January 2021 Grocery Challenge

goldfinches

BelleBaluu said:

Hi everyone. That’s my first spend to log for the month. £54.76/£360 in L1dl today. Used my app scratch card winnings for money off too. 

I’ve been reading all the posts and thought I’d look into having milk delivered, to save some trips to shops, but we go through three of the largest size each week, so was going to cost more than double, so can’t justify that. 

One of my downfalls is resorting to takeaway after a busy day or a weekend treat, but made homemade salt & pepper chicken tonight, win win and kids loved it! 

Quick question and sorry if I’m being thick, but why are supermarket names not written out properly? 

I'm another who was thinking what about freezing your milk. I've done this during the last year whenever I've picked up a y/s milk at the supermarket. The only reason I don't do it all the time is that I haven't the freezer space.
If you're worried about the containers splitting etc. I had an email from M*rks & Sp*rks early in the first lockdown which explicitly said that you could freeze milk provided the bottle seal was still intact. As I said I've done it several times now and found this advice to be true.
Many years ago, early 1990's, MrS used to sell Channel Islands milk in 1 pint cardboard cartons and I froze those regularly and they were fine too but when I looked for them recently they weren't available at my branch so don't know if you can still get them. It was lovely milk too. 
Nearly forgot to say I've spent today's £4 on tinned beans and tinned tomatoes as I spotted some nice whole and chopped ones reduced to clear in MrS today when I was looking for polenta which they've stopped stocking. So that makes my total £37.09/£124 which is still £1.09 over target so I'll try harder tomorrow.

Blackberrycurved

 BelleBaluu was that salt and pretty chicken recipe on this thread in the recipe section? 

Pixiehouse55

I do 4 weekly shop when we get paid and have always brought  6 4pt full fat milk and 6 4pt semi skimmed, just needs a really good shake up when defrosted. I also buy 6 loaves of bread from the Bakery in Mr A..a and get them to slice it up. Ive froze cheese but can get very crumbly when defrosted and try to cut it.  Over spent for  Christmas as we thought both girls were going to be home, so still have plenty of food in cupboards and freezers,  fingers crossed won't have to spend much on food this month. 

Blackberrycurved

Pepper not pretty 😂

cw18

Pixiehouse55 said:

Ive froze cheese but can get very crumbly when defrosted and try to cut it.

I've regularly frozen cheddar.  I find that the more mature it is, the more it crumbles.   I love a very mature cheddar, and love that this means I don't need to get my grater out - just try slicing thinly

joedenise

If I'm freezing cheese I always grate it, that way I can just grab handfuls when I need it.  It's especially good for things like cheese sauces and for making Welsh rarebit.  But it works fine for sandwiches too.

I've changed to UHT milk over the last couple of years as that is what we tend to use when we go on holiday to France as it's easier to get so buy 12 litres at a time and that's usually got at least 3 months on it.

I use sliced wholemeal bread and buy 4 at a time and freeze them.  Once I need a loaf out I keep it in the fridge and it easily lasts a week.  Seems to go stale if left out on the worktop (I don't have a bread bin and no space for one so don't know how long it would keep in one).

BelleBaluu

Blackberrycurved said:

 BelleBaluu was that salt and pretty chicken recipe on this thread in the recipe section? 

Hi Blackberrycurved, no I found it on the BBC Good Food website.  Really easy to make too, it would have taken me more time to order and collect a takeaway!

Suffolk_lass

@joedenise I have a couple of linen bags for keeping bread in they sit on top of the extractor hood and help keep the bread fresh. And I'm another one for grating and freezing cheese - I've even got a cheese drawer in the small kitchen freezer! (it is the smallest one with bits of the workings behind it).

I am fine with freezing milk too but find skimmed and semi are preferable to whole milk because the fat separates slightly and it "seeds" in tea or coffee. Probably fine but it looks a bit weird

mumtoomany

Had fish and chips, for OH's birthday tea. £31.20. In the evening had to take DD3 to work, into farm foods for milk, again, bought that and eggs and crisps, spent £4.75. Then went over to morries for stuffing mix, found some great YS bargains. 9 tuna steaks, 6 sausages, 9 packs of bacon, 2 packs of diced lamb, a pack of lamb ribs, and 2 salmon fish cakes, all for £6.91, plus the stuffing mix £1.80. Total now stands at £68.01/£2750. Will need fruit at some point this week and milk again I'm sure. Mumtoomany.

joedenise

@Suffolk_lass - not seen those bags but wouldn't be able keep on top of my extractor hood as it is sloping and has chimney up through the ceiling so no flat surface to use!