May 2012 Grocery Challenge

cleggie

Mrs_Cookie wrote: »

Ohh they sound nice Cleggie, will look for the recipe, need to do some baking for the weekend, chocolate orange muffins for today.
Well I've meal planned based on cupboard and freezer contents from now until the 27th June :eek: This includes all evening meals, breakfasts, pack up for Mr C and my lunches and treats. Using what I have in and batch cooking/freezing for another meal later that month I can feed us for that long I don't know whether to be pleased or mortified at how much stuff I have in. All I'll have to buy will be sandwich meat, fruit n veg, spuds, milk, cheese, yogurt and cat food. The plan includes a week of proper lunches for both of us, as Mr C is off work for a week in June, all breakfasts and snacks. As long as I make my own bread as and when we need it and stick to the plan I'm sorted and I didn't even look at the recipes on the front page yet but still have 29 different meals + 6 repeats from cook 1 / freeze 1 sessions.

Come the end of June the freezer will be almost bare, so I was wondering after that whether to work on a weekly system whereby I only have in 1 weeks worth of food plus a couple of extras for change of plan, unexpected guests etc. Or whether to do a monthly shop and work from cupboard/freezer every month, how does everyone else do it and what do you find works best for you?

I think its more about finding out what works for you. For example, when i first started the GC, i did the same as everyone else and did monthly shops. but after 2 months i STILL couldnt keep in my budget!
So i changed to weekly shops (same budget, just split 4 ways) and it works so much better for me!


Maybe try weekly shopping for a month, and then try monthly shopping for the following month, and see which you get on better with?

Florenceem

jumblejack wrote: »

Hehe! I rustled another rice burger and egg for OH who looked at it suspiciously and asked what it was. I made him try it first. Verdict: Very nice.
My eldest got up asking for a cooked breakfast because he could smell something tasty.


My youngest had the same as yesterday: rice warmed up in the microwave with whole milk and syrup. Empty bowl again!,

Yay!

Poached egg is healthier.

Florenceem

Mrs_Cookie wrote: »

My first post, so be gentle good people, our pay day is the 28th so it's a bit late for this month, so will join in the June GC if that's okay with everyone? There's just me and Mr Cookie and 2 kitties, this month we've spent about £425 on food which for two of us is blinking ridiculous and that's just from the receipts I've found :eek:

I'm ashamed at the amount of food in the freezer and cupboards and yet I still go out and buy more It has to stop, so yesterday after reading some of the inspirational stuff on the Grocery Challenge thread, I went and did a list of all the contents of the cupboards, fridge & freezer and created a spreadsheet which is to be turned into a 4 week meal plan (I hope) later today. Looking at what is in the cupboards it's becoming apparent that I stock pile special offers and BOGOF's with no real idea of what to do with them and we seem to stick to the same menu week after week which includes takeaway and convenience meals

I have a breadmaker which has been dusted off and in now on using up some of the flour mountain (why was I buying it when I wasn't using it?) Making apple and cinnamon bread to accompany a coronation chicken filling for Mr C's pack up tomorrow after reading on another thread where the chap said he used cinnamon & sultana bread with chicken for sarnies, so thought I'd give it a try and some can be toasted for my breakie tomorrow

I have to work out what our food budget should be, will assess it after I've meal planned with what's in. What I do know is this silly spending on stuff I can make myself has to stop and we need to start saving money so that we can use to do the things we want to do. Looking forward to reading more of everyone's posts and learning to eat and live within my new budget.

Mrs Cookie

Great that you have joined the GC. Are you both out at work all day?

Florenceem

Mrs_Cookie wrote: »

Ohh they sound nice Cleggie, will look for the recipe, need to do some baking for the weekend, chocolate orange muffins for today.
Well I've meal planned based on cupboard and freezer contents from now until the 27th June :eek: This includes all evening meals, breakfasts, pack up for Mr C and my lunches and treats. Using what I have in and batch cooking/freezing for another meal later that month I can feed us for that long I don't know whether to be pleased or mortified at how much stuff I have in. All I'll have to buy will be sandwich meat, fruit n veg, spuds, milk, cheese, yogurt and cat food. The plan includes a week of proper lunches for both of us, as Mr C is off work for a week in June, all breakfasts and snacks. As long as I make my own bread as and when we need it and stick to the plan I'm sorted and I didn't even look at the recipes on the front page yet but still have 29 different meals + 6 repeats from cook 1 / freeze 1 sessions.

