April 2025 Grocery Challenge

Soontobeoap

You have done really well @livesimply. Regarding nectar points. I always make sure that I have saved all my personal offers for bonus points before I go to Sainsbury's but don't take notice of what they are. That way I only shop for what I want and get bonus nectar points without buying things that I don't .I kicked my self this week when I didn't check again before cashing out as I discovered to late that a 5 x points voucher had been added on that morning.
It's that sort of thing that I find the hardest to track.. 

Remember some months are harder especially if you need to buy toilet roll, dishwasher tablets or washing powder. I try to get these on different months but sometimes they just all run out together.

I had a NSD yesterday. Hoping for the same today.

SausageDogSandwich

Declaring at 401.43/400. I think I might have missed something as I was expecting to go over by more than that however I’ve been through and can’t find anything else. Good luck next month everyone x

Suffolk_lass

LiveSimply said:

As from today I’m on a bit of a health kick, that’ll include minimal sugary stuff and I know that is a big expense for me. Tinned rice pudding, biscuits, chocolate, apple pies, so much sugar. And all bought ready made, not home made. I might look through my receipts later and add up all the nutritionally challenged junk food I bought and then have a little lie down at the amount I’ve wasted!

This month, I’m more ‘cook a proper main course and you won’t need to fill up on sweet stuff’. 

And my method of shopping has been to look for Sainsbury’s bargain prices or extra Nectar points, then add some milk and bread. But this month it’s going to be ‘what do I have an excess of, and what do I need to turn it into a meal’. I’ve got lots of things purchased once that I don’t really want again so I’ll be finishing those and having fewer things cluttering up the cupboard. 

And the freezer - the veg is fine, the leftovers are fine, but why do I have three boxes of filo pastry from 2021? Who knows 🤷‍♀️. But I’ll be making baklava at some point. 

I chuckled when I read about the ready-made things in your larder @LiveSimply! For me, it is not just the amount I have wasted on ready made food, it is the weird chemicals they add to it, to make it stay edible, or "enhance" the flavours 

As well as baklava (lovely, but very sweet), I had a recipe from Sainsbugs, ooh, must be 15 or twenty years ago, for filo parcels of apple and mincemeat. I have it tucked in my Delia Christmas book, but without getting it out, you cut each filo sheet into six squares. paint it with melted butter then make a six pointed star by overlaying three of the squares. A generous teaspoon of apple and mincemeat mixed, then lift and twist into little bundles, like wanton but with frilly tops. paint the top with melted butter than sprinkle on sugar and bake until the filo is brown, 170c fan does it for me. I have made this with stewed apple with a bit of jam stirred in and it's most acceptable. You could still add things like pistachio and honey, if that's your thing

LiveSimply

@Suffolk_lass ooh nice recipe, thanks. 

As it happens, I also have some mincemeat (822g), also best before 2021.  

There is a theme to my cupboards 🤦‍♀️😆. 

goldfinches

Suffolk_lass said:

LiveSimply said:

As from today I’m on a bit of a health kick, that’ll include minimal sugary stuff and I know that is a big expense for me. Tinned rice pudding, biscuits, chocolate, apple pies, so much sugar. And all bought ready made, not home made. I might look through my receipts later and add up all the nutritionally challenged junk food I bought and then have a little lie down at the amount I’ve wasted!

This month, I’m more ‘cook a proper main course and you won’t need to fill up on sweet stuff’. 

And my method of shopping has been to look for Sainsbury’s bargain prices or extra Nectar points, then add some milk and bread. But this month it’s going to be ‘what do I have an excess of, and what do I need to turn it into a meal’. I’ve got lots of things purchased once that I don’t really want again so I’ll be finishing those and having fewer things cluttering up the cupboard. 

And the freezer - the veg is fine, the leftovers are fine, but why do I have three boxes of filo pastry from 2021? Who knows 🤷‍♀️. But I’ll be making baklava at some point. 

