August 2025 Grocery Challenge

Sponge_pudding

Oh a meal planning thread? Where is that hiding then?

joedenise

Sponge_pudding said:

Oh a meal planning thread? Where is that hiding then?

Here it is:  https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6356309/could-we-start-a-meal-plan-thread-again-so-its-not-lost-in-the-gc#latest

Naturelover22

Hello,
Did a big shop in A*di, on Tuesday, but does not seem like much for the money really, there were a few expensive things on there.

£62.49
Cat litter £2.19x2
cat food £2.59
Pepsi max, squash, chicken, fruit wheats, pizza, cheese, painkillers, chewing gum, lemon, ham, tuna, peppers, beef mince, yogurt, pasta, chopped tomatoes, corgettes, biscuits, noodles, crisps, deodorant, grapes,
Reduced pork steaks, brown rolls, flowers.

I'm also adding on £20 takeaway from last week as food is food wheather it was bought from the supermarket or not.


Updated spend is  £301.82 out of £310.

PipneyJane

@Naturelover22 big hug to you at this difficult time.  

@mandco so sorry to hear about your freezer issues.  I’ve been in your shoes and it’s not pleasant.  (Although, in my case, it wasn’t the fault of the upright freezer.  It was my ex, who’d left the door wide open for God knows how long, during a hot summer.  I came home from two weeks away with my sister to find water all over the floor, everything defrosted and smelling.)

@thriftwizard congratulations on the new grand-daughter.

I have multiple shops to declare:from the last two weeks-

• £1.59 in Sainsbug’s on the 18th for 5 bananas 78p, 330g broccoli 76p, 1 mushroom 5p
• £28.03 in L!dl on the 20th spent on YS ham 2x95p, 500g bran flakes 7p, 1,1kg muesli £2.25, 500g cashews £3.99, Salmon Wellington £4.99, 1L lactose free milk 2x99p, Feta 2x£1.69, puff pastry £1.15, prosciutto £1.89, lemon juice 2x55p, can anchovies 4x69p, 200g mixed notes £1.85
• £21.17 in Sainsbug’s on the 20th spent on Duracell 2032 size batteries £8 (4 batteries), Tim Tams 2x£2.05, 1kg Laila. Brown Lentils 3x£1.54, 500g Garam Marsala £2.95, parsley plant £1.50
• £14.95 in Sainsbug’s on Monday on 8 small bananas £1, peppers £1.60, 1kg baby potatoes £90p, rocket £1, 450ml Yeo Valley yoghurts 6x£1.74 (Nectar price).
• £6.04 in L!dl on Tuesday on Free fruit juice (was £1.75), free bakery item (was 99p), mixed seeds £1.06, fish cakes 2x£2.49

DH also picked up some spring onions at Sainsbug’s on his way into work, when he stopped to buy milk for the office.  I don’t have a receipt, but I reckon he spent on 60p.

The above brings our total spend to £172.40/£176.40 leaving £4 to roll into September.

The only reason we have money left is because we put the budget up this month.  I’ve got a shopping list for my next visit to MrT’s, which will cost at least £25, but it’s for staples that will initially go into the pantry.  Stuff I can’t buy at Sainsbug’s or L!dl, but I know MrT stocks.  (I used to be a regular shopper at MrT’s, but our local superstore has got a lot more inconvenient due to traffic snarls AND the store layout seems to have taken a turn for the worse.  Also, they always seem to be out of stock of a lot of items.)

- Pip

wishus

BUST! Ran out of lunch items for OH. He didn't fancy the idea of boiled eggs and mini-carrot cake muffins made from what we had, so I went to A*di. There were a few things reduced that would come in handy. I couldn't resist the Brie and Buffata though, that's on me.

Budget was £150. Spent £11.47 this shop and I've probably missed a couple on here, but that takes me to £153.47 - an overspend of £3.47.


More on budgets to follow in The Sea is Calling

carboot_karaoke

Afternoon all,

I've been carrying receipts around with me all week and finally totted them up. Spent a fair amount on food while we were away but as that comes out of another budget l wont list it.

I was intending to do a "keep us going" shop on Monday, however l ended up buying several toiletries,and bulk items either, because we will run out shortly or because they were on offer these totalled up to £31.04. There were some YS chicken breast 400g x 3 @£1.66 each and burgers  3 x 4 burgers @£1.95 each l hadn't intended on buying but were a good price another £10.83. 

All in all my spends came to £89.89 

New totals  

Grocery Budget £294.38 / £380
Entertaining £83.83 / £70
Total £ 378.21 /£450

Delighted with our grocery budget spend, although in reality that's only 3 weeks worth of food due to going away. 

carboot_karaoke

Hi Everyone,

l am attempting to put together September's food plan.

I've done an inventory of the freezer which includes two packs of 10 sweet and sticky beef kebabs collected via Olio.
The last packs l had l cooked and served along side chicken, flat breads,hummus, salad, tzatziki etc.

This time l want to be a bit more frugal if l leave in there current state and each person has 3 sticks l will be told there's not enough meat on the plate. I was thinking about either cooking and then slicing or turning the raw meat into meatballs. That's as far as I've thought not sure what would work well with them flavour wise.

Your suggestions are welcomed   

TravelCrystal

@carboot_karaoke you could make a sort of cottage pie and put mash on top, or as I have done today sliced potatoes. Bulk up with anything you like, maybe bbq or spicy addition.

T.C

C_J

@carboot_karaoke : I am assuming they are minced beef flavoured with the sweet and sticky spices on wooden sticks? I might be tempted to strip the minced beef and make into small meatballs, then stir fry them with lots of added veg such as sliced onions, peppers, mushrooms, chinese cabbage or whatever you have to hand and add a sachet of sweet and sour sauce, then serve with rice. That might stretch it a bit.

carboot_karaoke

Thank you 😊 

@TravelCrystal that's a great idea,  in fact l used to do something similar with a sweet potato mash topping. 

@C_J I have decided to go with your idea 😁  I'll make mini meatballs pan fry with garlic, onions, peppers and whatever else l can find.  Then add chipotle paste, paprika and chopped tomatoes and serve with rice.  

I'm looking forward to eating it already 😂