Grocery challenges in January

To get January off to a good start with the savings, I am challenging myself to spend no more than £25 on groceries for the four of us this week.  That is less than half what we seem to spend most weeks, on average.  I did this a few years ago when we wanted to buy the wood burner and then again when we bought the Skoda Fabia, so I know that we can do it, although prices may have gone up slightly since then.

The basic premise is that we use what we have got, and only spend money to round out or finish off the meals.  I know that I am likely to have to buy some cold meat for sandwiches for the girls' school lunches, but I am also entirely confident that we do not need 101 other things - like milk, flour, sugar, meat, pasta, rice, tuna, jam, etc.  The storecupboards are brimming and with the month's menu plan to hand, I know that I just need to buy fresh carrots, baking potatoes, apples and oranges, for example, so far this week. Orange squash will also be on the list.  

I shall post our menu plan on a separate page at the top, and then I shall also post the shopping with pictures as I buy it so you can see how we get on.  As usual, enlisting the support of the family is helpful.  Today will be the first shopping trip as we are going to the cinema this afternoon on our Clubcard voucher Cineworld tokens: the EFG and I are going to see Saving Mr Banks, and then the YFG and her friend are going to see The Hobbit.  Since the Cineworld cinema is very close to one of THOSE supermarkets, I am going there today....saves wasting diesel making a trip to one of the more preferred outlets.

You will notice a good deal of repetition in the menu plan - there is nothing wrong with that, in my opinion.  Tuesday is baked potato night because I am at gym with the EFG and it is easy for the FH to bung the potatoes in the oven for me whilst I am out.  Fridays are either a very quick dish, or one that I can cook earlier in the day and then "ding" in the microwave when we get home from gym again.