December 2025 Grocery Challenge

Suffolk_lass

Hmm, I might have to copy you with the cheap veg there @carboot_karaoke. It sure as hell won't fit in my fridge!

carboot_karaoke

Suffolk_lass said:

Hmm, I might have to copy you with the cheap veg there @carboot_karaoke. It sure as hell won't fit in my fridge!

I was genuinely surprised at how long the vegetables stayed fresh for last year.   
Much longer than if I had put them in the fridge.  Just be sure to remove the packaging and any excess moisture with some kitchen roll. Then store in a cold dark place. 
I'm hoping mine will last well into January  although we've already got through some potatoes, sprouts, broccoli and about 1kg of carrots to go with a few tubs of hummus 😋. 

Suffolk_lass

I had to collect my meat from the butcher this morning - it comes from a separate budget. I was awake early, at 05.30 so I decided to go to Morrisons first. They are opening at 06.00 this M, T, W.

It is all very well advertising your veg at 5p a go, but you need to actually have them all (it was just Brussels sprouts on the "show bench") in the store, out on the shelves for when you open. This is the second example of poor supply chain management this Christmas for me (the other was a food to go buffet lunch for 35 people where two of the platters were just not delivered on the day) and if it happens a third time, I shall stop using them for my main shop. I found the carrots (five bags out) elsewhere in the store and paid full price for parsnips (plus cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, not in the offer, I think). So we won't miss out, just no 5p veg.

What I found appalling was that I was in competition for the remains with the staff picking for click and collect and deliveries. Imagine those poor people not in store receiving only a little bit of what they ordered in October because the lorry did not deliver, or the staff were not available to put it out. It is why I still shop in person.

I'll report spend once I have tallied my receipts.

PipneyJane

Suffolk_lass said:

I had to collect my meat from the butcher this morning - it comes from a separate budget. I was awake early, at 05.30 so I decided to go to Morrisons first. They are opening at 06.00 this M, T, W.

It is all very well advertising your veg at 5p a go, but you need to actually have them all (it was just Brussels sprouts on the "show bench") in the store, out on the shelves for when you open. This is the second example of poor supply chain management this Christmas for me (the other was a food to go buffet lunch for 35 people where two of the platters were just not delivered on the day) and if it happens a third time, I shall stop using them for my main shop. I found the carrots (five bags out) elsewhere in the store and paid full price for parsnips (plus cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, not in the offer, I think). So we won't miss out, just no 5p veg.

What I found appalling was that I was in competition for the remains with the staff picking for click and collect and deliveries. Imagine those poor people not in store receiving only a little bit of what they ordered in October because the lorry did not deliver, or the staff were not available to put it out. It is why I still shop in person.

I'll report spend once I have tallied my receipts.

I hear you, @Suffolk_lass.  In our case, our local L!dl had trays of 5p veg when DH went in there on Saturday - and didn’t buy any - but none when we visited yesterday, hoping to stock up.  On the other hand, the local Sainsbugs had loads of 15p veg, so we stocked up there instead.  Christmas at DH’s mum’s is sorted - we’re catering - and we should have enough to get us through until January.    (Sainsbugs also had loads of turkeys left.  I might pop down there on Saturday to see if I can get a bargain.)

I have multiple shops to declare, although I did lose track slightly.  Somewhere in the last week, £6.21 was spent and is unaccounted for.  Humph!  Anyway, here’s what we spent:

• £10.54 in L!dl on the 14th on 12 FR large eggs £2.89, 100g white chocolate 2x99p, 100g dark chocolate 2x99p, XXL 500g mixed nuts £3.69.
• £4 in MrT’s on the 16th, where DH picked up two YS packets of prepared pulled pork (needed cooking and shredding).  Each packet was 2 portions and originally cost over £4.  Not worth the original price but OK at the discount.
• £7.43 in L!dl on Saturday, spent by DH on free lemonade, cream cheese 2x95p, seeded wraps 99p, bacon quiche £3.55, lemons 99p.
• £7.64 in Sainsbugs on Sunday spent on minced pies 2x£1.75, sliced ham £2.25, houmous £1, rocket 90p,
• £5.22 in L1dl yesterday on 1L lactose free milk 3x99p, Options Mint Chocolate £2.25.  (Why DH couldn’t pick up milk when he was there on Saturday is beyond me, but he refused to take the shopping list.)
• £4.16 in Sainsbugs yesterday on Mushrooms £1.50, 4-pack garlic 2x88p,  Nectar veg:  2kg potatoes 2x15p,1kg carrots 2x15p, 1kg parsnips 15p, 1kg Brussels sprouts 15p, 
• On top of the above, we collected £4.30 in shrapnel for the money boxes, including two £2 coins.

