January 2009 Grocery Challenge

turbo5019 · 9 January 2009 at 8:56PM

Still not spent anything this month been trying to clear out the freezer and cupboads.

I have a cauliflower and I don't know what to do with it all I ever do is boil it.
I really need a recipe that I can freeze as there is only me to feed at min. Thanks

lainz · 9 January 2009 at 9:36PM

Well, after doing so well last month, I'm not doing so well this month! I've already spent £85 of my £95!:eek: Really I only need those world famous fruit and veg for the rest of the month! I have more than enough in the freezer and have meal planned which helps, but i have taken advantage of branston beans being on offer and morrisons have the veggie burgers I like at 80p, so I've a couple of packs of them, also soya dessert I eat is down to £1 in Morrisons and tescos so stocking up on them as they are longer life and soya yoghurt is expensive.

I've loads of cat food in and she's on a diet now as I've been trying to cut her food down and I weighed her tonight and she's put on weight:rolleyes: .

Only 19 days to pay day ..... :eek: :eek: :eek:

russetred · 9 January 2009 at 9:44PM

Just on to update my siggy.My freezer is absolutely stuffed and I blame my DD who loves whoopsie hunting.I got half a shoulder of lamb,calves liver,2 packs of beef mince,pork belly joint,2 packs of chipolatas and smoked haddock for around a fiver. It barely fitted in as I had picked up a few bargains in farmfoods too.They have large low fat ocean crumble @50p and betty smith beef/lamb casserole 800g @75p.I normally cook all that sort of thing myself but at that price its easy enough to make a flavoured loaf or extra veggies to jazz it up.I also made a pot of bolognaise sauce in the SC with all the left over veg,oats for the first time,and some red wine that's been in the fridge for ages.Well seeing I'm on a diet that wine would never have time to get cold in the fridge before! The bolognaise got split in 2 and 1 lot was added to cooked pasta shells with an extra tin of toms and left over cheese grated on top then oven baked.It was gorgeous! Now i just need to stay out the shops.....darn it I need milk and self control!:rotfl:

elizabunny · 9 January 2009 at 9:50PM

Hi everyone. Not a good day today, found myself walking that well trodden track to Lidl just to have a look and ended up spending £13.60. BUT in my defence, I did get 3 x 1.5lt of orange juice for 69p each and can you beat the price of their celeriac at 49p for a big woppa. Also got luxury museli (yummy), finish dishwasher tablets, tins of kidney beans, peas, spaghetti hoops and tomatoes. Also bought bananas, potatoes, ham, oven chips (very naughty) and pasties for a quickie tea, biscuits and bread flour. Maybe not so bad after all but must actually cook something tomorrow and not just keep thinking about it -I blame it on this cold I've got -no energy........except for shopping:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

clutterydrawer · 9 January 2009 at 9:54PM

turbo5019 wrote: »

Still not spent anything this month been trying to clear out the freezer and cupboads.

I have a cauliflower and I don't know what to do with it all I ever do is boil it.
I really need a recipe that I can freeze as there is only me to feed at min. Thanks

Hmmm you can make curry with cauliflower in, I bet you could freeze that.

Or put it in a pasta bake?

lauradora · 9 January 2009 at 10:37PM

£5.52 yesterday in the asda as went in for bread rolls and milk and came out with a few more reduced bits and bobs. Also £2.26 today on reduced juice from the co op i got conned into cos I was desperate for change!

New total for month £28.32

Not worried as I need minimal shopping tomorrow just veg really all stocked up on meat and fish

kunekune · 9 January 2009 at 11:29PM

Cauliflower is a wonderful vegetable. The obvious thing is cheese sauce, perhaps mixed in with other veges and some pasta. But it is better than that. Various ideas:

cauliflower cheese quiche, haven't tried it but it sounded yum: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1435/cauliflower-cheese-and-bacon-quiche
use as mash instead of potato: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/database/cauliflowermash_76888.shtml is a fancy version but you can make it with ordinary milk and butter too
And then there's curry: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5233/cauliflower-curry, http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4287/tomato-cauliflower-and-spinach-curry
Or you could roast it: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000933roasted_cauliflower.php

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/roasted-cauliflower-with-pine-nuts-and-raisins-542080.html

Hope these give you some ideas - they have certainly reminded me that the cauli in my fridge is destined to greater things than boiling.

PS: my family are darlings, Sharron, daughter said the quiche was the best ever and DH agreed. Even fussy son ate the wholemeal pastry and gave me a thumbs up (thank you Rose Elliott, I have loved your bean book for many years but had forgotten the basics at the back). We ate the leftovers for lunch at work the next day. Quiche is on the next-week-but-one plan too (too much food, can't recycle ideas that fast).

millionaire_in_training · 9 January 2009 at 11:35PM

hi. On track so far. Have spent £98.35/£250 and that includes school lunches so am wellpleased x

gailey_2 · 9 January 2009 at 11:40PM

Well today did what hubby calls most depressing shpp ever had just £10 to spend in lidls and we running ver low now and payday not until 15th!
was hard but got quite few tinned things,some fresh veg,frozen chips bread and milk!
Im going have to be more imagainative with whats there!
oh bit down we have hardly any nice food
gona bake biscuit tommorow to cheer him up
going to attemt veg curry know oh wont rate it.

off to upate sig to 44.60/200.

fallen_angel_shelley · 9 January 2009 at 11:48PM

gailey wrote: »

Well today did what hubby calls most depressing shpp ever had just £10 to spend in lidls and we running ver low now and payday not until 15th!
was hard but got quite few tinned things,some fresh veg,frozen chips bread and milk!
Im going have to be more imagainative with whats there!
oh bit down we have hardly any nice food
gona bake biscuit tommorow to cheer him up
going to attemt veg curry know oh wont rate it.

off to upate sig to 44.60/200.

I'm not sure if these have been posted on here before, so apologise if they have, I thought they might help.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1129333

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1157641

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

January 2009 Grocery Challenge

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free