November 2008 Grocery Challenge

nickynoo08 · 11 November 2008 at 10:27AM

Morning have just finished doing my shopping list online, trying to hold off as long as poss for 2 reasons. 1- tesco points are being sent out so i want to use my extra points vouchers and 2 - i need this shop to last as long as humanly possible.
Have been a bit silly this month. Have just started a new job, sometimes working till 10 at night and the last thing i want to do is cook. My OH is good at cooking but we're both getting bored of eating the same spag bol and curry all the time plus we dont have a great deal in so.......we've kinda been getting take aways. Only 2, but thats £30 i could of spent on a proper shop. I need to get myself organised and do some batch cooking while im on my days off to prevent this happening!
Other than spag bol and curry what else do can i batch cook and portion to freeze. I tried doing individual pasta bakes, they were yummy when first cooked but the pasta was really dry and i dont know where the sauce dissapeared off too. This would be an ideal thing for me to batch cook too- cheap and easy, but what am i doing wrong? Do i need to add more sauce?
Any thoughts and suggestions welcome. Thanks

MRSMCAWBER · 11 November 2008 at 10:44AM

Morning all

Nicky - I tried freezing pasta bakes..and like you found the went all stuck together and solid :eek: ....so now I have made the sauces and froze them for hubby to use why Im away... if you take it out to defrost the night before then you can shove the pasta on to boil whilst you are having a shower... or what I have done before for hubby -is cook the pasta the night before (cooked slightly les than normal)... drained and cooled -then stuck in a jug of water in the fridge...
Then when you get home from work all you have to do is drain it and mix it into your pasta sauce and shove in the oven

..oohh make the sauce a little runnier than usual as the pasta will suck it up

hubbies fave is... chorizo/salami dropped in a hot pan (or remoska in my case) then add sliced onion, frozen mushrooms and peppers, some sweetcorn and peas ...then I blitz roasted tomatoes from the freezer -but tinned will do -with a tub of marscapone herbs n seasoning mmmmmm

hope that rambling makes sense :rotfl:

Julimk · 11 November 2008 at 10:44AM

I batch cook quite a lot & also find things ‘drier’ after they have been frozen & defrosted. I’ve found that adding some fresh crème fraiche & grated cheese once defrosted & before reheating helps for things like lasagne, spinach & ricotta cannelloni etc.

Chilli con carne & cottage/shepherd’s pie, casseroles in general (tuna, sausage, chicken, beef ....)

HTH

prophecy_grrl · 11 November 2008 at 12:24PM

Have just updated my sig - I spent £5.06 yesterday at Tesco on bread & milk (which we really needed) and fresh cream scones and a multi pack of Twirls (which we really didn't need but really wanted lol).

Think we'll need more bread and milk come Saturday, and maybe some fruit, squash and juice then too, but that's all. Am well on track with this months budget - isn't it nice to feel in control?

meanmarie · 11 November 2008 at 2:57PM

Spent another €4.37 this morning, no flour to be found in the house...but then there was the 2 k packet I found having bought 4 k..hope to have no spends until weekend now

Marie

nickynoo08 · 11 November 2008 at 4:08PM

Thanks mrsm - that sauce sounds yummy, will be giving it a try.
I'm going shopping tomoro, cant wait any longer. I'll be having a cooking marathon on wed night to prep as many 'ready meals' as poss.

Tashja · 11 November 2008 at 5:09PM

Hi all

Can I join for the rest of this month please !!

I want to do the remainder of the month pon £20 - I am hoping by doing this I can reach my £10 a day target of £300 by the end of the month.

We have full fridge, freezer, cupboards so hoping I will only need milk - I really need to run the cupboards, etc down because I have a bit of a food shopping/storing fetish and it is getting out ofhand now

Had to buy milk today though - ran in, grabbed milk and ran out again with eyes shut - lol.

Thanks all

T xx

biscotte · 11 November 2008 at 5:27PM

Another 73 CHF for me - a few things from the local co-op which is really pricey. I am off fro the weekend on thursday so the grocery challenge will benefit (but we'll probably spend a bomb eating out!).

pinknfluffy · 11 November 2008 at 7:08PM

Think I am doing quite well, but there is still time for it all to go horribly wrong.

Just a quick question not sure if this is the right place (am a bit new to this) but can i plant herb seeds indoors all year round?

gilly1964 · 11 November 2008 at 8:29PM

Needed biscuits for school lunch - did I give in and go to the shop?
Did I heck - I made some more Twinks :jand they are now in the freezer to stop me thinking about them :rotfl:

I am going to make £180 this month, by hook or crook.

All the best
Gilly

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November 2008 Grocery Challenge

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