I chuckled when I read about the ready-made things in your larder @LiveSimply! For me, it is not just the amount I have wasted on ready made food, it is the weird chemicals they add to it, to make it stay edible, or "enhance" the flavours 

As well as baklava (lovely, but very sweet), I had a recipe from Sainsbugs, ooh, must be 15 or twenty years ago, for filo parcels of apple and mincemeat. I have it tucked in my Delia Christmas book, but without getting it out, you cut each filo sheet into six squares. paint it with melted butter then make a six pointed star by overlaying three of the squares. A generous teaspoon of apple and mincemeat mixed, then lift and twist into little bundles, like wanton but with frilly tops. paint the top with melted butter than sprinkle on sugar and bake until the filo is brown, 170c fan does it for me. I have made this with stewed apple with a bit of jam stirred in and it's most acceptable. You could still add things like pistachio and honey, if that's your thing

I remember making that recipe and if I recall correctly it was before 1999 maybe even before 1997. I think it was the first time I tried using filo and I found it very fiddly at first, especially painting the tops with the butter, but soon got the hang of it. I remember it being a great success.

Suffolk_lass

goldfinches said:

Suffolk_lass said:

LiveSimply said:

As from today I’m on a bit of a health kick, that’ll include minimal sugary stuff and I know that is a big expense for me. Tinned rice pudding, biscuits, chocolate, apple pies, so much sugar. And all bought ready made, not home made. I might look through my receipts later and add up all the nutritionally challenged junk food I bought and then have a little lie down at the amount I’ve wasted!

This month, I’m more ‘cook a proper main course and you won’t need to fill up on sweet stuff’. 

And my method of shopping has been to look for Sainsbury’s bargain prices or extra Nectar points, then add some milk and bread. But this month it’s going to be ‘what do I have an excess of, and what do I need to turn it into a meal’. I’ve got lots of things purchased once that I don’t really want again so I’ll be finishing those and having fewer things cluttering up the cupboard. 

And the freezer - the veg is fine, the leftovers are fine, but why do I have three boxes of filo pastry from 2021? Who knows 🤷‍♀️. But I’ll be making baklava at some point. 

I chuckled when I read about the ready-made things in your larder @LiveSimply! For me, it is not just the amount I have wasted on ready made food, it is the weird chemicals they add to it, to make it stay edible, or "enhance" the flavours 

As well as baklava (lovely, but very sweet), I had a recipe from Sainsbugs, ooh, must be 15 or twenty years ago, for filo parcels of apple and mincemeat. I have it tucked in my Delia Christmas book, but without getting it out, you cut each filo sheet into six squares. paint it with melted butter then make a six pointed star by overlaying three of the squares. A generous teaspoon of apple and mincemeat mixed, then lift and twist into little bundles, like wanton but with frilly tops. paint the top with melted butter than sprinkle on sugar and bake until the filo is brown, 170c fan does it for me. I have made this with stewed apple with a bit of jam stirred in and it's most acceptable. You could still add things like pistachio and honey, if that's your thing

I remember making that recipe and if I recall correctly it was before 1999 maybe even before 1997. I think it was the first time I tried using filo and I found it very fiddly at first, especially painting the tops with the butter, but soon got the hang of it. I remember it being a great success.

OMG! 1999 or 1997... wanders off to check...

goldfinches

Suffolk_lass said:

goldfinches said:

Suffolk_lass said:

LiveSimply said:

As from today I’m on a bit of a health kick, that’ll include minimal sugary stuff and I know that is a big expense for me. Tinned rice pudding, biscuits, chocolate, apple pies, so much sugar. And all bought ready made, not home made. I might look through my receipts later and add up all the nutritionally challenged junk food I bought and then have a little lie down at the amount I’ve wasted!

This month, I’m more ‘cook a proper main course and you won’t need to fill up on sweet stuff’. 

And my method of shopping has been to look for Sainsbury’s bargain prices or extra Nectar points, then add some milk and bread. But this month it’s going to be ‘what do I have an excess of, and what do I need to turn it into a meal’. I’ve got lots of things purchased once that I don’t really want again so I’ll be finishing those and having fewer things cluttering up the cupboard. 

