OK, for a laugh - my shopping list(s)

pigpen

kunekune wrote: »

xCharismax, we don't use the kitchen roll for very much. I use washable cloths for most stuff around the kitchen, the main thing with the roll is wrapping sandwiches when the children take packed lunches (easier to handle) and spills.

I go into tesco and nick off with a hand full of the plastic bags for the loose fruit and veg.. I also reuse them.. a handful lasts my 5 that stay packed lunch about 3 months.

We use cloths for spills.. dirty towels and tea towels are best for spills and as they are dirty already it doesn't matter if you mop the floor with them! I use microfibre cloths too.. cheap and washable

Greaseproof paper is also good for sarnies.. and reusable!.. wipe over with a cloth and viola.. good as new.

liz545

This looks like a pretty reasonable list, but one thing that jumps out at me is there's a lot of premium range stuff in there - could you try dropping a brand level on some things? Particularly the stuff that gets used up quickly, like cereal and bananas; Sainsburys basic bananas are even fairtrade! Also, as you've got some stuff left over/not used up yet, why not make up some extra portions of stuff to be working lunches - maybe pasta sauce with all those tomatoes! Is there a market near your home or office where you could maybe get some of the fruit & veg - often works out cheaper? Since the icecream's gone uneaten maybe next time leave that out!

Magentasue

Your list brings home to me how much I save by buying fruit and veg at the market. For example, runner beans are £1 for a pound (500g ish), vine tomatoes 80p a pound and clementines 3lb for £1.20. I buy from the market because it's five minutes walk and I prefer it but you do get more for your money. I'm going back to work part-time in September and one of my days is one of the market days so that'll mean only one market trip a week.

kunekune

Yes, I sometimes go to our market on Saturday but unfortunately the quality isn't great, and I've had a few disappointments. Recently, time has been at a premium - working Sat and Sun as well as Mon-Fri - and it was more important to get the shopping done as quickly as possible than to get it done as cheaply as possible. That way, I get to see the children from time to time. We have a local greengrocer who delivers and I'm thinking of trying that.

Magentasue

We're lucky - market fruit and veg cheap and great quality! Obviously not the choice offered by a large supermarket but enough for us and things that are often expensive in supermarkets (asparagus, watercress, sprouting broccoli etc) are dead cheap at height of season.

Before we moved, we had an organic veg box delivered and the quality was excellent but it was expensive. I spend far more on food when working because, as you say, shopping around takes time so you have to compromise somewhere.

kunekune

"This looks like a pretty reasonable list, but one thing that jumps out at me is there's a lot of premium range stuff in there - could you try dropping a brand level on some things? Particularly the stuff that gets used up quickly, like cereal and bananas; Sainsburys basic bananas are even fairtrade! Also, as you've got some stuff left over/not used up yet, why not make up some extra portions of stuff to be working lunches - maybe pasta sauce with all those tomatoes! Is there a market near your home or office where you could maybe get some of the fruit & veg - often works out cheaper? Since the icecream's gone uneaten maybe next time leave that out!"


I must have been in an icecream mood that day when I did the list, it isn't a normal purchase. With the fruit and veg, I do go through and look at what is reduced and use that to help me choose what to get, but I've had bad experiences with the cheaper bananas, which is why I buy expensive ones.

With premium range, as I say, we're in a position to be able to afford it, and I guess I'm a bit of a food snob - I'll buy cheap basmati, but not bog standard long grain, and I won't buy cheap pasta full stop. We only go through half a packet of cereal a week (children have breakfast at school mostly), so that isn't a big expense.

I do use up stuff in the end, I don't throw that much away any more - the tomatoes are still being eaten, for instance and when I do the mince, I'll freeze extra portions for nights when there's no time to cook from scratch. But you are right, buying too much is my greatest food crime, and I am quite bad about not bringing in a packed lunch to work when I do come in. Today, I bought a sandwich and there was plenty of food at home. I know why I do it - it's to get me away from the desk, we don't have anywhere to eat other than the canteen and we're not allowed to take food in, so it's either eat at my desk or on the corridor floor outside, on my own on a bench in the grounds, or join colleagues in the canteen. This can be a lonely job, in a room by myself most of the day, so I choose company.

So far as shopping during the week is concerned, there is nothing anywhere near campus, we're out of town. It's a complete pain, really, though pretty. We have a co-op in our small town where we live and I sometimes ask DH to pick up something in his town where he works but he then goes and gets it at M&S. ... When I work at home, if I need stuff and it's a market day, I try to get it locally.

juliapenguin

We're banana-mad in our house but only buy Fairtrade - we've never had a problem with Sainsburys Value bananas so perhaps you should give them another try - you may just have been unlucky in the past. I often buy their ordinary bananas (the Value ones sell out so

Ben84

kunekune wrote: »

1 x Sainsbury's Camembert de Normandie, Taste the Difference 250g - Total Price GBP 1.99 (what a waste - too ripe to eat)

Try the Sainsbury's basics, it has always been very fresh and has a nice mild flavour. I like Camembert, but not when it's ripe, let alone over-ripe, so the basics one suits me fine.

It's definitely one of the budget range products that really stands out. They could easily sell it for much more in a nicer packet (but don't tell them that!).

