August 2024 Grocery Challenge

crazybunnylady4

morning all, 

just done my sums, pleased to say I have reined in the coffee and lunch spends this week (although 1 day i was off work ill due to the heat). 

for week 2 reporting grocery spends at £112.29 (most of this is our big shop at Mr T which arrived yesterday) and lunch/coffee spends at £29.63

Overall total for August so far 

Grocery = £207.55/£400
Lunch/Coffee = £96.34/£150

PipneyJane

Suffolk_lass said:

PipneyJane said:

Enjoy the apples, @Nelliegrace.  We’re inundated with blueberries.  At least 3kg have been frozen so far, and another kilo was harvested on Saturday.  If I get up early enough tomorrow, I’ll attempt to make blueberry jam (before the kitchen becomes intolerably hot).  Certo Pectin was one of Saturday’s purchases.

- Pip

I just wanted to chip in and say I make berries into a sort of stewed compote (far less sugar than jam) and shove it in jam jars with pop tops - we then have lovely fresh tasting fruit (cheaper than jam and stored for free) to use in winter, on our breakfasts, or as a dessert with yogurt, ice cream or under a crumble topping. You are pretty savvy anyway, but this might be more tolerable than jam-making in this heat, to preserve your precious produce

Tell me more, please, @Suffolk_lass. Even a vague recipe would be helpful.  Do you sterilise the filled jars?  (So far, I’ve managed to shoehorn everything into the freezer, but there’s at least one more batch of blueberries still to ripen and no space.)

I have another spend to declare.  DH went to MrT’s on a “fact finding mission” and came out with 5 YS items: prosciutto, chicken breasts, a steak & ale pie, and 2 packs of Cumberland sausages.  £9.54 spent.  (No, they didn’t have the big J&J baby powder.  It seems none of the supermarkets have stock at the moment.  Fortunately, we still have some in reserve.)

The above brings our total August spend to £58.89/£202.30, leaving £143.41 for the rest of the month.

- Pip

Suffolk_lass

PipneyJane said:

Suffolk_lass said:

PipneyJane said:

Enjoy the apples, @Nelliegrace.  We’re inundated with blueberries.  At least 3kg have been frozen so far, and another kilo was harvested on Saturday.  If I get up early enough tomorrow, I’ll attempt to make blueberry jam (before the kitchen becomes intolerably hot).  Certo Pectin was one of Saturday’s purchases.

- Pip

I just wanted to chip in and say I make berries into a sort of stewed compote (far less sugar than jam) and shove it in jam jars with pop tops - we then have lovely fresh tasting fruit (cheaper than jam and stored for free) to use in winter, on our breakfasts, or as a dessert with yogurt, ice cream or under a crumble topping. You are pretty savvy anyway, but this might be more tolerable than jam-making in this heat, to preserve your precious produce

Tell me more, please, @Suffolk_lass. Even a vague recipe would be helpful.  Do you sterilise the filled jars?  (So far, I’ve managed to shoehorn everything into the freezer, but there’s at least one more batch of blueberries still to ripen and no space.)

I have another spend to declare.  DH went to MrT’s on a “fact finding mission” and came out with 5 YS items: prosciutto, chicken breasts, a steak & ale pie, and 2 packs of Cumberland sausages.  £9.54 spent.  (No, they didn’t have the big J&J baby powder.  It seems none of the supermarkets have stock at the moment.  Fortunately, we still have some in reserve.)

The above brings our total August spend to £58.89/£202.30, leaving £143.41 for the rest of the month.

- Pip

I just put the jars and lids in the oven on 120 from cold while I cook the fruit. I literally half fill a pan with washed fruit, sprinkle sugar over (generally about 3-4 teaspoonsful - so it looks like a greedy child's bowl of cornflakes, in terms of sugar density) then I drizzle a little water over, enough to cover the bottom of the pan to about 3ml. It takes some sugar down. Turn on the heat, nice and low, and stir the mix once it starts bubbling.  Just to wet the berries and move the sugar syrup. Then lid on for 3-4 minutes and you want it just before the fruit foes to puree, so just a few are bursting. Then I just fill the (by then) hot jars, and twist the lids on and leave it to cool. You hear the lids pop. And if they don't you just eat the contents. They are good to shelf store for several months, and just lovely when you use them as though they were raw in desserts, or as a sauce with ice cream or yogurt. Do try it. It frees up freezer space and so easy

PipneyJane

Suffolk_lass said:

PipneyJane said:

Suffolk_lass said:

PipneyJane said:

Enjoy the apples, @Nelliegrace.  We’re inundated with blueberries.  At least 3kg have been frozen so far, and another kilo was harvested on Saturday.  If I get up early enough tomorrow, I’ll attempt to make blueberry jam (before the kitchen becomes intolerably hot).  Certo Pectin was one of Saturday’s purchases.

- Pip

I just wanted to chip in and say I make berries into a sort of stewed compote (far less sugar than jam) and shove it in jam jars with pop tops - we then have lovely fresh tasting fruit (cheaper than jam and stored for free) to use in winter, on our breakfasts, or as a dessert with yogurt, ice cream or under a crumble topping. You are pretty savvy anyway, but this might be more tolerable than jam-making in this heat, to preserve your precious produce

Tell me more, please, @Suffolk_lass. Even a vague recipe would be helpful.  Do you sterilise the filled jars?  (So far, I’ve managed to shoehorn everything into the freezer, but there’s at least one more batch of blueberries still to ripen and no space.)

I have another spend to declare.  DH went to MrT’s on a “fact finding mission” and came out with 5 YS items: prosciutto, chicken breasts, a steak & ale pie, and 2 packs of Cumberland sausages.  £9.54 spent.  (No, they didn’t have the big J&J baby powder.  It seems none of the supermarkets have stock at the moment.  Fortunately, we still have some in reserve.)

