July 2025 Grocery Challenge

PipneyJane

@C_J, whole milk will freeze and be drinkable on defrosting, but it will dehomogenise, which means that the cream will rise to the top.

- Pip

Soontobeoap

Busy making meals out of the mince that I didn't freeze for cottage pies. One gf/df/soya free lasagne made for 6, one lasagne for 2 and 8 pasties. I also used up apple from freezer along with a left over bit of apple sauce to make 2 apple turnovers for tomorrow lunch time. Picked up 3 swedes at 30% off along with more carrots,puff pastry, cherry tomatoes and battered fish in Aldi. Also went to Asda and bought df cheese and gf lasagne sheets as well as a few other bits I needed. Will add totals to signature. I have the head space at the moment to think about feeding 5 all through August and the time to be able to prepare some of it in advance.

t14cy_t

C_J said:

Enjoying the slightly cooler, slightly breezier weather this week. Much more comfortable.

Another £1 spent in my favourite Community Fridge today, yielding:

Jersey Royal new potatoes
2 large baking potatoes
Onions
1 e-n-o-r-m-o-u-s butternut squash
1 tub of M&S microwaveable mixed greens
Aubergine
2 cos lettuce
Tomatoes
Celery
Red peppers
White mushrooms
Porcini mushrooms 
1 bag baby spinach
Avocado
4 apples (Pink Lady, I think)
Bananas
Limes
Rhubarb
1 large pack M&S raspberries
1 large pack M&S strawberries
4 pints whole milk
1 large carton single cream
1 large carton clotted cream
1 pot Greek yogurt with raspberries and blueberries
2 M&S skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 curried potato and pea bake-your-own pastie
1 pack of prawn toasts
1 pack Waitrose breaded Wiltshire ham
1 Pret hoisin duck wrap
1 Pret egg mayo sandwich
1 loaf Hovis sliced granary bread
1 half loaf of Jackson's sliced white bread
1 pack of 6 crumpets
1 pack of 4 chocolate brownies
1 tin chickpeas
250g pack baking spread
1 bouquet M&S cream roses


I've frozen the chicken breasts, half of each of the loaves of bread, 4 crumpets, the prawn toasts and the curried pastie to have later in the week. Somebody next to me in the queue said that the porcini mushrooms are delicious sliced into coins and cooked in garlic butter/olive oil like scallops so I might try that, but there are lots of them so I will also dehydrate some in the Ninja and then blitz into porcini mushroom powder which is lovely added to soups, stews and risottos.

I'm not sure what to do with the whole milk (I don't think whole milk freezes very well (?) but some will be drunk as milkshakes tomorrow when the grandchildren pop over after school).  Any other milk suggestions welcome! Similarly suggestions for the massive butternut squash would be very welcome - it gets a bit repetitive always just having it as soup or curry, I'm stuck in a bit of a rut with this one.

July total so far now stands at £17.67/£150

i love seeing what you get!!

Suffolk_lass

C_J I would make a custard with the whole milk and then make that into ice cream. Or the other favourite here is homemade rice pudding. Cooked in the oven forming a skin, then chilled in the fridge and eaten with fresh berries

mandco

C_J your community fridge is amazing there’s nothing even remotely similar here
with the milk I’d look at making up a batch of cheese sauce and freezing handy for all sorts of recipes -alternatively custard / angel delight for the grandkids?  Butternut squash how about a risotto.?

JingsMyBucket

@C_J for the butternut squash, I like to chunk them up into cubes and roast them. Before roasting I season / toss the chunks with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and sometimes smoked paprika. Chili powder and other spices or herbs would work well. They’re very flexible and will absorb any flavours you give them.  

Auti

Looked for community fridge but none here so looked for pantry but only one here and has a waiting list to join - so supermarket only (only one near enough) or corner shops

themsthebreaks

themsthebreaks said:

I went to the Local Pantry today, and spent £5. Mostly, I picked up tinned items - all stuff I would use, such as pulses/tinned tomatoes - plus some rice, chicken breasts, frozen oven chips, tea bags, and a selection of vegetables. This leaves me with £87.90/£320.00 for the rest of the month. 

Items I will need to buy are:

Bread flour
Self raising flour
Toilet wipes
Toilet tissue
Thyme

I have done a two week meal plan, and we can eat from stocks, so I think I’ve got this 🤞

Yesterday, I picked up both toilet rolls and toilet wipes (£9) and two bottles of Yondu, as they were on offer (£7.16). This leaves me with £71.74/£320.00 for the rest of the month.

I still need to get flour, some thyme, and the parsley is almost out, as well. On top of this, I also need a loaf of bread for the weekend.

TravelCrystal

@C_J I would do similar to @JingsMyBucket and roast them in cubes and spices. If you make loads and freeze you can always take them out and add to a risotto, curry or eat with a roast dinner 😊

otb666

607/600 7 pounds over budget so will have to give farm shop a miss this week.  As we go from 23rd til 23rd thats my final figures.  Next month is a 5 week month but I am house sitting for a week so will only be doing 4 shops next month.