September 2025 Grocery Challenge

Soontobeoap

The noodles I made with left over chicken tasted just as good as when I cook up a chicken breast to put in so very pleased with that discovery.

I only managed to make 2 very full pies out of the chicken stock and meat from bones. The alternative was 4 half full ones. I did add a slice of chicken and a rasher of bacon along with onions and a stock cube but there did seem to be a lack of flavour. We will be eating those tomorrow I think so will see how they go.

Any tips on making the stock taste more flavoursome would be gratefully received.

I used up the apple we have been given and made 7 apple turnovers today as well. Determined that nothing hanging around in the fridge will be wasted.

We can't use the car this week because we have no MOT. ( Car was being repaired in body shop and we didn't know when we would get it back hence late MOT) Anyway I am hoping this stops DH nipping to the shop for something he thinks we need! 🤣

I am beginning to wonder how much of the grocery challenge budget goes on food and how much on toiletries, cleaning etc. I might start checking receipts to see where cut backs can be made on non food items.

Sponge_pudding

Aldi and Lidl spends on basics that I haven't managed to get from Olio. Incredibly grateful as our shopping spend is so much lower. Today DH is having seafood sandwich filler with lettuce (as a prawn cocktail) and coronation chicken sandwich filler stirred through pasta with salad and homemade garlic bread.

£238.35/£32.30

TheCheerleader

soontobeoap, when I make chicken stock I use a large carrot , 2 celery sticks and an onion all cut into chunks with a teaspoon of black peppercorns and a bay leaf. 

I put with the chicken carcass in enough water to cover, and bash with a rolling pin to break up slightly, bring to the boil and then simmer covered for 2-3 hours. Then strain over a colander. Hope this helps x

Suffolk_lass

mandco said:

Are we still using this thread or moving over to the September sticky thread?

I'm using this one. It was the first up, and not put up until 1st September. I might read the other one, but everyone's target totals have been updated here.

Suffolk_lass

Soontobeoap said:

Any tips on making the stock taste more flavoursome would be gratefully received.

I add salt, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, to give a bit more flavour. I am one who adds salt to some cooking, so that it does not need adding on the plate (unless it is potato of some (any) sort).

I'm just processing another vat of tomato passata to use this winter instead of tinned tomatoes. Like Nonna does. These have chillies in with them so I must put a sticker on.

I've also made three jars of "courgette sauce" - a low carb instant sauce, I roasted the marrow-sized courgette sprinkled with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and olive oil. Then I blitzed it and popped it in jars, warmed the jars to 115c in the oven (during the free electricity 2 hours) and screwed the tops on so they popped to seal. They are cheaper to store with no electricity! I am thinking of doing some large ones of courgette soup...

My purse is staying shut, hopefully until Thursday!

Soontobeoap

Thanks for your tips ladies. We are about to have the chicken pies tonight so wish me luck. 

Thanks @JingsMyBucket. Just realised that you are updating our totals.too. 

Edit :- the pies were amazing. Best I have ever made. Even got complimented by DH and they were virtually free! Success all round! 🙂

Suffolk_lass

@Soontobeoap - I have previously added the white fat that solidifies that you sometimes get with chicken, to my pastry - it makes it more short and it can't be the only fat - but I definitely don't mean the jelly

JingsMyBucket

Soontobeoap said:

Stock turned out well I think @JingsMyBucket. Along with the rasher of bacon that I found in the freezer I managed to get enough meat off to make 4 individual pies. Have kept some stock to make the sauce which I hope will add flavour and another pot has been frozen. So 2 meals made that I wouldn't normally have had.

@Soontobeoap I am genuinely, constantly amazed at your ability to make pies out of scraps of nothing. You're a champion pie maker!

JingsMyBucket

TheCheerleader said:

soontobeoap, when I make chicken stock I use a large carrot , 2 celery sticks and an onion all cut into chunks with a teaspoon of black peppercorns and a bay leaf. 

I put with the chicken carcass in enough water to cover, and bash with a rolling pin to break up slightly, bring to the boil and then simmer covered for 2-3 hours. Then strain over a colander. Hope this helps x

I agree with this advice. I also add a few sprigs of thyme and will squeeze a bit of lemon or add a bit of vinegar into the pot. The use of acid gets the extra marrow/goodness/flavour out of the bones. 

JingsMyBucket

We have a couple M & S spends to declare from last week. 

£5.20 on Thursday by Mr. Jings for coffee beans and a can of baked beans. He spent a lot more on alcohol but that was for my birthday celebrations so I’m leaving those off for now. 

£10.75 on Saturday by both of us for more coffee beans, custard, and strawberries. Mr. Jings spent the next 8 hours indulging in custard with strawberries or digestives. 😂

£165.24 / £300 spent. £134.76 remaining.  

We have lots of bits to use up in the fridge. Yesterday I roasted a pumpkin during the free 2 hours of electricity and I’ll turn that into pumpkin sage soup later this evening. That pumpkin along with other vegetables were given to us free by a friend of  Mr. Jings. We still have some free zucchini left in the fridge as well. I'll roast that up along with some pensioner tomatoes to make a vegetable tart as well. I also pulled some sausages out of the freezer. All these tonight will give us leftovers for lunch tomorrow.