July 2025 Grocery Challenge

joedenise

Might be better to make the sandwiches and freeze those.  If they like salad or pickle then that needs to be added on the day.

carboot_karaoke

Afternoon Everyone 

Thank you for running this thread @elsiepac l could be mistaken but l think this is my one year anniversary 🥳🥳 of being a member of the GC. What a difference it has made and no doubt saved me £100's during that time. 

I didn't spend all of my June budget, so I'm carrying it over to July. l also have one at least possibly two gatherings at our house which will require extra spends. And the kids break up from school 

With that in mind July's target is £450 plus £120 entertaining total £570.

It seems like a huge budget compared to what l have been spending.  But l will remember that it's a limit not a target 😂.

I have already spent alot before the month has started,  £28.71 on meat, £21.05 on cleaning / toiletries £13.65 on 5kg of my favourite rice. It is expensive but will last a few months.  

New totals £135.61 / £450
Entertaining £19.82 / £120
Total £155.43 / £570

otb666

£600 per month please

TravelCrystal

Just been to Lidl for first July shop to get a freebie having achieved my £100 spend in June. 

I selected a jar of olives as I have a few uses for them this month.
DH has decided we are going to the beach on Monday to get a sea breeze away from the heat.
Therefore, as I have choir on a Monday needed to think of something easy for my return. So I  am making a spag Bol wannabe.Took out one of my 500 gms of mince from the freezer last night and used my food processor to do lots of chopping. So this morning on my return from shopping I have divided between my slow cookers. Mince, Mushrooms, tinned tomatoes, passata, peppers, onions, carrots, garlic and various seasonings. Should be enough for tonight, Monday and 3 other meals. 

I digress

Tortillas, feta, cheddar, noodles, fruit and veg, yoghurt, milk, mayo, bread flour, foil, washing up and washing machine liquid and baked beans.
Bought some gelatine yesterday to make some mint jelly, tastes lovely ☺️ 
Total spent so far £38.39/£200

I hope you are all ok with the heat

T.C

PipneyJane

themsthebreaks said:

Quick question, please. Has anyone frozen sandwich corned beef? I have Googled, and it says you can, but I wondered what it would be like once defrosted.

The use by date is today, but the meat eaters aren't likely to eat it until next week for lunches. I don't want to chuck it away, but if it isn't that nice once it's been frozen, I don't want to freeze it, either ☺️

@themsthebreaks, hope I’m not too late in responding.  I’ve frozen packets of sandwich meats in the past.  Not a problem.  Each took a couple of hours to defrost and tasted just fine.

HTH

- Pip

Suffolk_lass

@C_J re jars for bottling. As well as Kilner, Mason, Leifeit you can buy replacement pop-top lids for jam jars, which work well for bottling. As a hobby beekeeper we aren't allowed to reuse the lids because the silicone band in the lid degrades. Bonne Maman and the OB equivalents are the easiest, with the wide mouth top. As well as the bay of e and the big river company, you can get the lids from jar suppliers like Bottle Company South or Freeman Harding, or if your local beekeeping association has a beekeeping equipment reseller (we have two), they are often cheaper. 

I also make cordial from glut fruits - essentially a jelly but bottled before the set is reached, and with the Mary Berry elderflower cordial trick of adding two crushed campden tablets to precent it fermenting, they keep for a year. My recently discovered beer making supplier sells those cheap 75cl bottles with a silicone cork stopper, or you can of course, reuse bottles for this. Blackcurrant and gooseberry work really well

C_J

Thank you @Suffolk_lass that’s really useful info!

themsthebreaks

Thank you all, for your advice on the sandwich corned beef. I have frozen it, and will see if there are any complaints once it’s defrosted and used 😊

Pennypincin

I'd like to continue with £40 per week please.
Just for 1 person as a vegetarian.

AnotherNewDay

Hi, I'm joining again for July - and this time with a slightly increased budget of £115 (up from £100). This will be split as follows £45 for 2 ravenous blackcats and £70 for 1 human female groceries, household & toiletries. 
Hopefully, this adjustment will help me stay on track.