October 2013 Grocery Challenge

Bluegreen143

Until last night, I'd not been shopping once this week since last Sunday's big shop! So pleased. And all we bought last night was a pizza for OH at £1.38.

*smugness alert* We were away on a trip with friends on Fri night/Sat and realised in the car home that we wouldn't get back until 7.30. Asked OH what he wanted for dinner and he said pizza from Tesco and did I want one?

Though about it and refused, as after two days of eating cr*p I wanted something healthy. So when we got back I invented quinoa with sundried tomatoes, sweetcorn and almonds (from store cupboard ingredients), with a grated courgette, chilli and lime salad from the remnants in the fridge.

My meal had two of my 5 a day, lots of protein from the quinoa and almonds and only took as long to make as it took preheat the oven then cook OH's pepperoni pizza. Better still it was all stuff we had in, plus I got to feel smug and SO MUCH healthier than OH :rotfl:

Ladyluck1

£9.49 in co*p on lots of reduced goodies, some lunch bits, turkey breasts for stirfry, smoked haddock, bread for the freezer, cake!
Very happy will just top up with bits from lidl for this week.
Just over half of my budget gone nearly halfway through the month.....Got pretty full freezer and stock cupboard still too.

chocoholic_chick

Weekly shopping done today. Managed to stick to a list... mostly. Only extras were some roses reduced to £3 just because I wanted to treat myself and some decaf teabags, trying to cut down on caffeine and wanted to give them a try. Have to say, as I'm sat here having a cuppa, I can't tell the difference at all!

So first stop was A*di and spent £37.72 there. There was a few things I couldn't get there so popped to Mr T's afterwards and spent £6.10 there ( would have only been £3.10 if I hadn't bought the roses ).

So total spends for today £43.82.

Meal plan for the week :-

Today - Spicy pork and chorizo rice
Monday - Spicy pork and chorizo rice ( leftovers as we're going to be home late )
Tuesday - Cajun Spiced chicken with potato wedges and chive dip
Wednesday - Chicken Jalfrezi with rice and naan
Thursday - Italian Meatballs and pasta
Friday - Chilli Con Carne
Saturday - Cheeseburger and chips

Mainly cooking from the hairy dieters cook books!

After all that will still have 8 big sausages ( from a farm shop so 1 is more than double the size of 2 standard supermarket ones ), 500g beef mince, 500g stewing steak and 5 chicken breasts in the freezer.. that I know of. Probably more in there, really need to have a root round and check!

Will update signature now

Suziebabe

Hello all, sorry but I think I'll have to bow out of the grocery challenge this month. Found out I fed to rework my diet to low GI/low sugar for health reasons, which is causing a rethink on my shopping cooking - hopefully back in November!

K9sandFelines

Just had a Mr T delivery, stocked up on packed lunch offers that were ending and washing up liquid, conditioner and washing liquid that should last a good month or two, so won't need to order anything from the Cloud 9 lady. Colour shampoo and conditioner for me and DD (also on offer) and fridge bits. This came to £52.26

Also got few bits yesterday too. My cousin came to visit and needed some bits for her and her girls for tea. So, with the best off intentions, my purchase of fizzy water stretched to bread, 2 for £2 grapes, sandwich meat, eggs and can't remember what else. Receipt upstairs so will add that later or tomorrow; whenever i'm next about and can remember the spend.

Should only need bread, sandwich meat and milk to top up. Bought 12 pints last time as we went through it all in one go, this time it's hardly been touched. So i am going to have to start drinking it of a night, do some desserts with it, and egg custards etc, otherwise it will be wasted, and i've already had to chuck a 4pack of yoghurt as it was dated end of Sep, and didn't want to chance eating it to use up ... a few days out and i would have done, no problem..
Off to update sig.

islandhoppa

£12.38 top up shop in A!di, bread, milk, ham, cheese, wraps, veg and a small piece of lamb for a slow cooker stew one day this week

icontinuetodream

K9sandFelines wrote: »

Oh gosh it feels like as one door opens (as in my situation) another closes ( as in yours).pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start again next week re GC. Hope you find work again soon.

Thanks K9....in all fairness, its probably the best thing that's happened to me in a while and I am certainly not sad about it!!;)

Bought some mince yesterday which I have split into two, made a shepherds pie with one half - put in a couple of courgette and some green beans which were a freebie from my sis and using some really dodgy sweet potatoes and the insides of some spuds I baked yesterday as the topping and a massive pan of Bolognese which I have 'padded' out with tvp mince and lentils....used some of this to stuff the potato skins and put some grated cheese on top, and will freeze the rest to have at a later date....so lots of meals with a very small amount of mince!:D We will have the filled spuds tonight with a salad, the shepherds pie tomorrow and the Bolognese will be used straight from the freezer for quick meals when I cannot be ars*d to cook when I come home!!:rotfl: Very impressed with myself, I am in many ways a bit of a food snob and struggle with finding cheap ways to eat...was fine when vegan as didn't find it difficult, but now that I am not, it seems a great deal harder....guess it's just that I am re-learning how to cook with corpse in the menu!!:D

Nicky_Noo_Na

Hello all - its been about a month since I last posted - lovely extended holiday in the USA with much eating out has been enjoyed so now back on the homecooking!

I managed an amazingly low £28.60 in September as we only had one shop before hols.

October not so good, £100.66 spent so far. Quite high spends really but freezer was empty and needed filling. Was a bit more but included a birthday card and some chocs for xmas so they can come out of present money!

I've had a quick skim over the last few pages - everyne seems to be doing well, or at least trying to compensate after bad decisions have been made. We'll need to be good the next two shops, only £60 left in budget!

WantToBeSE

A NSD today Going to make a lovely Fish pie tonight, using what i already have in the freezer/cupboards. With a huge dollop of ketchup

Have kept to the budget really well so far, so i think i am going to reduce it by £5 next month

craigywv

sunset how did your brioche rolls go ,? mine are resting now and I will make them in morning. I shall let you know how they go thanks x