February 2014 Grocery Challenge

bmma

today's spend £9.80
Feb's running total £52.35/£200
NSD'S 3

spendinglikemad

Another NSD for me today, sandwich and pasta for lunch.....hope everyone has an enjoyable valentines day

SLM

nmlc

Afternoon everyone

I'm not signed up for the GC but do it on my own and keep a record of the spends. Realised this last month that we're spending way too much - so have started my month today and been to do the normal food shop, and also been to visit the Butcher – where I did a bulk meat purchase. It feels like I’ve spent a lot of the budget – but there’s way more than 1 week’s worth of meat so hoping it will even itself out over the month. I spent £43.73 at the Butchers and for that I got –

2 x 1.5lbs of beef – that the butcher kindly cubed up ready for use.
6 huge skinless boneless chicken breasts – 3 cubed will easily make a large casserole/curry dish for us 4
4 bags with 4 pork loins in each bag
1 bag with 3 pork loins
12 butchers pork sausages
3 lincolnshire sausages
2 x 454g packs of smoked bacon

I’m pleased with my purchase – I think it was better value for money than the SM meat – which I’ve really gone off buying – it seems really expensive and not very good quality any more.

I’m hoping that I can build up a stock of meat like this so I can then batch cook so I can then have some nights where I just need to re-heat a HM ready made meal.

I then did a general grocery food shop – using 2 of the big shops – so now have a packed fridge, freezer and storecupboard – so will see how we go this month.

Have a great Friday

nmlc x

Coxy11

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days. We are off on holiday tonight - taking the Scouts skiing - so lots of planning and shopping and packing....

Welcome to:
happybunny86, mrs wannabe frugal and happysinglemum

Will be checking in via the eyepad from time to time next week. The March thread will probably be up before I return home so if you want to post your budget on there please do so in red and bold so I can spot it.

Cheers all
Coxy

cw18

back from my 'round the houses' grocery shop (somewhere around 5 miles on foot, so I get to burn off loads of calories at the same time :T)

£3.63 at Mr A (peppers, asparagus and a tin of kidney beans) - only a small store they took over from Nett0, so they didn't have two other items I'd hoped to get there as they were cheaper than elsewhere

£2.35 at Mr T (2.5kg baby potatoes and a tin of cannellini beans)

£13.55 at A1di (75p on bread, £1.25 on bacon, and £1,59 on ham for butties - the rest was all veg for the next 3 days)

59p at Mr M.

Going to have to go back out though. Wanted a Savers punnet of mushrooms from Mr M and they didn't have any:( I wasn't prepared to pay what they wanted for the ones in store, so I shall have to go back to A!di (same price per kg but twice the size container - happy to use slightly more in the chicken casserole, and if told he can have them DS1 will polish off the rest so at least it'll boost his f&v count for 1 day )

Also spent 40p on a length of elastic so I can recover a skirt (waist elastic's given completely, but there's nothing else wrong with the skirt and it's one I'll wear regularly so well worth the effort of changing it ), but that's not from this budget.


Off to start making soups for the weekend now..... red pepper and tomato for tonight (before pork steaks and a plate full of veg - discovered I've no venison steaks left in the freezer), then lentil and bacon or potato and leek (found a version without any cream or milk in - good for me as I'm lactose intolerant) tomorrow and the other on Sunday.

First_Trouble

ikesmummy wrote: »

Trying frozen corn on the cobs for the first time today (with LO Pizza from Saturday). Never really done much frozen veg before apart from peas and sweetcorn but will be nice if I can have a slightly larger selection on frozen veg which can be tucked away for emergencies a well as planned meals. Which frozen veg would you all recommend??

I would recommend sliced green beans, sliced peppers & brussell sprouts. I always have the sliced versions in the freezer as you can add them straight from the freezer into what you are cooking. Magic!

First_Trouble

BMG wrote: »

These are the quantities of meat items I have in the freezer at present



16 sausages
700g minced beef
500g minced lamb/mutton

2 lamb steaks

5 chicken breasts
8 thin pork chops


Thanks for the help you are giving me. I would like to not have to shop next week if possible

You could do

Sausage casserole - Sausages cut into bite size pieces with some stock, herbs and whatever veg you have laying around.

Mince and potatoes - Mince fried off with a stock cube, herbs, an onion, and veg with boiled potatoes

Stuffed chicken breast - Slice a deepish hole into the chicken and stuff with cheese. Wrap in ham or bacon if you have any.

pinkparrott

This must Be the first day in ages that's a nsd :j. That's thanks to everyone on here. With budgeting and meal planning I think we might just stick to the budget , which I,m pleased about as although my budget was generous I think we normally spend more and I,m still fairly stocked up so hopefully will get ahead for next month.

Pasta bake with garlic bread and salad for tea and a treat of a cheap bottle of fizzfor valentines ( prosecco not champers )

katkin

NSD for me too. I've stocked up the cupboards and freezer so it'll be mostly fresh things that'll need bought.

I bought a meat pack from a local butchers (who delivered it for free and threw in freebies too!). It's all from farms nearby and free-range. If all works to plans I should be able to get 28 dinners for 2 from it. Cost £50. It includes joints of meat, mince, stew beef and lamb, sausages and a med chicken, stir fry beef and turkey strips too.

I've just had a go at making washing powder and handwash soap. The first load of laundry is on testing it out now. Fingers crossed it comes out ok.

First_Trouble

This month has now gone to pot. Dog has to go into the vets as he has injured his back leg which means the last of the money for the food budget will likely be used to pay for that. We have some food in the fridge and freezer but not sure how far it will stretch until pay day 28th Feb. Saving grace is that I am visiting family in Lake District for the last week so DH only has to feed himself. Will do a stock take over the weekend, i may have to post some on here for meal ideas. I also think I used the last of the meat last week :eek: DH will not be amused that he may be forced to eat veggie food. He is an out and out carnivore.

Thinking that next month I may do a stock up shop from my local butchers as have just found out that they deliver although min spend is £100. This amount of meat should last us ages meaning that I can significantly cut the budget and stock up on cupboards basics and maybe a few treats.