February 2026 Grocery Challenge

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81862535#Comment_81862535

All supermarkets sell plenty of UPF free food.

thriftwizard

My weekly shop has somehow come to £85.58… sigh! To be fair, one biggish component was a £20 gammon, which can stay in the fridge for a couple of weeks until needed; it was just a nice lean-looking one, with a long date, and as I tend to slow-cook gammon it doesn't need a fatty crust, so I snapped it up when I saw it. We won't need an awful lot when I pop down to L!dls - do I say that every month?! - so hopefully I can keep within the February budget without too much jiggery-pokery.

RedLipstick

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81862535#Comment_81862535

M&S is on it lately, with their "Only … Ingredients" range, few nice basics at a decent price, worth checking out if it's local for you.

Nelliegrace

Thank you, @RedLipstick that is a start.

We buy basic ingredients, but stopped buying some staples when manufacturers started to add UPF stuff, for their benefit, not that of the customer. Our usual dark chocolate had Soya Lecithin added, as well as a hefty price increase. There was no warning on the familiar label, it should be in bold on the front, “Now with Ultra Processed additives.” Some supermarkets put a warning on the ingredients listed online, that they may have been changed, and to check each packet.

We have a new, super, M&S Food, opened in December.

Sallyp2

Been away for a few years - want to curb impulse grocery spends

Going for £200 1st Feb to 28th Feb

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81858931#Comment_81858931

agree what not to eat is an eye opener - focus has shifted this series. The last episode has made me rethink diet coke - which is expensive nowadays. Might limit myself to one can a week (sat night) from now on

Sallyp2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81862535#Comment_81862535

marks & spencer or waitrose

tim spectre already works with m&s

TravelCrystal

So the Ocado order came, everything there. The basil plant was in its own little cardboard box, nicely protected. Had loads of fresh fruit and veg, some frozen spinach, broad beans and butternut squash. Also added 3 large milks to the freezer. Bacon, mayo, tom sauce, cleaning kit for the oven racks and oven cleaner. Toilet cleaning bits. tins of coconut milk, peppers and chick peas. Creme Fraiche and sour cream. cooking Marg, Coffee, fresh and instant. The dreaded UPF gravy granules, cause it's easy. Fresh lasagne sheets, fresh herbs, pickles and chutneys, soy sauce and artichoke hearts. Bags for both bins. Muesli and couscous. Flour, greaseproof paper and pasta.

In theory when the Grape Tree order comes should keep us going for the best part of February.

Including Evaporated milk and air freshener for the bathroom bought in Asda today, £139.33 spent

Also had a consignment of wine, still from Naked as decided only drinking one bottle a week we deserved it 😜 £141.88 which is in bulk budget.

Grape Tree when it comes is £27.92 which is also bulk and consists of oats, various seeds, yeast, pre packed chestnuts, black peppercorns, other spices and raisins.

Just made a fruit crumble for tomorrows lunch as won't have the oven on, it has ground almonds amongst it, can't wait.

Planning on doing beef stroganoff recipe tomorrow using a Venison steak from the stash, let's see how that works, fingers crossed.

Have a good weekend all

T.C

Elizabeth49

£1.75 for bread yesterday as my old breadmaker finally packed up after about twelve years. I've ordered a new breadmaker, which is due to be delivered tomorrow, though. I know that it's possible to make bread using a stand mixer etc, but I like being able to just chuck everything in the bread machine and leave it to its own devices.

£84.27 for today's Sainsbugs delivery, but that should be everything for the week apart from some more fresh fruit and veg midweek and I'll pop along to the farm shop for that. I used to go there a lot, but got out of the habit and want to start supporting them again especially as it's a charity initiative.

£86.02/£445.00

Finstickle

£7.75 on a bottle of wine on Thursday evening.

Weekly Asda order done and received yesterday for my first spend of £52.41, mostly basics as I am stripping out extras for the minute.

I have just done my first Musclefood order in ages. DD doesn't eat a lot of meat so it all tends to last me quite a long time £53.25 including delivery for an estimated 40 portions = £1.33 per portion. The price is still reasonable but I do think the choice has reduced quite a lot and the options when choosing smaller bundles are limited. It is nice to have quite a lot of meat in to choose from though, and I've included some steak and burgers to mix things up from my usual chicken and mince options :-)

My first spends for February:

£113.41/£400