December 2016 Grocery Challenge

Franalamadingdong

Hi redshank. I have a separate eating out budget, although we rarely ever do eat out. You might find meal planning, even if it is just the evening meals, helpful in terms of what you are buying and when, especially given the range of diets in the house. It also takes some stress off you having to think "what are we going to have!" just before teatime. And if you involve the fussy daughter in the meal planning she might be willing to try something a little different, e.g. fish pie, or grilled fish, potatoes, peas and broccoli instead of fish fingers and cucumber. That said I've never dealt with a fussy child so feel free to tell me to shut up! Your family could pick a meal each day, pop it on the calendar and you have 3 days done, 4 if you trust the littlest one, I found giving them a choice of 2 things to go on the menu helps, e.g. "what do you want to pick, pasta or curry?" This can be varied too, e.g. we've been having different stuff to plan do to sickness and not defrosting a chicken in time, sometimes because we get in later than expected or what have you. Other people do prefer winging it, I found we were buying more than we needed just in case we decide to have X or Y, but we're a family of 2.

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Franalamadingdong wrote: »

Planning on flavouring some vodka when I'm sure I'm better.

I do that. I made toffee one last time - a long while ago mind. It was a bit sickly after a while. I have blackberries in the freezer off my allotment, so that's my next one, blackberry liqueur.

Franalamadingdong wrote: »

Redshank wrote: »

Do people include eating out in their grocery budget?

NO - I don't really eat out that much and if i do with friends, its not included. I will add things that I grab on the go, like a coffee (almost unheard of), mainly things out of convenience, rather than social gatherings.

Spent £3.25 - have updated sig. Not planning on spending 'till I have meal planned for a least a week. My daughter is winging her way to Thailand, so less for me to spend for the next 2 weeks.

AccyAlly

Afternoon all, sorry for the delay in joining in, please count me in for £400 this month, although hope to be under, have got most of food and goodies for Chrimbo, only need to by fruit, veg and booze. Quite organised as going in for keyhole surgery on 12th Dec, so need to be ready in case not fit to face shops! All presents bought and wrapped too, just need Hubby to decorate house nearer the time!!
Also booked a Mr A delivery for 23 Dec, fingers crossed I remember to amend, as put random stuff in basket, just to reserve the slot!!
Hope you all have a good month!

hex2

Evening all, 89p in (cue shock music) the co op on mushrooms to go with breakfast which used up RTC eggs n toms from the 75% off collection the other day. Cold Charlotte potatoes (MrM wonky potatoes £1.09 for 2.5kgs) fried up well too. Love crispy bits.

Brown Windsorish soup for lunch, using the dregs of the cold roast beef and its dripping/juices with onions, carrots and fine chopped potatoes. The Asda £5/kg on offer beef topside has been consistently good, even when fast roasted and the leftovers make great soup. Any that doesn't get eaten tomorrow will be frozen.

Dinner used up some RTC mince and a Mexican kit that has been in the cupboard for a while, and a tin of 4 for £1 chilli beans (MrA). Pea and avocado guacamole will be a new favourite. Not a fan of green veg but I scraped the mixer out afterwards because it was lovely. One portion of chilli left for the freezer.

Also made peppermint bark, new one for us. No peppermint essence but I whizzed a packet of polos instead rather than go to the co-op again. I noticed in MrS that value chocolate had gone from 30p to 45p - when did that happen?

Franalamadingdong

£46.82 spend today so £50.63/200 this far. Sounds pricy but that's including £15 for some nice vodka to make the spiced pear vodka (decided not to do the oat and honey one). Save Dosh, love a bit of blackberry! I've made sloe gin a few times and after picking sloes and wild damsons with mum we made dam-sloe-vodka. This pear one doesn't have any sugar added so it shouldn't be sickly, just tasty.

thriftwizard

£40 went at the market yesterday, taking me nearly half way through my budget for the month! And there'll be a bit more tomorrow, but it's only really fresh stuff from here on in...

t14cy_t

nsd yesterday. yippee!! xx

lovecrafting

i went to aldi last night, spent £33 on some veg and some mince, squash etc then i had to bob in asda for soya milk £2 as i couldnt find it in aldi. hoping for a nsd today this brings my total to £39

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AccyAlly wrote: »

Quite organised as going in for keyhole surgery on 12th Dec, so need to be ready in case not fit to face shops! All presents bought and wrapped too, just need Hubby to decorate house nearer the time!!

Good luck with the surgery. Very impressed with how organised you are. I've done nothing. Like to have the presents under the tree by now - need to do it this week.

Franalamadingdong wrote: »

. Save Dosh, love a bit of blackberry! I've made sloe gin a few times and after picking sloes and wild damsons with mum we made dam-sloe-vodka. This pear one doesn't have any sugar added so it shouldn't be sickly, just tasty.

Sounds lovely - I know there are sloe trees on the nature walk that runs behind my place, but just don't know what they look like, have Googled, but didn't help, its a forest along there.


Today is going to be another no spend day. Determined not to buy anything (apart from salad cream for coleslaw), until I have done a meal plan, which I haven't. Desperately low on hummus, but I will just make some - I don't really like it as much a bought - needs working on.

pamsdish

Popped to town for those "special" Christmas cards spent £12 from grocery budget and £9 from others.