August 2021 Grocery Challenge

Pixiehouse55

Failed miserably this month!! £356.76!!!
September will be eating out of the freezer and cupboards. Any food left over will be given to a friend of ours who helps the ones that are on poverty line and under. I admit we've been very naughty as trying to, sale, pack, charity or throw out everything before we move out of our house and in to our motor home driving around looking for our dream narrowboat. Lotscof lazy eating!!! I will pop on to the September challenge now. X 

nannygladys

Pixiehouse - motor home and narrow boat, sounds lovely to me. I live quite near a canal and some of the boats are just beautiful.

Nothing spent today and even more t rolls found. I didn't sleep all that well last night and fell asleep this afternoon, woke up and thought I need to find t rolls!! I did find a pack of 2 in my airing cupboard!!! What ?? I'm blaming muddled head and lockdown buying but I'm more or less certain that's it now!!Lol

Just one more day to go and I'm out at dds tomorrow so there's no need for me to spend my last pound  
Nannyg

goldfinches

@nannygladys - well done on holding onto your last pound, you're an inspiration to me.

@Pixiehouse55 - I also live near a river with moorings and some of the boats I pass there would make the Queen envious they're so beautifully decorated and appointed. Maybe one day I'll be admiring your new home.

@Suffolk_lass - I had wondered about making my own garlic oil but was rather discouraged by the mention of possible botulism in various online discussions. Can you tell me a bit more about the method please?

I went to Sainsby's today with the rump of yesterday's list and managed to get capers, radishes and garlic oil but totally failed on a new dishwashing brush as that section was completely bare. I spent £5.29 which makes my new total £122.85/£124 and my average daily spend £4.72.

Suffolk_lass

goldfinches said:

 - I had wondered about making my own garlic oil but was rather discouraged by the mention of possible botulism in various online discussions. Can you tell me a bit more about the method please?

I went to Sainsby's today with the rump of yesterday's list and managed to get capers, radishes and garlic oil but totally failed on a new dishwashing brush as that section was completely bare. I spent £5.29 which makes my new total £122.85/£124 and my average daily spend £4.72.

OK @goldfinches - there are two methods.
1. Cold infused garlic oil you need to use within 2-3 weeks and lots of people keep it in the fridge to reduce the risk of bacteria developing. The trick is to submerge the garlic, bruised or cut (I smash them with the flat blade of the knife, having peeled them) and leave them in good olive oil to infuse gently. At least 2 hours, for a gentle flavour. This is great for using with virgin or extra virgin cold pressed oil where you are looking at the green premium oils. It is ideal as a sprinkle for finishing dishes or dipping bread. Personally I have previously left the garlic in but having checked out the bacteria possibilities, I would not now. This doesn't last long in our house so I don't think it's a big issue.

I generally do it when we are having a BBQ and I do gentle pickled onions then too. This is a red onion peeled and cut into disks and then separated into rings, sprinkled with granulated sugar (a teaspoon per onion) then sprinkled with distilled vinegar (white vinegar) or white wine vinegar and the rings are regularly turned so they go soft and are infused (minimum an hour before eating but 2nd day leftovers are great and the vinegar goes pink (and they keep for weeks in the fridge)

2. Cooking garlic oil The other method (if you want to cook with it) is to pop the bruised cloves in ordinary olive oil and gently heat (do not "boil" it) it so the garlic flavour is released. Then strain the lumps out and bottle it and it will keep on the counter top. I have done this in the oven in a pyrex jug at under 100c for about an hour and then discarded the lumps (easier to ensure you don't change the properties of the oil in an oven) and I don't worry about the bacteria because the garlic has done its job and gone.

goldfinches

@Suffolk_lass - thankyou so much for that extremely clear and helpful explanation which I will copy and paste into my useful recipes from MSE folder right now. 

threepenny_bit

Suffolk_lass Thankyou for explaining; I was not sure on either method and will certainly give it a go now

Money_Choices

Hi
On 16 August I spent in M0rris0ns £48.29 added to my previous total = £70.22/£80.00.
Yesterday 23 August I was gifted by a friend who is downsizing, 6 cans of 394g Ratatouille and1 400g can of sweetcorn in water and all the cans have plenty of time left on them but their diet has changed and they don't eat as much canned food. I am very grateful to my friend as I use a lot of canned food when I use my slow cooker to make ready meals which I freeze and use later.

Money Choices

thriftwizard

Just under £20 spent today at the supermarket, on bread, bananas, sausages (including veggie) and buttermilk. Just over £50 left until 31st; dubious, but possibly just do-able...

LadyWithAPlan

Spending today groceries   £4.81 - mainly sweets as was tired in the afternoon wfh slump
Aug 16th to 31st  Groceries Challenge  £44.78 / £70

I look forward to my first full month  grocery challenge in Sept £170 from my normal £200/month is the aim... I have ran out of coconut oil, black peppers and need a few more store bits but probably got enough meat and fish in the freezer to last me for  2 weeks...

nannygladys

Well I handed over 50p in the library for reserving a book, I didn't realise you had to pay. So I have ended my 4 weeks with just 59p!! At least I've done it - yay

Getting quite a lot of veggies off my allotment, so spending on veg is practically non existent which helps. Going to carry on with the same amount for the next 4 weeks from tomorrow, hopefully I'll be able to do it again.
Nannyg