April 2008 Grocery Challenge

victory

Thank you for the ideas, I have read back some of the pages, not all and I keep sitting here thinking now that is great, never thought of that:rotfl: so thank you very much, will try the challenge, I get all my meat (well no, iceland frozen chicken always on offer and their chickens are always reduced) from Asda, the one here around 19.30 they reduce them to silly prices, 50 p and such so I just fill the freezer of gammon, belly rolls, chicken, ready meals that used to cost over £2 now down to 65p etc and that last for ages, Asda is def the place to go for reduced meats.

We have a sainsburys that sometimes reduces the fruit and veg but not masses and rarely the meat, waitrose that only reduces to a significant amount if it is xmas eve (yes I am there at closing time:D ) or NYE , I know all the shops to go to and at what times but like I said I am moving so will have to start all over again:rotfl: :rotfl:

I buy stardrops, love it. Store brands on bleach, rice, pasta etc. I tried to go down one as Martin said on his challenge on Sir trevor, if you normally buy this brand go down one and see the savings and there are many to be had and better in my pocket than theirs, the kids and OH don't notice the difference mostly but they did on the watery home brand of baked beans!!

teedy23

Wont be spending any money today on anything. The reason for this may be found at the bottom of this message.

faye1978

This is a korma recipe from a curry house website - soundslong winded but it's really not and once you get a batch of the Basic Curry Sauce made up you can use this as the basis for ANY curry. And I'm pretty sure you would be able to freeze it in batches too......

BASIC CURRY SAUCE

This is the basis for many of the restaurant-style curries you'll find here. The recipe makes between 8 and 9 fl oz of Sauce which is enough for 2 main course curries or a main course and some side dishes. The recipe doesn't work as well if you try to make a smaller portion. It will double nicely if you're making a number of curries but you will need to extend the cooking time a bit. If you have some sauce left over it will keep in good condition in the freezer but only for a few weeks. Even small amounts are useful for making a quick one-portion curry, it goes a long way. Remember to wrap it up well or your ice-cream may take on a strange taste!.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)

• 1 medium onion - finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
• 1.5 inch piece root ginger - peeled and thinly sliced (it should look about the same volume as the garlic)
• (optional) 2 mild fleshy green chillies - de-seeded and veined then chopped
• half teaspoon turmeric powder
• half teaspoon ground cumin seed
• half teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 5 tablespoons plain passata (smooth, thick, sieved tomatoes, US = pur!e) or 1 tablespoon concentrated tomato pur!e (US = paste) mixed with 4 tablespoons water

Method

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pan then add the chopped onion and stir for a few minutes with the heat on high.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli (if using). Stir for 30 seconds then put the heat down to very low.
3. Cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time making sure nothing browns or burns.
4. Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook, still very gently, for a further 5 minutes. Don't burn the spices or the sauce will taste horrid - sprinkle on a few drops of water if you're worried.
5. Take off the heat and cool a little. Put 4 fl oz cold water in a blender, add the contents of the pan and whizz until very smooth. Add the passata and stir.
6. Put the pur!ed mixture back into the pan and cook for 20 - 30 minutes (the longer the better) over very low heat stirring occasionally. You can add a little hot water if it starts to catch on the pan but the idea is to gently "fry" the sauce which will darken in colour to an orangy brown. The final texture should be something like good tomato ketchup. Warning - it WILL gloop occasionally and splatter over your cooker, it's the price you have to pay!

