December 2025 Grocery Challenge

Soontobeoap

I have been slack on meal planning too. To much else to think about to be honest. Also trying to use up as much as possible from fridge before we go away. Today was a lasagna defrosted from freezer. Bought lettuce and cucumber from Aldi. £2.00 spent

£145.00 spent this month so far..

Suffolk_lass

I am at £53.83 spent so far, for December. Making do and eating out are why it is so low. Last night was homemade soup with cold pork, pickles and a baked potato. Also lettuce - the only fresh salad item left. The crisper drawers in the fridge are looking suitably depleted, ready for the veg wars influx.

It won't last. I have people coming for (expensive) drinks and nibbles (cocktails and canapés!) on Monday and ten for Christmas lunch (I love hosting).

Homemade batches of pastry are resting, ahead of making mince pies. I made some pastry in the mixer yesterday and it felt completely different to normal (I think it was over-mixed) - sort of tough. Anyway, I made six mince pies with a small amount, just to test it - I was right. I binned it and have made two half-size batches in the mini processor this morning. Normal pastry service texture has been resumed. I hate waste but tough pastry was a no-no. All from stores I have in.

Mince pies will be made up and some frozen raw today, along with other Christmas preparations.

After references to Shirley Goode in an old GC recipe post, I have obtained a copy of her book - a BBC book from 1986 and I am going to update some of her recipes a bit. All about economy, her cheat technique suggests a few olives in a jar of vegetable oil (preferably names veg like sunflower) will allow the oil to acquire an olive flavour, and you then use them on your (pizza, in the book) salad (here). I don't remember her series but I may have been in Germany and missed it, but all about economy and making yourself.

K9sandFelines

First thing this morning, I spent 
£7.50 at Waitr@se using a Cashback app (also had. £1 voucher). Grabbed a free coffee to take on my travels too.

Then to Tesco as i had booked a Bread and Butter thing today. So picked up quite a bit of shopping whilst out and about, as I had to buy a bus ticket. I spent £5.59 using a Cashback app ( earned 30p on an £8.00 gift card)

Then £13.15 at Heron foods. Got two plant based cheese, four barista alpro and four oat Ben and Jerry's ( gave one to DD1)

Then £8.50 at Bread and Butter. It wasn't the best one I've had, but all things I can use.
They mistakenly gave me a meat bag again instead of vegetarian; but the only thing that was in there that wasn't suitable was a pack of mince that I gave to DD1.

All in all a productive, but tiring day. 
I'll now need to rest up, as my arthritis will be paining me tomorrow. I can only do this kind of shopping expedition, once  a week at most.


Total £37.74 

LiveSimply

I don’t know if anyone has said already, but on my Sainsbury’s order page the potatoes are now 15p for a 2kg bag, and carrots are 15p for a 1kg bag. Parsnips 15p for 500g. (Plus cabbage, Brussels and other stuff)

It says on the website ‘available from Thursday’ so I’m not sure what the price will be in a shop. 

LiveSimply

Do any of you price up your individual meals? I make the same things over and over, and usually make the same quantities so I thought maybe I could price up, say, a tray bake, and then I’m eating a third (or whatever) and track the price I’m eating per day or per meal in the same way people count calories?

Suffolk_lass

LiveSimply said:

I don’t know if anyone has said already, but on my Sainsbury’s order page the potatoes are now 15p for a 2kg bag, and carrots are 15p for a 1kg bag. Parsnips 15p for 500g. (Plus cabbage, Brussels and other stuff)

It says on the website ‘available from Thursday’ so I’m not sure what the price will be in a shop. 

Martin's email lists all the wonky and reduced veg dates and prices. Sainsbugs are the most expensive listed at 15p - Aldo's and the others are 8p - all from Thursday. I am going to Sainsbugs and M&S today, but not for veg. Just to miss the gridlock. It is 12 miles drive away, so I wait until I've got a reason. No food bank this month. I do have to collect bras though! (that moment when they look sad and you find a hole, or the bone pokes through - the bras, not the contents, of course  )

Soontobeoap

So much money spent in Sainsburys yesterday. I still need to work out what was grocerys and what was gifts and wrapping paper etc. I did get bonus nectar for doing another shop before Christmas.Nectar points now stand at nearly £51.00 so it's a good boost for February.

Suffolk_lass

I spent mine today @Soontobeoap; £15 here. I am a SM tart - not loyal to any all the time. I needed to go to M&S to collect my underwear so picked up the treats I wanted from there, then over to Sains for fruit, mostly. After deduction treats I spent £23.17 on stores and £6.51 after spending the £15 NP. I spent £30.70 in M&S too so my spend is now £100.58 for December. No more trips to those shops now before Christmas. The shops may be lovely but the car park is a gridlock PITA at the best of times. I was out for just over three hours today. That is an extra hour. No wonder they want us to click and collect or have it delivered!

otb666

I have now done my fourth shop at aldi and total is 510 which is under budget 600.  But if I include all my EXTRAS it really is 720/600  So way over budget but I have 3 new kitchen appliances and we have had a lot of extra expenses this month petrol takeaways for visitors etc So cant beat myself up too much also that is all my shopping done now until after xmas as cant abide the madness before the big day. Its a five month week next month for me as I go from 23rd to 23rd and will wait til after xmas now to do next shop.

leftatthetrafficlights

It's been a chaotic week or so and I have no idea of what has been spent from the grocery budget or what it's been spent on, so I'm going to admit defeat and start again in January! 🙄🤦‍♀️