Anyone want to join me on my $100 per week food challenge

[gertbysea]

Did rather a big shop today seeing as I didn't shop last week so, not surprisingly, I am over.  $22.22 at Farmer Jo's and $95.79 at Foodland making a total of $117.01.  If it wasn't DH's birthday later this week, I could have quite easily stayed within budget but we will be having family for a meal at some stage.

I have chosen a few recipes for this week , made sure I had all the ingredients and hopefully will in fact do the following in no particular order.  I tend to go as the day dictates.

Lemon risotto with asparagus and broad beans
Mexican Bake
Slow roasted turkey drumsticks with vegies
Stuffed chicken fillets

Not too bad at all Judy. I have definitely got to shop this week too.  Happy B'day to Geofd. What has he asked for his birthday dinner?

I just have to stay away from the meat dept until that bloody duck is done and dusted. DH  took me out for lunch so I now have an extra bit of meat. Tomorrow I am delving into that freezer and making a plan.

Gert

[fundj&e]

I need to make an amendment to my weekly total. Thought it was $49.68 although DH said he bought a tile cutter in with the Aldi shop. That was $29.90 so my total on food, cleaning products and toiletries was $19.78. Yah best week I've had so far.
Need to do a decent shop this week though.

if i would have known that i would have odered a large coffee Mich

[mcmich]

 

[judydawn]

I saw those cauli-brocs today Katie but I tried them years ago and wasn't that impressed.  It's neither one nor the other but if I remember correctly, more like a cauli than broccoli.  I'll be interested to hear what you think of it.  I had a very quick trip over there, found a 30 minute park nearby and wasted no time browsing as I had to come back to Foodland to do the rest of my shopping.

DH never puts an order in for anything Gretchen and would rather forget the hassle of birthdays.  I'll decide what we are doing mid-week - might go out for a meal on the day as we usually do.

[EmeraldSue]

I've planted purple cauliflower in the vege patch and it seems to be doing well so far. Either that or purple broccoli. I can't quite remember which one is purple!
I went to the market today and my total so far this week is $127.10. I will either have to buy some bread or find some time to make some, so I may spend a little more this week. My freezer is still full, but I can see a little more space in the food cupboards. I'm not sure what's on the menu this week. I bought some beef cheeks today, so that is on the menu along with pasta carbonara.the rest will be freezer pot luck

[astarra]

I went over budget this week.    But it is because I got 1/2 a lamb. 
Went into Launceston yesterday, (need a new highchair!!)  which is 35min away, and went to my favourite butcher who had 1/2 lambs for $5.99/kg. I couldn't resist at that price (and proper butcher lamb) and spent $56. But I didn't have $56 left in my budget this week. Oh well  - won't need to buy lamb again for a while - or til I go to that butcher again!!
Am just sorting it into meal lots for the freezer. MMMMMMM looks good. Now to decide what part/s to have for dinner tonight...?!

[Halex]

$5.99, wow that is cheap, lamb is expensive here in WA. I buy a whole one for $9.99 per kg. take your meat off, its bulk meat.

I am moving my menu plan around this week. Yesterday made a huge pot of french onion soup, we were home all day & I had kids here. So having that tonight with  the left over rib beef made into pies.

Organising  freezers today as I have my 6 month meat order in for next week. Will need it as most of Julywe have eb here with us.

[mcmich]

Well only Monday and have blown the budget. Including cleaning products, toiletries and some foil containers, 3 x extra lean mince because it was on special and of course another packet of sports socks for DH as he was shopping with me. Total $146.00.

I will have to average my spending out I think. Next week probably won't need much.

[deedub]

I need to add $7 to my last week's total- ran out of bread & milk- I think that comes to $110 now. New week starts today, have done my shopping but haven't had a chance to tally it up yet. I think - fingers crossed - I might stay within budget this week for the first time!

[Halex]

So far this week including tomorrows fruit & veg, $73.08. I have enough milk, cheese & yogurt to last until monday. Need a few things but hope to be in budget. This week has been easier in the fact I have had to really get the freezer  down as my meat order comes next week. Now I have bought another freezer, not the necessity but am still trying to use up as much this week & next week so I can start menu planning with new recipes. As the urgency to use up all the meat to make space is not there, i ntend to have a few more soups rather than 3 roasts in ine week!!

This is def going to be my new way of shopping. Bulk meat, then try & stay within the $100 budget, or $135 when eb stays with us. Going to stocktake the pantry over the next few days  Freezer is done

Any ideas on how to store the meat. Last time, i bagged the meat in plastic bags eg mince, steak, diced beef etc. the problem I had was that as I pulled the bags from the bottom of the freezer they split. Prior to that I had the meat in plastic containers, but they took up too much room. How do others store their bulk meat?

 

[astarra]

I store most of my meat in meal size lots (cut if needed before freezing) in freezer bags - BUT freeze them as flat as poss on trays til frozen then move they trays, never had them split. Depending what meal it is, sometime I freeze the whole meal in an oven bag (once again flat til frozen, tho I do find I need to be a bit more careful with how I handle them.) That way I can pull the bag out, let it thaw and put straight into the oven or slowcooker, so easy!     Hope that helps. 

[Halex]

I freeze all meals in tupperware, bulky but that works for me.

Astarra, dont you have problems with the freezer bags sticking together?  Most of my meat is in trays in plastic bags. I think maybe less trays per plastic bag might work better. Will have to give that a go.

With the excitement if the new freezer I have decided to try & use up meals & bits in the fridge/ freezer. So over the next few days not much cooking for meals, but thought I might start making a few cakes etc for when eb comes.

I have a curry, roast beef to make shepherds pie, small portiion of last nights beef, small portion of bol sauce, quite a few soups & I think one or 2 portions of silverside lasagna & 1 container of silverside. Goal to use these by next thursday 5th before  meat order.

Hoping to get pantry organised, noticed I had 6 boxesof spaghetti in pantry, I am shocking!! Plus still have about 2kgs of oats!!

 

[obbie]

Hally, my butcher cuts up, packs and labels all our meat how we want when we buy in bulk.
In porioned sizes. packed in freezer bags, so its easy just to grab out.

Oats, why not make some anzac biccies for Eb and Crown Prince.

[Halex]

Obbie, dont the bags stick together ?

Cp doesnt like  anzacs but we do. Can you freeze the dough I wonder.

[obbie]

Freezer bags don't stick together, if they do just pick it uo and drop them on the floor, works well..

you can freeze the dough, roll up like a log, so then you just cut into discs to use.