December 2012 Grocery Challenge!!!!! REALLLY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

VickyV

liz-paul wrote: »

Hi, I'm just wondering what other people do about meal planning. I definately think it helps me to keep on budget if I plan but I'm not sure of the best way to do it. So far I have been planning meals approx a week at a time (I work on a calendar month) but up to the whole month in one go. I don't usually decide what meals to have on any given day too far in advance, just shop for a few meals at a time. But I'm wondering if it wold be cheaper to plan my meals around special offers on things like meat...? In the past (waaayy in the past!) I used to just wader around the sm and pick up stuff which seemed like a good deal and then figure out what to cook with it - I don't want to go back to that as I used to waste a lot. But what way do you meal plan? I want to bring my monthly budget down from £450 pm to £400 pm by the start of April. Then maybe see about reducing it further......

Sorry for waffling - any suggestion much appreicated

Hi Liz-Paul,

I tend to do a stock-check of everything edible in the cupboards, fridge and freezer every week then do weekly meal plans, tot up the rough cost, and shop for the week - usually topping up bread and milk as necessary. Like Nicolula87 I tend to get meat from the butcher but as there are a fair few near me there are sometimes offers. I have found an out of town butcher/farm shop near me that does good deals if you buy in bulk so mince ends up being £1.50/lb, chicken £2.20/lb, bacon £1.60/lb. We don't have meat every night and when we do we usually pad it out with beans, lentils, chick peas, etc but my last meat shop made 30 meals each for 4 people (2 adults and 2 kids) and cost £40. I'm hoping it will last into January! Obviously, that doesn't include any ingredients apart from meat!

I think if you try to make meals round cheaper cuts but still good quality you won't go far wrong as meat tends to be the most expensive part of the meal. If you can get a sack of potatoes (usually about £8-10 for a 25kg sack), buy cheap staples like 'value' rice and pasta and get veg from a good local grocer you'll be quids in!

Oh and batchcook where you can!
Sorry for the ramble!
Vicky
x

meg72

njk2125 wrote: »

Hi

A quick question for anyone who uses Iceland as I haven't used the shop in years and I have some vouchers to use. Would it be worth using these to stock up on joints and mince for future use and are there any particular products you would recommend?

I dont usually shop in Iceland but went to buy a Turket Crown for my DD as ha a 2.00 off 20. voucher. I was really quite impressed with their prices and received another voucher for 3.00 off 20.00 so will be going back in to get some of their lamb chps and mince.

forever_saving

Thankyou so much for all of your answers about my milk. I won't throw it out now .
Small spend for me today, £1.76 on some mushrooms and washing up liquid.
Curry for tea tonight with loads of the mushrooms in it. Have made a big pan full, so plenty for tea and plenty to freeze. Although i am trying to run my freezer down i also need to get as many meals as i can extra. Not good times at the moment, my car had its mot today. Going to cost an arm and a leg.
Good luck to everyone else.
FS

Solstice_3

My Mr T order has arrived, it came to a total of £41.59 including £3 delivery. Forgot to get a few things - need to be more organised next year! Hoping just milk and bread for rest of week, plus some lunch for work on Sunday.

rosieben

Found a really good recipe for Christmas Biscotti on the Tough thread. I've added it to the index

minicooper272

Bluegreen143 - do you mind sharing the recipe for carrot lentil and ginger soup? I have a lump of ginger I need to use up (leftover from alcohol infusing adventures) and I have a big bag of carrots and lentils just waiting to go with it!

No spends for me this week, I've ignored the call of the canteen for snacks, but I need to go buy some bread tomorrow, as I run out. Will be a trip to the corner shop, as I never just pop into the supermarket for one thing (well I do, but I never come out with one thing :rotfl:)

XSpender

I made good use of my unexpected day off yesterday and me and DS (aged 2.5) made 2 big batches of sloop and a double chocolate and banana loaf. I couldn't find muffin cases in the cupboard so found a recipe for a loaf that used up 3 past it bananas.

OMG:eek: still warm from the oven with ice cream it was to die for:T. Even my non sweet tooth DH loved it:D. It will be definitely be getting made again:)

Also managed to meal plan the 9 days worth of meals we need before the festivities start, write a very short shopping list which we have done tonight and clean the fridge and kitchen.

My list is everything we need until Monday at the the earliest. Monday is the start of my Jan challenge:eek: I spent £15.01 less 99p for a bauble in the sale and used £7.50 of nectar points. I only thought I had £5.00 so that was a nice surprise. This spend also included 12 eggs to finish my Christmas cakes.

I don't need anything and don't really have any spare cash to buy anything else and could just possibly come under budget for the first time ever. Fingers and everything else crossed :money:

I feel that I have got my OS mojo back this last week and DH seems to be really coming on board, buying YS bread and value products.

Quick tea of sausage,beans and chips tonight as I have prep to do for an interview tomorrow.

she_who_can_not_cook

njk2125 wrote: »

A quick question for anyone who uses Iceland as I haven't used the shop in years and I have some vouchers to use. Would it be worth using these to stock up on joints and mince for future use and are there any particular products you would recommend?

i just love iceland and get the reduced meats when i can its nice stuff they have

mossy

XSpender wrote: »

Quick tea of sausage,beans and chips tonight as I have prep to do for an interview tomorrow.

Good luck!!

pinkypig

A couple of small spends to report. Spent £1.65 in Asian supermarket on spices and some rice flour (fancy having a go at making Tiger bread) and £1.69 today on 7 packs of YS bread buns (down to 10p), YS cabbage and potatoes (down to 15p) and some sparkling water and squash. Don't often get lucky with YS stuff so was quite chuffed :j
Still hoping to get to the weekend before Christmas without a big shop. I managed to resist using an Approved Foods voucher code they sent me on stuff I don't need which is good for me as I usually fall for their marketing tricks

PP xxx