March 2024 Grocery Challenge

Soontobeoap

Been feeling really down for the last week. Sisters funeral next Wednesday. This has resulted in me throwing out 6 bendy carrots and some cooked chicken legs that my DD left from the food she bought for my mothers day picnic on the beach. I had intended making a few pies with them! You wouldnt believe how cross I am with myself. I have been for a walk everyday and make sure I go out and meet people but just cant get going with the mundane household things. Anyway it has resulted in DH popping out for lunch shops. £3.00 here and £5.00 there, when I would usually come up with ideas from left overs. I have been regularly adding these small shops to my signature. Must kick my a** into gear soon if I am to beat last years gc total! 

PipneyJane

Soontobeoap said:

Been feeling really down for the last week. Sisters funeral next Wednesday. This has resulted in me throwing out 6 bendy carrots and some cooked chicken legs that my DD left from the food she bought for my mother’s day picnic on the beach. I had intended making a few pies with them! You wouldnt believe how cross I am with myself. I have been for a walk everyday and make sure I go out and meet people but just cant get going with the mundane household things. Anyway it has resulted in DH popping out for lunch shops. £3.00 here and £5.00 there, when I would usually come up with ideas from left overs. I have been regularly adding these small shops to my signature. Must kick my a** into gear soon if I am to beat last years gc total! 

I’m sorry to hear about your sister, @Soontobeoap.  Big hugs.  Don’t be too hard on yourself.  Grief hits in strange, painful and distracting ways.

I’ve just shoehorned 3 large takeaway tubs full of Sophie Dahl’s Dhal into the freezer.  I know the recipe says it makes 8 portions, but I can probably still feed 8 people from the leftovers and that’s after DH and I ate a decent amount.  Normally, I’d have made up lunch boxes before freezing, but all ours are full.

At least I could fit them in and they will eventually get eaten.  While rearranging the freezer, I’ve found a few things that even I’d forgotten were there:  two tubs of spinach dating from 2021;  a takeaway container that looks like it’s full of broccoli;  2 tubs of home grown berries…. This exploration/rearrangement also tells me is that there are some meals I haven’t cooked in a long time, for example I found three 250g blocks of paneer dating from last June, when I bought a kilo block from a local Asian shop (I haven’t made Chole Paneer since then???).  

Next weekend’s meal planning is going to be interesting….

- Pip

Suffolk_lass

Sometimes bigger things than grocery budgets take priority and losing your sister is one of these @Soontobeoap. I really feel for you. I still have my Sis, but our closeness has gone, except when it is just the two of us, which I think we both hold the other mostly responsible for. Prioritising you and your grieving is more important. Important to give yourself time and space for this.

My budget still reflects only the big shop at the beginning of the month and the weekly milk bills. I shall have subscription stuff to add Monday, plus anything I buy at the Coop to replenish some running-short cauliflower and broccoli (calabrese)

Mrs_Cheshire

Hi all - quick update. Hubby's been doing the grocery shopping, so lots of little shops rather than one larger one. I'll pop to Ald! at some point to do a proper shop that might last us to the end of the month. Total currently stands at £255.82/£450. 

Meal plan 
Saturday - chicken tikka masala and rice
Sunday - roast lamb ( already cooked and in the freezer), with roasted new potatoes, carrots and some other veg
Monday - tuna pasta bake/ sausage pasta bake 
Tuesday - Gammon, mushroom + pea risotto
Wednesday - chicken chow mein
Thursday - chicken goujons, chips and veg
Friday - somerset pork & mash 
Saturday - spanish chicken with rice 
Sunday - maybe roast beef 

number_23

Sending lots of hugs @Soontobeoap, please don’t be too hard on yourself, give yourself some time xx

JingsMyBucket

@Soontobeoap please don’t beat yourself up and I’m so sorry about your sister. When you’re in grief mode, certain parts of your routine can completely go out the window. Honestly, it’s okay to some things into the F*** It Bucket while you’re processing. Sending big hugs and some ease your way x

blubella

Sending lots of love your way @Soontobeoap, don't be cross with yourself under these circumstances.

I've been doing really well with my food budget unless there are any receipts hiding away. I went to Sains'y and bought a few tins of butter beans as they were only 48p each, wraps, tinned toms, some spices, bananas and popcorn. Beetroot from the greengrocers. Spent a total of 15.91.

 

Amateurretiree

Well my plan to just spend £200 instead of £300 this month hasn’t worked out. Already up to £200 and it’s only the middle of the month. 

I will probably only mostly need fruit and veg etc but still won’t come much under £300; is it just me but every time I look at my online shopping basket I can’t believe how little I have got for the amount of money it costs!

And I always stock up on my staples when they are on special offer, most of my shopping is usually on special offer!

Mrs_Cheshire

Hi all, hubby did a small top up shop last night as we'd run low on rice and didn't have enough to go with the curry I'd made. I've done another small shop today to see us through for a few days as he forgot to get bread, bananas etc. 

otb666

480/550 So should come in as go from 23rd to 23rd.   Been a strange week my Dad passed away 10 days ago so have been a bit off kilter.  Had not seen him for 5 years and he could be very self centered So been a bit of a strange time and feelings going from relief to worried about attending funeral But there you go.  Seems I have reached that stage in life where  its one funeral after another.