April 2012 Grocery Challenge

VickyVics

Yesterday I managed to get my first NSD of the month, however today wasn't quite so successful. I seem to find it easier to stay at home when it is warm enough to sit in the garden. I did my first supermarket shop of the month and am now £35.36 lighter. I did manage to get plenty of fruit, veg and fresh meat and stocked up on basics like tinned tomatoes so will be able to make some yummy meals.

I'm looking forward to beef casserole, mash and veggies for dinner tonight. My OH is out tonight so it will just be one portion for me and then the rest will go into the freezer for later in the week. Yum Yum!!

I have updated my stats in my sig xx

mummybearx

mandco wrote: »

4pk cooking chorizo sausages (any ideas what to do with that??)

One of my favourites is to do a chorizo and bean soup. Slice chorizo into chunks, gently fry with onion/leek add in canned tomatoes, loads of boiling water and a veg stock cube or two, with any veg you have lying around. I generally chop a carrot or two, courgette, celery, brocolli etc. Add a can of beans, butter beans, pinto beans, anything. Add in a dash of herbs or spices, whatever you fancy

Simmer for as long as you can stand, I do it for over an hour so it goes like a thick soup.

xx

cleggie

zepsgal wrote: »

One of my favourites is to do a chorizo and bean soup. Slice chorizo into chunks, gently fry with onion/leek add in canned tomatoes, loads of boiling water and a veg stock cube or two, with any veg you have lying around. I generally chop a carrot or two, courgette, celery, brocolli etc. Add a can of beans, butter beans, pinto beans, anything. Add in a dash of herbs or spices, whatever you fancy

Simmer for as long as you can stand, I do it for over an hour so it goes like a thick soup.

xx

Wow, that sounds lovely! Will be adding it to my recipe collection of 'things to try' if you dont mind!?

mummybearx

cleggie wrote: »

Wow, that sounds lovely! Will be adding it to my recipe collection of 'things to try' if you dont mind!?

Of course you can :A

Honestly, tinned toms and veg stock, add in anything and everything you have lying about, herbs and spices, anything, and simmer, it's lovely x

Ninno820

Another £4.38 spent on bread and milk for the easter visitors. I have meal planned around the contents of the freezer / store cupboard and have resisted the urge to go out and do a big shop - most of which we wont eat and I'll be left with them. Instead I have a small list of things to get when we're out to complement the food.

They are arriving around tea time and are bringing something from M & S so thats one less meal to plan!

meg72

tessie_bear wrote: »

hi...we prefer hm quiche to shop bought which i always think tastes oddly cheesey...i have stopped buying it now even when it is reduced..quiet here today a nsd planned but as i have the kids on my own i might get fed up and take them out

going to make a curry for tea and i have some reduced naan bread in the freezer so will dig that out...ds wants to make a crumble so will use up some rhubarb i was given

think we will have sausage and mash tomorrow so that will be easy...after that freezer surprise...yum yum

take care tess

You are so right, I loathe bought quiche and wouldnt takei t for free,but love homemade.
Lucky you with the rhubarb, I am waiting to have enough sticks to pick from the garden for my first crumble,looked on Rosspa And it was £1.99 a lb:eek: a LB goes no where when its cooked

lovelife79

Ended up going to lidl's today as the traffic was really bad towards aldi's and at that point it was easier going to lidl.

spent £17.05 but that has stocked me up on cans of juice, crisps n snacks for work. Which i have sorted out and put into a sturdy bag and taken down to the car, out of temptations way! hopefully it'll last me a couple of weeks this way.

Also purchased a loaf of bread n sandwich meat (with left over cheese spread) to make sandwiches for freezer.

Now i had planned to make a salsa-type concotion with peppers onions n tomato's to add into my sandwiches at work but i used my flatmates food processor and not being used to it i overprocessed it into mush, smells great tho!! now i need some ideas on what to do with the mush?!!

was thinking of mixing some egg and cheese into it and then perhaps making individual quiches for freezer? any suggestions would be great

Thanks

MunniMuncha

zepsgal wrote: »

One of my favourites is to do a chorizo and bean soup. Slice chorizo into chunks, gently fry with onion/leek add in canned tomatoes, loads of boiling water and a veg stock cube or two, with any veg you have lying around. I generally chop a carrot or two, courgette, celery, brocolli etc. Add a can of beans, butter beans, pinto beans, anything. Add in a dash of herbs or spices, whatever you fancy

Simmer for as long as you can stand, I do it for over an hour so it goes like a thick soup.

xx

Sounds lush - will definitely be having a go at that one - is it okay to use baked beans?

meg72 wrote: »

You are so right, I loathe bought quiche and wouldnt takei t for free,but love homemade.
Lucky you with the rhubarb, I am waiting to have enough sticks to pick from the garden for my first crumble,looked on Rosspa And it was £1.99 a lb:eek: a LB goes no where when its cooked

Meg, if you have a F*armfoods near you they have frozen rhubarb at £1 a bag and is lovely too. Might satisfy your craving before you can start to pyo. Fresh rhubarb is sooooo expensive tho isn't it?

Well have been today and spent £8.89 in local meat market - they have tins of toms there for 5 for £1 so stocked up on them and got some bacon and 'proper' ham. Also spent £6.85 in Buyolo*y on toilet rolls and kitchen rolls. Also went to HB and stocked up on cereals and chocolates from SP

rising_from_the_ashes

Cheapskate wrote: »

My budget is for 4 adults and 2 small children, and includes all food, toiletries, nappies for youngest. What non-food items do people include in their budgets (don't mean toiletries etc, but petrol, haircuts, going out, clothes) or do you have separate budgets for these?

zepsgal wrote: »

I include all food and drink, inc takeaways (naughty!), lunch at work, eating out (which we never really do), any toiletries like shampoo, deoderant, and any cleaning products. I also include dog food.

Really whatever works for you and family life ..... mine's pretty similar to Zepsgal's in that it's all food (incl takeaways), drink, household cleaning products, toiletries & lunches at work etc but the pets have their own budget;). HTH

I have most other things broken down into separate budgets eg fuel, haircuts, clothes, dentist etc and the best one "anything else":)

zepsgal wrote: »

One of my favourites is to do a chorizo and bean soup. Slice chorizo into chunks, gently fry with onion/leek add in canned tomatoes, loads of boiling water and a veg stock cube or two, with any veg you have lying around. I generally chop a carrot or two, courgette, celery, brocolli etc. Add a can of beans, butter beans, pinto beans, anything. Add in a dash of herbs or spices, whatever you fancy

Simmer for as long as you can stand, I do it for over an hour so it goes like a thick soup.

Ohhhhhh another one who thinks that sounds fab! Ta:T

Suffolk_lass

cleggie wrote: »

Does anyone have any ideas what i can substitute white wine with in a recipe??

I dont want to have to buy a bottle just for 3 tablespoons worth, and i cant stand white wine as a drink!
If it helps, its to go in Garlic and prawn Linguine.

You could use a light vinegar and water or stock; say 1 tablespoon of cider or white wine vinegar and two tablespoons of water or stock and then taste - I sometimes add half a teaspoon of sugar to counteract the vinegar (which is also fermented, just for longer and stronger, hence the dilution).

I was trying to think of an option that doesn't dig into this week's budget for you.
HTH
SL