BilberryCharlotte

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

Another idea for the oatcakes is to fill them with cheese and ham (or ham and tomato, or cheese and onion, or whatever ), roll them up and then top them with a white sauce (with cheese, or mustard, or again, whatever you fancy ) a bit more cheese and then bake them 'till they're all warm, gooey and crispy on the top. They're really good when you cook them like this, lovely as a light dinner with salad. I love oatcakes, I suffer from deprivation as you just can't get them down south!

If you don`t fancy making them Gingernutmeg, have you any friends or family who would post some to you? Loads of people I know who have moved from Derbyshire do that.

kunekune

This week I got:


1 x Sainsbury's Finely Sliced Roast Beef, Taste the Difference 100g - Total Price GBP 2.97 [OH LUNCH]

1 x Sainsbury's Suffolk Black Ham, Taste the Difference 125g - Total Price GBP 2.96 [OH LUNCH]

1 x Delouis Mayonnaise 250g - Total Price GBP 1.99

1 x Alberto Balsam Juicy Green Apple Shampoo 400ml - Total Price GBP 0.98

1 x Bounty Kitchen Towel White 6x50 Sheets - Total Price GBP 3.19 [STOCK UP]

1 x Andrex Softie Toilet Tissue, White 9 x 241 Sheets - Total Price GBP 4.46 [STOCK UP]

1 x Fairy Washing Up Liquid 500ml - Total Price GBP 0.91

1 x Sainsbury's High Juice Apple Squash 1L - Total Price GBP 1.17

1 x Sainsbury's High Juice Apple & Blackcurrant Squash Drink 1L - Total Price GBP 0.83

1 x Rose's Lime Juice Cordial 1L - Total Price GBP 1.31

1 x McCain Home Fries Chunky 1kg - Total Price GBP 2.05

1 x Heinz Baked Beans 4x415g - Total Price GBP 1.99

1 x Sainsbury's Chopped Tomatoes, Basil and Onion (carton) 390g - Total Price GBP 0.47

1 x Sainsbury's Chopped Tomatoes Carton 4x 390g - Total Price GBP 1.62

1 x Sainsbury's Olive Oil 1ltr - Total Price GBP 3.45

1 x Schwartz Italian Herb Seasoning 11g - Total Price GBP 1.39

1 x Sainsbury's Herbes De Provence 16g - Total Price GBP 0.78

1 x Cadbury's Animals Mini Packs x8 200g - Total Price GBP 1.18 [HOLIDAY CLUB LUNCHES]

s Mini Bagels x8 - Total Price GBP 0.99 [DITTO]

sbury's Butter Brioche Roll x8 - Total Price GBP 3.18 [DITO]

is Wholemeal 400g - Total Price GBP 1.44 [DITTO]

or Lighter Spreadable 500g - Total Price GBP 2.13

2 x Sainsbury's Fresh Milk, Skimmed 2.27L (4pint) - Total Price GBP 2.88

1 x Sainsbury's Baking Potatoes x4 - Total Price GBP 0.73

ury's Mini Mini Eggs x12 144g - Total Price GBP 1.16 [HOLIDAY CLUB LUNCHES]

usage Roll x 20 310g - Total Price GBP 1.49 [DITTO]

sbury's Melton Mowbray Pork Pie x6 300g - Total Price GBP 1.85 [DITTO]

sbury's Pork Lunch Tongue 150g - Total Price GBP 2.16 [MY LUNCH]

ry's Mixed Vegetable Stir Fry 400g - Total Price GBP 1.00

3 x Sainsbury's Onions Loose - Total Price GBP 0.40

1 x Sainsbury's Aubergines, Basics 1kg - Total Price GBP 1.99 [MEANT TO GET 1 AUBERGINE, NOT 1KG OF 'EM - OH HATES AUBERGINES ...]

Sweetcorn, Refrigerated x2 - Total Price GBP 0.99

1 x Sainsbury's Charlotte Potatoes 1kg - Total Price GBP 0.89

1 x Sainsbury's Clementines x8 - Total Price GBP 1.24

1 x Sainsbury's Nectarine, Perfectly Ripe x6 - Total Price GBP 1.99

1 x Sainsbury's Red Plums, Punnet 680g - Total Price GBP 1.49

2 x Sainsbury's Bananas, Basics x8 - Total Price GBP 2.00

1 x Sainsbury's Kiwi Fruit Punnet x8 - Total Price GBP 1.00

1 x Sainsbury's Butchers Choice Unsalted Silverside Gammon Joint (approx. 1Kg) - Total Price GBP 9.99 [THE ONLY MEAT!]

Because of the unexpected aubergines and because the courgettes were more like small marrows, I'm re-planning the meals, and will cook some stuff up for the freezer. Last night I used up the surplus tomatoes to make soup, dug out two pizza breads from the freezer and then we had plum crumble and cream.

My tomato soup, with thanks to Jane Grigson:

Skin about 1 kg tomatoes and chop roughly. Chop three carrots and half an onion. Put in saucepan with some shredded orange peel. Add 1.25 litres chicken stop. Simmer until everything cooked - it took about 1/2 an hour. Blitz with a blender. Add seasoning and the juice of one orange. We had it with some cream, but it isn't necessary.

Because this has no oil, it would be equally nice chilled.