January 2008 Grocery Challenge

Pink.

Hi Jacks and lil_me,

There are a few tried and tested recipes for goulash that might help on this thread:

Recipe for Goulash

Pink

lil_me

Thanks Pink Winged I am shying away from a sour cream version, gak, I just don't usually like it in anything. Maybe the one Sarahsaver did? I'll post in there asking for any more recipes. Found a James Martin one on BBC food, yummy James, but he adds sour cream, yak!

Sassamac

lol at the great moussaka crisis - dare we ask?

Like Bobbykins Im a pretty good cook bu theres whole genres (not the right word but YKWIM) of food I know nothing about and would be interested in something ne to get me out of cooking the same old same old.

It does seem that prices vary between different parts of the country but I guess if it reflects the income and house prices etc. locally then its fair enough.

Love the suggestions about freezing food in the originl containers so they stack. Hubby takes a tub of leftovers to work every day and I have found that 6 of them stack beautifully in the bottom (small) drawer of the freezer.

For those of you who have littluns (mine are 3 1/2 and 15 months and this applies mainly to the youngest) I put leftover dinners into 250ml tubs (this is a large portion for a small child but mine eat like horses) and freeze them. This means that whenever we're having something not compatible with littluns (e.g. pizza, fry up) or we want to feed the kids early and feed ourselves when they have gone to bed, you can dish them up a proper meal from freezer to plate in about 3 mins (which about how long it takes the average hungry toddler to scream blue murder). It also means you never waste food and dont have that 'only half a portion left' dilema as its perfect kiddie sized. I started doing this with my two from age 6 months when they can have normal family meals and never had to fork out for a jar of food.

belfastgirl23

Joyce's Daughter I usually use the websites and mysupermarket.com to work out what's on offer BEFORE I go shopping. This might also influence where I go shopping - eg if one supermarket has a really good deal on something I need to stock up on and they're fairly even for other stuff then I go to the one with the good deal I do a sort of a broad menu plan for the week but we eat fairly routine stuff (will be watching the one new thing a week challenge with interest) so it doesn't tend to change much cos of offers.

affordmylife

Hi everyone. Well tonight we are having ..... turkey stew!!!

Its not as bad as it sounds. We didnt have the turkey til after new year so its only the second meal from it. With carrots peas and potatoes. Muffins now coming out of the oven. All homemade and all no spend.

Im so pleased and focused on this challenge.

I have to do a birthday meal on the 13th this month and im already working out what i can do with what i have in and how i can jazz it up with very little spends. Normally i would go to M and S and spend £50 on one meal.

I am converted. I am a frugal money saver.

Sassamac

Im not a fan of the meal planning concept as I found I spent all my time writing lists which I then ignored. Also I tend to shop for whatever is on offer so unless you look it up online first and base your dinners on BOGOF's etc. I think the system misses a trick. Also that doesnt account for what is on the reduced counter which comprises a fair amount of my grocery savings. I do however give my cupboards a thorough check before I go so I know what I have, so for e.g. if some stir fry veg was on offer I would know whether I had stir fry sauce in the cupboard or need to buy it. Also I have to be in the mood to cook and eat and dont like the idea of cooking something just because I decided I would the week before.
totally horses for courses and according to this site it seems to work for a lot of people.

jackie_w

Jacks_xxx wrote: »

We did loads of visiting and took up every offer of cake, biscuits, sandwiches, lunch and dinner that came our way!

Love Jacks xxx

I remember when DH and I werent long married we used to do this too. There were many weekends when we used to go "visiting" either my parents or his parents, and we would eat their food :embarasse cos we were always struggling with money.


Anyway, can I join in the January Grocery Challenge? I did do one month last year, and I think halfway through I gave up

For the month of January, I would like to set a budget of £200. This is for 2 adults, and 2 children (aged 10 & 2).

This has to include all food, toiletries, cleaning products, nappies/pull ups (desperately trying to get him out of nappies, but, no joy yet), and any take away treats we decide to give ourselves.

Im really hoping that I will come way under budget, as I have 2 feezers full of food. I buy all my butcher meat in bulk, and in the middle of december, I spent £288 on butcher meat alone, and most of it is still in the freezer.

My month will run from 1st - 31st January, and so far, I have spent £20.68.

Jackie

Joyce's_Daughter

Thanks for help. I'm going to make sure I know whats in my cupboards already before I shop and have a general idea of meals. I don't have a great choice of shops but there's a sainsburys and a farmshop nearby. I find the farmshop is cheaper due to buying only the amount you need, it just takes more effort! Then its hunt out the bargains. I'll bet I'll end up eating weird stuff all month:D

rosieben

Joyce's_Daughter wrote: »

A question for those of you more experienced MSE's. Is it better to have a menu plan that a lot of you seem to do or is it better just to see whats on offer when you shop?

(this is probably stupid question but I'm new to this lark):o

First of all, there's no such thing as a stupid question! we're all learning from each other here

Meal planning works for me but mine is quite flexible; I may list sausages - on the day that can be sausage casserole, sausage toad, sausage and chips, bangers and mash (think I've posted that on a thread recently, sorry if I'm repeating myself on this one! )


and of course, take advantage of special offers. I sometimes have food given by a family member and will sub this into the meal plan if it needs using up.

Meal plans needn't - and shouldn't - be written in stone, but its nice to have one for a starting point.

Joyce's_Daughter

Affordmylife, please don't mention M and S. I've not had my tea yet and I'm salivating at the thought of their food!:rotfl: