Friday 25 October 2019

For the Price of a Coffee - End of Challenge Round Up


 Breakfast from Day One

So over the course of the last seven days I have had the price of seven cups of coffee.  Seven times £2.75 (the price of a large filter coffee at my local, and most regularly frequented garden centre) which is a grand total of £19.25.  Spent daily as though I had bought a coffee each day.  I managed to shop each day for six of the seven days, but something always goes wrong on a Challenge week and I decided to roll with it and one day spent two days money and set it up as a Challenge Within a Challenge.  It worked well overall.

Here are some of my highlight meals.


Dhal and Rice for Tea on Day Two



Day Three - Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce with Broccoli
Shared with Alan, who had sliced chicken with his.


Tea on Day Four Red Lentil Dhal and a freshly baked Baguette
Looks boring … tasted delicious.


Dinner on Day Five - Vegetable Samosas and a Simple Salad
followed by Grape and Melon Fruit Pot

Challenge within a Challenge Day


Day Six - Tea - Roast Dinner with Gravy


Day Seven - Stuffed Red Pepper served with Boiled Potatoes



The Food Remaining at the End of the Challenge



In the fridge:

1/4 sheet Puff Pastry
4 stuffing patties
1/2 tin beans
orange juice
2 slices of lemon (freezer)


2/3 red pepper
1 courgette
1 carrot
14 onions


3/4 iceberg lettuce
5 spring onions
4 apples 
1 butternut squash



Other foods:

700g porridge oats
636g spaghetti
2 cloves garlic
250g red lentils
800g brown rice
tub of gravy mix
3 tins tomatoes
1 tin chickpeas
1 tin mandarin orange segments
1 tin peaches
4 potatoes


Cash leftover at the End of the Challenge - 1p
Donated to charity.  


It's been a good Challenge and just shows, that if you ditch a coffee a day habit you can actually, and very easily, eat three meals a day instead.  What a result.

I knew I could do it as I have successfully managed one pound a day challenges in the past and coped with them reasonably well,  so this seemed a very easy one to attempt.  This time, however, I was aiming for healthy foods, and had a trying to reach a 5 a day target on my mind, something that I am guessing at todays prices would be that much harder to achieve on just one pound a day, but that I thought would be possible on £2.75.  Of the seven days of the Challenge I averaged at four of my five a day.  The lowest day being a two and the highest a six. Not too shabby but not quite good enough.  Could do better and all that ... well looking at the veggies over, I could have made it if I could have managed to eat bigger meals!!

So in my mind a very successful Challenge.

BUT ...

… there's way too much food over just to end the Challenge here and simply add it to my 'normal' foods, it just wouldn't be right.  So I'm currently working out what to do next incorporating all these lovely leftovers.

I will be back tomorrow ... when I have a plan of action!


Sue xx



20 comments:

  1. I am amazed at how well you did, though I really shouldn't be. Looking forward to your next challenge.

    God bless.

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    1. Aww ... thank you. Thanks for reading and commenting 😃

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  2. Well done you did very well.
    This will go to show people who are trying to save money how much they could be saving if they stop buying coffees for work etc.
    Have a good weekend. x

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    1. Definitely, it really does doesn't it. Have a great weekend yourself 😄

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  3. Brilliant challenge Sue, I'm impressed at how well you did and how well you ate.

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  4. How to make life a little different and more interesting, do a challenge, (or in my case read yours :) ). I would love to do one but it is not feasible at the moments but when things settle at home I hope to, mind you I do set myself a challenge every day, not to swear, so far I have only made it to 9.30am !!!

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    1. I doubt I even make it until 9.30, so well done 😉

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  5. It really is amazing what a few coffee beans and water can translate to. It is disgusting what these coffee shops charge for coffee and your challenge definitely proved that. I wonder how many people are buying that coffee everyday and then complaining about the price of groceries, and how are they supposed to feed their families. Your challenge was a true eye opener. Good for you Sue!!

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    1. Thanks for following along, I obviously agree with everything you say, brilliant comment :-)

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  6. I've said it before this week but - so thought provoking! Such lovely meals and, being home made, have to taste amazing too!
    Really looking forward to the next steps!
    xx

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    1. Slight delay but the next steps are coming this week. Yes, all the food tasted really good, with the exception of the porridge, Cheap oats are not my thing anymore … it seems I have now developed a taste for 'posh oats'. Haha :-)

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  7. Although I've not commented each day, I've been reading your posts and have been amazed what meals you can do with the price of a coffee! Well done on your challenge, Sue!

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    1. Thank you for following along … there's more to come :-)

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  8. Its brilliant that you thought of the health implications as so many people blame their budget for the lack of these. And just look what you have left...brilliant. Looking forward to the next bit.

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    1. I thought I would be able to include a good amount of vegetables, and even fruit although as you know I'm not a fruit lover! Next bit coming up ...

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  9. This challenge has been amazing. Your food looked very tempting and healthy too. I'm looking forward to your next challenge Sue :)

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    1. Next Challenge coming up … well it would be a such a shame to waste all those lovely leftovers :-)

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  10. So looking forward to your next challenge Sue:) I've so love this challenge, purchases made, delicious meals cooked it's been very inspirational and you have a knack of making things look so simple and easy:) xx

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    1. It really is as easy as I make it look. Once you know the basics you're off and running :-)

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