CHICKEN KORMA RECIPE

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, skinned and cut into approx. 1 inch pieces

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee
• 1 inch piece cassia bark
• 2 cardamon pods
• two thirds of a batch of Basic Curry Sauce
• quarter teaspoon hot chilli powder
• half teaspoon concentrated tomato pur!e
• salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons double cream
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped creamed coconut

Method

1. Heat a little of the oil in a large heavy frying pan then fry the chicken pieces over moderate heat until they are sealed and have turned white. Remove them from the pan and set aside
2. Heat the rest of the oil in a heavy pan over a moderate heat then put in the cassia and cardamon and stir for a few minutes
3. Turn the heat to low then add the Basic Curry Sauce, chilli powder, tomato pur!e and salt. You can add a little more tomato pur!e if the colour isn't rich enough but no more than another half teaspoon.
4. Add the chicken pieces and simmer on a low heat for 20-30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add hot water if the sauce gets too dry.
5. Finally, add the cream and creamed coconut and heat through until the creamed coconut has melted. By the end of the cooking the sauce should be silky and not too thick.

angelnikki

Hi Empty purse :wave: I'm bored so I just looked on the Ocado web site.

Quote from Ocado :

"Tesco prices. Waitrose quality. Ocado delivery.

We want you to be able to shop for quality food without compromising on price. That's why we're now matching Tesco prices on all household brands, while continuing to offer lower delivery charges than all our competitors. So come on in and experience our award-winning service at a new lower price."

This actually only relates to items that are marked "Tesco Price match" which isn't many items. I've checked the prices on Tesco's website for you (hope you dont mind, I'm really bored)

EmptyPurse wrote: »

Ocado: £50
[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]Cupboard[/FONT]

• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Allinson Dried Active Baking Yeast £0.99 Tesco price £0.99[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Butter Beans Waitrose £0.53 Tesco price £0.40[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Californian Raisins 500g Waitrose £0.75 Tesco price £0.98/ 1kg[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Carrots Waitrose £0.69 Tesco price £0.62 (and BOGOF at the moment)[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Columbian Blacktail Free Range Large Eggs Waitrose £1.59 Tesco price £1.45[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Conference Pears Waitrose £1.69 Tesco price £1.45[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Dishwasher Tablets Regular Waitrose £1.99 Tesco price £1.78/30[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Garlic Waitrose £0.99 Tesco price £1.19/4[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Granular Dishwasher Salt Waitrose £1.19 Tesco price £0.65[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Green Chillies Waitrose £0.59 Tesco price £0.42[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Hellmann's Extra Light Mayonnaise £1.36 Tesco price £1.36[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Honey & Almond Family Body Wash Waitrose £0.99 Tesco price 0.79 (similar product)[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Johnson's 24hr Intense Moisture Extra Lotion £2.99 Tesco price £1.98[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Kitchen Towel White Waitrose 6rolls £3.85 Tesco price £3.39/8 rolls[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Leeks Waitrose £1.45 Tesco price £1.00/500g[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Lightmeat Tuna in Springwater Waitrose £1.65 you bought a 3 pack of the small tins - how about buying the larger tins and storing the unused tuna in the fridge till you need it? a batch of tuna mayo for sandwiches would keep in the fridge for a about 4 days. Tesco price £1.19 and BOGOF princes tuna in water 185g[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Maris Piper Potatoes Waitrose 2.5kg£2.15 Tesco price £1.99 2.5kg[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Mixed Peppers Waitrose £1.49 Tesco price £1.38[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Peeled Plum Tomatoes Waitrose £1.95 you bought the 4 pack but if you had bought 4x Fortuna peeled plum tomatoes it would have come to 0.44x4= £1.76 Multipacks aren't always cheaper! Tesco price £0.42each x4= £1.68 or value:£0.19each x4=£0.76[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Scottish Rolled Porridge Oats Waitrose £0.79 Tesco price £0.69/kg or value: £0.59/kg[/FONT]

[FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]Fridge[/FONT]

• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Butternut Squash Waitrose £1.69 Tesco price £1.19[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Cherry Tomatoes Waitrose £1.39 Tesco price £1.23/500g[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Cucumber Waitrose £0.69 Tesco price £0.68[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Half Fat Creme Fraiche Waitrose £0.75 Tesco Price £0.62[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Lemons Waitrose £1.39 Tesco price £1.59/ value £0.60[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Little Gem Lettuce Waitrose £0.79 Tesco price £0.79[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Lurpak Lighter Spreadable £1.24 Tesco price £1.23[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Onions Waitrose £0.99 Tesco price £0.72/kg/ value £0.78/2KG[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Organic Fennel Waitrose £1.19 Tesco price £1.61/500g[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Revilla Chorizo Puchero Extra 100g £2.09 Tesco (Finest)price £2.49/225g[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Select Farm Salmon Fillets Waitrose £4.49 £14.97/kg Tesco price £12.00/kg tesco finest[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 Swede Waitrose £0.99 Tesco price £0.89[/FONT]
• [FONT=Tahoma, sans-serif]1 West Country Extra Mature Cheddar Waitrose (£2off usually £3.77) £1.77 Tesco price £2.08/250g[/FONT]

Is there not a Tesco/ASDA that you could get to deliver instead of using Ocado as they are a pretty expensive place to shop.

Nikki
x

Frugaldom

I've just checked supermarket.co.uk for this week's bargains and discovered there's more on offer at Somerfield than Tesco, so I'm going to attemp a quick 'BOGOF' shopping trip this afternoon. (This is despite saying I was putting off grocery shopping until next week.) Will let you all know how it goes and if the advertised bargains really are available.

mama67

SmellyOldSock wrote: »

Well yesterday I actually stepped into a Tesco Store! eek! Normal do my shopping online but was going past so thought I'd pop in and pick up some bits to tied us over until Monday when my Asda order comes.

I'm well chuffed only spent $40! thats including some beer for my dear hubbie!

long may it last

Charlotte

week 1 $42.00

To get the £ sign if it doesn't work on your key do Alt 0163.

HTH

Bargain_Rzl

Wow, Nikki, I'm impressed!

One reason I wouldn't be happy doing my main shop at Waitrose (though I do go there for a few things) is that they don't have a "value" range. I don't use many "value" products anyway, but those I do tend to be things I get through loads of. Like fizzy water. A 2 litre bottle is 17p in the "value" range in most supermarkets (19p at Somerfield) but Waitrose's cheapest 2 litre bottle is 49p (or was at the branch I shop at!)

SAVVYMUMMY_2

Hi everyone,
just popping in to update my sig. This was suppose to be a NSD today, but went back to grocers up road and brought another 2 large mangoes 50p for two. They`re a bit bruised and battered, but thought I could cut around the bad bits and freeze the best bits. I`ve never frozen mango before so thought I would give it ago. tonights dinner will be HM sweet and sour pork, using yesterdays left over meat and HM strawberry ice cream.
Good luck to everyone and keep up the good work.

EmptyPurse

angelnikki wrote: »

Hi Empty purse :wave: I'm bored so I just looked on the Ocado web site.

Quote from Ocado :

"Tesco prices. Waitrose quality. Ocado delivery.

We want you to be able to shop for quality food without compromising on price. That's why we're now matching Tesco prices on all household brands, while continuing to offer lower delivery charges than all our competitors. So come on in and experience our award-winning service at a new lower price."

This actually only relates to items that are marked "Tesco Price match" which isn't many items. I've checked the prices on Tesco's website for you (hope you dont mind, I'm really bored)



Is there not a Tesco/ASDA that you could get to deliver instead of using Ocado as they are a pretty expensive place to shop.

Nikki
x

Gosh, that's sooooo helpful. Thank you!

Adding things up (very roughly), I could have saved around £6.50 if I'd shopped at Tesco's. It's a real eye-opener. I love Waitrose quality fruit & veg but am I really prepared to pay that much extra every month??? More to the point, can I afford it?!

I suppose I could justify doing a Waitrose shop next time if I claim the free bottle of wine (worth c.£6) and perhaps a couple of other vouchers. After that I might just have to stop being so snobby.

How much does Tesco charge for delivery? I couldn't figure it out when I looked at their website just now.

angelnikki

I use tesco's cheapest delivery slot which is Tues/Wed evenings £3.99 but I always use money off vouchers (usually £5/£10 off) so this actually makes up for the delivery charge.

Nikki
x