April 2013 Grocery Challenge

Nicky_Noo_Na

£160 again for us please - don't seem to manage to get it less than this! I'm still on March till month end with one big shop to go (eek). See you back here next week!

ETA: just remembered we'll be having everyone round for my birthday during April so a large buffet thing for about 14 people. Will add £40 to the budget for this so £200 in total for April please.

thriftmonster

Brought a little salad home last night - enough to take to friends tonight - and also 4 chicken carcasses! Someone who was clearing up was going to pitch then in the bin !!! - so I said I'd take them. Got the strange look (doesn't bother me) - but then I played the excuse everyone accepts - "I'll take them to give the meat to the dogs" - cue accepting looks. There was enough meat for a friend to take 2 and a half legs for their tea tonight and then for me to pick off enough dark meat to put two bags of 4-6 portions each in the freezer. The bones are waiting to be made into stock and (I didn't lie) the dogs got a lovely tea of skins!

Why is it ok for dogs to eat leftover cold meat but not for humans? We used to have neighbours who every Sunday afternoon gave us half their roast "for the dog" as they didn't like cold meat. I perfected several lamb curry recipes in those days!!

Forgot to say: Thanks Becky for the tuna tip - I shall look for £stretchers round here.

WelshWoofer

I'm in for £140 again please!

Just saw a post about hot cross buns and remembered that there are two left over in the freezer from last year (!)
Just dug them out and they are now defrosting ready for toasting for tea. Saved me a few pennies as there's only me and a whole pack goes off before I eat them all.
After being in the toaster they won't be any worse for wear for their year long holiday in the freezer:rotfl:

meg72

Bluegreen143 wrote: »

Small spends today - £1.29 on a bag of spinach and 89p on two pints of milk at Mr M.

OH was meeting a friend after work and ended up getting a chippy (paid for it himself) so instead of getting the planned mushroom stroganoff out of the freezer, I invented a gorgeous mackerel and pea pasta dish:

1 tin mackerel in oil (think this was 69p from A*di)
75g pasta (value penne, 5p)
80g frozen peas (value, 8p)
1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped (12p or so)
1 clove garlic, crushed (3p)

Roughly 97p for the meal, not including the parmesan.

Cook the pasta in salted water, adding the peas a couple of minutes before the end. Drain when cooked and return the empty pan to a low heat, tipping a little of the mackerel oil in. Add the garlic, cook for 20 seconds and tip in the mackerel and capers, breaking up the fish a bit for another 20 seconds.

Toss through the pasta, season with lots of black pepper, and serve with grated parmesan if desired. So tasty!



Will add to the index.

Looks lovely, I am thinking about doing a similar thing with mackeral in tomato sauce as have a couple of tins to use up.

minicooper272

I'm in for the new month! It's a 5 week month for me, so I'm going to up my budget to £90 (from £80). I'll only take out the £10 if I really need it though... I feel like this will be a tight month on all fronts, but you never know!

mildredalien

I'm in again! Payday was yesterday so already started spending out of April's Budget.... my target this month will be £175 as I'm away for a week so will be eating out of a separate budget for that time. Hoping I can come in at even less!

I've had a few spends already - cat food which should last a couple of weeks, some store cupboard stuff from B&M and easter weekend food from Mr T, totalling £35.75. And it's not even April yet, eep!

lizalloareds

spends today
£11.85 Mr M
£1 Iland
£1.64 Lidl
£1.39 FF
sig updated
I am away for the weekend but have asked hubby to keep any receipts!

Florenceem

NSD here - try to not spend on Good Friday.

russetred

Anyone got a good spicy receipe for red cabbage that doesnt include sugar, raisins or apple? Family really dont like fruit in savoury meals.
Must remember to update my siggy but I know I've spent 25% of my annual budget so far and I have replenished my wine cellar ie the corner of my living room. Happy Easter everone!

K9sandFelines

[/QUOTE] Forgot to say: Thanks Becky for the tuna tip - I shall look for £stretchers round here.[/QUOTE]

Aldi sells good quality cheap tuna chunks also :-)