January 2014 Grocery Challenge

First_Trouble

kiwiblue wrote: »

NSD today, that's 8 for the month so far.
Have examined my grocery receipt and have decided to tackle one item a week, and either find a cheaper alternative or make it myself. Should be an interesting challenge. This week is dog biscuits, so I made some using the leftover gravy from last nights roast as the base. It was a huge success. Next I am going to make water biscuits, so off to do some research!

Wow how did you make these my dog loves gravy bone biscuits. Usually buy them from P@H 1kg for £2.99 would be wonderful to make them instead.

First_Trouble

First_Trouble wrote: »

Also having a go at making a chinese fakeaway tonight. Chicken Chow Mein, Chinese Chicken Balls and Egg Fried Rice. I will let you know how it goes.

Have to say the chicken balls went down a treat if anyone wants to give it a go. I only used one chicken breast and it made alot.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2320661/chicken-balls

SilverSaloon

Like to join this. £480 per month, for 2 adults, 2 kids (and a dog)

This is based on our current spending, which I would like to get down. If i can get down to £100 a week eventually I'll be happy. Our plan is to start using a shopping list and cooking better home-cooked meals.

onthecatbus

It's going ok here.. after a few wobbles! I thought we'd gone completely OTT with spending but once I found the reciepts and worked it out it's not too bad at all!

We've managed 5 no spend days, I was hoping for another today but my husband woke up late for work and had no time to make lunch so will be buying something

Found some GREAT reduced things for the party, including an enormous gammon joint down from £32 to £8... we had fun trying to fit that in the freezer lol!

lynnsey30

£43.18 so far still got a few bits to get but should be under budget this week

Upsy_Staffordshire

First_Trouble wrote: »

Have to say the chicken balls went down a treat if anyone wants to give it a go. I only used one chicken breast and it made alot.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2320661/chicken-balls

Thanks for this, my OH loves chicken balls so might give this a go next time he is craving a takeaway!

Only had 1 slice of chicken left after making sandwiches for OH to take to work last night so we walked to the little T3sco to pick up some ham. Got some ham and also a YS pepperoni pizza reduced from about £3.50 to 99p to put in the freezer. The ham was labelled as £1.50 when I picked it up but was scanning at the self-service machine as being £2. I paid the £2.99 total anyway and was going to leave but I decided that for once I would go and tell someone the price was wrong. The lady checked and saw that it was coming through as the wrong price, but she was struggling to put it through the till and ended up giving me £1 back instead of 50p, saying it was their fault anyway! So the pizza and ham came to just £1.99 altogether, not bad! :j

Got half of a YS chicken, mushroom and garlic lattice defrosting in the fridge for tonight to have with some mash and veg

XSpender

Went off meal plan last night and had sausages and hash browns from the freezer with a tin of beans instead of store cupboard chilli as we ate later than usual. I had planned to start the chilli when I got in but DS was tired after nursery and being a pest and when DH got in I took the dog out to get some exercise.

I have put some chicken in the fridge to defrost today as per the meal plan but think I will substitute it for pasta bake and garlic bread. The chicken probably wont be defrosted by the time I get in anyway and I don’t fancy the meal I was going to make with it. I was doing so well with the meal plan recently too.

I haven’t done any more shopping; I’m still on £67 out of a teeny tiny budget for us of £130. My month started on 30th Dec and will run until 31st Jan so it is going to be tight. I have everything in for meals next week but may require a fruit and bread top up mid week.

I have meal planned next week and my shopping list comes to just under £20. If I can bring it in at that I may just hit my budget. It will be amazing if I do as we must have been spending £130 a week when I took my eye off the ball.

I still need to list the outside freezer and big food cupboard. I saw 2 jars of Thai green curry sauce last night in there so that will need to go on the meal plan at some point.

Magpye

NSD yesterday - in fact got £4 back on a candle jar from Sains which I had bought for our front room, but when I took off the sellotape holding on the packaging, all the colour peeled off. Oh well, a bit richer today.

Stovies are on in the slow cooker for tonight as I am off to the dentist soon :eek: Hope it isn't going to need root canal as he thought but is just a simple procedure. I hate getting anaesthetic.

The cat appears to have a condition called 'rolling back' which is a skin allergy caused either by wheat or salmon. She's picking out her fur so will need to switch her to grain free food - more expense.

Recipe for gluten free flour tortillas (makes 6 approx)

2 cups plain GF flour
1 tsp xanthan gum (only if flour mix does not already include this)
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp crushed maldon sea salt
4 tsp vegetable oil
1 cup warm water approx body temp, 37 degrees c

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients well. Add oil and stir in to combine. Add the water in a slow steady stream,stirring as you do so to ensure it is incorporated.
Once water is added, press together dough with wet hands. Divide into 6 equal pieces and roll each piece between two sheets of parchment/plastic wrap until 1/3 cm thick and 20 cm wide.
Heat a non stick or cast iron frying pan. When hot, place each tortilla, one at a time, flat into the pan, cooking for 45-60 seconds on first side (should char slightly) and then flip and cook for 30-45 seconds on the other side. Try not to overcook as they will not be flexible if you do.
Use while still warm. They can be reheated for 30 seconds in the microwave (book suggests surrounding them in a moistened paper towel if you do this).

mumker

Just checking in with some more spends this week - £36.15 in Aldi and £12.04 in Tesco. Going to try and use what's in the freezer/store cupboards over the next week or so to try and curb my spending!

BlueMoo

Can not find that post for the life of me I'm afraid about meal planning and mixing up meals.
Oh well!

*****

Supper of fillet steak, potatoes dauphinoise with creamy gralic peas. (Mon)

Supper of pasta bake with siciliano sauce and a bit of cheddar.
(Tues)

*****
£16.07 left of Grocery budget.

May well have to go over due to OH's being off work for the next couple of weeks with back pain and surgery.

So, afraid I will probably have to bow out of the challenge for this month, especially with increased expenditure on petrol, hospital parking, etc. etc.

However, will still be following the thread and posting bits and bobs, but budget is most likely a write off.

*****

Last night, shopping for OH - biscuits, milk, bread, fruit, crisps, snacks etc.
5.93 spent.

*****

Going to make the use of the weekend to try and prepare as much as possible for the next week. Needs to be stuff that's easy to reheat, as OH is not very mobile at all.