December cooking

So here’s how we’re eating in December.

1	pasta amatriciana
2	veggie burgers (from freezer)
3	soup (TBD)
4	meatball toad in the hole
5	calzones
6	risotto
7	beefy couscous
8	salmon pasta
9	cottage pie
10	gnocchi
11	pancake lasagne
12	baked bean curry
13	tuna potato bake
14	spag bol
15	baked chicken legs
16	tacos!
17	Spanish omelette
18	lentil toad in the hole
19	onion & potato soup
20	pork & rice one pot
21	creamy bacon pasta
22	chilli
23	burgers
24	pizza
25	CHRISTMAS!
26	leftovers, of course
27	at ILs
28	Marmite pasta
29	broccoli & bacon cannelloni
30	soup (TBD)
31	pancakes

And here’s the shopping list to accompany that meal plan:

1        Tesco Numerical Candle 2    £0.50 

1        Tesco Ingredient Lemon Juice 250Ml          £0.41 

3        Tesco Value Dried Mixed Fruit 500G £1.92 

4        Tesco Value Chopped Tomatoes 400G       £1.32

4        (passata that I bought separately in Aldi) £1.12   

3        Tesco Value Penne 500G      £0.75 

1        Mr Muscle Sink And Plug Drain Gel 500Ml    £3.70 

1        Tesco Value Bran Flakes 750G        £0.77 

1        Mamade Prepared Seville Oranges Thin Cut 850G£1.48

2        Tesco Strong Stone Ground 100% Wholemeal Bread Flour 1.5Kg £2.18  

3        Tesco Strong White Bread Flour 1.5Kg       £1.86 

1        Tesco Value Tomato Ketchup 560G Bottle  £0.29 

1        Tesco Yeast Extract 240G    £1.89 

1        Tesco Value Tuna Chunks In Brine 185G     £0.66 

1        Tesco Value Salted Peanuts 400G   £0.96 

1        Tesco Market Value Chicken Legs 900-1400G       £1.94 

1        Tesco Value Smoked Salmon Trimmings 120G        £0.98 

1        Options Outrageous Orange 220G    £2.00           

3        Tesco Value Self Raising Flour 1.5Kg          £1.56 

3        Tesco Value Baked Beans In Tomato Sauce 420G  £0.93

1        Tesco Value Long Grain Rice 1Kg     £0.40 

1        Bevelini Capers In Vinegar 400G      £1.29 

2        Tesco Value Dark Red Kidney Beans 400G   £0.50 

1        Cholula Hot Mexican Sauce 150Ml    £1.23

1        Market Value White Potatoes 5Kg Tray      £1.49

1        Nairns Cheese Oatcake 200G          £1.29* (better value than the Snack-a-Jacks for Finn-snacks)  

1        Packers Best Peppermint 40S Tea Bags 80G         £0.99

1        Tesco Dijon Mustard 185G    £0.49 

2        Tesco Value Cooking Bacon 500G    £1.50 

2        Tesco Value Beef Mince 500G         £3.00 

1        Tesco Brtish Mature White Cheddar 1Kg     £5.59 

1        Tesco Value Grated Cheddar 500G   £2.49

1        Tesco Wholefoods Wholewheat Cous Cous 500G   £0.62

1        Tesco Bicarbonate Of Soda 200G    £0.83

1        Tesco Baking Powder 170G   £0.83

1        Tesco 10 Value Beef Stock Cubes 97G       £0.19 

2        Tesco 10 Value Vegetable Stock Cubes 100G       £0.20 

1        Tesco Value Peas 900G       £0.85

1        Tesco Market Value Sweetcorn 907G         £0.94 

1        Tesco Market Value Broccoli Florets 907G   £0.86

1        Tesco Very Fine Whole Green Beans 1Kg    £1.00 

1        Gillette Simply Venus Oceana Disposable Razor 3S £2.99

1        Eat Me Bananas Pack £1.00

1        Clementines Pack      £1.00 

1        Gala Apple Pack        £1.00 

1        Tesco Creamfield Whole Milk 4 Pint 2.272L  £1.00

1        Lesieur Vegetable Oil 5 Litre £5.00

1        Tesco Finest Mince Pie Ice Cream 500Ml    £1.74

Total cost: £67.53

+£3.50 delivery charge

-£5 off ecoupon from my last Clubcard statement

Except Tesco somehow left my big thing of vegetable oil off the delivery, so while I didn’t get charged for it, I now have to buy more oil for the month (at a higher cost).  The candle is for Finn’s birthday and the mince pie ice cream was pure indulgence!!  I thought about taking these off, but I think it’s good to be totally honest as there’s always bound to be a treat or two slipping into the shopping basket from time to time.  Oh and the Mr Muscle I absolutely hate spending £4 on, but our shower drain is really, really bad at the moment and I’ve tried every home remedy in the book, so unfortunately have had to resort to expensive chemicals.

I somehow forgot lime juice and eggs, so I can pick those up this weekend or sometime (not super-urgent).

Am a bit gutted to have to be buying capers and potatoes again, as my bulk supply has run out.  I really will miss my catering size jar of capers I got from Approved Foods for cheap over a year ago!  I also used to have a massive jar of dried coriander, which I also miss as I seem to have the worst luck keeping my fresh plants alive!

Just a word that obviously you’ll see a few things on there that aren’t strictly necessary (Options hot chocolate, peppermint tea, Cholula hot sauce).  Obviously we are trying to eat quite frugally, but I think a few little ‘nice’ things go a long way.  Both G & I get quite nibbly in the evenings, so have things like hot chocolate & herbal tea actually helps save money because we can have these instead of more food.  The hot sauce is a nice treat to have with some dishes; I haven’t gotten rid of my Texan roots completely!  And I realise we eat far too much cheese for a family of our size and even though I say I will work on that, it still gets eaten at an astonishing rate.  It’s partly poor planning, because cheese is a really easy turn-to when we’re out of other sandwich fillings or even just a little snack.  I resolve to work harder on keeping lunches better planned so we’re not eating so much cheese!!