The above brings our total August spend to £58.89/£202.30, leaving £143.41 for the rest of the month.

- Pip

I just put the jars and lids in the oven on 120 from cold while I cook the fruit. I literally half fill a pan with washed fruit, sprinkle sugar over (generally about 3-4 teaspoonsful - so it looks like a greedy child's bowl of cornflakes, in terms of sugar density) then I drizzle a little water over, enough to cover the bottom of the pan to about 3ml. It takes some sugar down. Turn on the heat, nice and low, and stir the mix once it starts bubbling.  Just to wet the berries and move the sugar syrup. Then lid on for 3-4 minutes and you want it just before the fruit foes to puree, so just a few are bursting. Then I just fill the (by then) hot jars, and twist the lids on and leave it to cool. You hear the lids pop. And if they don't you just eat the contents. They are good to shelf store for several months, and just lovely when you use them as though they were raw in desserts, or as a sauce with ice cream or yogurt. Do try it. It frees up freezer space and so easy

Excellent!  Thank you so much for the explanation @Suffolk_lass.  I may try this with the next batch to ripen.  That should have answered @realthing16‘s query too.

- Pip


PS:  @elsiepac, please  Suffolk_Lass’ compote to the links at the front.  Many thanks.

TravelCrystal

Morning all

Liked the idea with the fruit @Suffolk_lass. I have made what they call raw jam by adding a few chia seeds to thicken, don't add sugar though as it tends to be berries and maybe eating apples or pears, but I do add a few chopped dates and keep in the fridge and use within the week. Use this to go on our yoghurt and muesli mixture for breakfast.

Just been shopping in Lidl's. Had a free doughnut and croissant ( which will be my unhealthy lunch today)  
Spent £18.94 on fish, biscuits, fruit, yoghurt and bacon.

Added in to total spent this week now on £170.17/£300

T.C

diminua

£141 spent already - a hefty part of that (at least £45) was dinner before the cinema with friends and meeting up the next day for brunch and tourist things as one of us is from Greece and wanted to do Southwark Cathedral and the monument and so on. Actually if you're in London there's an exhibition of textile art about creation at Southwark Cathedral which is worth a look regardless of whether or not you're Christian, or even religious. It's part of a series that should be shown complete in Liverpool Cathedral early next year, and I'm definitely planning to pop up and see them all together. 
Other than that I've been quite good about the meal plan - I did buy some fancy gorgonzola in a shop in Borough that same day, but it made two lunches and I just used the last of it in a blue cheese sauce for macaroni and spinach so I don't think it was a totally extravagant spend. 

Edited to add I've also been brambling and cooked up some fruit with sugar and the juice of a lime - not looking to make jam though, just preserve it a week or two so I can have it in the fridge to eat with frozen yogurt or (if the weather deteriorates) perhaps make crumble and custard. 

PipneyJane

Good morning All

Two small shops from yesterday to declare:  £4.49 in L!dl on a salmon-en-croute and £10.12 in Sainsbugs.  The Sainsbugs shop was mainly on loose, fresh vegetables, recycled toilet paper and recycled kitchen paper.  (Finally someone is selling kitchen paper made from post-consumer, recycled paper.)

Also need to declare £5.30 in shrapnel, that has been added to the money boxes, including two £2 coins.

The above brings our total GC spend to £78.80/£202.30, leaving £123.50 for the rest of the month.

I really need to get back to meal planning.  It all seems very reactive at the moment.  For instance, I’m not sure what we’re eating for lunch today, let alone dinner.  Hmmm….

- Pip

Suffolk_lass

diminua said:

£141 spent already - a hefty part of that (at least £45) was dinner before the cinema with friends and meeting up the next day for brunch and tourist things as one of us is from Greece and wanted to do Southwark Cathedral and the monument and so on. Actually if you're in London there's an exhibition of textile art about creation at Southwark Cathedral which is worth a look regardless of whether or not you're Christian, or even religious. It's part of a series that should be shown complete in Liverpool Cathedral early next year, and I'm definitely planning to pop up and see them all together. 

Edited to add I've also been brambling and cooked up some fruit with sugar and the juice of a lime - not looking to make jam though, just preserve it a week or two so I can have it in the fridge to eat with frozen yogurt or (if the weather deteriorates) perhaps make crumble and custard. 

Ooh thankyou. I will bear that in mind. I used to walk to Westminster from Liverpool Street on the south side of the river, and always through the cathedral yard. I used to buy the residents' breakfasts sometimes, in the days when there were guys on the benches and the odd tent. I haven't been there for years, having given up work but it's a great place and I prefer it to the bustle around Borough Market nearby.

You might have seen, I jar up my cooked fruit when it's hot and it preserves it for winter, but as you suggest, once open it doesn't keep long

Pennypincin

A spend to declare from during the week.
£20.09 on fruit, salad vegetables, cottage cheese and vegetarian protein.
I'm bound to pop into a supermarket today for a few bits to get me through the weekend.

Nelliegrace

I have had a frugal few weeks, not feeling well enough to shop for much. DH has bought the basics from Asda on his way home from bowls, the only extras he has bought have been yellow stickered fruit, especially bananas at 25p a bunch, though he bought home a medium chicken reduced to £1.90 yesterday. He has had several free meals out, sandwiches and chips provided at some evening bowls matches, and a buffet at the funeral of another former player. There is plenty of food in the freezer and pantry, flour for our bread and the weekly cake, and we have eggs from the hens, and blackberries and the first apples from the garden.