February 2014 Grocery Challenge

Ladyluck1

BMG have you got a slow cooker?
Takes the stress out of my life most days!
I cook so much in there;
Currys; just pop meat in, some curry paste, any veggies you like and a tad of stock cook for 6-8hrs depending on if meat was frozen. Add coconut milk an hour before the end eta SORRY RE READ ABOUT ABOUT EATING CURRY!
Spag Bol: bung it all in and leave for 6 ish hours doesn't need quite as much liquid as it doesn't evaporate but does cook down to be rich.
Stews: again easy, meat, stock veggies, herbs and maybe some gravy powder at the end to thicken. Could also do a sausage stew/casserole like this.
Pasta sauces
Chicken/beef stroganoff

Rachiedabbler70

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??

Hi I would recommend frozen green beans, broccoli, sprouts, peppers and onions. I use peppers for pizzas, fajitas and stir fries and onions for the usual base for tomato sauces and to fry with hot dogs. I steam the beans, broccoli and sprouts otherwise they go a bit soggy if boiled. Hope this helps.:)

BMG wrote: »

I have just had some bad news that I am going to have to find £1000+ from somewhere.
I need to cut my budget on everything as far as I can as quick as I can.


I am struggling to make cheap hearty meals. I have never been one for preparing a meal plan for a week ahead and I am struggling to come up with meals.


Breakfast and lunch are the same most days just with different fillings on the sandwich


Dinners I have problems with. I am allergic to fish and shell fish. OH is allergic to curry of any description. Neither of us eat many vegetables apart from cauliflower, broccoli, peas and sweetcorn

Sorry to hear you are not feeling great and about the £1000. There have been some great meal ideas already so I won't repeat, but when you run out of food I thought I would share what I do when I am at my most squeezed financially and want to make quick food. I tend to go for easy meals, such as stir fries - chicken chow mein, pork in oyster sauce, jacket potatoes with all kinds of fillings (Beans and cheese, tuna, savoury mince), omelette, soup and bread, all day breakfast or stew (slow cooked whilst I'm at work). Pasta and rice are very cheap and making your own dough for pizzas and garlic breads really cuts down the cost. I'd also recommend making your own naans and wraps as they cost pence to make. Hoping you feel better soon.:)

Ches

NSD again for me. :j

Florenceem

NSD here.
I used a new recipe tonight - Veggie Pie - cooked veg were added to a cheese/onion white sauce - it was yummy. I did so much veg - made a large and small pie - so 12 portions - cost of pie - £2.79 - 24p portion Anyone want recipe - I will tell you where I found it.
We had the pie with HM wedges + roasted red pepper, red onion, tomatoes, celery, white onion.
I also made a jam tart with some HM SC pastry from the freezer.

islandhoppa

£7.08 in Ald! and £2.49 in Mr M, just a top up really of bread, milk fruit and veg plus crisps to keep the troops happy, hoping for 4 NSDs now:)

craigywv

JUST BACK FROM MR T cant believe how expensive it is .spent 29.00 and carried it all in a shopping bag! got bag of frozen chicken pieces,pack of sausages and 2 packs of ham, that's it for meat so the rest was fruit and veg! and a box of cereal. coffee I got at Christmas in asda for 4.00 was 6.88 tonight for a smaller jar that's some jump! I mentioned to lady at till how expensive it was she whispered "I don't even shop in here"..................says it all! think I shall be back to lidls next week as the price of fruit in mr t will have us all getting scurvy come summer!

Make-it-3

The Lidl spend from the weekend found and an emergency dash for milk today leaves me with £153.55/£200.

Pixie_Fairydust

BlueGreen - good luck with the wedding and have a lovely honeymoon. Hope you are very happy together.

CherryPie wrote: »

Does everyone know that there is a Poundshop online now:
http://www.hereforapound.com/?gclid=CLTV_r_qwbwCFQgOwwodek8A2Q
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Thanks for the link, I'm signed up!

Florenceem wrote: »

NSD here.
I used a new recipe tonight - Veggie Pie - cooked veg were added to a cheese/onion white sauce - it was yummy. I did so much veg - made a large and small pie - so 12 portions - cost of pie - £2.79 - 24p portion Anyone want recipe - I will tell you where I found it.
We had the pie with HM wedges + roasted red pepper, red onion, tomatoes, celery, white onion.

Could I have the recipe and/or link please?

Thanks.

Pix
xx

FrugalLina

Florenceem wrote: »

NSD here.
I used a new recipe tonight - Veggie Pie - cooked veg were added to a cheese/onion white sauce - it was yummy. I did so much veg - made a large and small pie - so 12 portions - cost of pie - £2.79 - 24p portion Anyone want recipe - I will tell you where I found it.

That pie looks and sounds really good, I think from your description I could wing it, or something pretty similar - thanks for the idea!

meg72

Soworried wrote: »

Thankyou Meg, I'll give it a try :T

Its always worth a try if it works. great.if it dosent .then we know not to do it again, win win.