry etc to freeze so that I don't get drawn into popping to local for a jar of sauce in a hurry.

We get through loads of milk - had never thought of taking of a pint and topping up with water - what a great idea - I wonder if anyone will notice!!

Must also start freezing chopped up onions - will save so much time during the week.

Hope snow clears for my son to get his flight out of Heathrow tomorrow morning - just as well it wasn't for today cos that one has already been cancelled

mardatha

Can I join this ? the first time for me. I read posts where 2 people can live on £20 a week and we're currently double that some weeks. I have used my savings on a new carpet and want to build them up again. I haven't got anything in Feb so far, we hit the shops tomorrow. I haven't got a corner shop or whoopsies ever, just supermarket once a week so it's easy to keep track of my spending.
I will try for £30 a week for this month.
£120 Mad Arthur