April 2020 Grocery Challenge

Anzac_Biscuit

I did a small shop on Saturday (mostly for hot cross buns) - which came to $53.61. Also bought takeaway for lunch to support the local businesses. We haven't quite decided how to budget for things like that so I'll add it in for now - an extra $37.90. Total is now $480.20.

@PipneyJane I join with the others in admiring the neatness of your freezer arrangements! 

Suffolk_lass

Sent DH to do a bit of shopping yesterday - he spent £3.45 on a box of Malteser things !!! - I've included it in my spend total which is £98.86 so far this month. I think we shall manage until about Friday before he needs to do a SM shop

zafiro1984

I think I'm going to have to back out of the April challenge. We both have been told to self isolate for 12 weeks, we're now starting week four. Neither of us have been out for that period of time so we have to rely on home deliveries. No visits to the supermarket, no ys and I can only have one delivery a week so I tend to over order things just in case I can't get a slot the following week.  I will be back to the challenge as soon as I can, but I think this is going to go on for longer than we first thought, maybe even into July/Aug. I'll keep reading the posts but not joining in.

K9sandFelines

This is the first time I've had chance to read the thread for months.
I'm in for £350 this month, which I am halfway through, but will update later.
I am finding the current situation quite tricky, as we don't drive so normally do a big shop online and top ups locally. At the moment we aren't able to shop online, so having to go to shops one at a time for bits, which is never-ending.
Hope everyone is keeping safe.

supersaver1000

Doom_and_Gloom said:

......There is a leek left from the other weeks fruit and vegetable box but OH won't eat leek so that's for me to work into something.

Glad you are on the mend D&G 

If you are still looking for a leek recipe, I can recommend the leek risotto from the River Cottage Veg book https://www.rivercottage.net/recipes/leek-risotto-with-chestnuts - we just substitute the butter for a vegan spread or some more oil when DD visits.  We also substitute the chestnuts for mushrooms cooked in the microwave (which is apparently the best way to cook them - and works really well for this recipe).  I'm not sure if it would be an extravagance to cook this for one, but I guess you could add some different veg and make the large version with leftovers?  I love risotto and need to find where to source a huge bag, rather than the piddling ones that seem to disappear rather quickly in our house.  

Love the idea of the potato skins from mash.  Do you bake them then scoop them out or is it the actual peelings?  One of my favourites at the moment is the Samosa style jackets I found somewhere on this site.  Fried onions and peas mixed with spices and the mash from scooped out jackets, re-loaded and baked again.  I always end up with a spare skin that I pop back and bake again.  I add mint sauce to yoghurt for a dressing and that's our food heaven.

I'm also impressed with Pip's stores and supplies.  Really impressed with saving bean sauce for a chilli.  In comparison I've really only just begun my food saving journey and have so much further to go.

boultdj

Now spent £235.22 this month, furry ones litter has been more expensive than the one she normally has, but it was expensive or nothing, and she's an OAP[ old age puss].
Hope everyone is keeping safe.

Doom_and_Gloom

£67 spent today. 

£46.50 on fruit, vegetables and herbs epp. 

Large fruit and vegetables box £27.50:

Potatoes 
Carrots
Onions (4 rather large 👍) 
Garlic 
Kale
Baby spinach (2 bags) 
Sweetheart cabbage
Aubergine (2)
Purple spouting broccoli 
Bananas (7)
Strawberries (2 small punnets) 
Pineapple
Lemon

Cooks ingredients box £19:

Shallots
Round courgettes (2)
Colvo nero
Purple kohlrabi 
Black garlic
Mushrooms are nemeko, oyster and shitake
Cherry tomatoes 
Green beans
Pea shoots 
Mint
Blueberries 

Supersaver1000 - the risotto sounds like great idea and I even have chestnuts I didn't get around to eating at Christmas in the cupboard. Even have vegan butter in the fridge needing to be used aswell as fresh tyme from a box 2 weeks ago which is still good. No white wine but I'm sure I could use something else instead. 

They were the actual peelings not like skins. They turned out kind of like crisps but with all the nutrition from the skin. Will have to do vegan loaded potato skins at some point. 
 
£99.50/£200. 
£100.50 left. 

snowbird20

zafiro1984 said:

 I can only have one delivery a week so I tend to over order things just in case I can't get a slot the following week.  I will be back to the challenge as soon as I can, but I think this is going to go on for longer than we first thought, maybe even into July/Aug. 

it's much the same here in the US.  So far we've been able to keep food in the stores but there is always the threat that supply chains will be broken so I, too, tend to over order when I can get a delivery time.   And I do believe you are right, zafiro, this will not be 'over' any time soon.  My husband is a physician and his feeling is that we will have at least 2 more waves this year, albeit (hopefully) smaller ones.

elsiepac

Hello everyone!  I'll be catching up on the thread over the next couple of days... I've been really quite unwell with Covid-19 (coronavirus) for over 2 weeks and ended up in hospital for 8 nights.  I came home yesterday and I'm still pretty knocked out to be honest, so I'll catch up slowly!  Hope you are all doing very well and staying healthy

Frugalistamama

Hi I know it's late but can i join in? My month good from 15th-15th which is annoying, how would i do this? 
I'd like to budget £280 for the month (£70 per week) I'm pretty stocked up so should come under budget but I'm starting easy as I tend to over buy a lot and hoard food.... so it's a challenge for me to keep going more than a week! I've a family of 4. 3 adult appetites and one child. Can I ask does this include household consumables like washing up liquid etc?

Thanks! ❤