March 2024 Grocery Challenge

Mamaofmanybudgets

So proud of myself £97.72 for the first week but have some extra change from somewhere, I'll give myself another hundred tommorow but I'm having dinner at my friend's tommorow, then with another friend Saturday, going to a self catering weekend away but will just get some cheap foods for the days we aren't with friends and include it all in the budget. So glad with myself for getting through this week. 🙌 

So £97.49/£400 

CoffeeSonata

@PipneyJane I am so sorry to hear that your DH was made redundant. Probably the last thing you need, though I guess he will be around more maybe when you need him a while.  I do hope he is able to find another job quickly, and you can benefit from the redundancy payment more than just to live on. 

You mentioned the broken everything on Feb's grocery thread sympathising with my kitchen.  I meant to reply there, but then it was the end of feb! As you know I feel the pain of the extra thinking and organising it requires, and getting to the funds for a working one! I know you have the combi, and for two it's great.  Our current combi was a gift from a friend getting rid of it, when our combi broke.  I do love combi ovens, I'm trying to work out how to get one as a combi/microwave in our new kitchen when we manage it. It's proving difficult with not having it on precious worktop and getting it into a cabinet above.  I think I will start to miss the  auto cook and the energy saving. We/or I have  had a combi since maybe 2008 most of the time - at times the only oven. It's okay for two, but any more I struggle. Would be doable if we also weren't down to one working hob ring.  This combi is also my nemesis. I have set at least two things on fire, one very near causing a kitchen fire, because of the way it pre-heats and has an insanely hot spot in the back corner. This also means things just burn, and it isn't heated from below so it's tricky to do some things, timings are all crackers and I cannot bake almost any baked goods or bread. I can manage banna cake and loaf cakes with trickery and a ton of reminders to turn them. That's about it.  Is yours freestanding? Which model do you have?  I'm sorry about the other plan holding/broken appliances. We are the same with a limping tumble dryer, and I think I'd cry if anything else breaks before I can get an oven or maybe even manage the kitchen. I talk nicely to the dishwasher every day so she knows she's highly valued and doesn't even *think* about malfunctioning. 

Grocery Challenge. 

I have spent £108/£330 

So 

Three shops, which included a bit of a disaster in Sainsbury's on Saturday unplanned and more random things than actual meals. I was working the night short notice at a nightshelter where food availability was vairable and sorry for self. So a back-up sandwich,  cereal bars, portable coffee drink makeable with just hot water for me and a treat for others called in at stupidly short notice to absolutely freezing cold nightshelter. Then some treat things for partner who was ill and home half of last week and very sorry for self. Ready meal curry for them too when I was gone as they asked.  Plain chicken breast for cats as when we woke up one cat had been sick ....everywhere, and was still throwing up.  I think it was his mission to get every single room..... 
Vanish carpet cleaner foaming spray thing requested urgently  by partner to fix lounge rug and hall carpet which seemed stained.  Slight argument from me that at over £5 and full of chemicals maybe not the better thing/necessary. I lost. 
I'm not sure it's actually been done - especially as they were less capable than they thought Sunday (I was asleep a LOT of Sunday), I can still see stains. I might have to have a go.  Bit worried about bleaching the carpet though. 

That all came to £44 without a single complete meal, unless you count a YS food to go sandwich and ready meal curry. And maybe some cat meals of chicken (!).  Sticker shock at checkout.  

Then Sunday, I ended BACK in Sainsbob's as we'd planned to go out for lunch when I woke up and partner was just too rough still. I didn't have lunch food. Was still at least 3/4 asleep and with maybe 3 hours of sleep. They  requested smoked salmon and scrambled egg, so bought eggs (expensive ones as for taste and for animal welfare I buy the higher quality/free range/organic eggs as much as possible if they are the main protein.) and bread. 
YS smoked salmon though.  Also some other things for holes in the first half of the week meals, without a list. Has worked out ok.  Still meant higher spend than I'd like for not really full meals aside from scrambled egg! 

Sat down Tuesday and re-did meal plan properly. I think all has turned out ok, as I have the rest of this week and next week's meals planned. Did click&collect Morris Son's shop yesterday.  £45.45 . That filled in holes in some of next weeks meals, milk hopefully til Monday and A LOT of salmon fillets for the freezer making use of budget to get them before the 500 more points offer on 2x salmon fillets runs out, and the 3 for £10. So protien for at least  4 Fridays sorted. 

Have managed some batch cooking in the slow cooker the last few days despite being exhausted and headaches again (I think I may be fighting off what partner had also).  
I have also managed for the first time in a LONG time to have lunches ready that partner likes, feels like and will take -  so they can take to work everyday this week so far.  They've also remembered to take them every day.  Seems basic, but for various reasons including some fussiness about lunch as well as utter disorganisation/fatigue it hasn't happened consistiently every day for a while. So I'm really pleased with that.  They were buying from a van/food to go lunches/subway  or buying packet things (think rice, noodles, john west pasta pots things) for lunch - which is better but still more expensive than it needs to be.  

We do need to cut those costs, as it's not necessary. The lunch out food doesn't come out of the grocery budget that I track or the grocery money I have, but either personal spending or takeaway spending/general.   But it's been a lot, and definitely need to use it elsewhere.  Where I knew or remembered I did buy some things like the rice/noodles and make sure some were here, but partner often prefers to choose or changes preference with no warning! But where that happened,it was inclued with grocery budget but usually it hasn't been. 
So it does mean that groecery budget is now back to covering most lunches from this month whereas it wasn't before, but I'm happy it's overall saving and I really hope I will still come under budget (£330 this month and continue to reduce to a more frugal level for two adults. & food stealing chicken gobbling cats).

