March 2014 Grocery Challenge

lynnejk

cinnamonpie wrote: »

Good morning, everyone!
Llynejk I really want to try out the butcher too. There are three in the next town along but to be honest, I have never ever been to a butcher's before and I am a little scared that all the different meat will be a bit overwhelming. I know it's stupid to be scared of a shop... :embarasse

Butchers are great. They actually know loads about their stuff. Suggest you go along when it's fairly quiet (probably when all the mums go to fetch sprogs from school) and pick the one that looks the most inviting.



Just decide to buy a couple of things such as a few sausages or some bacon and just point at what you like the look of.



Then ask something like 'What do you have to make a nice beef stew in the slow-cooker for four portions ?' Tell them if you like it really lean or not. They will show you and you can then ask them to cut it up ready for you. (I don't buy ready chopped stuff as like to see what I'm buying.



Do this a couple of times and try to get same butcher. Tell them what you liked/didn't like about their suggestions and they'll get used to what you like.



Good luck and pm (personal message - click on my name) if you want more help. You can check recipes at beginning of thread if you want some ideas what to ask for/buy
Lx

Faete

Wow page 9 already! :eek: I've some catch up reading to do!

I'd like to set March's budget at £300 please.

Fae xx

lushlifesaver

NSD yesterday :-) bf forgot to tell me he needs one of his cereal bars stocking up - we only have one left so that's tomorrow! Will nip to Iceland on my lunch as they are usually cheapest there

cinnamonpie

Good morning everyone!

Thanks so much for your post, lynnejk! That was really helpful. I think I will give it a go next week when I am in town and just ask for sausages. One of my friends swears that the only way to tell if a butcher is any good is by tasting their sausages :laugh: It's a great idea to buy a bigger piece of meat and have it cut down afterwards so you know what you get. Clever!

I have seen a few people were asking how to update their signature. I found out how to do this yesterday. You go to the green bar further up on the page and click on "User CP" and then scroll down to "Edit Signature".

redbooties

I'd like to set my monthly budget to £480 for March, thats £400 for food and £40 for toiletries and cleaning products and another £40 for pet food. Last month I came in just under my £500 budget so want to drop it by a little bit each month

Upsy_Staffordshire

My budget will run from 1st - 31st March. I think I will raise my budget slightly because our freezer isn't as full as it has been, so I will try for £190 please, which is for 2 adults. It seems like quite a lot but we could do with stocking up on things this month.

I'm going to try to continue making our own bread and cooking from scratch, and I might try to do some more baking.

Good luck everyone!

newthrift

Well I'm on wk2 of March (I'm running pay day to pay day which lands 15th of the month). Touch over each weekly set but half way through and £4 so not too bad. I think once I have got to week 4 I will wait and start beginning of month maybe. It's been easier than I thought so far, I think my main problem was over stocking and buying random stuff we didn't even need!

Need to have a read through the other pages as not been on for a week!

poppycracker

have to declare three small spends over the last week, before we go shopping today. £3.18, £2.09 and £4.16.

Coxy11

Hi all,

Budgets updated to here

Welcome to:
Luiem, Pippin12, Captain ladder and summer33:D

Good luck all.

Don't forget about the Aldi voucher in today's Daily Mirror. £5 off a £40 spend plus other discount vouchers :money:

Coxy

Ladyluck1

£4.55 spent in Mr M and Lidl
Got lots of dinners for the moth but not much lunches/snacks so will have to do another shop at weekend.
Anyone know much about cutting up a fresh chicken to freeze?
I go a whole one in Mr M Monday and cooked it, was lovely! So got Another tuesday night for £2.15 half price and 20% staff discount!
Can I freeze it on the bone raw? I doth want to cook it as I'll only be able to 'reheat' it once more iyswim
xx