February 2020 Grocery Challenge

PipneyJane

Afternoon All

Apologies if I’ve missed any news, but I couldn’t cope with the flood of emails, so switched them off.  I have complained to MSE about the lack of daily digests.

I have three spends to declare:  the first from last weekend, when we spent £7.58 at MrT’s on wraps, cooked chicken and spinach for a picnic lunch, plus two YS Spanish tortillas.  The second was in L!dl today where we spent £9.43 on a salmon en croute (£3.99), good coffee (£1.89), and a few other items.  One thing to note:  L!dl have Simple brand face cleanser on special at 2-for-£3 BUT their own brand cleanser of the same size is 85p.  Sometimes a “special” isn’t so special after all.

The third shop was today, in MrT’s, where we spent £28.37 on two week’s supply of yoghurts (£4), two large YS boxes of mushrooms (£1.39 each), some YS sausages and chicken Kievs, a YS quiche (which will be dinner on Tuesday) and a 10kg bag of “Leila” brand, basmati rice which was on sale at £10 (down from £17.50).  The Kievs are in the freezer and the sausages will form the basis of a sausage-and-lentil-casserole on Wednesday.

The above spends brings our February total to £102.63/£130.20, leaving £27.53 remaining in the pot for the rest of the month.

- Pip

PipneyJane

carolinerunner said:

I'm at £240 spent out of £600 budget. Not sure all the spends from holiday are through yet. I know, it's a lot, my aim is to bring it down. I want to do it gradually to avoid making myself fed up with it and then quitting (as I've done before...)
I notice quite a few of us say we've spent a lot in the first week or so of the month - why do you think that is? I can think of a few reasons:

• The cupboards were bare at the end of the previous month
• The need for thrift doesn't seem as great when there's more money in the bank/wherever
• We need a break from the extreme frugality that's forced on us by the end of the previous month...

For me I think it's mainly the last one, but also a bit of the other two. What do others think?

I’m not sure.  I do one main shop a month, with a smaller top-up later on and separate visits to the farm shop for veg, so I don’t think I’m typical.  We have a separate budget for meat, which is purchased irregularly from a butcher (and goes into the freezer).   Also, for dried goods, we tend to operate a system where there’s an open packet in Tupperware in the cupboard plus a full packet in storage, so when the latter is opened, it gets replaced.  There’s always plenty of food in our house.

- Pip

Finstickle

Thriftwizard

Do you make your sourdough in a bread machine? How does it come out?
DH is looking at getting one as we don't really eat sliced bread always fresh and both love sourdough. 

Nellbell21

Well, 3 year old said risotto was disgusting so no joy there!  DD and DH loved it and I thought it was nice too. It’s murder trying to get something everyone will eat.  My youngest is going through the beige phase at the minute.  I know it passes but it’s so frustrating trying to think up meals.😫

lantanna

£10.40 yesterday on a Chinese takeaway. New month starts on Thursday. Shouldn’t need to spend anything between now and then.

Islandmaid

NSD Here 👍

as for toddler food, I am waaaayyyy past that stage and waiting for GS to start it (1 next week), don’t stress yourself, my eldest ate nothing but banana, cucumber, tinned hot dogs (don’t judge it was his choice 🤣), plain pasta and petite filous and milk for 6 months, I was out of my mind with worry, went to health visitor who pointed out he was eating fruit, veg, protein, carbs and calcium, his diet was fine 😉 he soon started to notice he wasn’t getting what the rest of us were eating, and then wanted that - he is now 26, 6 foot 7” and eats for England ....

Nellbell21

Islandmaid said:

NSD Here 👍

as for toddler food, I am waaaayyyy past that stage and waiting for GS to start it (1 next week), don’t stress yourself, my eldest ate nothing but banana, cucumber, tinned hot dogs (don’t judge it was his choice 🤣), plain pasta and petite filous and milk for 6 months, I was out of my mind with worry, went to health visitor who pointed out he was eating fruit, veg, protein, carbs and calcium, his diet was fine 😉 he soon started to notice he wasn’t getting what the rest of us were eating, and then wanted that - he is now 26, 6 foot 7” and eats for England ....

Thank you, it’s murder at the minute!  He looks at his plate and pronounces his judgement before even trying it.  I’m beginning to feel like I’m auditioning for masterchef every evening!😂🙈

Herbyme

Nellbell I feel your pain! It doesn't always feel like our nearest and dearest are on board! I've made mine put their initials against a list of meals I can cook, to show which ones they're ok to eat - anything with 3 out of 3 (the number of other people in my house) cannot be moaned about. Or, if it is, I'm not listening 
Did they eat the risotto?!

Islandmaid

Nellbell21 said:

Islandmaid said:

NSD Here 👍

as for toddler food, I am waaaayyyy past that stage and waiting for GS to start it (1 next week), don’t stress yourself, my eldest ate nothing but banana, cucumber, tinned hot dogs (don’t judge it was his choice 🤣), plain pasta and petite filous and milk for 6 months, I was out of my mind with worry, went to health visitor who pointed out he was eating fruit, veg, protein, carbs and calcium, his diet was fine 😉 he soon started to notice he wasn’t getting what the rest of us were eating, and then wanted that - he is now 26, 6 foot 7” and eats for England ....

Thank you, it’s murder at the minute!  He looks at his plate and pronounces his judgement before even trying it.  I’m beginning to feel like I’m auditioning for masterchef every evening!😂🙈

Have you tried self construct meals like fajita’s, or curry, rice, naan, those bung in the oven Indian snacks, lasagne, garlic bread, salad, or mild chilli, grated cheese, nachos etc, let little’ un pick his own food for his empty plate - biggest thing is don’t stress, they love having control of mums emotions at that age 🤣🤣 just shrug and say, okay, but there’s nothing else and carry on eating - take care 🤞

Nellbell21

carolinerunner 

It wasn’t a hit with him I’m afraid Caroline!  Though the rest of us liked it. I just gave him egg and toast for his supper so he didn’t starve!