My first real shopping list - will this be about right?

hendersonb

Taken from Tesco Online - This is my main shop of the month - To feed 1

Tesco Value Sliced White Bread 800g
A Bag of White Seedless Grapes Class 1 Loose (approx. 650g per bag)
Spring Onions Bunch
Red Peppers Loose Each Class 1
Green Peppers Loose Each Class 1
Tesco Cooking Onions 1kg Class 2
Tesco Carrots Loose Class 1
Value Potatoes 5kg
Scottish Casserole Steak Medium
T Value Skinlessckn Breast Filletslarge 750-945g
T Value Unsmokedgammon Steaks 300g
Tesco Healthy Eating Skimmed Milk 1.136ltr/2 Pints
Tesco Fresh Grated Parmesan Cheese 50g
Tesco Value Eggsminimum Weight Box Of 6
Tesco Scottish Porridge Oats 1kg
Tesco Tomato Puree Tube 200g
Tesco Ground Ginger 38g
Fragata Garlic Cloves 100g
Tesco Cooking Salt 1.5kg
Knorr 8 Beef Stock Cubes 80g
Knorr 8 Chicken Stock Cubes 80g
Knorr 8 Ham Stock Cubes 80g
Tesco Value Plain Flour 1.5kg
Tesco Cornflour 250g
Campbells Condsdcream Of Celery Soup 295g
Sharwoods Prawn Crackers 100g
Amoy Dark Soy Sauce 250ml
Tesco Red Wine Vinegar 350ml
Robinsons Special-R-Orangedrink 1 Ltr
Robinsons No Added Sugar Lemon Drink 1 Ltr
Tesco Australiancabernet/Merlot 75cl
Tesco Australian White75cl

Note : I already have loads of rice


1) Are items suitable (mostly for SC recipies off the net - never done one before)

2)Will I need multiples of any of the above items

3)Are there other items that i will need/or that would be useful for other easy recipies

4)The wine is for cooking - read recipies that want wine is this stuff ok or are there better wines for this?

5)Last but not least - what is a bay leaf and where do you buy them from

SallyinWales

As to quantity, it depends on your metabolism, tastes, levels of activities etc, so hard to judge. But, have you considered questions of ethics and quality against price with one or two items. At the end of the day its each to their own, but I do worry about the 'value' chicken for example. Its highly unlikely to have had a nice life, and you have no indication of what extra things were fed to it that you may not want in your system. Value bread also seems a total waste of money to me. If I eat bread, I want it to have some form of food value!

I'm really not trying to be unnecssarily negative, but you can be economical whilst still being nice to your concioence and digestive system! Have a go at making bread, much better for you and way more for your money. Maybe try eating less meat but getting it from somewhere where you can ask questions about how it was raised. Farmers markets are getting really good these days, and a local, organic free range chicken may seem pricey but you will get at least 8 meals for one person out of it.

hendersonb

Thanks for the reply SallyinWales

1) Quantity - I eat average portions (only me in house) but looking for around a months worth

2) Ethics / Quality - Wasn't sure what the difference was between the chicken other than price - does it taste better

3) Value Bread - I don't eat much so most of a loaf usually goes in the bin

4) I love meat - Farmers market - weekday (I work 9-5 Mon-Sat)

5) Organic chicken = 8 meals, so i might want two of these? But wouldn't I be better buying breast meat? I am planning on putting it in the fridge in packs of 2 breasts for slow cooking. Won't I need to cook a chicken in one go?

squeaky

Bay leaves are a herb (sort of) and they are just the leaves of a bay tree. You'll find them in a jar with the herbs and spices. Bung it in whole, and just pick it out before serving.

As for other things... it's probably best just to buy the ones you need piece meal as you start new menu plans rather than try to get in loads of things that you only might use.

janb5

Hendersonb - if you have any bread left over- bung it in the oven on a low heat for about 15 mins, put in liquidiser and use for breadcrumbs which can go in the freezer for future meals.

hendersonb

I don't have a liquidiser - new to the whole cooking thing - was always done for me till i moved out - now its usually microwave meals

I'm only getting my SC tomorrow

gizmos

ignore going daft

hendersonb

gizmos wrote:

ignore going daft

Never meant that cheekily Gizmos - I was stating that I am totally green to cooking - I've never really done it. Closest to cooking i've done is a curry - Added chicken to a stir in sauce - I've spent the last 2 years on Microwaveable food and takeaways - My new years resolution was that I would finally learn how to cook. My idea was that I'd buy a slow cooker - 15 mins prep or so in the morning and dinner ready for comming home. I don't know about you but last think I feel like doing when I come home is spending a couple of hours in the kitchen. I like a lot ot the recipies for the SC as I love rice and meat dishes.
Hence I don't realy have many utensils in the kitchen other than microwave + fridge freezer. Was looking for basic advice as I said I no nothing of cooking - only other thing I can do is a fry up in the pan.

carol_a_3

I don't think one loaf of bread would last me a month and I'd get through those grapes in one evening. In fact all the fruit and veg would only last me a day or two. Do you have a freezer? Rather than just leaving your bread in a bread bin you could freeze it when it's new and just get out what you need each day defrosting it in a sandwich bag so it doesn't go dry. Good luck with your cooking.

nearlyrich

Not sure if you really need 3 types of stock cubes, I usually just use the vegetable one's
Fragata Garlic Cloves 100g looks more expensive than fresh garlic, it keeps for a while in a dark dry place and you can't beat fresh garlic flavour IMHO.

Bay leaves are available from Tesco 49p for 10g

Scottish Casserole Steak Medium is this a tin? you might find the fresh stewing steak works out more economical and it might even taste better.:xmassmile

hendersonb

Thanks for the advice - I wasn't aware that bread could be frozen. Generally I don't eat much bread out of a loaf most goes in the bin. Think last month I mode a few slice of toast to go with bacon and the rest went stale.
I might have a look on amazon for a student cookbook - never thought of that - all the ones they have in WHSmith (very smaill one) look very complicated and seem to take forever to make.

Reason I strated this post though is cause I have Tesco online open in another window waiting for me to confirm order. Basically I picked a few recipies for SC that looked very easy and didn't have much prep that looked good, and added them to the basket. Things like the chicken however on Tesco's site come by weight I have no idea about how many bits of breast you get for that. Most measurements for stuff are in cups, tbl spoons and tea spoons again wasn't sure of what quantities that i need to buy these in.
As for the spices/herbs i've never heard of some of these like Paprika (still not sure what exactly it is).
As for some of the veg i.e garlic cloves - pack @ 100g - i've no idea how many cloves this is. Some recipies need one or two cloves of garlic (I don't really know what this looks like yet - Family don't like garlic). I love Indian food thats why so many takeaways apart from the convienience. Microwave meals was cause I couldn't go wrong with cooking them.
I miss home made food, especially soup but never really had an idea how its made, was always done when I was at school/college/work. I've saw some recipies for soup for a SC and really want to try these.