Anyone got a nice spaghetti and meatballs recipe?

JayJay14

Hi everyone.

I've managed to get to the end of the first week of my first grocery challenge:T

I've been walking to work this week to try and get some exercise (its about 11/2 miles), the only problem is I have to walk past Asda!!
I did get some bargains though - 4 large uncut loaves for 10p ea plus 2 french loaves for 5p ea(OH has been turning them into bruchetta - much cheaper than buying savoury buscuits.)

I've also just made a bread pudding using the Stollen left over from Xmas but it is still in the oven so I can't tell you if it works:rotfl:

OH has a second interview on Monday for a permanent job - he has had so many disapointments over the last 8 months that I don't really dare to hope.
The current temp job he is doing means a 50 mile round trip so the fuel bill for last month was nearly £300. (I use an Asda store card for this - they give you 2p a litre off - I pay this off every month so do't pay interest.

Anyway must go now as DS needs a lift into town.

countrymusicfan

I buy value food, always. I always use recipes on the forum and look for the meal suggestions on the forum as well. I am very careful and spend as little as possible on junk, but my bill always comes to between £30 and £40 a week for the two of us. My self and my son, 23. We are both unemployed, we are both job searching and I am a full time carer for him. So money is tight. How do I cut back? I have tried everything.

lainz

Well didn't go to Mr T as found out cat food no longer on offer :mad: . Went to Sainbury's instead and spent £8+:eek: . Might not make the challenge of £40, but I was aiming at £10 a week, but didn't realise that payday to payday is a 5 week month :doh:, so if I can manage £40 + cat food I'll be happy! I'm noting everything this month and next month may have my challenge money to cover all spending money - we'll see!

Thanks for the help with the celeriac, may try it if I see it lurking in a reduced bin!

lainz

countrymusicfan wrote: »

I buy value food, always. I always use recipes on the forum and look for the meal suggestions on the forum as well. I am very careful and spend as little as possible on junk, but my bill always comes to between £30 and £40 a week for the two of us. My self and my son, 23. We are both unemployed, we are both job searching and I am a full time carer for him. So money is tight. How do I cut back? I have tried everything.

Hi CountryMusicFan

All I can suggest, for the rest of this month, keep all of your receipts (or a notebook) and write down everything you buy and where from and how much it cost.

You may find that your little trips to the corner shop are costing you a fortune, and you may be better off doing a big shop online once a week/fortnight/month, however it works for you.

If you post what you generally buy, we'll try and suggest some cheap meals, things to bulk it out, or where you can get it cheaply!

Don't give up - we're here to help

System

countrymusicfan wrote: »

I buy value food, always. I always use recipes on the forum and look for the meal suggestions on the forum as well. I am very careful and spend as little as possible on junk, but my bill always comes to between £30 and £40 a week for the two of us. My self and my son, 23. We are both unemployed, we are both job searching and I am a full time carer for him. So money is tight. How do I cut back? I have tried everything.

are you/have you considered going vegetarian? I find that this is much cheaper, and i was never that keen on meat anyway.

PS best of luck with the job hunting

right, off to (atempt to) bake a birthday cake.....

Cruiksl

OK - here's the contents of my freezer

Chicken Breasts 7
Beef Roasting Joint 1
Thin Steak 4
Pork chops 2
Bacon 1
Carbonara Sauce 1
Grated Cheese packs 2
Puff Pastry packs 2
Blue Stilton Cheese 1
Apricot and Amaretto Stilton Cheese 1
Pork Sausages 6
Haggis Truffles 6
Mini Pizzas 30
Kids Spaghetti Bolognese 1
Quorn Bramley Apple Burgers 2
Birds Eye Burgers 4
Quorn Fajita Strips Pack 1
Pilau Rice 1
Sausage Rolls 5
Chilli Cheese 1
Diced Venison 1
Cocktail Sausages 10
Cooked Gammon family size portions 4
Cooked Beef family size portions 4
Scotch Bonnet Peppers 3
Lasagne Portion 1
Bolognese Family Portions 2
Casserole Portion 1
Small margherita pizza 1
Mini Ham and Cheese Pizza 2
Quorn Sausages 3
Fish Fingers 8
Chicken Dippers 12
Meatballs Family portions 4
Garlic Bread 4
Yorkshire Puddings 8
Roast Potatoes 1 bag
Large Bag of Homefries 1
Large Bag of Peas 1
Bag of Soya Beans ½
Bag of chickpeas ½
Portion of steamed rice 1
American Curly Fries bag ½
Mixed Veg bag ½
Uncooked Mushrooms family portion 4
Rice family portion 1
Mashed potato family portions 2
Smoked haddock 2
Mini nans 8

The numbers are the no of portions that we have. I'm quite disgusted with myself for the amounts. We always open the freezer and say there's nothing there. I've got a well stocked store cupboard so will be able to make a lot of meals without buying anything apart from fruit, milk and bread.

Mollymop5

I have spent £5.99 on toilet roll from wilkinsons, £40 in asda.It wasn't quite £40 but my change had £2 coins in so they went into my jar and the other change went into my sealed pot so I'm going to count it as £40 spent

TheBees

I had a NSD apart from a haircut and some ingredients for cookery at nursery (but I'll get that back). But OH left his packed lunch in the fridge so had to buy himself some lunch:mad:

Planning macaroni cheese for toms tea as I found a home made cheese sauce that I'd frozen so no faffing about when I get in from work.

Can someone direct me to the recipes please as I can't find them.

Thanks from TheBees

stripey_cheese_skirt

Hi everyone,
I'm joining the challenge late again, story of my life;)...
So happy because last month was the first month and I didn't do as bad as I thought - spent about £70 less

I'm going to aim for £150 for feb. Not sure how it's a week in and I've already spent 40 odd pound though. Hopefully I can keep taking it down until i'm settled around £60 a month (don't know why 60 - I just like that number, seems a good a reason as any lol)

egon

Hi,

I spent another £9.63 today. This takes me up to £168.63 out of my £230 budget. We seem to have gotten into a nice routine with the shopping. At the beginning of each month, I do a big Tesco delivery and then twice a week I top up in Lidls for dairy and fresh stuff.

Unfortunatly, the Lidls very cheap fruit and veg offer will end soon.

I have found a nice chocolate cake to make for DH birthday (Valentinesday).