September 2013 Grocery Challenge

sachatith

iammumtoone wrote: »

Advise needed pls Where does everyone store their potatoes? I brought a big bag as it is more economical but will only be using them for one meal this week, where is best to leave them so they keep (and how long should they be ok for)? Thanks

I bought myself a 5k bag in my last delivery slot (two heavy to carry up the road when we have gas works and can't park!) same as you to save money. That was on the 8th and we still have more than half a pack left and they are completely fine - the same as the day we bought them. I have one of those three teired wire racks we had left for us when we moved in, I put fruit on the top, potatoes on the bottom and it means that they can let air in through all of the sides rather than being blocked off in a draw or cupboard. My bag of potatoes will last me about a month before they start to start sprouting hope that helps

Think I am going to have to try that butterbean recipe - sounds delish!

Finally finishing off the last of the roast pork today in my currey for lunch, got some meatballs out of the freezer (Richmond 40 pack mini meatballs less than half price at £1.24 last week at Mr T's works out 31p a meal for lazy OH who doesn't cook from scratch!) for OH to have with spaghetti and tom sauce, and I have quorn mince chilli with spag too.

We have £9 something left in budget but also found some old vouchers worth £7 from various surveys, so may treat us to a Mr T's Big Night in Takeaway special this Saturday as its the last one in together for a while in amongst all the camps!

Going to pop to our local market Saturday to get the veg, then need some loo roll and that's about it so might just do it!

CountingPennies

Meal plans totally gone out of the window. I have shingles so i've lost the plot a bit. When i picked my prescription up on Monday i ended up getting bread/milk, then blowing money of boxes of sweets and rubbish for myself. And magazine. £15 spent. Have updated sig.

NSD yesterday as i spent the day in bed. (Bonus? Lol). Kids went to a friends for tea so I didn't have to feed them. DH has been sorting packed lunches, god knows what he has put in them but i've just looked in the fridge and there doesn't seem to be much left. Certainly not enough to last the rest of the week.

I've just been eating whatever i have fancied, which isn't much. DH is working late so i need to sort kids tea out. But in so much pain. Think they will just have to make do with turkey dinosaurs, chips and sweetcorn instead of the roast dinner we usually have on a wednesday.

Back at the docs this afternoon. Hope they can give me some stronger pain relief. I'm seriously considering going in my pj's because it hurts too much to get dressed.

Have updated sig

CP xx

sachatith

Get better soon CP xxx

FlubM

I am afraid I am bowing out of the challenge for this month as I have completely lost track of what we have spent. My mother has been staying with us and, while it is marvellous that she has paid for the entire family's groceries for one week of her two week stay (and left the fridge and freezer well stocked), she has also now got my children hooked on Marks & Spencer food!

I'm not worrying too much at thos stage as I am technically still employed and will sign up for October when I will have control of the budget.

I have made some headway as I am now using grocery vouchers (rather than forgetting about them until they are out of date) and have acquired (free) a large freezer for the garage for batch cooking and to make the most of any really good offers.

So, will see you all in October.

iammumtoone

hope you are feeling better soon CountingPennies

K9sandFelines

iammumtoone wrote: »

Mr T, its the robertsons mincemeat. Temped to go back for some more but unfortunately I don't have a lot of cupboard space to store stuff.

Ah right thanks, no local Mr T here only Mr M. Probably just aswell

K9sandFelines

CountingPennies wrote: »

Meal plans totally gone out of the window. I have shingles so i've lost the plot a bit. When i picked my prescription up on Monday i ended up getting bread/milk, then blowing money of boxes of sweets and rubbish for myself. And magazine. £15 spent. Have updated sig.

NSD yesterday as i spent the day in bed. (Bonus? Lol). Kids went to a friends for tea so I didn't have to feed them. DH has been sorting packed lunches, god knows what he has put in them but i've just looked in the fridge and there doesn't seem to be much left. Certainly not enough to last the rest of the week.

I've just been eating whatever i have fancied, which isn't much. DH is working late so i need to sort kids tea out. But in so much pain. Think they will just have to make do with turkey dinosaurs, chips and sweetcorn instead of the roast dinner we usually have on a wednesday.

Back at the docs this afternoon. Hope they can give me some stronger pain relief. I'm seriously considering going in my pj's because it hurts too much to get dressed.

Have updated sig

CP xx

Chin up CP. Hope the doctor sorts you out.

lushlifesaver

CountingPennies wrote: »

Meal plans totally gone out of the window. I have shingles so i've lost the plot a bit.

Back at the docs this afternoon. Hope they can give me some stronger pain relief. I'm seriously considering going in my pj's because it hurts too much to get dressed.

CP xx

I do hope you start to get better quickly! I had shingles when I was much, much younger (still in primary school, all those moons ago!) and can still remember the sheer agony as I thought my skin was going to burst in to flames. I spent much of my time in pjs as they were the only thing loose enough to keep me cool and not cause anymore irritation. so I'd say do it! Go in your pjs - I've seen much worse happen and quite frankly you will feel better just for catering to what your body is telling you

Looking forward to the start of the Octtober budget. Going to start meal planning again, I've been some what slack (roughly planning meals the night before based on what we have) but I need to toughen up on it a bit now!

Pandora_2

Had a fab evening with my friends last night!! They were more than happy to save a bit of money and get beers from the shop rather than go to the pub so I only spent £4 on 4 beers, rather than about £13 in the pub for the same amount!! :beer:
Spent most of the day cleaning and tidying and just grabbed bits of food as I was going along so managed to finish up lots of bits and bobs that wouldn't really have been enough for a proper meal. :T

However, my fridge is looking rather bare, I've no fresh fruit or veg, I'm almost out of milk and I've run out of laundry liquid (which is super annoying as it's bright and breezy today instead of torrential rain so I could have got some washing done! :mad:) Will be doing a massive shop online to use up my £15 off voucher but will be splitting the cost into different pots of money - grocery, cat, Xmas etc. I'll have to pop to the shops for milk today though, so I'm just going to take £1.50 so that I can't be tempted to buy anything else!!!!

Hope everyone has a good (and cheap!) day

zafiro1984

iammumtoone wrote: »

Advise needed pls Where does everyone store their potatoes? I brought a big bag as it is more economical but will only be using them for one meal this week, where is best to leave them so they keep (and how long should they be ok for)? Thanks

Do you mean a 20kg bag, usually from farm shops. Store them in the dark in their paper sack, somewhere cold but frost free. The right variety can store for several months (new pots don't store well). If they start to go soft you can always part roast them and then freeze them for later or you could make mash and freeze that. I agree they are a lot cheaper bought by the sack.