March 2015 Grocery Challenge

lushlifesaver

Anzac Biscuit - the way I plan is that I know we will have the following for evening meals each week:
A mince dish
A chicken dish
A quick cook/convenience meal (generally pizza or chicken dippers and chips)
A take away (Saturdays)
A roast


That way I have 5 days planned - if we have cottage pie or savoury mince as the mice dish then often I'll do a pasta dish in the week as well but use meatballs instead of normal mince. The other two days tend to be based on whatever is in; usually one will be a chicken dish (we eat a lot of chicken - still less than we used to have though!) and I try and make the other one fish based (usually fish and chips )


We buy our meat in bulk from Musclefoods (used to use Makro) and usually order 4x400g extra lean mince and 5kg chicken breasts. Each chicken breast feeds the three of us and I use 200g mince per meal (apart from lasagne where I use 400g and freeze half in portions). Depending on offers I may also get in some casserole beef and I always have some meatballs knocking around in the freezer


BF always has the same lunch; 2 sandwiches (smoked ham and cheese either on wholemeal rolls or wraps), 2 slices of malt loaf buttered, packet of crisps, chocolate biscuit. So he's easily pleased and I take lunch from whatever we have in - I only work four days so usually a week for me goes: leftovers, hm soup, jacket potato, salad).


My 'big' shops are usually pretty much identical and the only changes would be accompaniments/sauces but I usually buy these in multiples when on offer. Can make what we eat sound quite boring but bf is extremely fussy so I'm just happy to be getting more variety in to him than when we first met!


M1nk1e - I am exactly the same and have this irrational fear that any second now the cupboards and freezer (oddly not so concerned about the fridge!)will be bare...that's probably why there's so much 'stuff' in them at the moment! I only have our tall freezer (one side of an American style upright...the small side) and 1 cupboard for food though so I don't think having it all crammed in to such little space helps!

Solstice_3

joedenise and scotmumof3 I've added your recipes to the index.

Just a quick update, I think I've lost track a bit with a few 99p and Poundland shops - receipts have gone in the now gone recycling. So total spends are £188.04

[Deleted User]

Everyone sounds like they are doing really well. Its a shame the StoreCupboard challenge is no longer up and running, is there something similar, as im on a Fiscal Fast until next Wednesday, using up stores. Anyone wanna resurrect it with me - lol.

scotmumof3

£13.05 for me today in Tesc* . Still on track for the month

redmel1621

Evening.

I have barely had a chance to keep up this month and haven't had a chance to post at all.

This month is going fairly well, although it is my son's 6th birthday on Sunday so I have had to spend extra on cake and party foodstuffs. Because his birthday is on Mothering Sunday I have decided to do his party tomorrow.. This means I need to do a dash to Asda shortly and pick up the extra bits that I forgot in the weekly shop.

I haven't had time to total up my receipts yet but they are all in my coat pocket so will do them as soon as I can.

Mel x

candygirl

scotmumof3 wrote: »

NSD for me today whoop whoop :j:j
WantToBeSE this s one of my faves.
Spiced veg rice and beans
Finely slice 1 onion and crush 2 garlic cloves. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan and add the onion, garlic and 1 tsp of crushed chillis. Fry gently for 3-4 mins. Add 4oz uncooked brown rice, 6oz tinned mixed beans, 3oz frozen peas , 3oz sweetcorn, 1tsp cumin and 2tsps stock powder or 1 stock cube.Stir and pour in enough boiling water to cover. bring back to a boil and simmer until rice is cooked. Drain off any excess water, fluff with a fork and serve. it serves 2-3 depending on appetite. I like it with a nice salad but it's also good with broccoli or green beans HTH

Yummy! Love the look of this, thanks:p

bmma

spends to date = £ 54.31/£90.00p x

CountingPennies

NSD as planned.... Hopefully a NS weekend too!

CP xx

Kim317

Half way through the month and doing well at the moment - need to as money is particularly tight this month.


Trying to run down the freezers as the one in the house really needs defrosting. Planning to go to Lidls later today and hoping to mainly buy fresh things only

flubberyzing

Did a £13.something shop at Tesco this morning. Went in with a strict list, and didn't stray! I was pleased about that!


Picked up a £2.50 bag of 4 cook-from-frozen chicken breasts. Never tried them before, but so much cheaper than the fresh ones at £6 for 6.