May 2014 Grocery Challenge

PennyGrabber

Well done Luiem!

I had a close call nsd today. Still need dog food and loo rolls, so wanted to go to @sda and ffoods but really couldn't be bothered!! Was out taking dd to brownies, so was going to combine trips, but I've saved it for another day now... Prob thurs as that's when ch will be with their dad.

We had spag bol from the freezer tonight: bulk cooking makes weekday dinners so much easier!

Beef is in the fridge overnight, will be put into slow cooker tom am with mushrooms, stock, onions and a splodge of tom pur!e, to be braised beef. I'll have the mushrooms as the ch don't like them, which means that the meat goes further. Gert lush!

Nsd tom as a long day at work. Bills to pay, but not grocery related.

I haven't organised what we're having over the weekend yet - that'll be my job with the children tomorrow evening. I'll feel a bit less floopy then, I think.

Night all,

PG x

cw18

Finally added my spends from Thursday to my spreadsheet (so I can accurately update my signature), and also added spends from Friday. Now 42% of the way through the month and 57% of the way through my budget :eek:

Saturday, Sunday, Monday and today have thankfully been total NSDs.


Spent a good couple of hours this afternoon revisiting my meal plans, as DS starts back on night shifts next Monday meaning he wants feeding 7 days a week instead of 7 days a fortnight (gets 'decent nosh' at work on day shifts, but just a butty and bag of crisps if he's lucky on nights). As I'm desperate to use up as much as I can from my freezers I had earmarked days when I was only catering for myself for using up fish (he doesn't like) and things I only have single portions of, and really wanted to find a way of sticking to using those up. So with some jiggery-pokery I've managed to work it so that some days we have different protein sources but the same carbs and veg to minimise the number of pans/hob rings I need to use

So the rest of the month now looks like this

14th (me) : Qu0rn Swedish Meatballs with pasta and sauce
15th (me) : Pasty with potatoes (baby new or chips) and veg
16th (me) : Breaded fish/poultry (freezer bag not marked as to which ), potatoes & veg
17th (me, DS & OH and OH's niece) : [strike]Pork Steaks, potatoes & veg[/strike] mince and onion, peas and sweetcorn with mash
18th : youngest GDs christening, so we'll be eating at the buffet

19th (me & DS1) : Wild Boar & Apple Sausages / Pork & Bramley Apple Sausages, potatoes and veg
20th (me & DS1) : Boil in bag fish in butter sauce, rice and veg / Enchilladas
21st (me & DS1) : Frying Steak (either made into stroganoff or with chips)
22nd (me & DS1) : Spag Bol (from freezer - made ?)
23rd (me & DS1) : Tuna Pasta (uses tinned toms and frozen peas & sweetcorn)
24th (me & OH & DS1) : Salmon / Beef and Black Pepper Sausages, baby potatoes & veg
25th (me & DS1) : Beef Stew [strike](from freezer, made ?)[/strike] (needs making from stewing steak in freezer)

26th (me & DS1) : [strike]Cottage Pie[/strike] Spicy Chicken Strips, Chips
27th (me & DS1) : Burgers with veg and chips or jacket or baby new
28th (me & DS1) : trout with ? / Macaroni Casserole (mince & pasta dish)
29th (me & DS1) : Qu0rn Lamb Grillsteak with jacket and veg / Bacon & Egg
30th (me & DS1) : Breaded fish/poultry (freezer bag not marked as to which ) / Breaded Turkey Steak, potatoes & veg
31st (me, DS1 & OH) : Traditional Pork Sausages, potatoes & veg


(and I've actually planned through to the end of June!)

lynnejk

lushlifesaver wrote: »

First part of the shopping (market and Lidl) done and I have spent £12.64.
For my money I got:
Lidl 6x rosted veg cous cous
Market: pineapple, 2 punnets blackberries, 3 packs of blueberries, 1lb mushrooms, 1lb sweet cherries, 7 large satsumas, big bag of green grapes and a whole cucumber plus a couple of other bits I can't remember as we'vee already dropped it all off at the parents house!

Gosh - it would cost me nearly double that here in Fife :eek: We only have a farmer's market once a month and the prices are outrageous

Billie-jo wrote: »

Managed to get Nigel Slater's kitchen diaries II in the library today so will be taking that off to bed with me tonight to look through.

Love his recipes - often use them from the internet


We had easy meal today of corned beef, toms, coleslaw and chippy chips as the kitchen is out of commission due to decorating. Actually really enjoyed it for a change


Hope you all have a super Wednesday
Lx

Ellie_BB

Just tallied up and am on 197.46. Am missing one receipt, but think that was all bd bits (cards etc) so outside budget. Should be celebrating as (even tho 8 days left of my month) looks like it's going to be my lowest month AND I stocked up on some bits like dog food. But.... my personal challenge was to stay out of overdraft all month, which I knew was gonna be tricky because off debt repayments. Am juggling things round trying to squeak thro, but realistically I don't think it's going to happen unless I borrow from the bill account until my expenses go in

x_raphael_xx

So far no spends. Monday and Tuesday have gone past without a single penny spent
Need to nip to the grocers tomorrow thou, need lettuce and mushrooms, and I fancy some fruit, shouldn't be too expensive.
Came home from work to find OH had finished off the spaghetti, so my planned spag bol for my lunch tomorrow will have to be done with pasta twists instead :undecided

Coxy11

Hi all,


Budgets updated to here :-)


Welcome x_raphael_xx :-D


Ches and elsiepac - come back soon :-D


Plodding along with 10 days to go. Not sure what we are having this evening - possibly sweet and sour chicken with noodles although will have to buy the noodles !! I'm gardening today so will pop to Co-op before the afternoon school run.


Need to meal plan for the remainder of May's GC - just need to have a word with myself and actually do it!!!


Off to update sig. Have a good day all.
Coxy

just_the_two_of_us

Just in to report a spend in HB last night and in Mr S YS chicken and turkey. Also been to Mr Al*i for 8 am opening this morning. I knew it was quiet because the row of small trolleys extended to by the door!!! I can recommend going at that time if you want a peaceful shop - wel to our local one anyway!!

Signature updated.

Keep up the good work everyone.

bmma

spend today of £1.15
total todate £154.94/£250.00p
2nsd's

x_raphael_xx

Coxy11 wrote: »

Welcome x_raphael_xx :-D

Thanks for having me

£2.62 spent at the grocers, got an iceburg lettuce, 6 mushys, 1 huge jacket potato, 2 apples and a handful of cherries for that. Very pleased.

Stuffed from a prawn ifits curry, I'm working nights today, so tend to have tea at lunchtime, and lunch at teatime :P taking a chicken and cheese bagette in for my break.

MandM90

Just did an entire weeks shop in Lidl for £31, including toilet paper, cat food, a 7.5kg bag of potatoes, a 5kg bag of onions and a couple of treats! Very happy girlie!