May 2014 Grocery Challenge

pablakeman

Slightly off-topic, but I see a lot of 'complaints' about OH on here not completing the shop properly, buying extras etc...

I am currently a student but moving in with my girlfriend come September and I know I will be doing the shopping. I said if she ever goes can she keep the receipt so I can note down the spending, and she said "every single time? why do you need to know everything you spend?".

I bit my tongue!!

Happygreen

Had a NS weekend but will have to go into Lidl's today for one of their kitchen specials. And although I thought we were well stocked also have to get some food staples I've run out of during the weekend. I decided not to include costs for a rare day out or home electricals in the budget. For me finding out about my shopping habits is to find out about the running costs of groceries. I don't throw much away of what I buy. Occasionally I forget about something someone else bought or made me buy, then it's not in my headspace....Generally - what I buy I cook and we eat. I don't know if I could save money shopping differently (I never manage to stick to a list) but that's why I'm on this thread

Winged_one

I have just gulped loudly in the coffee shop, as I pressed send on an internet shopping order for the weekend coming. We have first communion on Saturday, including lots of visitors, and 3 who have now decided to stay until late on Sunday so need roast dinner. To reduce hassle, I have done it by internet this week, to deliver fri night, but it means that I already know it's going to cost me over €220.

It includes 8 bottles of wine and some beer, as we are all out. A big beef joint and plenty of root veggies. Loads of cooked meats and bread for various lots of sambos, and biscuits for inevitable cups of tea. And 2 bags of fresh pasta for an easy dinner sat night if we need it and the next week while OH and au pair are both away, and I deal with DD alone.

The following week should be a lot less, a LOT less. But I will probably still need a few bits to keep me going then too. Sigh, food rally has gone up a lot recently.

Solstice_3

Feeling inspired by you guys :j My cupboards, fridge and freezer are practically empty but this is a good thing! I've emptied, sorted and cleaned my cupboards (all 2 of them, not tackled the baking cupboard) and added 2 meals to this week's menu to use up some meal kits and noted down some dry goods to use. I've gone through my freezer (which needs a good clean!) and written down everything to use up - I need some help with this please. Just want to get it as empty as possible by Thursday (payday) so I can clean it and fill it up again. Not tackled the fridge yet but that just needs a clean really.

I could do with some help with these items to be used up if you could

-Bananas (about 14 whole ones, brown!) Not too keen on banana bread but might make one loaf for DH and DS.
-Mystery Stock, I think it's ham? Can I just make a minestrone soup? I want to try out my Orzo pasta ^_^
-Cooking apples, any nice, easy pudding recipes other than crumble you can recommend?
-Gooseberries (1lb) was going to make jam but not so sure as got given a hamper of homemade goodies for Christmas and on a diet (supposedly). Any nice, easy puddings that uses a lb of gooseberries?

Oh and I have some Quinoa and it's supposed to be rinsed apparently but my sieve is not fine enough, what do you guys do with yours, do you rinse or just cook?

Sorry lots of questions, hope you don't mind x

Thank you :beer:

MandM90

Solstice_3 wrote: »

Feeling inspired by you guys :j My cupboards, fridge and freezer are practically empty but this is a good thing! I've emptied, sorted and cleaned my cupboards (all 2 of them, not tackled the baking cupboard) and added 2 meals to this week's menu to use up some meal kits and noted down some dry goods to use. I've gone through my freezer (which needs a good clean!) and written down everything to use up - I need some help with this please. Just want to get it as empty as possible by Thursday (payday) so I can clean it and fill it up again. Not tackled the fridge yet but that just needs a clean really.

I could do with some help with these items to be used up if you could

-Bananas (about 14 whole ones, brown!) Not too keen on banana bread but might make one loaf for DH and DS.
-Mystery Stock, I think it's ham? Can I just make a minestrone soup? I want to try out my Orzo pasta ^_^
-Cooking apples, any nice, easy pudding recipes other than crumble you can recommend?
-Gooseberries (1lb) was going to make jam but not so sure as got given a hamper of homemade goodies for Christmas and on a diet (supposedly). Any nice, easy puddings that uses a lb of gooseberries?

