June 2012 Grocery Challenge

In_it_not_to_giveitaway

Possession - very disciplined to avoid shopping without a list - I have set up some online space to post spreadsheets with my storecupboard, fridge and freezer stocktake so that these can be updated from work, home or my mobile phone. An extra column in the sheet is for needed items which constitutes my next shopping list.

Several people have spoken about the storecupboard one open, one spare system etc which I think is really great.

My only concern about all this is that meals will begin to get a bit more repetitive than previously at first while I acclimatize to various shopping, spending and planning habits. The main aim for me is to get the grocery bill low - the variety of meals can come later.

Keeping a spreadsheet of all expenditure - previously just used to use one column for 'food/ents' because it was difficult to classify eg meals out or deliveries as one or the other. Now I will use a meal out as a treat if I go £25 under budget (so £25 then becomes my meal out budget). But then will reduce budget for the following month by half the difference.

Monthly budget for July set at £40 x 31/7 = £177.14.

MissOrganised1972

TheThriftyScrumpers wrote: »

I am even feeling happy about organising the shelves of the freezer better, ie one for meat, one for hm ready meals etc. Now that definitely is sad.

I am with you! I love organisation!

Day 2 of July challenge & I have succeeded (spelling???) in avoiding the SMs! I had a small window of time where I could have nipped in but I came straight home and have just part prepared dinner based on the ingredients in. :j

Dinner will now be pasta with the mushrooms & creme fraiche I have in.

Enjoy the rest of your day folks

KatyReed+5

Ok here we go, my first full month of GC.

I have bought myself a book to write everything down in, i have 2 pages for July - Food, 2 for July - Household, and one for July bills, so everything i spent will get written down.

I have bought myself 2 clear plastic zip bags ( cost £4.18 but in my eyes worth it to help me long term ) today that fit in my bag, one for food money and one for household money. as we have been paid i have put £400 in for food, which will include anything we eat ( but not including the kids hot dinners which i pay for termly ), takes away etc, and £100 in for household which will include anything else including nappies, wipes etc.

I am still pretty stocked up from last month really, 9 dinners in the freezer, quite well stocked cupboards. I do need some packed lunch things, bread, milk etc though so will get them tomorrow as i will be going past sainsburys.

I need some advice, where should i shop, i live in quite a large village and we have a co-op but that's it, they have good reduced things though. it is 7 miles to tescos, sainsburys and waitrose, 20 to aldi or lidl, is the driving to the cheaper places economical and money saving in the long run?

Today has been 2 spends so far, £1.90 in wilcos as i didn't take the kids juices out with me, whoops, and it's very hot so had to get them really and £4.58 in superdrug on baby wipes. They were buy one get 2 free which is an offer i couldn't give up so bought 6, will be back for some more tomorrow.

On another note me and my other half split up this morning so that's going to save me some money right there

Katy, X

jumblejack

Elderflower fritters

Whoop whoop.

Success!!!

Here are my lovelies.....

Method

Collect elderflower heads but leaving a long stalk on.

Make the runny batter this way:

4 tbsp flour
1.5 cups tap water
1 egg

Mix in a bowl

Dip the elderflower heads into the batter whilst holding the stalk in an oven gloved hand.
Shake off excess batter

Add to hot fat (whilst still holding the stalk in your gloved hand)

It will bubble furiously away.

It turns golden in seconds.

Leave to drain whilst you proceed with the rest of the heads.

Put some sugar on a saucer.
Dip the heads into the sugar and shake off excess.
Snip off the stems before serving.

Enjoy!

jumblejack

What do you think I'm gonna do with these foraged wild rose petals....?

fozziebeartoo

KatyReed+5 wrote: »

Ok here we go, my first full month of GC.

I have bought myself a book to write everything down in, i have 2 pages for July - Food, 2 for July - Household, and one for July bills, so everything i spent will get written down.

I have bought myself 2 clear plastic zip bags ( cost £4.18 but in my eyes worth it to help me long term ) today that fit in my bag, one for food money and one for household money. as we have been paid i have put £400 in for food, which will include anything we eat ( but not including the kids hot dinners which i pay for termly ), takes away etc, and £100 in for household which will include anything else including nappies, wipes etc.

I am still pretty stocked up from last month really, 9 dinners in the freezer, quite well stocked cupboards. I do need some packed lunch things, bread, milk etc though so will get them tomorrow as i will be going past sainsburys.

I need some advice, where should i shop, i live in quite a large village and we have a co-op but that's it, they have good reduced things though. it is 7 miles to tescos, sainsburys and waitrose, 20 to aldi or lidl, is the driving to the cheaper places economical and money saving in the long run?

Today has been 2 spends so far, £1.90 in wilcos as i didn't take the kids juices out with me, whoops, and it's very hot so had to get them really and £4.58 in superdrug on baby wipes. They were buy one get 2 free which is an offer i couldn't give up so bought 6, will be back for some more tomorrow.

On another note me and my other half split up this morning so that's going to save me some money right there

Katy, X

Sounds like you have everything in place to do brilliantly
Katy....wishing you all the best! :T

So sorry to hear about you and DH but hoping things will go very well for you.

mrs-moneypenny

just updated my sig
loving the photos and recipies that are appearing in the thread
hope ll are well as i havent had much chance to keep popping in
funny week this week as out and about lots so not got a meal plan as such but going for lots of freezer meals and making use of the reduction shelf n local sains during the evening

jumblejack

The rose petals were for jelly as per Richard Mabeys recipe in the food for free book.

I am gifting one to a freecycler who is offering me a demijohn and wine stuff!!



Edit:

I feel silly now
Can anyone spot the 'deliberate', ahem, mistake?

dizzyditzy

Afternoon
Just on to report a spend of £6.04. I popped into M's at 2pm for milk and they were doing silly reductions. I got gluten free sausages 49p, neck of lamb £1.45 from £6.03, bagelsx6 25p and loads more. All now pushed in the freezer with a greenhouse on top holding the lid shut:D I shouldn't need anything else now until Friday when my July starts.

katiegirl

I've set our budget for my first month of the grocery challenge as £150! It starts tomorrow which is pay day and is to include all food, including meals out, and any other household stuff like cling film, bin bags, cleaning products etc. I'm hoping this is quite realistic as we have quite a bit of food in the cupboards/freezer still; I'm also hoping to sell some stuff on ebay to make £30 for an approved food order.

I'm also setting a petrol budget of £150, which started today (because I wasn't quite sure I'd make it home from my friend's otherwise!) £47.03/£150.

We're moving house next month, as well as saving for a big trip next year so money is going to be pretty tight for the rest of the year really.

Quick question, do people think this look good value?
Freezer Pack
1,5lb Chicken Fillet
1lb Best Mince
1lb Pork Chops
1lb Frying Steak
1lb Diced Steak
1lb Premium Sausage
400g Back Bacon
Only..£20.00


I got a flyer through the door from a butcher near me. How many chicken breasts would = 1.5lb? And would 1lb sausages be about 6/8? And 400g bacon 8 slices? Can't decide if it would be worth us getting this, we don't really eat many meals based on red meat, and I can't even remember the last time I ate a pork chop (as a child definitely!), so it would probably last a while!

Good luck for July everyone, and well done to those who have succeeded with their June challenge!