July 2025 Grocery Challenge

GSDMum

Although I went to Aldi on the 1st, I'd forgotten quite a few things, so I decide rather than risk going to the shop I'd get a Tesco delivery where I can reduce temptation.

In this hot weather we like a glass of gin and tonic and we were getting low. We pour it via an optic on the wall, it really does stretch the contents. Not that we drink a lot, it's probably a drink 4 or 5 times a week during the summer. I can't remember when the last time I bought a bottle, it must have been just after Christmas. A litre bottle of Gordons on special for £19.75 was added to the list – it's the only drink we have, we don't go out these days. More water and cupboard replacements such as curry paste and other bits and bobs were added to the list. Total being - £80.82.

I've made a menu until the end of the month, most things I've got in the fridge and freezer, but I will need another XL chicken towards the end of the month, as well as milk, bread rolls, crumpets and fruit/veg.

So far I've spent £157.51, with £117.49 for the rest of the month. Think I can do this...

Working_Mum

Changeyourlife25 said:

£373.54 /£450 

😩 

Only £76.46 left for the month….. and we are 2 days in.

maybe the budget needs to go up? 

Anyone feeding 5 adults? (1 adult and 4 big children 17,12,11,9) what would your budget be? 

Hello CYL25
Do you know what you've spent in previous months on food?? If you can do a bit of number crunching you could maybe see if your budget of £450 is realistic??

Any time we change behaviours we can feel a bit of discomfort - so maybe you can sit with it for a little while and see how you get on using your stores and what you've recently purchased. You may find that what you've bought is enough but equally you may find you have to adjust your spending a little. This is the first time you have put this focus on your food shopping and you'll learn loads.

I have learned to live with seeing a half empty fridge - it has taken me years to get to this place. I had always equated an empty fridge with having no food in (despite my cupboards groaning under the weight of food!!).

Getting your food budget on track is as much of an emotional journey as it is a fiscal one.

Good luck,

((WM))

carboot_karaoke

Changeyourlife25 said:

£373.54 /£450 

Anyone feeding 5 adults? (1 adult and 4 big children 17,12,11,9) what would your budget be? 

Hi @Changeyourlife25 mine is a family of 6. Four adults and two very hungry children 10,12

Our budget for food, cleaning, and toiletries is approx £450 a month although, as you can see in my signature our actual spend varies quite a bit.

When l joined the grocery challenge my monthly spend was closer to the £600 mark (food was cheaper then as well). I think the start point is working out where your money is going, then you know were to concentrate your efforts. Also depends on what you can afford.

I did try beginning the month with a "big shop" in the hope it would even out over the month, rarely works. In a big family you always need something from the shop and while your there you see other things... 

I do a monthly food plan, but my shopping list is focused on the immediate week, unless there is a great offer on l try and stick to the list. If l find a good offer on snacks l never put them all in the cupboard. My kids would see it as an invitation to eat more. I've been known to drive around with multipacks of crisps and chocs in my car boot to stop them and Mr CK eating them all.😂  

You have lots of food atm so if you haven't already l would make a food plan. Even if your missing the odd ingredient it will make the next few shops easier.

LiveSimply

“I have learned to live with seeing a half empty fridge - it has taken me years to get to this place. I had always equated an empty fridge with having no food in (despite my cupboards groaning under the weight of food!!).“

@Working_Mum

This is good, I hadn’t really realised that this is how I feel. I fill my fridge to the point where I cannot fit leftovers in, and end up eating them instead of leaving them for tomorrow. 

Naturelover22

Took a bit of a risk today and popped into Aldi on the way back from giving husband a lift to town for the evening.
I went in for a little dessert to eat in the garden as it is sunny and was there as they reduced everything!
I came out with the below for £14.43 rather than £31.53!

2x german pork loin sandwich meats
Fancy chorizo macaroni cheese pasta
Scotch pancakes
227g Strawberries
Big pack of marinaded chicken wings
2x italian salad leaves
2 x asparagus bundles
2 x 250g raspberries
Kale
Spring onions
150g Blueberries

My lollies and chocolate pudding cost £3.75 full price.

Declaring £18.21 spend.
Total £73.21 out of £215 for month.

remmie

My first shops of the month are totalling £155.80, gulp. Although in my defence I do have a freezer full of meat to make meals from (with a bit of planning), and enough dry and tinned dog food for the month. Oh, and plenty of ice creams. Hopefully nothing needed until next week when I go to Lids to collect 2 freebies.

£155.80/£300

themsthebreaks

Yesterday, I spent:

£8.47 on a tin of corned beef with peppers, a bag of adzuki beans, a bag of onions, and three butternut squash.
£11.50 on twelve duck eggs, and twenty hen’s eggs.
£7.80 on toilet roll, and toilet wipes.
£3.88 on broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, avocado and lime.
£16.50 on steak, and chicken breasts.
£13.60 on oven chips, mozzarella, vegan sausage rolls, chargrilled chicken, and yoghurt.

Grand total of: £61.75.
This leaves: £253.25/£320.00 for the month.

themsthebreaks

How do you all store onions?

I buy bags with around seven or eight onions in them, and store them in a dark bag, but as the house is warm, they can start to sprout if I don’t use them quick enough. We do use a lot of onion - with a bag often lasting less than a week - so, that isn’t usually a problem. Cost wise though, I would like to get a big sack of onions, but I already know they wouldn’t keep in the house.

If I was to store them in the shed, would they need to be off the floor? Would they stay in their original packaging? How long would they last in there? It is a spider haven in the shed, would that matter?

Sorry for all the questions. I would like to buy a big sack of onions, but don’t want to end up throwing half of them away, so would appreciate your thoughts 😊

Changeyourlife25

@working_mum  @carboot_karaoke

Thank you so much.

So, basically the budget was always 450 but I had a dreadful take away habit on top (maybe around 300 a month but it would vary)

I’m going hardcore on the take away ban.
maybe I just need to see what our groceries would be with the ban then work on getting it down from there.

I'm so embarrassed, I used to be so good at this stuff but it’s been a long season of physical and mental health problems.

The main thing I’ll be cracking down with this month is the kids portion sizes (a box of cereal isn’t one meal 😝) and also the snacks. 
That’ll help. I need to keep track of what the actually eat, it’ll help me get more on track and figure out if they actually are starving to death or wether they are indeed just eating everything in sight 🤣

I’ve had a little check and I was indeed over charged for my Morrisons order, the actual spend was £192.07 but I’ve taken off household stuff so a total of £183.43
I’ll be doing a separate £20 budget for the household bits 

@elsiepac could I please change my GC to £600 !

£355.79 /£600 

Nelliegrace

I do feel for you @Changeyourlife25, I remember Mum buying an extra loaf just for my teenage brother and he would tear it into big pieces and eat it plain. 
Can you get the youngsters into making pizzas? Bread was our filler-upper when we were growing, doorsteps of bread and Mum’s jam. Now our breadmaker keeps us supplied with as much good, inexpensive bread as we need. With DH’s family it was huge portions of potatoes with their dinner. 

DH is as bad with his breakfast muesli, I gave him smaller and smaller bowls, and he would still pour out too much. Alpen gave away plastic pouring cereal containers to improve their sales. It is now in a sweetie jar with a measuring cup. I buy the basic muesli and add cheaper porridge to make it go further, and cut up fresh fruit to add, half an apple, half of a small banana, and half an orange each. I stopped buying cartons of juice. 
We don’t buy any extruded sugary cereals.

The only snack is a 59p pack of basic salted peanuts or mixed dried fruit and nuts to share each week. There is a jar of maize for popcorn in the pantry.