April 2011 Grocery Challenge

Kitchenbunny · 6 April 2011 at 5:37PM

Afternoon, all. Yet another spend to report chez Kitchenbunny! Have added another £8.46 to my running total on some storecupboard essentials to keep us in rice for a while, some bread, yoghurts and (sigh) tinned cola. I'm afraid there isn't an easy way to stop drinking it. I've tried several times (often unsuccessfully) to cut back, but the only way is to drink water or squash instead and stop buying it if you can. Now, I try to only drink cola when I have a bevvy at the end of a hard working week, but the odd one does slip in. I'd say to keep at it, and work through the couple of days where you'll feel yuck. It is worth it though.

Oddly enough, we've got sausages for tea tonight. I do know I'll have to pop to the shops for some fajita wraps (unless I can actually manage to bake some - breadmaking seems to be a bit of a downfall with me!) as I'm going to do some enchiladas on Friday, but beyond that I hopefully don't need to get anything else. I'll update my sig now.

KB xx

jumblejack · 6 April 2011 at 5:49PM

cutiepieabf wrote: »

hey all,

boiled my first ham yesterday!! i usually roast it, but i thought i would try boiling it and it turned out lovely! quite easy to cut, and we had ham slices topped with fried pineapple with hm wedges and peas. i used the boiled water to make ham and and pea soup, but also added some brocolli and carrots out of the freezer. decanted into 4 helpings for lunches. Tonight is pasta with ham, peas and cheese sauce.

Now THAT I like the sound of, yummy

jumblejack · 6 April 2011 at 5:56PM

4weeladdies wrote: »

Muffin man, don't feel too bad. I work on a checkout and you'd be amazed how often it happens!!!! There's no shame in it at all xxx

As for the Diet cola, myself and DH are completely hooked too, to the point of spending over £10 a week on the damned stuff (Although I do switch brands to buy whatever is on offer). To help us cut back I've bought a few bottles of Ald1 diet lemonade at 28p and bottles of the Don Simon fresh orange at 50p and we're having that at night instead. It's lovely and refreshing and sooooo much cheaper :-)

£4.30 spent for me today on eggs, sugar, milk, lemonade and porridge (the kids are going through mountains of it this week!) at Ald1. whoop!

Lidl have an offer of 1.5 litres of ACE fruit juice which is awesome at 49p over this weekend!!! Why not try substituting flr the scrummiest, healthiest drink you can buy at 30 odd p a litre, it is worth a try!!!

We only drink those. I can't abide soft drinks any more.

sistercas · 6 April 2011 at 8:12PM

just lost a post :mad:

a Nsd today as i have been at work all day , my 1st of the month

Spig thinking of you hope you are ok x

Hipeechiq glad you are posting again , sorry things are still bad (((hugs))) to both of you

done my meal plan / shopping list for the next 7 days, i have included some choccy and biscuits as the kids will be on hols , i will also do some baking

i need to find some extra money next week as we are spending a day in london ( visiting the titanic exhibition) i will need money for dinner and tea so hopefully can find somewhere thats not too expensive

quintwins · 6 April 2011 at 8:13PM

£13 on takeaway, and £5.50 on pizza from te$co for the freezer (i'll get most of that back in a voucher, off to update my sig now

guccigoo · 6 April 2011 at 8:30PM

been reading through the posts, Hippeechiq sending positive vibes to you, Mothership your in my thoughts and Rosieben congrats on your grandson... Im also going to be a nanny in June for the first time and still cant believe it im only 36 :eek:, my daughter is having a boy

123budget · 6 April 2011 at 9:18PM

Spent £2.18 in Aldi on bread and milk. I upped my budget this month but the way things are going I will be lucky not to go over.

minnie2 · 6 April 2011 at 9:42PM

Mothership wrote: »

