Help! Shopping for a month.

[bettyblackdog]

situation - tight month ahead as many will relate to. I currently have 20% off my shop. So planning on going to take advantage of discount tonight but not sure what to get to help see out the month. Don’t mind top up shops for bread and milk but what would you buy to help see you through. Have limited freezer space, feeding 2 adults and 2 kids.

Which shop will you be going to?

Depends what you eat normally!
pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes etc. breakfast cereal, crisps and non-perishable snacks, drinks, toilet rolls and toiletries, washing powder and any cleaning products that will run out in the next month.
a weeks worth of fresh food

Can’t you just do your normal monthly shop and get it at 20% off?

Or perhaps just take some things off your monthly shopping list and use the 20% off as well.

Honestly, and without any digs etc intended I’m not sure what you’re asking as the answer seems so obvious.

Mince, chicken thighs, veg fresh and frozen (make soup to freeze), cheese, pasta, tins (beans, tomatoes), frozen fish if you eat it, whatever is on discount today!

Batch cook big cottage pie, lasagna, make meatballs. Play freezer tetris to get it all in.

You could look at what you've got and ask chat gpt for a 2 week menu including that, buy the other bits and then use that menu twice.

Lots of eggs
Baking ingredients to make own bread, cakes etc as they work out so much cheaper
Chicken thighs
Big bags of pasta and rice
Tinned fruit
Frozen veg

Loo paper
Tin foil
Cling film
Dishwasher tablets
Laundry liquid
Cleaning products
Sanitary protection
Toiletries

All are available in supermarkets and all are non perishable.

I have some gift cards for aldi and 20% discount at Asda.

I’d get a huge bag of pasta and buy some own brand pasta bake jars. They’re very filling and there’s usually leftovers for the next day, too

Buy some onions and cans tomatoes to make a basic tomato sauce. You can add whatever else you have to vary flavour, ie garlic, pepper, herbs or chilli flakes. This give you a base for pasta and rice dishes. I'd add a couple of cans of kidney beans, so you can serve 4-6 portions of veggie chilli.

Practical things like toilet roll, cleaning items.

If you eat cereals, top up on those.

I would buy mince and chicken thighs/legs and use what freezer space you have for those.

Eat what’s in your freezer over the next couple days to maximise space.

Then store cupboard ingredients: flour, sugar, pasta, rice, baked beans, crackers.

Any cleaning products or toiletries you’ll actually use in the next month.

Eggs, cheese, butter.

Go on Christmas Eve to stock up on veg when they are practically giving it away. Sensibly stored that veg should last 2 ish weeks.

Blanch and freeze veg like carrots and potatoes. I know Morrisons are doing 5p veg with a more card. Think Asda is 5 bags for £1