May 2019 Grocery Challenge

Puddleglum

I now have £4 left to the end of the month which is not doable so I am going to add £10 to the budget.

The overspend is down to being too optimistic about what I could achieve. There is nothing left in the cupboard so careful planning will be needed for June.:cool:

Merlin's_Beard

£59/100.... and maybe that's it for the month? It looks good, but it's a lot of getting stuff out of the freezer and cupboards.

JingsMyBucket

Hi all, I’ve spent $30.65 and had 1 NSD since I last posted. About $11 of that is chocolate to take with me to Scotland because we’re having visitors the week after I arrive and I really want them to try these particular flavours. I’ve got lots of fruit to last me next few days and I’m eating from my fridge. Some friends are getting together on Saturday so I will have to buy some stuff to contribute for that but not sure what yet.

TOTALS SO FAR
$212.83 / $450.00
11 / 12 NSD

Littlebigfoots

£164.12/£20

Had a bit of hard month this month. so ended up spending waaaaay more than I wanted to. I ended up having to move to a new place which always brings expenses. I'm going give this a serious effort in the month of June. :T

Rachiedabbler70

Hi All

Keeping up with all the posts this month and enjoying the challenge.

I managed a few more no spend days and on other days have just been to the shops to get essentials. Have spent £28.40 in Aldi and Tesco and I think I only need about £10 to get me to the 31st May, which will be just under my £100 budget. Still eating my organic chicken I bought earlier in the month and froze in portions.

I also experimented freezing my sandwiches for work and so far so good. I only put cooked ham on them and butter and added salad when they've defrosted. Going to try this again this week with some roast beef.

Good luck everyone

pamsdish

Back after a 10 day break in Norfolk, no big spends from me as my friend insisted it was her treat after 5 years since last visit, need a few fresh veg to get started so off to Aldi tomorrow.

Smoosh

Bit of a big shop today, which is a bit annoying as we were doing well but OH is off for the next week and normally gets free lunches at work, so had to factor that in as well as running out of a few bits that we don't buy often (like salt and rice). Also went early so didn't get much YS stuff.

£49.64 spent on:
2x broccoli, pack of rosemary, pack of thyme, pack of basil, green beans, asparagus, 1 leek, bag of mini potatoes, 1 banana, 1 red onion, 1 white onion, plum tomatoes, half a cucumber, 1 apple, 2 sweet potato rostis, tub of greek yoghurt, tub of yoghurt with strawberry, bottle of kefir, raspberry milk, 2 pints of milk, feta, ball of mozzarella, chili chicken noodle pot (YS), chicken and sweetcorn soup (YS), lentil and bacon soup (YS), dry linguine, pasta sauce, arborio rice, breakfast biscuits, 2kg rolled oats, sandwich thins, cider vinegar, salt, vegetarian sausages, frozen butternut squash, anti-bacterial wipes, white wine, 3 litres Pepsi max, 20 tea bags, 6 pack of crisps, halloumi, cheese snack a jacks, salted caramel rice cakes.

Meal plan:
1. Leftover spring green lasagne from the freezer with bacon for OH and Quorn bacon for me
2. Vegetarian sausage and butternut squash tray bake with broccoli
3. Linguine with (Quorn) meatballs
4. Broccoli and ham (bacon for OH, Quorn for me) risotto
5. Summer (Quorn) chicken stew
6. Caprese salad with sweet potato rostis
7. I'm working and OH is at a BBQ, I'll just have a pizza from the freezer when I get home

Breakfasts: a selection from overnight oats, porridge, eggs, toast, crumpets, yoghurt
Lunches: salads and soups (I intend to make a broccoli soup and an asparagus soup later on in the week) as well as the ones we bought
Snacks: yoghurt, nectarines, strawberries, fibre bars, crisps, popcorn, breakfast biscuits, rice cakes, cheese, jelly, chocolate pots

In the week we need to pick of a bag of salad leaves, a bag of Quorn meatballs (OOS today) and some cat food which should total around £17.

At the moment we're on £275.36/300 so should be just under budget, want to do much better next month!

ditty1234

Hi time to take a serious look at grocery shopping again: I am still in the process of failing my target of £260 - so far I'm at £294 and there are 4 more days to go.
I now have everything in categories and the winners are:
Vege 63
Meat 46
Cupboard 40
Dairy 29
Alcohol 22
Bread 15
Most shopping is at Ldl and Ald and believe me my fridge is very close to empty - so I am not quite sure what is next, as I dont I really can get my shopping much further down. Were not meat maniacs, but we have meat most days and a fair amount of cheese. I batch cook and the only real blimp this month was 2 x 3.30 for pizzas on days where i was cooking late, so a snack for my son - before dinner.

27.5 adding cabbage, persimmons, green beans, chicken thighs, pesto, bacon, ginger nuts, bisquits, eggs, cheddar, strawberries, bagles, milk, wheat breakfast, rhubarb, peanutbutter, cottage cheese, homous, merengue nests, sweet potato for £21.12 no a bad catch and as you will novice there's a bank holl treat in there, but all in all it should take us through to payday and beyond so well worth it even if it puts me at £315.
I think I have been avoiding bulk shopping and that is partly where I need to focus, as there is not much I can do in terms of what and how much we eat that will change. I can always cut sweets and snacks, but that is already a fairly small part of the budget. See you in June.

Matron_Midge

Ditty, I always check the reduced section for pizza to put in freezer for quick teenage meals. That only works if they don't mind what kind of pizza though.

MadamMim2013

Eeek.. Currently on £320.33/300 :eek:
An impromptu birthday brunch for my DS1’s 19th equalled a quick trip top the shops!!
I know we’ll be way over this month.. Will reign it in for June!