June 2022 Grocery Challenge

joedenise

Makes sense to me too @Blackcats - after all a family BBQ is definitely entertainment - I would have done the same.

Suffolk_lass

joedenise said:

Makes sense to me too @Blackcats - after all a family BBQ is definitely entertainment - I would have done the same.

Me too! We went off for tea at my cousin's on Sunday and had so many carbs I still feel full! Oh no, that was the jacket potatoes we had for supper last night, using up the HM coleslaw, some grated cheese, butter, baked beans and chilli flakes

MissRikkiC

katkin said:

Last spend of June to declare with a top-up shop at Morries of £21.44. Just the usual fresh fruit, veg, bread and ham etc. Did get Scottish Blend tea on a deal so I popped an extra in and treated OH to a pizza too, which has taken me over budget for the month! Noticed that they were selling medium and large cucumbers at different prices, Medium looked small to me and cost 55p  Between that an the outrageously priced iceberg lettuce at 59p, I think the time has come to abandon Morries for a German supermarket...

I'd have been under budget if I'd shopped elsewhere and looked at prices online first before I go. The milk delivery is also costing too much and sadly that's going to have to go. On a positive note I did manage to stock up on a few things like the frozen fish, teabags and baking ingredients. We've also eaten well, though more time and consideration has been needed to plan, prep and cook. Oh, and the washing up, boy there's been a lot more of that - OH isn't enjoying that one bit 

Total spent for June - £278.79
GC budget - £275.00
Overspend of £3.79

@elsiepac Many thanks for this thread, its greatly appreciated. And many thanks to everyone who is participating in the GC. It's really helped me to read here and join in. You are an inspiring and entertaining bunch -  I've learnt a lot 

Here's to July and lowering the budget to £250.00.

Have a lovely week everyone.

With regards to cucumber and lettuce, I didn’t order these from tessco last week instead thinking I’d surely get them cheaper from the German cheaper stores. No and nope. They were the same price. Certain they were similar size too!! Actually outrageous 

EssexHebridean

I think more and more now the supermarkets are all ending up at the same prices for a lot of things via their "price matching" - it might mean that increases are delayed because the  discounters entire market position is centered around being cheaper than the main supermarkets, and the main supermarkets don't want to be seen to drop products from the price promise, but it might not! It also seems to mean that when products ARE dropped from the promise, the increase is steeper in one hit - and then the discounters also put prices up to match. Yes butter, I'm looking at you here!

SausageDogSandwich

@Smoosh Thank you   

I have spent another £8.77 at t3sc0, this got me, 4 bean and cheese melts for kids to try, non bio, strawberry jam, 6 apples, washing up liquid, cream crackers, digestives, 6 packs of crisps, wheat bix and 5 bottles of xero cola. Hoping not to spend anymore money until Sunday but will see how we go.

£147.88/150 spent.

PipneyJane

Greying_Pilgrim said:

Good Morning!

I forgot to add yesterday that I had made a batch of hummus, using the YS'd tahini with honey from MrL's Greek foods section.  Mmmmmm, well, it's different.  It's not awful, and it's certainly edible, it's just that the honey is actually quite strongly flavoured (stronger than I thought it would be), so whilst not overpowering, you certainly know there is a sweet note - possibly exacerbated by me not having a particularly sweet tooth.  I'm glad I tried it, I will certainly use up the jar, and I think that it is possibly better suited to dressings - although I will certainly make more hummus, as we like it and it is a treat for us to have it.  I wouldn't buy this product at full price for hummus though - dressings, yes maybe, but not for hummus.

Greying X

@Greying_Pilgrim, the thought just occurred to me that the tahini-with-honey is probably a desert item, used in baking/puddings.  Plenty of Greek/Turkish/Arabic recipes use the combination of sesame and honey.  

HTH

- Pip

Greying_Pilgrim

PipneyJane said:

@Greying_Pilgrim, the thought just occurred to me that the tahini-with-honey is probably a desert item, used in baking/puddings.  Plenty of Greek/Turkish/Arabic recipes use the combination of sesame and honey.  

HTH

- Pip

Ah ha!  Sounds entirely logical PipneyJane 😊👍  It also makes weirdly different tasting hummus too 🤣🤣🤣  I think your explanation is doubtless correct.  As I say, it'd be OK for dressings, as again, you oft use tahini and honey in combination.  I shall be interested to have  a look along the shelf to see if MrL do a 'plain' tahini in that range.  Anyhoo, trust a 'not-particularly-fussed-by-sweet-stuff' person to buy a dessert product to make hummus with - jus' coz it were cheap(ish) 🤣

Greying X

ragz_2

Do you need tahini for hummus? I have a bag of dried chickpeas but no tahini. I have almond butter?

Made a potato and lentil curry for dinner, to use up loads of potatoes that had started sprouting. Amazingly, everyone ate it! https://theprettybee.com/easy-lentil-potato-curry/

My sister was meant to cutting DS1's hair today as he has prom tomorrow and his hair was very long and wild (curly/wavy and below his collar). Well, her and her DCs have a bug so I had to do it. Spent the morning watching YouTube videos... It's okay, but a lot shorter than I intended! 

joedenise

You don't need tahini.  You could substitute the tahini with peanut butter (I suspect almond butter would also work but never tried it.

If you don't have any this is a slimming world recipe which just uses yoghurt instead (obviously it doesn't taste as good as it does with tahini!):

Ingredients

• 400g can chickpeas, drained
• 2 garlic clove, crushed
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra to taste
• 2 tbsp fat-free natural Greek-style yogurt
• Pinch of smoked paprika or cayenne pepper (optional)

Method

1. Put the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and yogurt into a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth. Season to taste, add more lemon juice to taste and sprinkle with smoked paprika or cayenne pepper if you want a bit of extra spice
   

Blackcats

Thank you for the recipe JoeDenise - I'm going to try that this weekend.