June 2012 Grocery Challenge

meg72

happy_chick wrote: »

Thanks for checking them all out elsie. At those prices I might as well go organic! actually I didn't realise you could get non-organic boxes so i'll keep having a look for cheaper london based companies.

Have you had a look at Rosspa? I found that even with delivery, 5.50 I got much better value, quantity and quality than a friend who had a veg box. Has the advantage too that you only get what you want so no waste or the feeling you haave wasted something because you really dont like it. and again plus for the 5.50 you can add other stuff you may be interested in, up to 25 kg.

jumblejack

Creamy salmon pasta with Brie was LUSH. Thanks for the idea (forgot who it was?)

fozziebeartoo

Sorry I havent been posting but I have caught up reading now and my signature is up-to-date.

:j for the new job

:mad: for the blooming pesky freezer defrosting

Hope all the poorly peeps are feeling much better

No news on DD's biopsy yet and her suspicious mole is being removed tomorrow by day surgery, so fingers crossed.

I have made some space in my freezer and kept a track on my spending.

Fridge was repaired free so :T but mobile broke and dishwasher is now playing up :eek:

So win some, lose some :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

It's my birthday soon and since my mobility isnt great and I am often alone with DGS, I do need the mobile in case I come a cropper, so treated myself to a nice shiny new Galaxy Note, which I am loving.......better not take the money for THAT out of the GC budget

Flat_Eric

I didn't set a budget this month and haven't been posting much but I have been keeping track and spends so far this month total £625.38.

I thought I was *doing better* with my food shops but clearly not. This is the first month in ages that I've been keeping and logging the receipts and even then, I can't be sure I've accounted for *every spend*.

I must do better. Next month is going to be tricky as I will be away for a week staying in self catering accommodation. The plan is to eat in as much as possible rather than eat out every night and I will be taking stock from home to try and reduce grocery spends while I'm away.

I know the key is to meal plan as I'm still wasting food and quite simply if it isn't on the meal plan then it stays on the shelf!

likewise i need to stop my post work visits to m$s and my frequent morning visits to the supermarket for fruit which soon add up.

mummyyof5

Still doing quite well for this month..have updated sig to reflect yesterdays shopping...£49.00 between A**is...I prefer L***ls and MrAs..mainly catfood and some YS.

Will need potatoes veg milk and maybe pack up bits during week...OH away for 3 days this week..so have him to feed more than normal.

Today I have a rice pudding in slow cooker and just taken a lemon drizzle out of oven...all using up bits available.

jumblejack

All things gardening....

Hi guys,

Just potted up some alpine strawberries and repotted some sage seedlings:


The sage seedlings are in reused yoghurt pots and are nestled in the herb planter..


The odd couple of strawberries are now being baked in the oven in a crumble with my rhubarb...

These are my wood sorrel thinnings...


Question guys...

What are these? I planted loads of stuff a couple of years ago and these have sprung up this year and I have forgotten what they are. They taste bitter...


Another garden question guys....

These are spring up everywhere. Are they raspberry canes as I will try n save em instead of weeding and disposing of em. They are poking up everywhere near the raspberry bed by the play area....

meg72

The first photo are blackcurrents I think and yes the second one are raspberrys. You can never have too many of them,

Suffolk_lass

jumblejack wrote: »

All things gardening....




Question guys...

What are these? I planted loads of stuff a couple of years ago and these have sprung up this year and I have forgotten what they are. They taste bitter...


Another garden question guys....

These are spring up everywhere. Are they raspberry canes as I will try n save em instead of weeding and disposing of em. They are poking up everywhere near the raspberry bed by the play area....

They are under-ripe blackcurrants. You need to leave them slightly longer than you think> they will suddenly fatten, blacken more and sweeten (but not too much)

The second lot are raspberries. Best to let them fruit where they are and move them after the season - they look like summer fruiting rather than autumn fruiting varierty.

Re your earlier question the british beekeepers association says these bulbs are good for nectar or pollen:

Snowdrops – Galanthus nivalis ( Jan- Apr) NP [A]
Winter aconite. Eranthis hyemalis (Jan – Feb) NP [A]
Crocus (Feb – April) NP [A]
C. tomasinianus, C. chrysanthus ‘Blue Pearl’ ‘Snow Bunting’
Grape Hyacinth – Muscari (Mar – May) NP [A]
Anenome apinina (Mar – May) P [A]
Wood anenome – anenome nemorosa (Mar – May) P [A]
Chives. Allium schoenoprasum. (Jun – Aug) NP
Allium flatuense (Jun – Jul) NP
Alliums pp.

The [A] means autumn planting. The website lists bee friendly plants across a wide spectrum:
http://www.bbka.org.uk/files/library/pollen_&_nectar_rich_plants_for_your_garden_by_season_june_2011_for_website_1310045511.pdf

All the best
SL

jumblejack

Cheers guys. I knew you folk'd know:A

I have now potted up 11 raspberry canes too:j

They will luv em at that garden gathering I mentioned.
Might try my luck at planting a few of them myself in more appropriate areas (the play area is NOT a good place!).

I feel quite pleased with my afternoon pottering in the garden:A

Kitchenbunny

Afternoon everyone. Popped online first chance I've had to give an update - my big plan for the cream, eggs & chocolate was profiteroles! We were going to a birthday party and I really wanted to take something to impress. I followed Delia's recipe (from the website) and 2nd time lucky, they worked. I did take a photo, but I'm not sure how to get it from my phone to the lappy. Shall ask for help with that

Anyway, yesterday and today have both been NSDs, with one more spend day on the cards for June. Tomorrow night I shall declare for June, and all being well I shall be able to say for the first time ever that I've come in under budget.

That makes me smile.

K xx