November 2012 Grocery Challenge

PurpleJay · 4 November 2012 at 12:33PM

Yesterday I went to Morrisons to do our main shop. I had a voucher for £10 off £50 and if you spent £60 you got 15p off a lt of fuel

It came to £59.53 (after the voucher so got my fuel voucher) and then we have bread x3 and newspaper from our local papershop which was just over £5.44.

Current total £65/300.

[Deleted User] · 4 November 2012 at 12:57PM

armchairexpert wrote: »

Thank you for the lovely welcome, MrsCD. I promise I have very carefully read the first page (and every page!) of this thread, but I still have a question. Does Saturday's family outing, which has its own budget line but involved buying lunch for four people at $25, count towards the GC?

Up to you.

I include all meals out in my budget personally, but some people choose not to.

Taranaman · 4 November 2012 at 1:18PM

Just added up my little spends. £27.74.

No big shop yet this month. Store cupboard and freezer still ok for around three more meals easily and another three using creativity and ingenuity (what OH calls my Vicar of Dibley creations - like the old lady used to make). Will probably do a big shop before day three for the sake of my marriage!

armchairexpert - I'm one of those who doesn't count eating out but like you relatively new to this challenge so may change my rules at some point as I get better at budgeting and meal planning. As long as you're happy with your own rules it really doesn't matter as it's not a competition but a challenge.

Suffolk_lass · 4 November 2012 at 1:49PM

armchairexpert wrote: »

Thank you for the lovely welcome, MrsCD. I promise I have very carefully read the first page (and every page!) of this thread, but I still have a question. Does Saturday's family outing, which has its own budget line but involved buying lunch for four people at $25, count towards the GC?

It is your choice - it depends on how totally you are tracking your monthly spending and whether you have it covered elsewhere - I have a separate allowance for going out but if you don't (and you are tracking every cent) you should probably include it.

I forgot (to be honest) to allow anything for going out when I started (we are particularly sad but we still go out sometimes!) but because it is such a disproportionate amount for one evening I prefer to keep it separate. As I say, it is up to you

.

Best of luck
SL

elsiepac · 4 November 2012 at 3:12PM

Hi everyone!

I have read all the posts which has taken me over an hour as I was very behind due to a Loooooong working week! As I went through there were loads of posts I thought I'd comment on but have now forgotten them all, so not being rude, just unorganised... soz!

Okay, firstly, Coxy can you please up my budget to £110? I got paid a bit more than I'd budgeted for, and think the GC is the best thing to put it into at the minute.

I'm definitely right when I've identified that my biggest challenge over recent months has been the following:
1. Storage - lack of fridge and freezer space in this shared house means cannot do my amazing batch cooking...boo.
2. Time - nearly 3 months into the new job and I am spending more and more time there - meaning I get home late and I'm tired - both triggers for buying convenience food and wasting money.
3. Weight - Point 2 also means that my weight is spiralling out of control, NOT GOOD!
4. Kitchen time in shared house - with 8 people in this house, kitchen time is a premium - unless I get in there before 6 on a weekday then I can pretty much write off any decent cooking time. I can't remember the last time I was home before 6 - usually more like half 7, peak time in our kitchen.

So, to strike a reasonable balance I've decided the following -
a. Buy pre-prepared raw ingredients to save on time taken on preparation (I have found a GREAT range in Sainsbobs frozen, including garlic, chilli, herbs, finely chopped veg etc) - all on 2 for £2.50.
b. Each meal I make must have a minimum of 2 portions.
c. There will be repetitive meals as I will need to store batch cooked items in the fridge as my freezer drawer is bursting at the seams
d. I MUST meal plan properly - I have been failing to do this

I think that by preparing simpler meals in a couple of portions that I can nuke when required will be a great help. I have been failing on this by planning too complex meals which I have neither time nor inclination for. Also by the opposite - over simplifying so there is no excitement in food so I don't "fancy" whatever I've made and get something expensive and pre-prepared instead.

