June 2022 Grocery Challenge

ragz_2

Greying well done on the recipe, I did a similar thing in my PC but for a biriyani and it worked well. Also congratulations on the mozzarella win, I noticed mozzarella is now 80p in MrT and MrA, I was paying 47p in Lild and Adli recently, haven't checked this week but imagine it's gone up. 

I've had a MrA delivery today and popped in to MrT on the way home as forgot a few things and managed to grab some YS bargains. BBQ type prepped chicken strips and pork steaks, sandwich filler, coleslaw, houmous and some prepacked fruit for the kids for pudding plus a bag of cookies. 

Blackcats

A shop in lidlee today, using the £10 voucher achieved in May.  More or less stuck to my list - maltezers and own brand kit cat style biscuits sneaked into the basket somehow. 

£11.67 spent - balance is £203.33

otb666

320/600 Only 2 adults and tortoise  to feed for a week now as DS on holiday.  I read in mirror today that a tortoise survived in attic in storage box for 30 years so will not worry too much about feeding everday now as when i put on lawn for his dayly trot he eats a lot of grass.  When i was in supermarket today whilst son was stocking up on holiday supplies I noticed YS stuff only had pennies taken off and whilst we were there got totally cleared by other shoppers.  Certainly feels like everyones watching their pennies not just us old style mse

nannygladys

Just a quick one - still holding off on the shopping or spending any money. Hoping to get some free veg, fruit and bread from the hub tomorrow but I have to go out so it all depends whether I get back In time.
Nannyg

Smoosh

More spends to update!

Went to a different town for dinner last week, so used the opportunity to pop into a supermarket we don't have locally and pick up a few bits. £10.58 spent on a pack of Greek flatbreads (YS - 39p from £1.50), galangal, raspberries (YS - 49p from £2), coconut cream, olive oil, tamarind paste and artichokes.

£43.15 on cat food that will last around 45 days.

£19.90 on 5kg dog food.

£4.50 on milk and some YS sandwiches.

£4.62 on a pizza (YS - £3 from £5), pepperoni and blackberries (YS - 62p from £2).

We were supposed to do the weekly shop today but I was feeling lazy. We were near the supermarket we normally YS shop at, so we popped in and did quite well. £7.47 on 2 packs of vegetarian meatballs (YS - 11p each from £2.25 each), a chicken wrap (YS - 30p from £3.05), baby potatoes (YS - 10p from 95p), chillies, a pack of watermelon (YS - 20p from £1.80), 2 Portuguese custard tarts (YS - 10p from 50p), 2 packs of cookies (YS - 10p each from £1.65 each), 3 doughnuts (YS - 10p from £1.65), 4 hot cross buns (YS - 10p from £1), 2 panini rolls (YS - 10p from 85p), 2 fruit scones (YS - 10p from £1.50), 2 muesli bread sticks (YS - 10p each from 75p each), dishwasher salt and 4 litres of fizzy drink.

Everything freezable has been frozen. OH is taking some sweet treats to work tomorrow to share with his colleagues ☺️

I also got 3 packs of broccoli, 3 packs of runner beans, a bag of parsnips, 2 packs of lemongrass and a pot of coleslaw for free from Olio. Wasn't expecting to be given so much veg, so will prepare it and freeze it tomorrow to make sure none gets wasted ☺️

Meal plan this week (starting today):
1. Pizza (mine veg, OH's cheese which he added pepperoni to. Both YS).
2. Roast (lamb for OH, Quorn lattice for me). With roasted baby potatoes (YS), broccoli and roasted parsnips (both freebies).
3. Tom kha. Will probably serve with spring rolls and Thai crackers.
4. Vegan "chicken wings" (YS from freezer) with Korean style fried rice
5. Spinach and artichoke pasta.
6. Out
7. A meal that I've decided to call Greek tapas 😂 kebabs for OH (YS), halloumi for me. With flatbreads (YS), hummus, olives and potato wedges (using the rest of the YS baby potatoes).

We only have £40.19 left until the 25th so we are definitely not going to make it, but I'll try to minimise the damage as much as possible!

MissRikkiC

We are well into Junes budget but not mindlessly at the shops which is good. 

I used a budget recipe from the link shared the other day, honey and soy broccoli noodles and they went down well even with fussy visitors. 

Hub has done the meal plan this week and I’ll be honest, I hate not having done it. He did it without being asked which was helpful and remembered to use up ingredients we had in but was so literal with doing so that he didn’t factor in buying much extra to make meals more exciting either. So onions and spuds are a plenty this week 😂 I can’t wait to do it myself again 🤣

Suffolk_lass

@Greying_Pilgrim I wonder how long your PC takes to get to pressure? My brown rice is soaked in cold water for a day (2-3 changes of water with a rinse) and then brought to the boil on the hob, simmered for 5 minutes and then switched off and allowed to absorb-cook for 30 minutes with a t-towel round the lid. Then I decant it into take-away boxes and freeze (it does 3 big or 4 accompaniment portions per box). I am wondering if this might be cheaper to cook than using the PC?

Over here I have done a big shop and spent £48.02 on groceries and £40.76 on stores, with £7.35 on dairy. So £96.13. I don't have any subscription items this month for GC (just some pet food, different budget unless I get it in the SM). With some fresh fruit I am hopeful this will do us - we could certainly do with a more frugal month.

Greying_Pilgrim

Suffolk_lass said:

@Greying_Pilgrim I wonder how long your PC takes to get to pressure? My brown rice is soaked in cold water for a day (2-3 changes of water with a rinse) and then brought to the boil on the hob, simmered for 5 minutes and then switched off and allowed to absorb-cook for 30 minutes with a t-towel round the lid. Then I decant it into take-away boxes and freeze (it does 3 big or 4 accompaniment portions per box). I am wondering if this might be cheaper to cook than using the PC?

Hey hun,  It depends on the weather how long the PC takes to come to pressure - it was pretty quick yesterday - under 5 mins.  Previously, that is exactly how I would cook long grain rice - brown included - relying on little 'cooking time' and plenty of 'insulated' absorption time.  With something like biriyani or pilau or jambalaya, at least the cooking time is for your whole tea, so there isn't alot in it. 

But I accept your point that I certainly could have soaked the rice first (I only rinsed) to lessen the time taken to cook.  I can't do copious washing/soaking though, as we're on a water meter, and so 'pay' - to some utility company or other - whatever technique used 🙁 I think I will stick to using the PC though - particularly for 'all in one' type meals.  And if the timings for white basmati are to be believed in the PC cookery book I got from the library, then I will use it to batch cook plain rice too.  I have halogen hobs in this house (rent), so they carry on cooking/heating long after you've switched off - which is a blessing most of the time, and a curse sometimes, as they aren't very sensitive and seem to do 'on' or 'off' and not alot in between........

Greying X

pamsdish

£5.84 in town, nothing major, used c.d, charity shop, £3 for some beans to grow, mine failed this year, probably too old, hopefully will squeeze a crop in, and a lge creme freche from tosco.

FrugalHedonist

@Greying_Pilgrim I may give that recipe a go on the stove as I have most of what the recipe calls for - I don't have frozen mixed veg though but suppose I could bung in some fresh carrots, tomatoes, spinach and some frozen peas