January 2017 Grocery Challenge. NEW BEGINNINGS!

maria3104

Hi.

Please can I join for 2017.
Jan I would like to try for 250.
I am feeding 4 plus packed lunches and many visitors on our busy farm yard.
I have a shopping for food addiction that is terrifying yet I have almost no food waste. I just feed people too much!
I need to meal plan and focus.
Wish me luck, here I go.

So far zero spent, I am off to a good start!

M x

thriftwizard

I've just added a "Bulk-buying purse" line to my signature, to account for the things that I buy or order just once or twice a year. This includes flour, from a local mill, oats bought by the sack from a national wholefoods wholesaler, exotic supplies like Indian spice mixes, decent naturally-brewed soy & fish sauce, and a few oddities like oat groats that I can't get locally. When I do an order, or take a trip up to the mill, say, it adds a whole lot to one month's budget although I'll be using the stuff up over several months, so it seems sensible to do it this way.

However I have to say that the amount I've set is pure guesswork - educated guesswork, perhaps, but still a guess, as this is the first time I've done this - and may need to be adjusted when I realise I've forgotten something vital!

iammumtoone

turbo5019 wrote: »

Also how do I make bread crumbs do u put the bread in the oven before blitzing them down?
Thanks

I was wondering this as well. the google instructions say to dry out in oven first but I was hoping you could just chuck the bread in. Maybe it depends on how stale the bread is beforehand?

I am going to be making my own from now on, we buy wholemeal bread, I am assuming it doesn't make a difference what type of bread you use?

iammumtoone

Went to McDs today so another 8.97 to total

pamsdish

iammumtoone wrote: »

I was wondering this as well. the google instructions say to dry out in oven first but I was hoping you could just chuck the bread in. Maybe it depends on how stale the bread is beforehand?

I am going to be making my own from now on, we buy wholemeal bread, I am assuming it doesn't make a difference what type of bread you use?

I just blitz it and freeze, if recipe call for toasted breadcrumbs easily done from frozen.

Lauralozzle

Today was a NSD day! Start as mean to go on...

suzeesu2000

yes, another NSD from us too

NewShadow

Right - done - kinda...

breakfasts are frozen fruit, value oats and low fat/low sugar yogurt (ideally I'll make my own, but not pushing it).

Monday - Pitta pizza (home) + bendy veg pasta

Tuesday - Crudite with soft cheese (work) + bendy veg pasta

Wednesday - Crudite with soft cheese (work) + bendy veg pasta

Thursday - Tinned soup and (cheese?) rolls (work) + bendy veg pasta

Friday - Pilaf (home) + (something to be determined - probably omelette)

Re: breadcrumbs - I freeze my bread ends whole and when I want some breadcrumbs I can just take out what I need and blitz it while still frozen.

If I'm using them as a coating for something like fish fingers or scotch egg (which will then be baked) I use them 'fresh' as they stick better and brown in the oven.

If I'm using them as a topping for on pasta or similar I put them in a hot frying pan (without oil) and flick them about until toasted (takes 2 minutes in a hot pan)

GreenFairy

Hello all!

Hope everyone had a lovely new years.
I'm back on the wagon after a very long break! Can I be put down for €400 this month please? Two adults, two cats, two dogs and a constant stream of visitors 😂. Includes cleaning products, pet food and shared toiletries.

Did a couple of giant shops before Christmas, so hopefully can live on leftovers for most of the month, without living on crisp sandwiches!

Franalamadingdong

I only make breadcrumbs as and when needed. I read somewhere that defrosted breadcrumbs don't really work, so if you are wanting it from frozen freeze the bread whole. Breadcrumbs I shred the bread then blitz into crumbs, layer thinly on a baking tray and grill, making sure to give them a shake partway. It only takes moment and uses less energy than the oven, unless the oven is already on anyway.

Island maid, I'd only count the vouchers as spends if I had counted them as income. I think using the leftover grocery budget available because of the vouchers to cover cc debt is a great idea. You only need to remember that the vouchers were used when it comes to setting next month's budget, so you don't get tempted to drastically drop it.

Grocery spends for January are £32.16. I'm thinking of planning a month of meals so I can do a big shop at Lidlilly for tins, meat, poultry etc, and pick up the fruit and veg for later meals at the more local shop. At the same time I don't want to be buying a whole lot of stuff.

I'll be doing a fresh inventory of everything in the morning. Thanks for the noodle suggestions. The way DS has been getting on my nerves I feel like feeding him stir fry just to annoy him back! Anyhoo we have this week planned out and I'll be glad for Wednesday when life gets back tomorrow.

£32.16/200