September 2013 Grocery Challenge

zafiro1984

iammumtoone wrote: »

Do you get through 2KG in a week? I normally get that size but still found I was throwing loads away, only got the bigger size as it was YS so only a few pence more

Don't throw any away, that's sad, make roasties the same way as normal but cook them at a lower temperature until they are done. They should be cooked through and just starting to turn colour. Then open freeze them. I then put mine in a plastic bag to store, You can cook from frozen at a lower temp to begin with and turn the temp up at the end to get the colouir.
Mash freezes ok but can be a bit watery. I usually use it on top of cottage pie etc where it had to go in the cooker to brown.
Chips freeze - again cook as normal but don't allow them to colour, open freeze and store in plastic bags, cook from frozen to get the colour.
I'm sure others will have plenty of ideas as well

iammumtoone

zafiro1984 wrote: »

Don't throw any away, that's sad, make roasties the same way as normal but cook them at a lower temperature until they are done. They should be cooked through and just starting to turn colour. Then open freeze them. I then put mine in a plastic bag to store, You can cook from frozen at a lower temp to begin with and turn the temp up at the end to get the colouir.
Mash freezes ok but can be a bit watery. I usually use it on top of cottage pie etc where it had to go in the cooker to brown.
Chips freeze - again cook as normal but don't allow them to colour, open freeze and store in plastic bags, cook from frozen to get the colour.
I'm sure others will have plenty of ideas as well

Thank you lots of ideas there, I especially like the idea of HM frozen chips

zafiro1984

XSpender wrote: »

I am busy planning next month at the moment. It will be a 5 week month and I have ummed and ahhhd over if I should do a big shop on Friday and then try to stick to weekly top ups or just do bigger shops each week or 2 weeks. As we are short on a lot of storecupboard stuff and d/w tablets etc I have finally decided to do a big shop on Friday, visit the butchers on Saturday and then do small shops each week after that for fresh fruit and dairy and the odd bit of meat as and when needed.

You are brave doing one large shop for the month with top ups. I know different people have different ways of controlling their budget but that would not work for me.

I seem to have a complusion for going to the supermarkets. I think it is probably to do with 'bargain hunting'

My stratagy is two purses, one with credit cards and cash to take out when I am not going food shopping. The other purse has just 'supermarket' cash for the week, no credit cards, (plus an emergency fund tucked in the back) I have a basic list of veg and fruit, plus things I have run out of. I also look at YS and offers. I then play a game with myself seeing how far I can make it stretch. I think I have more control because 7days is not too far to look ahead whereas 31days would be a nightmare for me. I think it works for me because I know I cannot fall back on my credit cards as they are in my other purse and therefore have to make a judgement on whether or not I need everything in my trolley. Also it doesn't matter how many times I visit the SM in a week so long as I only take my 'supermarket purse' with me.
It would be interesting to see what stratagies other have - I may learn a few more tips.

Cambs85

NSD yesterday! £2.30 spend today on massive bottle of shampoo :-)

mumofthetwins

Spent 71p in tesco last night
2 x 4 ev choc mouse
2 x YS bread

Doing well this month but did only get back from holiday on Sunday
Made some sausage casserole for the boys teas and have had 4 portions left over for later in the week/next week

downshifted

£19.35 in Aldi today - milk, eggs, cream, bacon, stilton, marg, sugar, ground almonds, tea bags, mushrooms, cabbage, carrots,aubergine, dishwasher cleaner

Think I am still on track to meet my target - currently totalling £184.15 - and I think I will try to beat it next month by staying away from the shops!!! When I look at my spending diary I am tending to go every couple of days - better planning would mean that is not necessary!

iammumtoone

zafiro1984 wrote: »

You are brave doing one large shop for the month with top ups. I know different people have different ways of controlling their budget but that would not work for me.

I seem to have a complusion for going to the supermarkets. I think it is probably to do with 'bargain hunting'

My stratagy is two purses, one with credit cards and cash to take out when I am not going food shopping. The other purse has just 'supermarket' cash for the week, no credit cards, (plus an emergency fund tucked in the back) I have a basic list of veg and fruit, plus things I have run out of. I also look at YS and offers. I then play a game with myself seeing how far I can make it stretch. I think I have more control because 7days is not too far to look ahead whereas 31days would be a nightmare for me. I think it works for me because I know I cannot fall back on my credit cards as they are in my other purse and therefore have to make a judgement on whether or not I need everything in my trolley. Also it doesn't matter how many times I visit the SM in a week so long as I only take my 'supermarket purse' with me.
It would be interesting to see what stratagies other have - I may learn a few more tips.

You sound just like me "a compulsion for bargain hunting"

I am trying to get better, I posted my strategy I tried this week further up the thread. I went online first and worked out how much the items on my list would come to, this really helped to keep me focused as I knew if I stuck to the list the bill would only come to xx when I got to the till.

I do like the idea of only taking a limited amount but I don't know if I could cope with that, what if I spotted an unmissable bargain and didn't have the funds to cover it :eek: :rotfl:

happydenial

£16 spent in W******e today, have about £50 left until the end of the month which will be tight.

Annoyed with myself though as forgot to buy frozen peas, sweetcorn and green beans (always keep them in to stop me going to the supermarket for more veg in the week, oh the irony), so will have to go back tomorrow, sigh. Let's hope I can manage to just buy those three things :-)

CH27

£1.69 on breads.

Florenceem

Just £1 on milk today.
We had HM TITH + roast potatoes + roasted red onions, white onion, tomato, yellow pepper for dinner.