May 2012 Grocery Challenge

Florenceem

rosyq wrote: »

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?

I cooked from scratch when I was a SAHM. When I went back to work full time - I still did. I would cook the meal in the morning before leaving home. Now I am retired I cook from scratch so I have always done it. My DD and DSil both work full time - whoever arrives home first gets the dinner going. A batch cook is done at the weekend - how long does it take to get a huge casserole/shepherd's pie/curry/chilli cooking - you can then get on with housework/gardening - whatever you need to do.

Aldahbra

Possession wrote: »

Unfortunately I have a bit too much of my dad in me I think. can't resist a bargain!

It is only a bargin if you were going to buy it anyway or really wanted it and wouldn't have been able to afford it.

Mrs Cookie Doing a stock check like that is a really good idea. You have inspired me and that is what I'll be doing this evening.

Mrs_Cookie wrote: »

Ohh
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'm new at this too but if I'm cooking, I am making at least 2 dinners, eating one and saving one for an unspecified time in the future as I don't want to keep eating the same thing.

jumblejack

Florenceem wrote: »

Poached egg is healthier.

True. I fancied a fried egg though!

We are having baked potatoes for tea with chilli.

I have got to sort out some containers to freeze another 2 days worth of chilli later. Don't fancy having it 3 or 4 days on the trot. :eek:

I'm gonna rustle up a batch of biscuits or something. Actually I will probably get some rhubarb from the garden as we haven't used much fruit this week as I didn't get any reduced.

I don't want the oven on just for a few potatoes!!!!!

jumblejack

Welcome rosyq:wave:

DTD is double the difference.

Tesco promise that if they overcharge you, they will refund you back double the difference.

If you buy something which has a buy one get one free sticker and the discount doesn't come off when you buy the 2 items, then Tesco have to abide by their promise which effectively means that the items are free.

Florenceem

jumblejack wrote: »

True. I fancied a fried egg though!

We are having baked potatoes for tea with chilli.

I have got to sort out some containers to freeze another 2 days worth of chilli later. Don't fancy having it 3 or 4 days on the trot. :eek:

I'm gonna rustle up a batch of biscuits or something. Actually I will probably get some rhubarb from the garden as we haven't used much fruit this week as I didn't get any reduced.

I don't want the oven on just for a few potatoes!!!!!

Of course you don't want just the potatoes in the oven. I need to bake something tonight as otherwise my oven will be half empty or should that be half full. Trouble is - freezers are groaning! :eek: I will have to get out another HM crumble and a couple of day's dinners to make some room.

abitofhelp

rosyq wrote: »

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?

I work full time & i have a partner & two kids to look after. Luckily i can choose to work from home whenever i like so that helps. Batch cooking at the weekend, using the breadmaker & slowcooker are my main tips.
I have a huge range cooker, which i tend to use at the weekends. I buy a joint of meat big enough for 3 meals, i freeze the left over slices. When the oven is on i will also bake cakes, cookies & muffins etc.
In the week i use a mini oven for things like wedges, chops or to make baked pots crispy.
I use the bm to makes loaves & dough for rolls, pizza & pitta/naan breads.
The slowcooker will also contain enough for another meal to freeze for a later date.
I also use the slowcooker to make a batch of soup.

A bit of practice is all it takes. Also i dont iron. Clothes are folded and put away when dry. anything that needs to be ironed, kids or oh bring down and i iron them before i go to bed. :rotfl:

MrsCD

Hello and welcome to all the newbies :wave:
Have a read of the first page - there's lots of help about how this all works.
Everyone is very friendly here - even 'bossy Florenceem':rotfl:
(she's a softie really, and we all love her, even when she tells us off!)
Lots of us are still new at this and we're all learning together.
Take it at your own pace, and don't get stressed.:)

cleggie wrote: »

Hi guys.
We have a local farm shop near our town, and it has opened up a new shop in town, just a 5 min walk from me. It opened up today and i am trying to stop myself from going to have a look and buy some yummy stuff!
I think it sells fruit, veh, meat and a few dairy things.

The thing is, its not a 'buy it now before its gone' kind of thing...the shop wont suddently disappear overnight, and i NEED to rememer this! It'll still be there when i next need fruit/veg/meat etc

Does anyone have any nuggets of wisdom in regards to farm shops? Do they normally cost more/same/less than SMs? I can imagine the quality is better, but if i cant afford it,it makes no diference!

Hi Cleggie - I think it's 'swings and roundabouts', that is you save sometimes and pay more other times. Just like the sm you have to check the prices. Often the fruit & veg is a lot cheaper than the sm, but you still need to be on your guard! The meat is usually good quality and you can buy just what you need, rather than the pre-packed sm meat.

Yesterday I made some banana and chocolate muffins. Just the basic muffin mix -
7oz plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2oz brown sugar
2oz melted butter or oil (I used oil as it's easier - jug on scales and weigh)
1 egg
7 fluid oz milk
1 mashed banana
half a small pack of chocolate chips - about 50g

Pre-heat oven to 200C
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl
Mix all wet ingredients in a jug
Add wet to dry and mix until just combined - don't over mix!

Spoon into 12 muffin cases and cook for about 20 mins. Yummy!

Sorry for the mixture of ounces and grams - it's easier in some ways for me, but I keep to one or the other when I'm making 'proper' cakes like Victoria Sandwich etc.

MrsCD

I've discovered a quick way of doing baked potatoes in the oven.
You thread large tennis ball size pots onto metal skewers and put them into a cold oven. Turn oven on to the hottest setting you can - mine is about 230C, and they cook in about 30-35 minutes, from the inside as well as the outside, as the metal conducts heat to the middle.
I always do twice what we need for one meal, and the leftovers get cut into slices to be fried or baked.
It may be already common knowledge, but I do get excited over the little things in life
It doesn't take much:rotfl:

Mrs_Cookie

Florenceem wrote: »

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

Hi Florenceem

No Mr Cookie works and I stay at home at the minute. Thanks for the welcome

Made a Rhubarb Crumble from freezer, instead of muffins, they're on tomorrows schedule. Sorted out the coronation turkey (didn't have chicken) filling using a mandarin yogurt which was getting close to its use by date for going on Mr C's sandwiches tomorrow. Bread made and tested Suspect peppers chopped, funky bits discarded and good bits bagged and in freezer (previous to today I'd have cobbed the lot out!)
Quick tea planned for tonight as I have an evening class starting at 7pm so tea needs to be quick. All from what I had in so today has cost me nothing and the next few days should be the same. Just have to avoid Takeaway Friday now!!! Spent the afternoon looking at the recipe pages for more ideas and inspiration and wrote up the months meal plan, just need to sort out a list of stuff that will need to buy additional to what I have in and I think I've done pretty well, this forum is brilliant, thanks to everyone that posts and shares

cleggie

Have also made twinkies hobnobs (i think thats what they are called???)

Oh
My
God

I just hope that there are some left for when the kids get home from school this afternoon:rotfl:as i have eaten 4 already

i know i am pretty new to all of this, but i really am amazed that a few basic ingrediants (sugar, four, eggs, butter) pus a few extras, can make such scrummy things!!:)

Really wanted to make some bounty balls today, but dont have any icing sugar and am determined not to go into a SM, so am going to bake them whenever the hobnobs and cookies have run out.