December 2024 Grocery Challenge

Doom_and_Gloom

Doom_and_Gloom said:

£24.68/£248.
£223.32 left.

£7.99 spent since last post.
£3.00 on local coffee shop TGTG.
£4.99 in Waitr*se - as always OH made sure to get his 'free' coffee.

£32.67/£248.
£215.33 left.

LotsOfTea

I spent £24.79 across a couple of shops on bits to take away with us for the weekend as we're away for a short break and self-catering. 

That takes me up to £32.02/£500

zafiro1984

I'm a bit late to the party this month

I've allocated £325 for the month,  

My usual 225 plus 100 for Christmas extras.
I started my 'Christmas Cupboard' and 'Christmas  Freezer Drawer' last month with the idea of buying a couple of 'xmas' items each week.

Rough food plan made for the 7days between Christmas Eve and New Years Day - lists and more lists!!  I made the pudding in Sept and the cake last month and I've tucked away a couple of casseroles and some ice cream in the freezer. 

So far £90.24/£325

thriftwizard

Well, I've managed to spend another £86.95 between the butcher, the market & W8rose over the last couple of days. That should be just about everything we need for the week, though sliced bread will probably still need to be bought again early next week; I still haven't managed to wean OH off the stuff! DS3 is being very reasonable & eating just about everything I've served up so far, so isn't costing us lots more on the grocery front. Though he has installed a large dehumidifier in his room, so I'm keeping a close eye on the fuel bill...

In other news, I've decided I don't actually like the new small bread-maker I bought a couple of months ago when our elderly Panny finally died. All the recipes for the new one call for large amounts of sugar; I know, it's for the yeast, but 4 tbsps for a 1lb quick loaf? and they all taste sweet to me. I don't think any of the recipes I've previously used called for more than 2 teaspoons, for a 2lb loaf. And so far the loaves have all come out quite lumpy, not that shape is all that important. So I'm going to sell that one on & have invested in a small Panny, having found them with £20 off in the pre-Christmas sales. 

MissRikkiC

Thanks @Nelliegrace @boultdj It doesn’t actually say what it is and because it’s yellow sticker it seems to have the stickers all over the info! 

I’ll try a slow roast, but would like to have it sliced so hoping it doesn’t fall apart!

joedenise

@MissRikkiC - definitely allow the joint to cool before cutting so that it doesn't fall apart when you try to slice it.  If you can it might be better to cook it the day before you want to eat it so that it firms up a bit.  If you want it hot you can always reheat the slices in some hot water (or gravy if you prefer).  Restaurants keep meat hot by leaving in a tray of hot water in a lowish oven.

Nelliegrace

I made the Christmas cake at last! Delia’s recipe. We had butter in the freezer made from yellow-stickered cream at 2p a tub, and eggs from our hens. I have bought Aldi marzipan, I am going to decorate just the top. I have costed it at £5.50 for an 8 inch cake. 
DH is going to use the remaining marzipan in a stollen. 

Suffolk_lass

@MissRikkiC I cooked a brisket joint a fortnight ago that weighed a kilo, and is the toughest cut if not cooked long and slow, followed by silverside then top-side [aka top-rump] then rib, and then sirloin (I have omitted porterhouse which is fat-trimmed sirloin and fillet as these are the finest cuts and barely need grilling).

I put it in a cast iron casserole dish with about 1.5cm water and a tight fitting lid and slow cooked it for 4 hours at 250f. Then when the veg went on, I took it out of the oven and let it rest, in the stock. I carved and served it with the meal, hot, and it sliced thinly and like a hot knife through butter. Keeping it in the stock kept it moist and allowed it to reabsorb some of the liquid as it rested. I used the stock for gravy and it did two more days meals

Mrs_Cheshire

I've just slow cooked a joint of beef I got 1/2 price from Mr T last week. I've covered it to let it cool and will slice once cool. Freeze and then heat in gravy when we require it. I love having a roast when I haven't had to spend ages in the kitchen cooking. 

I've also got a Gammon joint in the fridge, which we'll have on a lead up to Christmas, then the leftovers can go in the freezer. 

Spent quite a bit this week as I did my big Ald! shop ready for Christmas (using some vouchers I had). Got desserts, snacks, ambient filled pasta/gnocchi, jars of sauce (curry, pesto etc), chocolate and biscuit spread, box of instant noodles (the kids love them and they can have bits added to them to make them into a balanced meal. Got some fruit, veg, sweet potato fries etc too. 

Regular top up shop from Mr T today including the sausage meat and chipolatas in blankets for Christmas (which are now in the freezer). 
Got a good haul from Olio - four 4 pint milks, and 3 Warburt*ns toastie loaves, some danish pastries, cinnamon buns and a packet of ham. 

LadyWithAPlan

Sorry I am sneaking in late..

I've allocated £200 for the month plus £20 bulk plus £100 Xmas food so £320

I dont spend Xmas In London - I will be away a week (but I will buy the FR  turkey for my parents ) but I am cooking three lots Xmas food things for mine or to take with me to others..

Groceries  £57.04 so far plus £4.70 junk plus £6 Xmas food 
I keep popping into Morries to get to these £40 pw for the £15 vouchers .. finally filled in week 4 so now have over 26k points so £25 pounds
This week I pre bought couple bits  food for cooking for 3 lots of xmas dinners I am doing ... also though  I need to go to a speciality shop - may go tomorrow after my gym.

Cooked up a bean stew extravaganza and roast a chicken in the halogen - healthy food ahead of the drinking and food excess coming..
I also need to eat more chickens as I need to then make the stock as basis for soups and dishes I am making...