February 2019 Grocery Challenge

cuddlymarm

Hi guys
I’m posting my Grocery budget for February at £141.77. My cupboards, fridge and freezer are full to bursting. I’m aiming to keep them this way until after Brexit (whenever that is going to be)
Next month is going to be tight with quite a lot of expense so I aim to make what I’ve got stretch and stretch and stretch so that not a lot will need replacing.
Good luck for your end of month totals guys
Cuddles

Crowdpleaser

Due to terribly depleted food stores from January, this month was a big overspend. £58 overspend to be exact. I've really really noticed the rise in food prices. My big shop is always aldo. But my 2 weekly bill is around 25-30 quid more than this time last year. I need to have a serious look at spending for March!

PipneyJane

tighteningthebelt wrote: »

Re the bread conversation...
1.Don't forget to factor in the other fiver you spend when you pop to the supermarket for a cheap loaf!!!
2.You don't have to factor the breadmaker costs as you can make it by hand and cook when you've got something else in the oven. Or just keep a look out for second hand, good ones come up really cheap all the time.
3.Fresh bread is very much nicer to eat. IMHO.

True. Very true. I never factored in anything for the price of the breadmaker because it was a present. Also, it’s over 15 years old at this point - so fully depreciated - but still working well.

On a totally different note, I have a small shop to declare from Sunday. £12.92 spent on yoghurts, mushrooms, peppers, YS bananas (29p for 10), etc. This brings our total spend for February to £100.24/£142.20, leaving £41.95 in the kitty, which I doubt we’ll spend before March starts on Friday.

- Pip

Tales17

Thank you for all your kind words about losing my Dad in November, it has been tough but I have 4 siblings and my Mum so we all help each other where needed!

Doing a massive paperwork sort out at the moment (doing Kon Mari process, managed clothes and books so far, so looking forward to getting this category done!). At least it means I have a system going forward to keep all my receipts together which will make this tracking process a lot easier! Will update when I can! x

pamsdish

11.82 between Morries and Lidl.

[Deleted User]

I love homemade bread and this foccacia recipe from A Virtual Vegan is knead free! It's the most simple bread recipe i have ever used, always works and I can mix it at brekkie time and cook it at dinner...I don't know if it keeps well as it never lasts long enough in my house :rotfl:

500 g bread flour
1 very full tablespoon instant yeast or quick rise yeast .
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
450 mls COLD water not warm water
4 tablespoons good olive oil for drizzling (Just drizzle as much as you feel comfortable with on top )
2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary
sea salt flakes or crystals for scattering

Instructions
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast and salt then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the water and mix well until you can see no more dry flour and you have a wet, slightly lumpy looking mess. Make sure to scrape right into the bottom of the bowl.
Cover with cling wrap or a clean shower cap and leave in the kitchen/ somewhere warmish for a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 9 hours. Do not refrigerate and do not leave anywhere really warm. Just normal room temperature is fine.
About 20 minutes before the time is up preheat your oven to 400°F and line an 8 x 8 square pan (a cake tin or brownie pan) with parchment paper.
When the oven is at temperature, scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the pan. It will be clingy and sticky but that is normal.
Once it's all in the pan, flatten it out so it's as even as you can get it all over, then using a finger dipped in olive oil, make dimples all over the top.
Drizzle over the olive oil (be as generous as you feel comfortable with) and sprinkle on the rosemary and salt.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 37 - 40 minutes.
When done it will be starting to go golden brown in places on the top. If you want it a little crustier you can bake it for another 5 minutes but no longer as otherwise it will become dry.
Remove from the oven, lift out using the paper as handles and place on a cooling rack.
Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting

I've just convinced myself to make it tomorrow now!! :rotfl:

Need2bthrifty

Another spend of £9.38 to log, I ran out of greaseproof paper, coffee, butter, milk and just because I fancied some, I got some hot X buns too so my monthly total = £65.84 still under my anticipated spend but doesn’t quite balance out last months overspend.

A portion of next months budget will go towards some compost and seeds for growing veg & salad stuff this summer so it’s all good.

JingsMyBucket – nice to read your weekly meal plan, gives me ideas – I haven’t had stuffed peppers for months and I’ve always been meaning to try chicken tortilla soup after watching the Pi0neer W0man making it in on f00d netw0rk channel.

For more inspiration I had a look at the awareness days website and according to them 4th – 10th March is British Pie Week – Mmmm, I love a good pie.

11th – 17th March is National Butchers Week – so I’ll be planning a visit my high street butcher then for my monthly shop, hopefully he might have some offers on.

Menu planning is a must now.

PipneyJane

squirrelgirl wrote: »

I love homemade bread and this foccacia recipe from A Virtual Vegan is knead free! It's the most simple bread recipe i have ever used, always works and I can mix it at brekkie time and cook it at dinner...I don't know if it keeps well as it never lasts long enough in my house :rotfl:

500 g bread flour
1 very full tablespoon instant yeast or quick rise yeast .
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
450 mls COLD water not warm water
4 tablespoons good olive oil for drizzling (Just drizzle as much as you feel comfortable with on top )
2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary
sea salt flakes or crystals for scattering

Instructions
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast and salt then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the water and mix well until you can see no more dry flour and you have a wet, slightly lumpy looking mess. Make sure to scrape right into the bottom of the bowl.
Cover with cling wrap or a clean shower cap and leave in the kitchen/ somewhere warmish for a minimum of 7 hours and a maximum of 9 hours. Do not refrigerate and do not leave anywhere really warm. Just normal room temperature is fine.
About 20 minutes before the time is up preheat your oven to 400°F and line an 8 x 8 square pan (a cake tin or brownie pan) with parchment paper.
When the oven is at temperature, scrape the dough out of the bowl and into the pan. It will be clingy and sticky but that is normal.
Once it's all in the pan, flatten it out so it's as even as you can get it all over, then using a finger dipped in olive oil, make dimples all over the top.
Drizzle over the olive oil (be as generous as you feel comfortable with) and sprinkle on the rosemary and salt.
Place in the preheated oven and bake for about 37 - 40 minutes.
When done it will be starting to go golden brown in places on the top. If you want it a little crustier you can bake it for another 5 minutes but no longer as otherwise it will become dry.
Remove from the oven, lift out using the paper as handles and place on a cooling rack.
Leave to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting

I've just convinced myself to make it tomorrow now!! :rotfl:

Sounds yummy! I wish I hadn’t run out of flour at the weekend, or I’d have a go making it myself.

Please edit your post and put a heading on it (e.g. Foccacia Recipe), so that it catches Elsie’s eye. She requests that we do this or she might miss it otherwise. Thanks.

- Pip

K9sandFelines

£7.05 spent at work to add, and £12.87 at Morrisons to add. So a total of £19.92.

[Deleted User]

PipneyJane wrote: »

Sounds yummy! I wish I hadn’t run out of flour at the weekend, or I’d have a go making it myself.

Please edit your post and put a heading on it (e.g. Foccacia Recipe), so that it catches Elsie’s eye. She requests that we do this or she might miss it otherwise. Thanks.

- Pip

Done! Sorry, Elsie, didn't realise