September 2020 Grocery Challenge

moneyonmymindsam

Packet of revels in so £16.70 left on the week budget. Need to get a few bits today like milk, carrots but hoping to spend very little.
Sam x

MazzieD

£25.01 spent at Tesco  this morning.  £64.99 for rest of month.

mooomin

£1.30 on grapes, because I forgot to put them in yesterday's food shop.

£43.28/£250

Finstickle

£114.97 at Lidl on Saturday for a big shop. Included YS free range chicken breasts and a very large tub of Vanish powder so happy enough with that.
Have milk and flour for bread so hopefully no further spends. 
£289.37/£600, it's looking tight as I don't get paid until the 30th, need to up the veggie meals and use some store cupboard.
Been really pleased with progress but going to need a big meat shop soon. Might try and do a YS shop at tesco next week. 

Currently have a cold and a Teething baby, so definitely having an effect as not prepping as much and definitely going for easier (more expensive) meal options. 

moneyonmymindsam

£4.25 spent, few ys bits of tomatoes, carrots and more coffee but trying a "gold roast" cheaper brand. Didn't get milk although that's on the agenda along with bread and deodorant as I'm on use ups of 3 lots but worrying how long it will last. 
Warburton chicken mayo rolls as lunch followed by carrot cake. 
Farm bacon and organic eggs for tea and maybe sausage too for plus one. 
£12.45 to go (!) 
Reorganising freezer as we speak see what space I have now. 
Hope everyone is OK 
Sam x

Doom_and_Gloom

£27.83 spent on our A&C delivery today.

My dinner - sweet and sour vegetables with inari sushi.
OH dinner - okinomiyaki.

£82.65/£180.
£97.35 left.

PipneyJane

goldfinches said:

Spent this afternoon foraging and came home with blackberries and apples from three different trees. Had to spend £4 at the local T*sco for the Merlot necessary to make another batch of bbc good food's blackberry liqueur but did use a voucher that was about to expire so that brings me to £43.03/£200. 
Can anyone recommend a recipe for crab apples that uses them in slices that shows off their lovely colour? One of the trees I visited this pm had ping pong ball sized, deliciously sweet, gloriously yellow fruit that are just crying out for an open tart or something very similar. Thanks in advance, goldfinches.

@goldfinches, I have never met a crab apple that is sweet.  The wild ones I harvest are very tart and sour.   I'd suggest you taste one first and, if it is sweet, then make something like a French Apple Tart or a Tart Tatin.  (Both links are to the BBC.)  They will show off the colour.

If it turns out to be sour, well I make crab apple jelly and then Crab Apple Chilli Cheese with the ones I harvest.  (NB:  I don't add chilli until after I've drained off the jelly liquid and then let the chilli sit in the pureed pulp for a while before adding sugar to make the cheese.)

HTH

- Pip

ancientmum

I've just caught up with the posts and seen that some of you are well into foraging.  I've been freezing blackberries as I've picked them and will turn into blackberry and apple jelly when there is enough to make it worthwhile.  I need to check out my usual crab apple tree.   Shopping-wise, I've spent £51.49 since the last post, mainly in Sains with a big box of washpods that will last about 3 months.  I also got some nice bacon from the market.  The rashers are thick as opposed to see-through, so although expensive it should go further.  I'm thinking of having bacon, cheese and broccoli pasta bake tomorrow. 

Esthermate

May I try for £120? So far £10.17 and £20.42
£30.59/120

goldfinches

PipneyJane said:
@goldfinches, I have never met a crab apple that is sweet.  The wild ones I harvest are very tart and sour.   I'd suggest you taste one first and, if it is sweet, then make something like a French Apple Tart or a Tart Tatin.  (Both links are to the BBC.)  They will show off the colour.

If it turns out to be sour, well I make crab apple jelly and then Crab Apple Chilli Cheese with the ones I harvest.  (NB:  I don't add chilli until after I've drained off the jelly liquid and then let the chilli sit in the pureed pulp for a while before adding sugar to make the cheese.)

HTH

- Pip

Thanks for the links and the chilli tip, Pip. These particular apples are deliciously sweet which I surmise is due to our having had a very light frost here about 8 or 9 nights ago now. The other two trees are much tarter so most of those apples are currently being cooked with dark brown soft sugar, water and lemon juice to make slightly sweet and chewy breakfasts. I also have plans to combine them with variously blackberry liqueur, dried apricots, dried figs, dried prunes, very elderly currants, raisins and sultanas, although not all at once I don't think, though if anyone knows any better don't keep it to yourself. 
Before I slope off to bed I must just update my numbers. I spent £13.20 at S**b**y's on bog roll, washing machine cleaner, dishwasher cleaner and stainless steel scourers plus £6.05 at Marks on milk, yoghurt, radishes and y/s new potatoes. That brings me to £62.08/£200. Already this challenge is revealing that I should take up radish farming!