October 2014 Grocery Challenge

Smoosh

£25.64 spent on a 4 person pasta carbonara (YS, has been portioned and frozen), BBQ chicken pasta bake (YS), chorizo in red wine (YS), 3x packets of feta & cream cheese bites with tomato & balsamic dip (YS), packet of chicken fillets (YS), packet of smoked salmon flakes (YS), 2 chicken breasts in arrabiata sauce (YS), 2x boxes of sweet & sour chicken with egg fried rice (YS), saffron cake pudding (YS), a tub of houmous (YS), a chicken chorizo wrap (YS), pack of halloween cookies (YS), box of chunky chips (YS), a sausage casserole (YS), a coconut lime & chilli chicken wrap (YS), 2x sweet potato & goats cheese pies (YS), a pot of tomato & mascarpone pasta (YS), packet of turkey fillets (YS), 2x tubs of chipotle pasta sauce (YS), about 8 days worth of cat food, pack of sliced mushrooms (YS), pack of thyme (YS), 4 pints of milk, bag of spinach (YS), 4 organic limes (YS), 2 sultana scones (YS), a ploughmans cob (YS), a ciabatta loaf (YS), a bag of pepper stir fry (YS), a bag of vegetable stir fry (YS), 2x tubs of prepared watermelon (YS), 2x tubs of apple plum & grapes with a pot of blackcurrant & elderflower drizzle, a tub of coleslaw (YS), 6 litres of Pepsi max, 6 eggs, a cooking pumpkin (for pie ) and a roasted vegetable flatbread.

The cat food was what made the shop more expensive!

We defrosted and rearranged the freezer and I made an inventory So our plan for this evening is to work with what we've got and come up with a meal plan, maybe buying some sauces/vegetables etc. to make what we have into meals

K9sandFelines

£9.64 spent today between Morris*ns, the C*-*p and One St*p.

Solstice_3

tumptyteapot wrote: »

Is this from the Hugh FW book? I was thinking of making it this week, it looks delicious!

Yes it is, I've made it a couple of times before it is yummy I am halving the recipe to serve 2 of us as it's not so nice reheated. Should be enough for the children as well with some sides.

Quick question - I have a lamb bone with some stubborn meat on it, I want to make a soup out of it, do I just chuck the bone in with the ingredients I choose and simmer?

maria3104

CH27 wrote: »

Meal plan for the week.

Today - Roast chicken, roasties & lots of veg.
Monday - Chicken & leek pie.
Tuesday - Chicken, spuds & veg.
Wednesday - Chilli & rice.
Thursday - Bangers & mash.
Friday - Cheesey bean jacket spuds.
Saturday - Lamb curry.

I have never got to grips with menu planning. This is making me fancy having a go at it. I just stumble from day to day.

Mrs_Cheshire

Meal plan is
today, beef stew and rolls at a harvest service and billionaires cheesecake (£4 for a huge one from c**p, will do another 3 puds for hubby and me )
Monday cauliflower and butternut squash curry with rice
tuesday Fishcakes
weds bbq pulled pork, wedges and corn on the cob
thurs garlic mushroom & balsamic chicken with pasta
then I'm at my parents and mum will be cooking

lynnejk

Hiya everyone

maria3104 wrote: »

I have never got to grips with menu planning. This is making me fancy having a go at it. I just stumble from day to day.

I have never really got to grips with meal planning either except sometimes a couple of days or at the weekend. Also we both work varying hours every week and cannot often eat together in the week and every other weekend


I tend to buy lots of YS stuff and make something up from this.


I bulk buy things like mince and casserole beef and make up loads of things like mince in gravy, Chilli/bean mince, Bolognese and Moussaka base.


I do the same with chicken portions and make chicken curries, coq au vin, French chicken or Sweet & sour.


If I buy a joint/whole chicken/ham - it's a large one and I make lo into portions for more roast dinners or to add to soups etc.


I make quite a lot of soup, especially in the winter, and freeze in portions.


I also like to try to buy seasonal vegetables when available.


I have a good stock cupboard with stuff like various rice, cous-cous, polenta and pasta.


So most of the time all we have to do is decide what we would like and make it up on the day. The only things I tend to buy and eat the same day is liver and definitely anything from the sea !!


Today we had salmon fillets, courgette, asparagus (I know it's out of season but treat for DH) and hollandaise sauce


I now have Beef Bourguignon in the SC (4 portions) which will go in the freezer and tomorrow will make SC Beef Stifado (4 portions) - 2 portions for Tuesday (both here for dinner) and 2 for the freezer.


Went butcher's yesterday and spent £62.91 but that come out of bulk buy money as easier than trying to divvy up monthly exps. and that money is left overs from monthly budgets anyway.


Went shopping today.
Morrys = £19.24
Li*l = £2.90
Al*i = £20.39
Home Bags = £6.56
So total for today = £49.09.


We are getting a bit close to budget now but have plenty in except milk, fruit and a little veg next weekend hopefully. So still hoping to make it fingers xd. Sorry long post


Hope you all have a magical Monday
Lx

MrsSave

Just updating October so far. Less left than I'd like, so purse strings are being pulled very tight for the rest of the month! £125.27 spent, leaving just under £35 for 2 weeks of shopping. Too many treats have crept in this month!!

Solstice_3

Morning all

20/10 NSD (7)

Going out to the park today and then back home again, nice to be able to go to the park without worrying about fitting in a trip to the shops as well.

joedenise

We popped out yesterday to sort out our new phone contracts (we've gone Sim only so much cheaper!) and whilst out there was a farmer's market type of thing going on in the shopping centre with lots of artisan bakers, greengrocers, local wine makers etc so we had a few samples and ended up buying 3 bottles of chilli sauces - 1 mild, 1 medium & 1 hot as they were so nice. So an unplanned spend of £10 but not unaffordable from the budget.

GC now stands at £148.99/£250 with only one more shop to do before payday.

Denise

rosieben

Solstice_3 wrote: »

... Quick question - I have a lamb bone with some stubborn meat on it, I want to make a soup out of it, do I just chuck the bone in with the ingredients I choose and simmer?

yes that will be fine Solstice, the meat will fall off the bone as it simmers