January 2023 Grocery Challenge

thriftwizard

£16.55 went onto our total yesterday at W8rose, mostly on beans to experiment with! As has been previously mentioned, I now need to eat a diet very high in plants & fermented foods to keep things ticking over smoothly, though I am still an omnivore. Tasting my daughter's delicious Ful Medames at the weekend, I realised that actually, I've been looking on beans as just green things you put on the side of your plate or the nice smooth bits in a chilli, but you can do a lot more with them than that, and they are a) genuine superfoods, and b) very cheap, if you're organised enough to buy, soak & cook them from dried. (Not that the tinned versions will exactly break the bank, bought wisely!) Admittedly W8rose certainly isn't going to be the best-priced, but they are 200 yards away so don't cost me anything in fuel, or very much time. I'll need to pop in there tomorrow too, for bananas, beansprouts and sliced bread.

CRANKY40

It's been a while since I posted - not sure why unless it was because it was my last working day on Saturday and I've had things to do and reorganise. The shopping was delivered this week (saver pass) because it stops me throwing random things into the trolley then not doing anything with them and having to try and find space in the freezer. 

The freezer is still full by the way. It's going to be a while before any batch cooking happens. I can't even liberate fruit for jam as the House Troll has exams for the next two weeks. This morning he was supposed to be in class until 12, then lunch break until 1pm then exam for 3 hours. He messaged me at 10am to say he had been told he was on a break until 1pm so I went to fetch him home for a couple of hours. That wouldn't have been possible if I was mid cooking session. I should probably mention that we both have hypermobile joint syndrome and he was better being at home where he could relax for a bit then trailing round college getting sore and being too tired to properly do his exam. 

This week's shopping spend was £56.01. Much less than I thought it would be but then we still have crisps and biscuits left from the stash that I bought in the weeks before christmas. We did have a tub of chocolates too but the House Troll and his friends disposed of those last night. Tonight he had the last bit of sliced gammon from the freezer (defrosted the night before) with pasta and sauce. I had a toasted cheese muffin which I've been wanting for ages but the shops were full of christmas food and there weren't any. If it helps I had a healthy lunch..... 

Total spend to date is £112.59. 

Wraithlady

thriftwizard said:

 Tasting my daughter's delicious Ful Medames at the weekend, I realised that actually, I've been looking on beans as just green things you put on the side of your plate or the nice smooth bits in a chilli, but you can do a lot more with them than that, and they are a) genuine superfoods, and b) very cheap, if you're organised enough to buy, soak & cook them from dried. 

Might be worth getting hold of Rose Elliott's cookbooks - they were a godsend when I was at Uni and had tuppence ha'penny a week for food. The narrative was a tad dated even then (written in the early 70's when vegetarianism was seen as faddish and weird) but the recipes are pretty good and very cheap

SausageDogSandwich

An unplanned spend for me of £17.91 over the weekend in farmfood mostly on unnecessary stuff. Then 4.14 at Lidl yesterday on veg and 2.33 in inceland. I’m not going to any shops for the rest of the week now, will have to make do with what we have. 

£43.59/250 spent 

Soontobeoap

Went for a walk by the seaside today and incorporated a trip to Asda on the way back. I think it was a good decision in the end as l bought 7 packs lactose free cheese at £1.90 (its now £2.15 at Tescos), 2 kirsty free from pizzas for £3.25 each, I usually have to pay £4.25 and they are getting so much harder to find, reduced to clear, puff pastry originally £1.70  ys at 42p. Corned beef, originally £1.30 ys at 43p and a few other bits all for £27.73. So I saved over  £5. 80  by popping in there and have stocked up the freezer a bit. The cheese is dated end on March so I may need to grate it and freeze some later.
Feeling pleased with myself. Time for a cuppa! 

mumtoomany

Another bigish spend since last on. DD2 came to stay and has staff discount at Tesco. Bought lots of dried goods, deodorant, toothpaste and washing up liquid. Spent £46.04 then another £2.67 in Lidl. Total spends for the year now stand at £120.87/£2640. Need nothing now for January but milk, and maybe potatoes and onions, now. Unless any more bargains can be found.

Hugs, mumtoomany.xx

ps86edi

I have struggled to keep tabs on our spending but finally totalled our spending for January. But first thing first...
I'm targeting £120 for the month including any bulk expenses.

Of this, we spent £21.26/£120 over the last 10 days, mostly on milk and fresh produce.

thriftwizard

Wraithlady said:

thriftwizard said:

 Tasting my daughter's delicious Ful Medames at the weekend, I realised that actually, I've been looking on beans as just green things you put on the side of your plate or the nice smooth bits in a chilli, but you can do a lot more with them than that, and they are a) genuine superfoods, and b) very cheap, if you're organised enough to buy, soak & cook them from dried. 

Might be worth getting hold of Rose Elliott's cookbooks - they were a godsend when I was at Uni and had tuppence ha'penny a week for food. The narrative was a tad dated even then (written in the early 70's when vegetarianism was seen as faddish and weird) but the recipes are pretty good and very cheap

Thank you, @Wraithlady, I already have a couple! My "Halloumi Nut Roast" is based on one of her recipes, with added - halloumi, oddly enough! Basic but very, very sound. The girls tend to use online middle eastern recipes too & I'm definitely a fan.

£14.98 spent today on things for tonight's stir-fry plus a couple of restocking-the-storecupboard items; dried mixed fruit (used up the last at the weekend in a "double" pineapple cake bake - one for now, one for the freezer) 3 packs of noodles - one for tonight, one for soups & lunch usage, one into store - and a few reduced F&V bits to keep up the level of variety, aiming for our 30+-a-week.

EssexHebridean

Just realised I've not actually pledged my budget for the month yet - so @elsiepac - thanks for the thread - and

£225 for January for me please

I'm already £15.99 down because we've got a veg box coming this week - realised too late I should have declared this (it actually got charged yesterday which was my cut off day for December, technically!) in last months spend as I'd already blown the budget there - stitched  myself up didn't I!

We made the decision that we would increase our budget slightly from the start of the year - but this month and next should definitely stay within as for me both are 4 week months - I run to the 10th of the month as this is when my credit card statement date is - we budget by putting all groceries on the CC then clearing in full from our groceries pot when the statement is issued. 

Lanky_larry

Struggling now - prolific has completely gone silent for me, had nothing for days! But did manage to transfer £5.20 on TCB so hopefully can build up momentum again