The above brings our total spend to £171.90/£180 leaving £8.10* for the rest of the month.

Good luck over Christmas everyone. May your dinners be perfect and your guests happy and well behaved.

- Pip
 



* It should be doable.  While we’re doing the catering for Christmas - at MIL’s flat - my MIL has paid for (virtually) all of it, excluding the veggies.  Only things left to purchase are baguettes.

Nelliegrace

DH bought milk and broccoli on Friday
£2.44 spent

We were up at dawn, (8 a.m. but it sounds more impressive,) to do the Christmas grocery shop at Aldi before the crowds. There were quite a few spaces still on the car park. There were plenty of staff keeping the shelves stocked, and at several of the tills, and helping at the self service checkouts, so there were no queues. We found everything on my list. 

I got the bags of potatoes, carrots, parsnips x2, a swede, a red and a white cabbage, and sprouts, all at 5p, I have unpacked from the plastic to dry and they will store for a couple of weeks in the cold garage.
A large cauliflower, oranges 2 x 5, pears, bananas, a pomegranate, grapes. 
Milk x3, cream, brandy butter, assorted cheeses £3.99.
A pork joint, a pork pie. 
Flaked almonds, 2 bags of mixed dried fruit reduces to 99p.

An extravagant way to buy cheese, even at 50p off, but there may be some cheese in the sales, to freeze in portions. ( 24/12 We were given a gift of the same cheeses by our neighbour, I am so pleased, they know us well.)

The smallest pork joint was 1.544kg so we cut it into two generous roasting joints and froze one to have in the new year. 

£31.19 spent.

We walked across to M&S Food to enjoy the crowds. It was very busy, staff directing people one way to collect orders,
The Amaryllis kits had been reduced to £6. I treated DH to a box of brandy butter mince pies which Magnon had recommended in his blog and more shortbread fingers.
£5.30 spent on groceries. 

Total £136.87

K9sandFelines

I've lost track already of what's been spent. If I can figure it out I'll come back.
Otherwise I hope everyone manages to reign in the spends, and I'll be back on the 13th of Jan with my new 2026 budget.

Merry Christmas in advance 🎄 🎁 

K9sandFelines

leftatthetrafficlights said:

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! 🙄🤦‍♀️

Same here. Just posted literally those words 😂

JingsMyBucket

Hey folks. How’s everyone holding up on Christmas Eve? Since my last post, we’ve spent an additional £241.42 at various stores: Lidl, Aldi, M & S, Savers (toiletries & laundry), and a Tesco order.  Our fridge is absolutely full to bursting and we won’t need to go shopping until Sunday I don’t think. And that would only be for milk, if need be.

£523.42 / £500 spent. £23.42 overspent. 

I kind of took my eye off the ball, especially in Aldi. Thankfully, the freezer is also full and we can use that as a resource in January and February. Speaking of January, I’ll put up next month’s thread later today. Can you believe it’s almost 2026?! Bring me my fainting couch, please! 

carboot_karaoke

Afternoon all, l have two more spends to declare from today.

The first wasn't planned but when my eldest called from Tesco to say they had 500g of 5% fat mince beef reduced to £1.30 l couldn't resist and requested the remaining 7 packs and a 15% fat 750g for £1.70 in addition l also had another bag of potatoes, carrots, broccoli and sprouts this lot came to £11.88 including a carrier bag because poor Ck was only expecting a basket full of things. 🤣

Then l popped to Asda and spent £19.16 for a large block of cheese, some fruit, salad items, a multipack of sea salt crisps, bagels plus,  some toiletries  £4.28 from the bulk fund to save me a trip to home bargains. 

New Totals 

Grocery Budget £408.42 / £450 

Bulk Fund £42.47  / £50

Grocery Challenge £ 450.89 / £500

I will end up popping to the shops before the new year but I'm feeling more confident l can stick to the £49.11 remaining . 

In total I've brought cheap veg ;  sprouts 2kg, potato 10kg, carrots 8kg, broccoli x 6 and two red cabbage  for a  total of £2.85. I wanted to write it down somewhere for reference next year. 

whitecatcreamsofaDOH

Happy Twixmas GC-ers!

Love the tip on the veg storage! Is it wrong that I’m excited that I’ll have a garage next year so I’ll be able to try it out? 😆🤣🤣

One week to go and I’m at £411.05/£450

At this point in the year I’d normally have lots of left overs and snacks to survive on, but the cupboards and fridge are looking much emptier than in previous years. I’ll have to venture out today for some groceries for the next few days.