January 2013 Grocery Challenge

KatyReed+5

I've just been through my freezer and found a whole pack of sausage meat i was given a while back, what can i do with it? Idealy something i can batch make and freeze. Thanks, X

WantToBeSE

Katy-how about making some pastry and then making sausage rolls, or mini sausage rolls, and freezing them. Really handy for packed lunches/days out picnics etc.

njk2125

I braved it and nipped to Mr A armed with a list of 3 items we needed, it was suprisingly quiet but whoopsy counter was heaving. So came out with a little more than expected but I was quite restrained really.
8pts milk £2.00
Squash £1.49
Lard 39p
All of above was on list then I got
Wholemeal loaf 15p
8 crumpets 12p
whole savoy cabbage 23p
20 camomile tea bags 50p

£4.88 to add to my total

Got up early today so set about leftover duty again and made 2 cheese and bacon pies and two pate and mushroom pies. OH is currently refusing to eat either (really picky eater and forever changing his mind on what he does and doesent like) but they taste delish so like it or lump it thats tea tonight with some veg. We cant afford to keep throwing his portion away because he has decided he doesent like it this week.

KatyReed+5

Good plan WantToBeSE, My daughter can't have dairy, so it give me a chance to try out my dairy free pastry skills, X

wuvvies

been shopping today and bought only what was on the list...i spent £41.00 but bare in mind we had lots of treat bits left from christmas so thats what kept it low. have got my 100 out for the week so i have nearly 60 to go in extra saving...asda card, car tax card and the christmas pot. ill prob keep £5 back for the week. feeling very frugal today.

ruby_eskimo

Just came back from Mr S' and it wasn't too bad. There were a whole bunch of people just wandering around with nothing in their trolleys though. Think they were still trying to get over Christmas!

Managed to spend £38.54 on bits and pieces, which realistically could takes us through the next 2 weeks with what we already have in the freezer and cupboards. Managed to get some Yellow Stickered lamb chops and marinated lamb ribs (90p and 74p respectively) but we're on a meat free week this week at OH's say so. Doesn't bother me but I think he'll get fed up of it before long!

pavlovs_dog

ok so first spend of the challenge and I'm currently £25.47/£160. Managed to stocked up on branston beans and bacon in lidl, and got some YS sausages which will form a tea next week.

Meal plan for the week is not day specific but will meals are as follows (red = from stores)

1) Veggie enchiladas, savoury rice, corn on cob
2) Gnocci in sauce and garlic bread
3) sweet chilli pork with noodles and stir fry veg
4) Cheese & potato pie with beans & sausages
5) saucy chicken UFO from depths of freezer and veggie rice
6) cous cous and vegetable tagine
7) something from freezer & chips/waffles

taking the store cupboard items out of the equation would bring todays spend down to about £18, which isn't too horrific for all the fresh bits (fruit, veg, dairy, household). Not a bad start all told. Documenting it certainly focuses the mind.

I'm claiming the small victory of not buying squash until I've used up the part bottles of bottles I'm not so fond of lurking in the cupboards. Have a bottle of el cheapo spring water in, so will see if making them fizzy makes them any more palatable.

angel13

Hi I have just come across this and not done this before. I roughly know how much I spend per month which is between 280-300 which includes cleaning products and pet food, I would like to aim for a £240 budget for January. Any tips would be appreciated

cowboymum

Gone reduced shopping mad! So many reduced items at the supermarket I can't resisit! Lots of luxury items reduced so tonight I'm having rainbow trout with ratatouille. This morning I had croissants, I've made butter from reduced double cream and made 2 banana breads from reduced bananas! Phew!

Makes up for the slightly rubbish christmas we've had as everyone apart from me has had a gastric bug. Yuk.

Spent today £11.95 on normal shopping and £10 on second purse, total now £88.88.

angel13

njk2125 wrote: »

Were on our fifth GC NSD but will need to nip to the shop tomorrow for milk. OH has offered to go but that could be lethal, so I'm going to have to try and get out of the house before him in the morning.
I had a rummage in the fridge earlier and discovered prawn toasts that needed throwing away :eek:. So thought I'd best check on everything else in there. Ended up cooking a stupid amount of mushrooms that were looking past their best making soup with half and i'll figure out what to do with the other half tomorrow. Also rescued an unopened ham joint which is now safely stuffed in the freezer.
Does anyone know if you can freeze fresh brandy sauce and fresh double cream? Have a fair amount left in the fridge that I haden't planned using over the next few days.
Planning not to throw any more food away!

hey i am new but can actually help someone:T yes if you whip cream it can then be frozen.