January 2025 Grocery Challenge

RandomOne

@cheerfulness4 thank you so much. I'll start with that inventory tomorrow. I honestly probably have about 3 weeks of meals in there, if not more. 
I am so embarassed at how much i spend on food, it's time to finally tackle it. 

I'll make the inventory and then browse the recipes and see how i get on. 

Soontobeoap

@ramdomOne I would go easy on yourself to start with and try for a budget of £680-£700. January has been a  5 week month and Feb is less than 4 weeks so you need to take that into account. Think about things like cutting down on at least one takeaway if that's in your budget and also do what @Cheerfulness4 says and make a meal plan using as much from your freezer as possible. Have an odd meal day where you pull out your odd bits from freezer and each person chooses which one they will eat. Also don't see your budget figure as a target. You may surprise yourself with how low you can get it but you won't be setting yourself up to fail. I always seem to go over budget lately so don't beat yourself up if you do. Circumstances change and sometimes life gets in the way and somehow.I.am remaining very close.to.my yearly number. My next step is to count NSDs ( no spend days) This is my fourth year and I am still getting new ideas. Good luck with it.

cheerfulness4

You'll do fine, Random. I honestly thought I had about three weeks worth, too, but I've already realised I shall be seeing my way into a big part of February with so many potential meals left.

 We are eating so much better too with a little bit of planning and freezing all leftovers. We are three adults and all good eaters so we're not doing badly at all. 

I've made sure to plan snacks as well and DH has run up quick cakes that slice up for treats and pack ups for work. It's meant we have stopped buying expensive lunch box snacks or evening treats.

wishus

Need to quickly update to £137.41 spend so far out of £149. Need bread, butter, salad etc, but I reckon I can do this!

determined_new_ms

Hey Random and welcome  I'm fairly new round here too (left the forum for a few years but never really ventured that much onto the old style board). I totally get where you are coming home, I find I over purchase food as well. But this month I've been able to massively reduce my GC spends - and my freezers and cupboards are still really full! In the last few months of 2024 I was spending between £450-600 a month, and our budget was £400. This month I've spent £164, there's 3 of us (11 yo child). I've loved being resourceful, using things from the stores, care shopping around what we already have. (my partner loves it less! He sees it as a scarcity mindset while I see it as an abundance mindset! We're being resourceful, we have plenty and we have the resources to buy more if needed). 

I'm setting up a slush fund with the under spend so when things are on offer - like meat around Christmas/Easter - to put in the freezer. I'm also using the underspend to change to more sustainable products/reduce plastic use. I'm trying to buy GC items without plastic packaging. I'm preparing for when we need to remortgage later in the year and hoping to reduce the impact on our joint finances. With how we were spending last year we would have had to put more money into the budget. By being more resourceful we shouldn't need to (if rates remain as they are currently!) Finally, I am going to give a portion of my under spend to a food poverty charity (haven't told oh that!)

Soontobeoap

Such a successful meal tonight. A few months before Christmas I bought 2 chickens that were on offer and froze them ready for the family at new year. As It happened they were not needed and so 2 weeks ago I made a roast with one. It was so dry and hard to get off the bone. ( They are usually succulent so I think that freezing it may have dried it out a bit.) Anyway I wasn't looking forward to the next one so today I tried a new recipe and pot roasted it. It was so plump and succulent. We have only eaten the legs so plenty left. Tomorrow will be chicken, jacket potatoes and bubble and squeak. DH is going to watch football so it will warm him up. Then hopefully enough for chicken and chips with a bit of salad maybe. I have found a new recipe for chicken fried rice for the fourth day. Then we will nearly be at the end of the month. Budget is blown and next month will not be much better but I have a plan! Hoping I can sort out this bad start over the next 11 months.🤣

EcoIntent

@RandomOne we are the same as you as 3 of us, and we have a cat. We are spending £130 a week or £520 a month including toiletries, cleaning products and dry cat food (I've realised his litter and wet food have never been in the budget). 

We seem to be going well off that but I would say, since I've got much more intentional we are eating higher quality food and have much less food waste.

I'd recommend a food inventory, and to then meal plan from that. 

I'm ending the week on £103.64/£130 or £103.64/£130 but noting we'd been away for the weekend last weekend.

thriftwizard

That sounds good, @Soontobeoap - resourceful use of what could otherwise have been a disappointing bird!

I've added £75 to my total, which is just about exactly right though I did lose track of the pence somewhere along the line - it was almost exactly £50 at the butchers, I only needed Greek yogurt (and cider & beer, but that's "Entertainments")  at the supermarket, and spent a little over £20 at the market this morning. So just over £70 left for next weekend, and I should be able to do that...

determined_new_ms

Hey guys - I saw many of you are in the pantry challenge thread. Was reading through and am inspired to join, hope it continues for Feb as our pantry/freezers are still full!

I have done a few shops over the last few days, and a more substantial grocery shop today. Current spend £164.95/£375 . I think I need to get another litre of milk before the end of the month but hopefully that we're set for January. Super happy with how I've done! Personally I haven't felt deprived at all. Far from it.

gill5blue

Just catching up,

average for January is £56.51

Amazing, as before it was about £70.00 per week. I have reduced it by eating what I bought (using before out of date), using coupons, using previously bought food. (Just being lazy really)

February focus is I am going to go through my larder and date check food items and use older dated food up, as well as keeping an eye as above.
I shall also make a meal plan which I think helps.

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Good luck all