And the freezer - the veg is fine, the leftovers are fine, but why do I have three boxes of filo pastry from 2021? Who knows 🤷‍♀️. But I’ll be making baklava at some point. 

I chuckled when I read about the ready-made things in your larder @LiveSimply! For me, it is not just the amount I have wasted on ready made food, it is the weird chemicals they add to it, to make it stay edible, or "enhance" the flavours 

As well as baklava (lovely, but very sweet), I had a recipe from Sainsbugs, ooh, must be 15 or twenty years ago, for filo parcels of apple and mincemeat. I have it tucked in my Delia Christmas book, but without getting it out, you cut each filo sheet into six squares. paint it with melted butter then make a six pointed star by overlaying three of the squares. A generous teaspoon of apple and mincemeat mixed, then lift and twist into little bundles, like wanton but with frilly tops. paint the top with melted butter than sprinkle on sugar and bake until the filo is brown, 170c fan does it for me. I have made this with stewed apple with a bit of jam stirred in and it's most acceptable. You could still add things like pistachio and honey, if that's your thing

I remember making that recipe and if I recall correctly it was before 1999 maybe even before 1997. I think it was the first time I tried using filo and I found it very fiddly at first, especially painting the tops with the butter, but soon got the hang of it. I remember it being a great success.

OMG! 1999 or 1997... wanders off to check...

Yes that's the one, that recipe card takes me back. I always used to stop and look at the stand on the way in to see if there was anything I could use for that week or month. I think they went west in a big clearout when we moved around the millennium which is a pity because there was a lime and ginger cheesecake I loved and have never managed to recreate.

PipneyJane

LiveSimply said:

PipneyJane said:

LiveSimply said:

I spent £257 for two of us. This was the first month I’d kept track and my initial target was £350 which was a wild guess really, so does it sound reasonable to other people? 

Two adults, vegetarian, no alcohol, no takeaways, all meals included. 

I’ve put next month’s target as £250, but I feel I need three months to get a clearer idea of my average. 

For your first month doing the Grocery Challenge, @LiveSimply, a spend of £257 is quite an achievement! Well done! 👏 

- Pip

Thank you! I just shopped normally I think, I wanted to find my true average, then I know what to beat. Neither of us feel our meals have been any different from normal. 

As from today I’m on a bit of a health kick, that’ll include minimal sugary stuff and I know that is a big expense for me. Tinned rice pudding, biscuits, chocolate, apple pies, so much sugar. And all bought ready made, not home made. I might look through my receipts later and add up all the nutritionally challenged junk food I bought and then have a little lie down at the amount I’ve wasted!

This month, I’m more ‘cook a proper main course and you won’t need to fill up on sweet stuff’. 

And my method of shopping has been to look for Sainsbury’s bargain prices or extra Nectar points, then add some milk and bread. But this month it’s going to be ‘what do I have an excess of, and what do I need to turn it into a meal’. I’ve got lots of things purchased once that I don’t really want again so I’ll be finishing those and having fewer things cluttering up the cupboard. 

And the freezer - the veg is fine, the leftovers are fine, but why do I have three boxes of filo pastry from 2021? Who knows 🤷‍♀️. But I’ll be making baklava at some point. 

Mmmm….baklava!   When you make it @LiveSimply please share your recipe and technique.

- Pip

K9sandFelines

App £20 spent since last logged anything. Some essentials from @ldi and a toilet gel, face wash and some crisps in HB.

I've also got my first Bread and Butter thing planned on Tuesday. I've always wanted to try it, but never gotten around to it. Seem to be getting TGTG cancelled all the time from @ldi and not much luck on Oli@; so thought I'd see if this is any better.

Lost the plot a bit with the spends. So the exact total is not accurate.

diminua

@goldfinches I think JS still has all those recipe cards up on their archive. I'll try to link. https://www.sainsburyarchive.org.uk/catalogue/search/samarkadv3431-sainsburys-simply-take-recipe-collection-recipe-cards#menu