Oh and I have some Quinoa and it's supposed to be rinsed apparently but my sieve is not fine enough, what do you guys do with yours, do you rinse or just cook?

Sorry lots of questions, hope you don't mind x

Thank you :beer:

Re: Quinoa; I usually just cook but you could use a pair of clean tights

Brown bananas get frozen to be mashed into cakes when I don't have eggs, or to be bunged in porridge or smoothies.

Mrs_T_M

Solstice_3 wrote: »

-Bananas (about 14 whole ones, brown!) Not too keen on banana bread but might make one loaf for DH and DS.
-Mystery Stock, I think it's ham? Can I just make a minestrone soup? I want to try out my Orzo pasta ^_^
-Cooking apples, any nice, easy pudding recipes other than crumble you can recommend?
-Gooseberries (1lb) was going to make jam but not so sure as got given a hamper of homemade goodies for Christmas and on a diet (supposedly). Any nice, easy puddings that uses a lb of gooseberries?

Oh and I have some Quinoa and it's supposed to be rinsed apparently but my sieve is not fine enough, what do you guys do with yours, do you rinse or just cook?

Bananas - if you have a blender, you can add them to smoothies - fresh or frozen - to make them thicker, and if you have a food processor (or a really good blender) peel them, freeze them and use them to make banana 'ice cream.' You can add different flavourings too, like cocoa powder, vanilla extract, etc.

Mystery stock - as long as you're sure it's stock, use it in anything that calls for stock.

Cooking apples - can also be used in smoothies, can be frozen for later use, or can be made into applesauce. I love applesauce with a bit of cinnamon straight from the fridge, so that's what most of my apples go towards! Just peel them, core them, chop them up, and add them to a slow cooker with about half a mug of water and cook them on low for 4-5 hours. Squish them with a potato masher or use a hand blender to get it really smooth. You can also cook them on the hob, just keep an eye on it because I'm not sure of the cooking time for that. You can also just have 'stewed' apples. Sliced apples, bit of butter, bit of brown sugar (or white sugar and molasses or black treacle), and a bit of cinnamon and possibly some ground nutmeg and ground cardamom. Stewed apples are fantastic with ice cream (or the banana 'ice cream' mentioned above!).

Gooseberries - no clue, sorry!

Quinoa - I never rinse mine (then again, I never rinse my rice either). Just cook it like you would rice, maybe a bit longer. It's really good cooked in chicken broth or beef broth, and it will take on the flavour of what is put into it.

Hope that helps!

bmma

spends £ 150.27/£250.00p
2 NSD'S
off to catch up with the posts x

mountainash_2

Well, not going fantastically for my first month! Didn't have chance to update last week, but my first week went OK. Slightly over my £50 budget, but not too bad. Thought I would be able to still come in on budget for the month. Had forgotten when I started this that my DS2 had his birthday this weekend just gone and was having a party! Needless to say, my £50 weekly budget was completly blown! Have just checked the spreadsheet I keep with all my budgeting on and think I might be able to pull it back if I have a very lean week this week. Luckily, when I nipped into the shop last night for school lunch items for DS1, I was just on reductions time and managed to get two packs of super posh pasta for 21p each which should do for me & DH on the two days I work and we don't have to feed the DSs. Then I found two large packets of turkey breast steaks for £1.89 each. I think between them there will be enough for 3-4 meals for all of us and, with turkey being like chicken and quite plain, I can do them all really different so the chaps wont even notice we are having the same meat each night! Hurrah! Then hopefully, back on track for next week.

Feel much more positive having written out this post! I can still do this!

Crowdpleaser

10.34 spent in aldo today on fruit n veg and cheerios. Big mr a shop being click n collected tomorrow. Its there last chance to get it right or im back to mr t! Lol. Will def be over this month as didnt factor in its 5 weeks for me x

Ladyluck1

£20.11 spent over coop and lidl.
Got lots of food in now