Now my worry is I've underestimated space in my newly defrosted freezer, as I'm not sure I will fit all the soup in, and even knowing this, I still do need to make it as things will go off and planend for next week's lunches. Help! 

Next week I should only need yoghurt, milk, probably granola (it's so expensive!), maybe cheese. 
I do need to go back to a shop today, as cats need food, and there's a mynecker offer on dreamies for cats (0.98p, usually £1.30) ending today, and some oriental sauces I'm running out of and are staples in this house. Planned to buy those next week, but do just about have money to cover it this week so will make use of the offers. Also oranges, onions (which I almost never run out of and was surprised to use the last one yesterday!), and gravy. 

Chicken dinner tonight,chicken in slow cooker (possibly without an onion to start off as I think I'm going to have to put it in before I come back from shopping and a work meeting.) But partner doesn't like/want bisto based gravy, and I never seem to make it work well with a slow cooker chicken.  The chicken was a Morris' Son's more offer, £4 instead of £6 and is a roast in the bag one. But my oven doesn't do well with those, and can become hazardous. I'm also super tired and in pain. So it's going in the slow cooker! 

Plan for rest of chicken, 1) cats 2) shred and freeze some for chicken mayo lunch wraps, fajitas and stir fries 3) chicken and mushroom soup. 

I need a bigger/second freezer/tardis freezer. I'm not sure ANY of this is going to work! 
Has anyone done the math and worked out is it cheaper to make your own granola, with say, tropical dried fruits?!

otb666

we just buy oats and i add whatever we have which can be Fresh fruit or frozen fruit or chia or flack seeds or Jams or peanut butter or chocolate powder or honey, with a bit of milk or water.

CoffeeSonata

otb666 said:

we just buy oats and i add whatever we have which can be Fresh fruit or frozen fruit or chia or flack seeds or Jams or peanut butter or chocolate powder or honey, with a bit of milk or water.

As porridge? Or overnight oats? 
I eat porridge, or over night oats mostly. 
Though never thought of putting nut butter and jam in porridge (do sometimes eat rice pudding for breakfast!).

Partner, insists on granola with dried fruit. 
Takes it to work in a pot, with very exact amounts of milk and greek yoghurt. 
Far prefers Jordan's. Is very exacting about it! 

Never to almost never manages to eat breakfast before leaving the house. 
I am definitely going to try chocolate powder and porridge (is that what you mean?)

My go to is apple, also making cinamon apple compote from over-ripe apples or blueberries and porridge. 

Raspberries when it's raspberry season. 
Never actually thought of jam! Or adding chia/Flax - which I do add to smoothies, basically my only other form of breakfast! 

Mrs_Cheshire

Currently at £94.56 which includes a 3 month supply of toilet roll. Got quite a bit in the freezers still and an almost full store cupboard. Just need to meal plan and get it used up!

itsthelittlethings

I’ve got an &sda shop coming tomorrow. £49 so about £10 off what I usually spend at T?scos. £100 left for the rest of the month but I’ve just been away for a week and had no food costs (although I did bring and cook a couple of meals).

debtfreewannabe321

Got a sack of potatoes yesterday which should last us into next month, £13.50 so new total is £270.42/500 with 2 more shops left to go. I think it's still possible to bring it in on target though

otb666

@CoffeeSonata i tend to zap in microwave the oats with milk or water and any of the additions above for 2.30 minutes.  I never made time for breakfast before i retired but now i have the time i always have breakfast.

  I had brought instant hot chocolate and also had a surplus of nesquick milk shake powder that had gone outta date So used that up in porridge as well.  I also sometimes have yogurt and banana with flack seed on top.  I always thought granola was just oats and dried fruits but as i like something warm dont eat it without it being done in microwave.  

I use peanut butter for porridge and pancakes and recently made fudge with it as well

diminua

£48.50 spent so far. I need milk and pasta tomorrow, and will probably be seeing my Dad Thursday for a drink. I'm also dogsitting for my cousin Sunday night and am tempted to treat myself to takeaway that evening since I'm only there one night. 

CoffeeSonata

otb666 said:

@CoffeeSonata i tend to zap in microwave the oats with milk or water and any of the additions above for 2.30 minutes.  I never made time for breakfast before i retired but now i have the time i always have breakfast.

  I had brought instant hot chocolate and also had a surplus of nesquick milk shake powder that had gone outta date So used that up in porridge as well.  I also sometimes have yogurt and banana with flack seed on top.  I always thought granola was just oats and dried fruits but as i like something warm dont eat it without it being done in microwave.  

I use peanut butter for porridge and pancakes and recently made fudge with it as well

I like the warm porridge too!  Chocolate in it is my new goal for next week. 
Granola is not the same, or just cold oats and dried fruit. 
It's rolled oats / jumbo rolled oats mixed with butter or an oil, honey or maple syrup or both with some flavouring like vanilla or cinamon mixed together in bowel. That forms sort of clusters.  Then the mix is tipped onto a baking tray, and put in the oven for 15 mins  to bake and crisp up into crisp clusters. 
Those clusters are then mixed with whatever you want of  dried fruits , coconut, seeds  and nuts  and baked a really small about more (5-10 mins) to make a cereal.  Which you can keep in an air tight container and use through the month like cereal. 
Used as a topping for yoghurt, or eaten with milk, or lots of granola and yoghurt mixed. 
 have a friend who puts a few chocolate drops and dried strawberries in her granola and it is so tasty. 

You can buy it pre-made in the cereal section, with the cereals.  

When you make your own, espcially with cinamon it smells absolutely divine, and makes the whole house smell entirely amazing. 
But to buy it's quite expensive if eaten in quantities of daily cereal anyway. £3.60 ish for 700g for bought with dried tropical fruits. Very tasty though.