Come the end of June the freezer will be almost bare, so I was wondering after that whether to work on a weekly system whereby I only have in 1 weeks worth of food plus a couple of extras for change of plan, unexpected guests etc. Or whether to do a monthly shop and work from cupboard/freezer every month, how does everyone else do it and what do you find works best for you?

I would leave space in your freezer for batch cooking - always good to have HM meals in there.

Possession

Jumblejack i bet that rice burger would be nice with a bit of sweet chilli sauce mixed in with it. Here's what Japanese people do with leftover rice:
http://justbento.com/handbook/bento-basics/onigiri-on-parade-guide-onigiri-omusubi-rice-ball-shapes-types-and-fun
My favourite was always the one with tuna mayo in the middle.

jumblejack wrote: »

Good morning!

I have had another rice burger with a fried egg on top. I only ate 1 yesterday and popped the other in the fridge. So convenient to nuke something for 30 seconds. I'd forgotten how convenient microwaves were.

I guess today's dinner will be chilli!!!! I might do wedges with it though as I am bored with rice now.

Hope you all have a lovely day.

I am sat here thinking how good I have been.
I did a big shop at the start of my weekly challenge and have only been out for a YS hunt once since then!!! Feeling rather chuffed.
Maybe I am gaining control of this Ts addiction!

sonastin

Feeling very pleased with myself atm. Remembered to defrost some chicken thighs on Monday. Cooked them in the slow cooker on Tuesday (only way I can successfully cook chicken on the bone!). Last time I did this, we ended up eating 2 thighs each with veg & pots. Instead, Tuesday I made thai green curry & just used the meat off 2 thighs. Wednesday is my "no time to cook, just eat" night so have to prepare wednesday's dinner on tuesday. Planned on having cold chicken with salad. Realised there was no salad in the fridge. Decided to make a chicken and mushroom pie. Made the pie filling with loads of onion and mushroom and the meat off the other 2 chicken thighs. Went to get the shop-bought pastry out of the freezer only to realise there was none of that in either. So came on here, found a shortcrust pastry recipe and made me some of that. Left the pie in the fridge overnight and called OH when I left work to tell him to stick it in the oven (he works at home - can't interrupt his concentration with instructions any more complicated than put the oven on and put the pie in!). Pie was lush and pastry was a huge success. I've never made it from scratch - well, only under strict supervision from my mother as a child! - so well impressed with myself.

And then completely forgot to get anything out of the freezer to defrost for dinner tonight!

Usual standby for nights like this is corned beef hash but its too bloomin hot for something like that. Might need to call in a SM on the way home to buy the salad we were supposed to have last night. Pastry used up the last of my flour and there's about 1 loaf's worth of breadflour left too so its probably overdue. I'm only at £165 / £200 for May so I think I can justify another decent top-up shop but I've been putting it off for ages! Too warm to waste time in the SM!

Florenceem

sonastin wrote: »

Feeling very pleased with myself atm. Remembered to defrost some chicken thighs on Monday. Cooked them in the slow cooker on Tuesday (only way I can successfully cook chicken on the bone!). Last time I did this, we ended up eating 2 thighs each with veg & pots. Instead, Tuesday I made thai green curry & just used the meat off 2 thighs. Wednesday is my "no time to cook, just eat" night so have to prepare wednesday's dinner on tuesday. Planned on having cold chicken with salad. Realised there was no salad in the fridge. Decided to make a chicken and mushroom pie. Made the pie filling with loads of onion and mushroom and the meat off the other 2 chicken thighs. Went to get the shop-bought pastry out of the freezer only to realise there was none of that in either. So came on here, found a shortcrust pastry recipe and made me some of that. Left the pie in the fridge overnight and called OH when I left work to tell him to stick it in the oven (he works at home - can't interrupt his concentration with instructions any more complicated than put the oven on and put the pie in!). Pie was lush and pastry was a huge success. I've never made it from scratch - well, only under strict supervision from my mother as a child! - so well impressed with myself.

And then completely forgot to get anything out of the freezer to defrost for dinner tonight!

