January 2021 Grocery Challenge

D123456789

I have a 3 drawer freezer under the fridge. The top drawer is small, the middle one large and the bottom one medium size. I still have to work hard to organise it so I can see everything. I try to rotate it so that I know what’s in the bottom drawer needs eating first, then I can keep track. I only properly started using it during March lockdown as went shopping less frequently. I have been trying to have a low spend January, but as soon as I was making in roads, I went shopping and filled it up again. I think I have forgotten how to do a small shop now .......

I do find it useful to make extra portions freeze then take them to work, stops me spending more money on lunches. 

Porridgecat

Mr Porridge did the shopping last week and somehow managed to spend £77.80 in L*dl. He had a list but he got creative, to be fair that did include 9 bottles of wine and a few bottles of cider, he also spent £17.50 in Pets at home to feed the furry ones. So currently £150.29. We don't need much this weekend but MrPorridge will be shopping again as he has to do his mum's as well so who knows what will happen.

ancientmum

Totalled my spends for the week, and it comes to £17.37.  I'm making my son a cake for his birthday this weekend and had to stock up after the Christmas baking spree.

zafiro1984

joedenise said:

I've got a chest freezer and find it really difficult to organise if I'm honest.  I use some small baskets which I picked up in Mr Ts at the bottom which helps with keeping similar things together I also use lots of carrier bags to keep similar things together, eg chicken pieces in one bag, joints in another bag, sausages & burgers in another plus a bag of various bread products.  All the helps but constantly have to take bags out to get to stuff in the bottom of the freezer.

I'm actually considering going the opposite direction and replacing the big freezer with 2 x 3-4 drawer ones.

I know what you mean about organising a chest freezer. I do a similar thing but use cardboard boxes with handles to organise everything.
If you go in the opposite direction may I suggest you get the tallest upright freezer that will fill the space. I have 2 x 6'6" each with 7 drawers as well as the chest freezer. The uprights are easier to manage and kinder on my back but the downside is that they hold far less than a chest freezer. (I need freezer space because I grow/rear some veg and fruit, buy in bulk so several things have to last up to 12mnths) 

joedenise

Unfortunately I can only fit under counter size as they are in a plastic box in the garden so 3-4 drawer is the biggest I can fit in!  I have a fridge freezer indoors but in order to fit in as much as the chest freezer would definitely need the 2 smaller ones!

georgiesmummy

We have had a fair few NSD's as into New Year and since we have been shielding as i tested positive for Covid
I did an online shop for £161.81 which arrived on the 3rd, and did top up for Milk and Bread at £3.08 on the10th. Ive also got another shop coming tomorrow, which is coming in at £94.55.


Total spends so far £259.44 but will no doubt be spending again before the month is over

Landgirlinthelittlecity

Hello, we’re finding it really hard at the moment and I really need to reign in my shopping as much can I play along at £200? 

Money_Choices

Hi
I’ve spent £66.91 over the last 2 weeks, which makes my spending £87.38/£120. This was diveded between a Mr A delivery and a top up shop at local shop.

Money Choices

Doom_and_Gloom

£4.97 spent today between Mr S and L!dl.

£121.88/£150.
£28.12 left.

We have an A&C delivery on monday that is £10.45 out of the budget and then an O~box also arriving costing £15.99 (went for the medium fruit and vegetable box instead of the large due to what we have in anyway. Gives us a chance to see that box and its value too, will post pic up after it arrives). So that is £26.44 accounted for.
That is £1.68 left in our budget.
Last week of a month we usually don't get an A&C delivery and OH just buys a litre of cow milk if needed by him. In theory we should be okay.
OH will make bread again tomorrow - yes he eats a lot of bread. He used to buy the fresh loaves costing at least £1.10 each. He can make 2 loaves at least for the same price of one he used to buy and prefers his own!

Suffolk_lass

Mrs_Cheshire said:

A couple of nsd's for me, meal plan and eating out of the freezer is going well this week. Good collection with 0lio last night, so have filled the space I had in the freezer and will use some of it in next weeks plan. I'm thinking about getting a chest freezer to replace the small 3 1/2 drawer one I currently have. Does anyone have a chest freezer, how do you keep it organised?

I've got five freezers now (eek)- although the big tall upright only has bee frames in to protect against wax moth because it is unreliable.

• I have a replacement upright with shelves in one of the outbuildings that is a relatively new FB Marketplace catering freezer purchase and this is far and away the best.
• I have a chest freezer guaranteed to -20c in the cart lodge and as @joedenise suggests, much rummaging and faffing with crates in mine to group similar things together. Everything I want is usually near the bottom and DH has done the recent rummaging so anything might be anywhere.
• Then there's the former kitchen FF with three drawers outside the kitchen door, under the loggia, with home-cooked ready meals or the next to use bag of fruit or veg in it, and a spare bag of shop-bought chips
• And finally the kitchen FF with 3 drawers - opened bags of stuff, cheese (!) and a few portioned up meat packages to defrost for daily dinners

I recommend the upright catering one with weather-proofing to minus 20c and the kitchen one. Don't tell DH though as the chest one was purchased new this year. It is just the internal organisation. I'm going to look for some smaller baskets which might be a game changer but bags of similar stuff always mean the thing I am looking for (well DH now) is in the last bag!

The one outside is really the drinks fridge but we have not partied for quite a while and it is sad and possibly on its way out, the freezer is handy but not really needed and when it dies it will go without a replacement.