My thoughts exactly, thank you everyone for all your kindness, thoughts and hugs. I'm all over the place at the moment, I thought the news of my mothers death hadn't affected me, it has but in a way I didn't expect. I knew her for a short period and in that time I could feel my soul running away from her SCREAMING! She was very very angry bitter and very manipulative, she wanted unconditional love but hers was conditional. I forgave her for what she did to me, so did my half sisters , but I don't think she was ever able to forgive herself, she went to her grave still in denial and blamed everyone but herself for everything that went wrong in her life, there comes a time when everyone has to accept that the choices they make set you on your life path. She died a very lonely woman. I am sad about that, it could have been so different for her if she had just said sorry for all the bad things she did.
I feel now I have some closure, all the bad memories have gone with her to wherever she is. And I'm keeping the good ones, yes there were some, she had a wonderful sense of humour, and there was some good in her. I saw it. You see we all felt the same, we would all have loved her anyway if only she had let us... wasted love, how sad!:(

Stewed sausage with carrot and onion boiled potatoes and garden peas ,for dinner, very tasty .

sending you loads of hugs!!!!

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

Not a silly question. It is a board on the forum, The Quick! Grabbit while you can board

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=36

thank you!!!!

quintwins wrote: »

i always find i spend loads in the first week of the month, i think it's cause i've started doing a monthly meal plan

sorry i should have been clearer but i see someone helped you anyway i got a £20 dtd voucher this morning from my £23 spend yesterday so i'm happy :j

nsd for me today chicken stew for tea made with leftover chick casarole from yesterday

wow that is great!!! no no its me- i am still relatively new and learning!!!

jumblejack · 6 April 2011 at 10:55PM

TAKEN FROM COLOUR IT GREEN WEBSITE:

nettle pasta

3 litres of nettle tips (or the nettles left over from making nettle beer)

500g fine flour

2-3 eggs

pinch of salt

use of a pasta machine.

!

I made this by saving the nettles from making nettle beer (removing the lemon peel afterwards)- ideal: one picking session results in two recipes! To start from stratch, pick only the nettle tips of young nettles. Cover with two litres of water, bring to the boil and boil for half to one hour. Strain. Squeeze the nettles to remove all the water - you should end up with two egg sized lumps of nettle pulp

In a mixer blend the flour and nettles together then add two eggs. The mixture should resemble sand.. and a pinch of it squeezed together holds, if too wet add more flour.. if too dry add more egg.

Turn the sandy mixture onto a board and squeeze together into a lump, then need for a few minute. Then use in your pasta machine, following its instructions, making whatever pasta you prefer - we made spagetti. Cook or dry for later use

Mothership · 7 April 2011 at 12:07AM

This is going to sound strange, this has become the first place I turn when I'm upset , low, a wee bit down. Needing ears. I always find what I need here 24/7. I think there's a lot more than a grocery challenge going on here...
I used to frequent the grabbit forum regularly don't go there much at all now. Ebay too. Don't do that much. There's enough going on here to keep me happy. I was most definitely food shopping way too much, don't do that much either, unless I really need something. I love reading all your posts, sharing recipes, sharing our problems. In a short time the wealth of knowledge and camaraderie to be found here is something truly special. I just wanted each and every one of you to know how much I appreciate this 'special' place. and all the 'special people' who take the time to comfort and support each other in these hard times.

Had spaghetti Bolognese for dinner made with Donald Russell mince OMG it was just delicious, either my cooking has improved or I've found better food lol.

Got a spend to report 2 jugs of milk and two loaves £3, will add it to my signature. Sent husband LOL, he hates shopping. But never buys anything you don't ask him to.

Just wondering if I should send flowers to my mothers funeral, as I said I didn't know her, I don't feel any loss as I never had her. My youngest half sister isn't going either she's been told she's not welcome. The last wish of an angry bitter woman reaching from beyond the grave to hurt someone who really didn't deserve it, this wee soul has 7 kids 2 newborn twins, her crime? She wasn't able to visit her mother 2 -3 times a day to do things for her. I think the flowers should go to her to cheer her up on the day of the funeral, this wee lassie kept her babies and didn't abandon them like her mum did. I am so proud of her , my heart goes out to her. Any thoughts , pearls of wisdom anyone? I really don't know what to do.:undecided

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April 2011 Grocery Challenge

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