Usual standby for nights like this is corned beef hash but its too bloomin hot for something like that. Might need to call in a SM on the way home to buy the salad we were supposed to have last night. Pastry used up the last of my flour and there's about 1 loaf's worth of breadflour left too so its probably overdue. I'm only at £165 / £200 for May so I think I can justify another decent top-up shop but I've been putting it off for ages! Too warm to waste time in the SM!

Habit! Always have the next day's dinner planned before going to bed. Bossy Florenceem here!

Possession

If it's Mr T you're going to the BBQ meat DTD seems to be still working in some stores which works out at free meat - worth a look to see if there is any BOGOF stickered meat there. (See Grabbit board)

sonastin wrote: »

Feeling very pleased with myself atm. Remembered to defrost some chicken thighs on Monday. Cooked them in the slow cooker on Tuesday (only way I can successfully cook chicken on the bone!). Last time I did this, we ended up eating 2 thighs each with veg & pots. Instead, Tuesday I made thai green curry & just used the meat off 2 thighs. Wednesday is my "no time to cook, just eat" night so have to prepare wednesday's dinner on tuesday. Planned on having cold chicken with salad. Realised there was no salad in the fridge. Decided to make a chicken and mushroom pie. Made the pie filling with loads of onion and mushroom and the meat off the other 2 chicken thighs. Went to get the shop-bought pastry out of the freezer only to realise there was none of that in either. So came on here, found a shortcrust pastry recipe and made me some of that. Left the pie in the fridge overnight and called OH when I left work to tell him to stick it in the oven (he works at home - can't interrupt his concentration with instructions any more complicated than put the oven on and put the pie in!). Pie was lush and pastry was a huge success. I've never made it from scratch - well, only under strict supervision from my mother as a child! - so well impressed with myself.

And then completely forgot to get anything out of the freezer to defrost for dinner tonight!

Usual standby for nights like this is corned beef hash but its too bloomin hot for something like that. Might need to call in a SM on the way home to buy the salad we were supposed to have last night. Pastry used up the last of my flour and there's about 1 loaf's worth of breadflour left too so its probably overdue. I'm only at £165 / £200 for May so I think I can justify another decent top-up shop but I've been putting it off for ages! Too warm to waste time in the SM!

System

Hi everyone may i join you? I've been lurking here and on the 2nd purse thread for a while and it sounds like you all work very hard to make this a success. Looking over recent receipts I think I spend about £250 a month to feed me, adult DD and the cat. That's not unreasonable and I can afford it but if I reduced it I could do other things with the money so i'm going to try to keep all receipts next month to get a more realistic figure and then start to reduce it IYSWIM. I also resent giving money to supermarkets!
So maybe next month I'll set a target of £200 which should be achievable as I've already started bulk buying (if you haven't seen the 2nd purse thread yet, do have a look, it's really helpful like this one).
My major question is, how do those that work full time manage all the cooking from scratch? By the time i get home after work, the gym, and taxi service for DD I'm not often in the mood to start cooking! I do batch cook, especially pasta dishes cos they're so easy and we can use them for lunches too, and I use my bm quite a lot (Panasonic, bought in the sales after lots of friends recommended - the only bad loaf I've had from it was when I forgot to put the paddle in :rotfl: :rotfl:) Anyway i'll stop blethering now but any tips would be very welcome.

Thanks
Rx

ps what is DTD please?

sb88_2

I took the plunge today! And logged on to my online banking to take alook at my recent damage. I really try to be strict with the shopping, but then I end up buying odd things at the local co-op, which isn't always cheap. Although they sometimes do really great RTC! Once picked up two rump steaks for less than £1.50, I can't remember the exact number! They were also delicious.


So, so far this May, I have spent £166 on grocerys for two, and we have a week left in May, which means another shop this weekend!
Although I haven't entered myself in for may, I am going to do the GC in June So I am just getting some practice here! I imagine that this month we will spent around £200 in grocerys. I'm going to do my own personal challenge for my next shop.

£30 for the week, all in.

Good news, my strawberry plants are taking off, my cherry tree is doing well, should produce alot of fruit this year, and all my salad vegetables are thriving!

June GC: £150 for the month, for two, a tortoise and a bearded dragon. Best start meal planning now!