December 2014 Grocery Challenge

Bobarella

NewShadow wrote: »

Would this last you till the new year?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-Marmite-Large-Tubs-600g-Catering-Size-New-Stock-Long-Sell-By-Date-/201228582487

Free postage

holy cow that is amazing. Thanks so much!

Bobarella

Hi All

Quidsy - I would join Costco but it's no where near me and we don't have a car anymore so a bit of a tricky one.

Carbootcrazy -I find anytime after 5pm is good. For example today I got a luxury tesco pizza for 56p from £2.35 finest coleslaw for 91p from £1.21. A Fresh leek & potato soup for 17p instead of £1.68 . A loaf for 22p originally 75p, 2 packs of Kingsmill white 6 rolls for 15p each instead of £1 each. A ham & cheese sandwich for 89p from £2.10 for husbands lunchbox. A ham and cheese sub roll for 48p from £2.30. If I'd paid full price it would have cost £12.60 instead of £3.50 (£9.10 cheaper) I would say over 70% of my shopping is now YS & I definately meal plan using YS items.

NewShadow

Can anyone help me with wholewheat couscous? I normally just throw in a stock cube, but its always more bland filler than something i really enjoy.

I want to make 4 days worth for lunches - maybe 300g cooked.

First question - Roughly how much is that dry? I want a fairly firm end result, but never know how much i need to how much water.

Second, any recommendation to flavour just using store cupboard items - nothing fresh. I'm happy to 'cook' on the weekend and eat cold, or make up from a dry mix at work.

I've got packs of dried mixed veg that will rehydrate as the couscous cooks - basic cubed carrot, peas and the like. I've got tins of mixed bean salad, tins of toms, loads of frozen onions, and a cupboard full of spices.

Will likely be eaten for lunches next week with boiled eggs, beetroot, and gherkins (my latest addiction).

WantToBeSE

NewShadow wrote: »

Can anyone help me with wholewheat couscous? I normally just throw in a stock cube, but its always more bland filler than something i really enjoy.

I want to make 4 days worth for lunches - maybe 300g cooked.

First question - Roughly how much is that dry? I want a fairly firm end result, but never know how much i need to how much water.

Second, any recommendation to flavour just using store cupboard items - nothing fresh. I'm happy to 'cook' on the weekend and eat cold, or make up from a dry mix at work.

I've got packs of dried mixed veg that will rehydrate as the couscous cooks - basic cubed carrot, peas and the like. I've got tins of mixed bean salad, tins of toms, loads of frozen onions, and a cupboard full of spices.

Will likely be eaten for lunches next week with boiled eggs, beetroot, and gherkins (my latest addiction).

If using for lunch, I normally allow half a cup per person (dry) and then 1 cup and a half of water.


To flavour mine, I add a tsp of veg buillion to the water when soaking it, then finely dice some onion and add whatever is in my fridge and/or cupboards.
Normally I add things like finely diced peppers, some coriander, some prawns, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, croutons, diced bacon or pancetta, spring onions, chickpeas, beans, whatever I have really.

CRANKY40

Thanks to a poorly child my only food spend this week has been my online grocery shop. I hate going shopping in the run up to Christmas when everywhere is packed, so I have a plan. I'm going to do two weeks food shopping tomorrow. I have a list and I'm also going to Home Bargains for supplies of toilet rolls. I have ordered an online shop to be delivered on the 21st which should do us until everything calms down again. The plan then is to go to the local co-op for bread and milk top ups thus avoiding crowds and unnecessary spending on Christmas junk food. I prefer making my own cakes and biscuits anyway.

I don't really get much in the way of YS bargains. I can't go out late because of being on my own with ds who is 10 (I'm a widow so no sending to stay with daddy option either). We manage well enough anyway. The boy doesn't eat sweets (his choice not mine, he doesn't like many), only drinks milk or water with the occasional cup of tea, and prefers home made food rather than ready meals. He does like space raider crisps, but you can't win 'em all can you :rotfl:

amandaatnumber7

NewShadow wrote: »

Can anyone help me with wholewheat couscous? I normally just throw in a stock cube, but its always more bland filler than something i really enjoy.

You might find some inspiration here
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/collections/couscous+recipes

Cranky I hope your son feels better soon

Yesterday I spent $10.70 on butter, icing sugar, a bag of frozen chips and 3 litres of milk which were marked down to 74c ea

The milk still has a couple of days before its use by so Ive popped it in the freezer for emergency milk over the holidays

peaceandfreedom

NewShadow wrote: »

Would this last you till the new year?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-x-Marmite-Large-Tubs-600g-Catering-Size-New-Stock-Long-Sell-By-Date-/201228582487

Free postage

This actually works out really expensive. It's £3.80 for a 500g jar in Asda, which means you'd get the equivalent of the ebay ones (600g x 4) for £18.24 if you bought them in Asda.

Airthrey

Spent £57.20 in the first week of December, which is a bit more than I was hoping. Includes diet cola for DD, plus wine, plus chocolate, none of it for Christmas. Been frantically busy which makes me spend too much, although I got a few YS items in T*sco a couple of days ago.

I know too many people with December birthdays.

lynnejk

Hiya folks


Had another NSD today and freezers are starting to go down at last :rotfl: Done my meal plan for the rest of the week.


Aiming to do a freezers empty, defrost, inventory and restack on Tuesday so hopefully will be able to meal plan most of the rest of the contents in the following couple of weeks.


Hope you all have a marvellous Monday
Lx


:xmassign:

lynnejk

amandaatnumber7 wrote: »

Off to work out how to put it in my sig and catch up on the thread

Go to 'USER CP' on the middle green bar and click once.
Go down to signature in 2nd block and click open.
Enter your budget - whatever - in the box and make sure you click SAVE under the box.
Lx