January 2017 Grocery Challenge. NEW BEGINNINGS!

Lauralozzle

So first big shop is done - spent eye watering levels of money already but this should well over a week so it should even itself out.

Spent £89.28/£300 in Home Bargins, Aldi and Asda. Big first shop of the year and a sizeable chunk of the budget but I'm positive about this. shouldnt need a big shop again until about 2 weeks I reckon so I'm on plan.

littleskintdragon

Spent £46 out of this weeks £50. We need milk and bread tonight, but thats all ill get so stayed in budget this week.
my new week starts on a monday.
Love the new year, and being so motivated, if only it lsted longer than Feb!!!

Franalamadingdong

Thanks for the suggestions redshank and save dosh, the bag is opened so I think it will be a replacement for pasta and addition to soups.

Zafiro it's SO easy to spend more than you think. I was spending £75-80 a week on me and a child! It was ridiculous, and I found I was buying more than needed "just in case" and I was offering up too much variety for us to get through the food. We're both happy to have stew two or more days on the trot so I don't know why I was bothering. Perhaps also because I want to make sure his diet is so healthy because mine wasn't/isn't always. I'm learning to relax though!

Happy new year to everyone and I hope it's a good one. I've only done this challenge in November and December, it's really nice to see so many people in January!

Florence_J

Got under way with the monthly food shopping today, ordered both the Mr T and Mr M online shops and did top ups at the local Mr T, H0me b@rgains and Icyland.

HB - £13.02 (mostly rice, wraps and Indian sides)
ICE L - £11.29 (frozen veg and chicken for OH)
Mr T - £8.17 (Fruit and veg)

Will declare the online shops once delivered.

zafiro1984

Willowx wrote: »

It's new year, new budget for me. Last year went reasonably well in terms of money in was greater than money out

Willowx:- brilliant :T

freyasmum

Franalamadingdong wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions redshank and save dosh, the bag is opened so I think it will be a replacement for pasta and addition to soups.

Zafiro it's SO easy to spend more than you think. I was spending £75-80 a week on me and a child! It was ridiculous, and I found I was buying more than needed "just in case" and I was offering up too much variety for us to get through the food. We're both happy to have stew two or more days on the trot so I don't know why I was bothering. Perhaps also because I want to make sure his diet is so healthy because mine wasn't/isn't always. I'm learning to relax though!

Happy new year to everyone and I hope it's a good one. I've only done this challenge in November and December, it's really nice to see so many people in January!

I usually put a nest or two into chicken and rice soup; it's one of my favourites

thriftwizard

I'm adding £25.30 to my total; that's chicken & cockatiel food updated, two packs of YS organic onions at 10p each, and a very-naughty large pre-prepared chicken as a treat for tomorrow. I did have a chicken in the freezer to defrost; that'll get used later in the month. I did buy some crisps etc. for tonight but they're coming out of the "Entertainment" budget and we'll still have enough left for a night out sometime!

NewShadow

I'm working on my meal plan today/tomorrow with an aim to have a plan in place for Monday.

I plan for Monday to Friday with the weekend being 'eat up' or - if I've done really well and stick to plan with no leftovers - a guilt free breakfast/Sunday lunch at a cafe.

Online shop yesterday had everything I'd ordered but a few things have shorter lives than I would have liked - a consequence of buying fresh that was likely stocked for Christmas.

Franalamadingdong wrote: »

So what else can I use the noodles for? Any ideas?

Hi Fran,

You've had some great suggestions already, but just in case you're in the mood for something else, there's a neat slimming world recipe I do sometimes called crustless quiche.

It's kind of like a Spanish omelette but with pasta/spaghetti/noodles in place of potatoes.

As always with me, directions are a bit fast and loose but: I cover the bottom/half way up a silicon cake dish with cooked noodles.

Then I pour over a mix of beaten egg/soft or cottage cheese/spring onion/peppers/mushrooms/ham/whatever and just lift the noodles slightly through the mix so they're not just sat on the bottom. The aim is to about fill the dish - so about half noodles to mix.

Then bake it in the oven - it takes around 20 minutes as I put it in a hot oven about half way through cooking wedges.

Really simple and quick/healthy and also good for packed lunches/on the go breakfasts.

milasavesmoney

January will be $500 for me (but I'm secretly aiming for $400).

missyp123

freyasmum wrote: »

Hi


Just be aware that, on account of HM bread being amazing - especially straight from the oven/breadmaker and slathered with butter, you may end up eating more than you intend and this negating the hard fought efforts of dieting. Just me then?

Yes you are so right! I am planning on cuting out carbs every other day so this may have to be my treat with homemade soup