January 2020 Grocery Challenge

candygirl

PipneyJane wrote: »

Yes. I just add cans of kidney beans and mash them slightly.

If you really want refried beans, this is my refried beans recipe:-

3 Cloves Garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped (optional)
2 x 400g cans Kidney Beans (or Pinto beans or Cannelini)
1 beef stock cube
1 teaspoon ground chilli
1 tablespoon oil

Method

1. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the onions (if using) until glassy then add the garlic and fry until it starts to catch.
2. Stir through the ground chilli. Fry until the aroma rises (this takes seconds).
3. Pour in your cans of beans and crumble the stock cube over the top. Stir well.
4. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally.
5. Crush with a potato masher.

HTH

- Pip

Ooh will be trying this recipe thanks.I love refried beans

GlendaSugarbean

I'm in Feb's budget now, with three weeks to go (it's a 5 weekly shop month for me)

Budget: £400 (down from £500 last month!)
Kids school lunches: £80
Aldi: £51 and £57
TT to savings/OPs: £7.66
Remaining: £200

I have successfully resisted the top up shops for 2 weeks :j

glass_half_full

Just under budget at £480 for a five week month

boultdj

End of month total £197.94, so under target by a good bit, but I have been using up the extra stuff I got at Christmas and froze.

Mrs_Cheshire

Declaring £377.98/£380 only just managed to keep it under this month, although I've got a few bits that will last way into February.

jasminesaver

Last week's total was £26.54/£25. Declaring January's spend to be.... £82.88/£75! This is over my budget by £7.88 but I am quite happy with that because I stocked up on loads of frozen food and M&S coffee so I am really surprised it wasn't more expensive! Obviously Lidl is the way to go!!! :j

SummerDays

Declaring £430.11 / £500 for January Grocery Challenge. I am really pleased with that. Most importantly, I actually know that this is not all on just food. This included alcohol, and some gifts. With the savings I have paid off a store card which had a small balance and 0% ends in a few months, and also put money away in envelopes for various kids hobbies. So that is a good head start for future months.

I have now realised I need to set up another little savings pot for "other" spending - like dentist, optician, birthdays (when kids invited to parties) and so on. I have the usual ones for holidays, Christmas, car, kids birthdays, but not one for miscellaneous things.

Thanks for the inspiration and motivation. I am going to reduce my budget to £450 from £500 for February, and see where we are by the end of the month, whilst appreciating it is a slightly shorter month, but we do have a half term holiday in there too - when the kids seem constantly hungry! The other £50 will be saved in the 'other' pot for as and when they are needed.

See you in February :)

fairy3

Last declaration for the month - £19.23 over 3 smallish shops, mainly fresh veg and 'add to' bits to make up full meals from the freezer. That makes a total of £119.45/£200 - absolutely thrilled with this:j
This thread and a combination of stores and YS bargains and more organisation (has been lacking!) and also labelling and storing things properly.
Positives have been using the mantra - 'we eat all the food' (from the Frugalwoods blog) - food has been taken to work as lunch, part meals frozen (and labelled) and not buying it unless it fits into a plan.
As a family we have enjoyed more meals together and eaten more healthily. Looking forward to February's challenge....

franby64

Evening

Declaring at 260.09/260 which I'm quite happy about. I would have been under but needed a medium sliced rather than thick sliced loaf which cost me those few pennies!
Thank you to everyone on the thread, I get great motivation here and will have a proper look at the recipes next month as I tend to cook the same things. This helps me manage the budget but I do need to change things up a bit.
See you in February!

Rowan9

Declaring at £164 /£200
Thanks all for this thread x