First example was last night - it was about half 8 and I wanted dinner but had nothing prepared. Saturday in my head is a treat day, so nearly gave in and got posh ready meal or takeaway. Then kicked myself and made the following, based on Gingham Ribbons Sausage Casserole:

In wok, heated a tbsp oil. Added a couple of handfuls of Sainsbobs frozen finely chopped veg (onion, celery and carrot). Nuked a couple of frozen Linda M sausages for a minute, then chopped and added to veg. Sauteed for 5 mins.
Meanwhile, had 2 Ald! part baked rolls (39p for 4) in the oven. Made a mix of 4 cubes of Sainsbobs frozen crushed garlic, about 1 tbsp of Sainsbobs frozen chopped parsley, and 3 tbsps of sunflower spread.
Got the rolls out of the oven, cut in half and spread with garlic mixture. Put back in oven.
Back to pan with sausage and veg in, added 1 tin chopped toms, 1 veg 0x0 cube, 1 tbsp Sainsbobs frozen chopped parsley, 1 cube Sainsbobs frozen crushed garlic and stirred and brought to gentle simmer.
Ten minutes later, retrieve rolls from oven and put on plate, serve sausage mix and hey presto
Sausage casserole with HM garlic bread in under 20 minutes.

No prep, no fuss, delicious and healthy (except the garlic bread but that was the Saturday treat!) and not too expensive.

So that was my "testbed" if you like and it has more than proved to me that this is my (temporary while in this house) way forward, because it was much tastier than anything in the shops, and so easy.

I'm going to average my grocery budget at about £100 - £120 a month for the next few months, to incorporate the marginally more expensive pre-prepared elements. The couple of months I haven't been here, I been spending over £200 due to all the takeaways/ready meals so it is actually better, though not up to my old standards. I think it's a suitable sacrifice for me though, as I need to be making more of my own food, for health and for budget.

Sorry for the long post...

LC x

PS - Today I had a treat from my pocket money, which was a gingerbread muffin from c0sta c0ff33. It was DELICIOUS! Had a gooey middle and the cutest little sugar gingerbread man on top! Does anyone have any idea how to make something like this at home (that isn't insanely complicated!)... it was so different and so good, I'd like to try!

mummybearx · 4 November 2012 at 3:18PM

Spent £10 odds at MrT's last night. Managed to get two bags of potatoes for 10p each, and two bags of a bean onion and carrot mix for 10p each.

Using one of the bean mix bags with some reduced sausages from the freezer to make a casserole today, along with the reduced potatoes and frozen peas it's costing about 70p for 4 portions :j

Got a pot of lentil soup on the hob using some lanky carrots and a not so good leek I found in the bottom of the fridge. That's my lunch at work til Wednesday sorted

X

HappyTorty · 4 November 2012 at 3:20PM

Just a quick question...
Can you freeze Tuna pasta Bake? This is something we always end up wasting for some reason or another, and was thinking I'd ask to make sure first

tatabubbly · 4 November 2012 at 3:26PM

Did my main shop for this week, however as I'm on Slimming worldies, I'll probably need more fruit and veg by the end of the week.. Had a spend today of €27.12 and I need to grab the veggies on offer in Ald**s and Tescabugs in the next few days.. Hopefully this will give me a few NSD during the week.. I'm off to update my siggie and hopefully earn some swagbucks online!!

[Deleted User] · 4 November 2012 at 3:36PM

HappyTorty wrote: »

Just a quick question...
Can you freeze Tuna pasta Bake? This is something we always end up wasting for some reason or another, and was thinking I'd ask to make sure first

I'm sure you can freeze the pasta bake element as pasta and lasagna dishes I get from the supermarket freeze and defrost very well.
Not sure if you can freeze tuna however...

tattycath · 4 November 2012 at 3:39PM

Only just had time to update.
Day before yesterday I spent £24.95 @ Mr As
Made up of:
medicine
Belvita x 2
ceareal bars
Chocolate digestives
lion cereal - reduced
Fairy dishwasher tabs
magazines

funsize x 3
Biscuits
Primula spread cheese
screme eggs x 6 - reduced
cheese scones
pastries

Banabas
Chicken portions
Total £24.95
Last night my OH decided to go out and get some plain flour, so he went to a local shop and paid £1.59 for it :mad:
Total so far this month is £55.61

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November 2012 Grocery Challenge

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