January 2008 Grocery Challenge

Blairweech

MrsMc Great idea about the casserole sauce - thanks! I will also be using the seeds out of tomatoes/peppers and planting them.

Frugaldom

Sunnyday wrote: »

Nykmedia,
i confess to having pinched a copy of your meatballs recipe

It sounds scrummy and i`ll hopefully make it on week 3.
*scurries off to amend meal planner*
Thanks for posting it.
SD

I can't take the credit for the meatballs recipe, it's a couple of pages back now and was posted by Scotrae - it's her OH's speciality I have to admit, I have kept a copy to try it too LOL

Just been to Somerfield and managed to get the following:

12 pack Nouvelle toilet rolls - £2.45 (half price)
2 x chickens for £4 (now got 3 in the freezer)
Margarine
2 x 500g minced beef (reduced to 78p per pack, both in freezer now)
2 x tins tuna
1kg Rice
Onions

Total spend - £10.94

Signature updated accordingly and still doing well with the budget. Cupboards still quite full and it'll just be fresh produce & dairy that's needed for the rest of this month, I hope

rosieben

orchid-96 wrote: »

My new slow cooker arrived yesterday (I havn't had one before) so need to get together some nice recipes for that ready for my mealplan next week..

Anyone have any favourites they do in their sc for a rushed off their feet mum!

My Mum used to do sausage casserole all the time with a packet mix, might try that one in the slow cooker (does anyone do theirs in the sc?)
...

Yes I sometimes use the packet casserole mixes in the SC. They are fine. I also part cook sausages, throw in the SC with some tomatoes onions, seasoning and herbs, lovely! :j

check out the OS slow cooker recipe index - http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=1332010#post1332010

I've found that basically anything you could do in an oven will work in the SC, sometimes need slightly less liquid, it'll be a case of trying and seeing what suits you

I do rice pudding in my sc too, it comes out beautifully creamy. I cant make rice pudding in the oven to save my life, never been able to

mikeD

Bobbykins wrote: »

BTW - Mike D, Frog master extraodinaire.........how is Mrs Mike (otherwise known as the frog princess)'s arm now?

Thanks for asking Bobbykins. She went to the hospital for a check up and the Doctor confirmed that the X-ray indicated that everything was satisfactory. However she still has a has a lot of pain and I have to be careful around her so as not to knock the affected shoulder or touch it too hard. She's beginning to sleep better but but this is still sporadic. She has another hospital on the 24th and I must say that I am mightily impressed with the "Fracture Clinic" at that particular hospital. Preliminary check, X-ray, final consultation in around half-an-hour.

Had to miss a couple of pages so apologies to those I have not thanked.

Cheers notopin, glad it makes you smile.

Went to Tesco's Metro this morning for veggies (spent £5.27) and also called into Woolies to see if there were any bargains. Got a small 0.8L Pyrex dish which I can use for making pies etc.

Well must dash, DW wants her lunch :rolleyes:. Carry on keeping your wads tight!

Love the FM

Gryfon

izoomzoom wrote: »

It is entirely up to you. Some people do and some do it under different budgets. Thing is just to be consistent, so that you can see if you are making progress in getting / sticking to your budget.

Thanks. I think I will add it in as it was a meal! £10 into my budget which is scary!

shaaark

I'm begrudgingly buying Savlon/antibacterial cream and a roll of plaster today, as I have infected blisters from walking to my friend's house on Saturday (didn't drive or get the bus, yay me!)

I'm making the boyfriend walk to Sainsbury's and Boots to price compare to get the cheapest he can and have demanded receipts on his return so I can put them in my little book (saddo)!

Just gutted I have to spend any money on my damn blisters..... but I can't really walk properly. Dammit! :rolleyes:

loopy_lou_6

Hi guys, can i join your gang? I seriously need to save money this year. lately i,ve been so slack with grocery shopping. i can be good when I need to. We are a family of 3 me hubby and 14 yr old DD. My budget for shop every week is 70 quid a week. but this includes toiletries cleaning stuff other bits and bats i might throw in at the supermarket.my hubby and DD take sandwiches to work. 2 things im gonna do is buy smaller plates and bowls, our portion sizes are ridiculous(and sos my waistline but thats awhole other thread! Also im going to have each week a soup night a baked potatoe night and a something on toast night. I already batch cook although could do more i suppose. anyway thats all for now! dunno if this might help anyone but this week i bought youngs fishfingers in tesco a quid for 16(half price) we love fish finger butties in this house for lunch with lettuce mayo and loadsa vinegar!

MRSMCAWBER

Hi mollymop

Have this recipe for sweet n sour - hope it helps:-

1tbs oil
1 medium carrot -very thinly sliced
1 medium onion - cut into fine wedges
5oz fresh pineapple -chopped -don't see why you can't use tinned
1/2 medium red pepper
1/2 medium green pepper -both cut into bite size pieces -can always use 1 colour to save faffing
1 stick celery - sliced
2 1/2oz sweet pickled chinese veggies -chopped -
3tbs white vinegar
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs tom puree
2 tbs caster sugar
2 tbs orange juice
2 tbs cornflour mixed with 1 tbs water

1. Heat the oil, add carrot, onion and pineapple and cook for 2 mins
2. add peppers, celery and pickled veg and cook for a further 2mins
3. combine vinegar, soy sauce, tom puree, sugar and orange juice - then stir in the cornflour and mix well
4. pour into the vegetables and stir constantly until mixture boils and thickens slightly

I know it seems a long list of ingredients but most of it will be stuff you probably have lurking in cupboards allready :T -plus its great for using up those sad carrots, bits of peppers etc.

I guess you could probably get away without the pickled veg if pushed too.
Oh and if using tinned pineapple i would add it just before the liquids as it will only want warming through and you could also replace the orange juice with the tinned pineapple juice

Frugaldom

I was doing really well ingredients-wise until I got to "2 1/2oz sweet pickled chinese veggies -chopped -" Is this like chutney or sweet pickle? Like... could I substitue something else?

Rowan9

Hello loopy lou -:hello:
I am very new to the grocery challenge and may have gone too low with my budget BUT....the actual challenge itself is keeping me away from the shops at the moment and I have found ways round things - like I thought oh I'd better pop out for some new dish washing sponge things (thinly disguised urge to 'browse' shops) - then read a thread on MSE about using dish clothes instead (have 3)and realised I don't really *need* to get in the car and drive to tesco for a pack of sponges, while probably picking up other things i may or may not need. There is a lot of info and encouragement here -it helps keep me on track.
Good luck!
W