March 2011 Grocery Challenge

jumblejack · 10 March 2011 at 12:31PM

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

So the menu plan for this week Sat-Sat is....
BBQ Cannelini beans and sausages and mash or HM bread
Belly Pork and rice
Spag Bol. (I am going to bulk out with grated carrot. Also went for frozen mince as it was cheaper for more so that will do for a chilli next week.)
Falafel Burgers and chips and sweetcorn
Chicken and veg (will do in the SC. Usually put lemons in cavity and herbs, garlic & salt on the top.)
Cheats Chicken Cassoulet and rice (will use meat from roast)
Harry Potter Stew

What a FAB idea! "Lemon in the cavity!"

I am DEFINITELY trying this next time I cook a bird. Absolutely inspired idea!

MumOf2Beasties · 10 March 2011 at 1:02PM

Eeek just realised i whent to m'sons on march 1st, and seeing as i'm counting my month as march 1st to march 31st i've already spent quite a bit :eek: plus i got a few bits from p'land and pets at home,and again on sunday for pudding as i had some family over for a big dinner!! keeping receipts is an eyeopener!!going to have to be really careful for the rest of the month:(

have got weetabix loaf/cake in the oven hope the beasties like it

tigerfeet2006 · 10 March 2011 at 1:34PM

jumblejack wrote: »

What a FAB idea! "Lemon in the cavity!"

I am DEFINITELY trying this next time I cook a board. Absolutely inspired idea!

Thanks

Usually 2 lemons cut into quarters and stuffed in.

If I have 15 minutes to spare then I lift the skin and put the garlic and herbs under the skin. I just bung it in the SC as it is, no extra liquid. The brood love it and it just falls off the bone so great for ease of use for the next meal.

helen_jelly · 10 March 2011 at 1:59PM

Spiggle - lots of love and hugs and huge get well vibes

angel - have been thinking of you and OH and really, really hope the news isn't too bad, huge hugs for you 2 and lots of "burger off vibes" for whateber OH has

Helen x

PS DH is going to L!dl later so will update siggy when I know how much he has spent - smacked bum if its too much!!!!

tessie_bear · 10 March 2011 at 2:00PM

hello...having a no spend day today...its blowing up a storm outside so best to be it

made some quiche yesterday and we had them for lunch...nice if i do say so myself...got hm burgers for tea which we dont have often so im looking forward to them...also got to get a chilli in the sc but might leave that until tomorrow....busy busy

i made a big pineapple upside down cake yesterday so i think we will have the other half of that for pudding...also got some going brown nanas so need to sort them out
tata tessa

Diflower · 10 March 2011 at 2:11PM

Hello,
Not had time to update before, doing ok. Just back from L!dl where they'd reduced the frozen turkeys to £6.99 so I got one and will cook it tomorrow. We'll have OH's boys for the weekend so will surprise them with and unChristmas dinner. Will keep some out and freeze the rest in batches for sandwiches etc.

Went back to find Angel's post. Just wanted to say I'm thinking of you, it's a tough time
x

Long_tall_sally · 10 March 2011 at 2:48PM

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

I think I need to get on board. My weekly shopping bill has been creeping up to £100/120 a week for 5 of us.
I have two children with Gluten Intollerance which makes things a bit more expensive. All 3 of mine have packed lunches and I try and make cakes etc. I do have a breadmaker and must try to get back into the swing of doing it again, especially the GF bread as Genius GF is £2.83 for a 600g loaf and I go through 2 a week.

Hi Tigerfeet - have your children been officially diagnosed because if so you can now get Genius bread on prescription. My son has Coeliacs & I agree it does make things more expensive. Even though we get bread & some biscuits or pasta on prescription, I seem to have a lot of trouble getting some things & still end up buying a lot of it & it certainlu bumps the food bill up!

NSD yesterday & today may be the same although I really need bread & ketchup.

martafdz · 10 March 2011 at 3:44PM

nat21luv wrote: »

How does frozen basics mince fair to fresh basics mince nowadays? I used to buy frozen years ago but every bite seemed to be grizzle and it started to turn my tummy! I find the fresh mince lovely, no grizzle so was wondering if the frozen has improved?!

I bought it once and not happy about the quality, tbh. I now buy the 800g-1Kg (can't remember) packet from MrM that are at 3 x £10. I divide each tray into 3 small packets for freezing and use one for a meal for two. Each little packet I make has a value of £1.10, 55p per person, and I must say the mince is really good. I used to buy MrS but found that it had too much water/"whatever it is that makes it watery". It works out about 250g of mince meat each meal for two, which is really filling if you are also adding vegetables. I think it is good value for that price. You can buy other things in the 3 x £10: 4 pork chops, 4 lamb chops, 25 meatballs, one full chicken, 3 chicken breasts, etc.

jumblejack wrote: »

What a FAB idea! "Lemon in the cavity!"

I am DEFINITELY trying this next time I cook a bird. Absolutely inspired idea!

I also do it often. It is really nice. The other day I just added the lemon juice from the bottle I had bought for the pancakes though :rotfl:It was really juicy and tasty. I mixed about 20ml of lemon juice with some olive oil, black pepper and salt. Then baste the chicken every 20min with this. The lemon makes the oven a bit smokey if you have it in juice instead of in pieces inside. But the result is really nice both ways. I did not have extra gravy and had instead the juices from the bottom of the pan, which were only the lemon, the spices and the juices from the chicken. Tasty tasty tasty...

I am hungry now!!

By the way, Idk who said about boiling ham at home for sandwiches, but thank you thank you thank you. I bought a pork shank for £1.7 at MrM and boiled it for about 2 or 3 h. I then took the meat out and into a tupperware. I had about 8 sandwiches full of meat, thick chunks, really tasty, with no added water, preservatives or whatever. And I also made stock with the bone and the remaining water. Amazing. I never thought of that. A packet of good ham costs at least £2, unless it is reformed with bits and pieces and added stuff. This was natural, healthy, really tasty and much cheaper!! I probably would have only had 3 sandwiches from a packet and I had over twice as much being really generous with the amount of meat we out in! Thank you!

findingmyfeet · 10 March 2011 at 3:47PM

afternoon everyone,

not had time to catch up on the thread (will read later tonight), but just wanted to do a quick spends report to keep me on track.

i have spend £35.00 exactly since 2/03/11, went on stuff in fa*mfoods, home*argins, and a couple of bits from C*op. so think i am doing ok , makes my march total £95.37 so for.

still need f n v, milk and bread for the weekend though so a little more will go there tomorrow.
took pity on my hard up ds (student) and let him take half my stock of tins to help him out so will have to try and replace them too.

tea tonite- pork loins, mash veg and gravy.
need to do a meal plan again for another week. keep up the good work all
x

Aldahbra · 10 March 2011 at 3:48PM

M0neysav3r wrote: »

This is for a family of 3

Out of all that we shall have the following meal wise;
Pork & apricots with rice (had this last night with another portion for the freezer and still half the pork joint left, had rice already)
Sweet & Sour chicken & rice (again already got most of the ingredients)
Spaghetti Meatballs & garlic bread (have the pasta)
Chicken Fajitas
Chicken & Broccoli pie
Salmon Pasta
& probably roast pork

:T

Wow!!! Your menu plan looks nicer than ours too. I think I might give yours a go and see how it works for us.:think:

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March 2011 Grocery Challenge

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