May 2008 Grocery Challenge

getting-sorted-sarah

denisefowler wrote: »

Thanks for this Nikki, I'll try chopping instead, just annoyed now that I didn't check the choccy section out :mad: (which was right at the end of the same aisle) I was going to as well to see if any chips were there, but didn't trust myself!:rotfl:
Was just thinking of bringing that point up to them, but knowing Mr T's, they'll increase 28p bars to 39p... :lipsrseal Think I'll keep quiet!:lipsrseal
Denise x

I never use chips - always chocolate cut up roughly, I think it is cheaper and it just seems nicer (to me). Also I don't use 'cooking' chocolate - I think it has a higher fat content so it melts better (I could be wrong) but to me it just doesn't taste as good as proper chocolate.

TheBees

Evening everyone

Had a good trip to the Car Boot Sale in the blazing heat and got myself a brand new unused Morphy Richards Bread maker for £12. :j Our old BM had been causing us problems getting the cooked loaf out of the tin so I hadn't used it for a while. We made our first loaf in the new one this morning and it's much better than any we made in the old one and is nearly all gone.

Spent the rest of the day laying bricks around the garden as the edging for our new gravel path and muscles I never knew I had are aching now! So only spent money on some milk this evening.:D

Mrs M - When OH was in the RAF he used to live in during the week and called Pay As You Dine - Save as you Starve! Him and a few fellow food rebels spent many an evening dodging the pudding police who would guard the sweet servery to make sure you only got one portion!! Mind you he could live off £20 a week if he avoided the bar!!

Will update signature now.

Have a good week

Sunnyday

Evening everyone,
I`ve just managed to catch up with around 14 pages :eek:

Madmittens - where are you? hope you`re ok and i was sorry to hear your sad news.

Jennybee - congratulations to you:j

Zend - hope you`re feeling better now

Well i`ve not been too bad and updated my siggy with the spend for this weekend, only about a tenner left for my week 4 though:eek:

Here`s hoping i manage ok, i should really be able to come out on top this month but DH has bought a couple of really daft things recently that have cost more than i would have spent:mad:
Never mind, he`s ok most of the time:D

I`m off to sort out next weeks mealplanner now so good luck everyone.
SD

Ess-six

Hi Everyone

I too am struggling to keep up with the posts these days - and I'll need this thread more than ever now - the company DH works for went belly-up last Thursday :eek: . Hopefully he'll get something sorted out pretty quickly, fingers crossed. I work full time, so with a bit more belt-tightening we should be ok.

I'm just so pleased that I've been taking part in the GC for the last three months - not only has it helped get our food spend down very nicely, but I'm well placed to 'step up a gear' and cut back our spend further thanks to all the helpful posts.

Oh well, off to catch-up on your posts with pen and paper in hand.....

getting-sorted-sarah

Sorry to hear your news Ess-six. Bet you're up to the challenge though!

I'm struggling with whether to put wine in my grocery challenge - my idea was to include it so that I couldn't spend so much - but when I am weak and buy wine why should my kids starve as a result?!! Oh dear - this month has not been good so far, I need to have different pots maybe but I find it hard to keep track of the different spending. Right now I am updating my sig on here, my spreadsheet for banking, and my spendingdiary.com page - pretty much every time I buy anything!

On a brighter note - made a cake for a friend today and she gave me lots of baby lettuces to grow in the garden - fab. And there are flowers on my strawberries - so excited!

Savvy_sewing

I really dont have the time to catch up on all of the entries, but I just wanted to update my spending on the Groceries. When I went to Lidl in the week, I spent £90.39 but I have just taken off all the extras, shoes, trainers and beach shelter, and it leaves me £60.31 spending so I am just going to update my signature.
I spent another 60p on yeast ready to make my bread, if only I could find the recipe for a Breville Breadmaster BR88!!. I cant make head nor tail of searching on Google!!.

egon

I spend £8.77 in Lidl's on friday. even the staff comented, that my trolly was empty.:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

DH has left us for another week schluchz He will be back on friday and then gone again on sunday. But then, it is time to leave for Germany!

I have already done a list for DS1 3rd "birthday party". some of the baking ingredients I will buy in Germany, as they are cheaper. I will stock up on loads!!!
So, MrsM, if you cant find any baking ingredients, then look at the weight of our car!:D

I realised today, that we haven't planted any lettuce! :eek:
So guess, that will be my task for this week, soonest I can go out to the shops (DS still is infectious with chickenpox grrr)

(((((Hugs))))) to everyone who needs them and everyone else!

Egon

betterlatethannever

Well i've been really good this week (mostly because i've been trying ISOM challenge) and managed 6 out of 7 NSD:T so total spends for 7 days was just £20. Not bad.

doelani

angelnikki wrote: »

MrT does Saxby Short Pastry Blocks 500g in the chilled aisle for 88p or you could try this recipe:

pastry

8oz plain flour
pinch of salt
2oz butter
2oz lard (you could use all butter instead)
cold water

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl
Rub in the fat with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
Stir in sufficient water with a knife to form dough
Roll out and use as per recipe
brush with milk and bake until golden brown
200C/Gas6 for 25-30 mins

If you have warm hands putting the flour in the fridge before using is supposed to help


Nikki
x

brings back memories of the good old day , ok well about 15 years ago, when I used to love banking. I have not done it for years , just got lazy and buy ready make pies lol

Doe

catnap53

funkyfunkymonkey wrote: »

Dear All

Please help. I have just made Mrs McCawber's Yoghurt Honey Muffins, sadly I replaced so many of the ingredients with 'alternatives' that the result is quite doughy and not edible as muffins. I used veg oil instead of butter and sr flour instead of plain+wholewheat+bicarb

I am taking part in the 'Don't throw your food away challenge' and really really do not want these to go in the bin.

Does anyone have any ideas what I can do with these?

TIA FFM

FFM, what did you do decide to do with them?

I've just had the same problem. The mixture was very wet, but I have not made muffins before so thought it must be OK. The tops were done, but soggy in the middle and bottom, so left them in longer and reduced the temperature. They are now cold and have a dent in the middle. I don't think they can be resurrected even in trifle.