meat from butchers V supermarket

Country_Bumpkin_5

mexicanacheese wrote:

I've been reading all your comments with interest. I recently read the 'The Shocking Power of British Supermarkets' by Joanna Blythman and think you guys may find it both interesting & relevant. Due to current budgeting I haven't used my local butcher as yet (but intend to soon), though I have been to the local fishmonger & been impressed at the selection and prices. Ditto for getting fruit & veg locally too. I've found it's easier to budget if you are making frequent visits to local shops rather than big once a week efforts to supermarkets.

Thanks for the book recommendation - it sounds interesting. For a while I lived in an area where all the local shops had closed down due to the supermarkets and so there was no real choice. When we moved here I was delighted to find the butchers, bakers etc still existed and try to use them as much as possible, as well as the farm shops and markets, though still go to the supermarkets/buy online for some things. What I love about buying locally is that it is better for the environment, supports local businesses, which is great for the community and you get a sense of being part of a community. I often get reduced prices because the people that work in the shops know me and sometimes freebies!

halloweenqueen_2

I saw a leaflet called 'every little hurts', a twist on the tesco slogan, some of the points it highlights are quite thought provoking.<LI value=1>Local traders are being pushed out of business by new Tesco stores reducing consumer choice and damaging local economies [2]

<LI value=2>Tesco fills its shelves with imported produce instead of supporting UK farmers; surveys by Friends of the Earth have shown that at the height of the UK apple season well over half the apples on offer in Tesco stores are imported [3]

<LI value=3>Farmers in the UK and overseas are being bullied by Tesco buyers as the company passes costs and risks back down the supply chain [4]

<LI value=4>As alternative shops are lost, access to healthy food could be affected. Tesco performed poorly in a recent rating of major retailers contribution to healthy diets carried out by the National Consumer Council [5]

<LI value=5>Workers overseas growing and packing food for Tesco and UK homeworkers assembling goods for Tesco are not getting basic employment rights [6] [7]

<LI value=6>Tesco, like other big supermarkets, causes environmental damage by transporting food long distances, overpackaging its food, and building stores which are highly inefficient in terms of energy use.
I also saw a piece in the mail that says that nutrition is being lost, fruit and veg is not as healthy as it used to be, nutrition is losing out to supermarkets obsession with physical perfection.
I didn't realise how much i take imported friut/veg for granted until I started using the local greengrocers instead of the supermarket, where i get the stuff in season and in its natural state.
I'm also finding it better value at the butchers as i buy some of their specials and the difference in the meat is very noticeable.

Zed42

Butchers v Supermarkets?


Hmm, well I guess it depends on what your aim is? Is it to spend less or get a better product?

I, personally, wouldn't touch meat from any supermarket bar Waitrose, and even then I only buy organic. Mainly, I purchase my meat from local farm shops who are either organic or can provide me with full traceability of the meat.

Cost wise, I did an exercise for myself, whereby I compared what I had bought from the farm shop with the "Finest" range in Tesco, and organic in Waitrose, and frankly found very little in difference. I much prefer to support local enterprise and find more choice.

Supermarkets obviously only have certain lines and cuts, so it is refreshing to get what you want elsewhere.

Now, I would be exceptionally happy if I managed to find an excellent butcher locally! As currently I have to go to 2 different farm shops to get my meat in. However, I do this infrequently as I have a chest freezer which is a bit like Tardis!
If I was on a severe budget whereby I could not afford organic/free range meat, then I would be eating more veg and pulses.

kiwichick

Have been reading this thread with interest. I'm a vegie and to be honest, having read this, I've realised that I pay little or no attention to the source/quality of the meat as I just try to get it the cheapest I can.

I dont buy the value mince or sausages but have bought the value chicken before now. As I dont eat it I havent been concernced about the taste . We are moving in 3 weeks to an area which has a monthly farmers market and I've decided to give it a go. We will have a 2nd freezer after the move so I can try to plan ahead and buy monthly.

I did try my local butcher yesterday as dh said he fancied a bacon roll, he charged me £1.49 for 4 pieces of bacon, I nearly died! Tesco wanted £1.69 for 8. Is that normal price or is mine expensive?

I will definately try to change my ways after the move.

thriftlady_2

kiwichick wrote:

I did try my local butcher yesterday as dh said he fancied a bacon roll, he charged me £1.49 for 4 pieces of bacon, I nearly died! Tesco wanted £1.69 for 8. Is that normal price or is mine expensive?

My butcher charges £2.97 for 1 lb of steaky bacon and £4 for a lb of smoked back bacon-expensive,certainly!,but, it is their own dry cure bacon.When you cook it, it crisps up in the pan and there is none of that white gunk you get with bog-standard supermarket bacon.The streaky in particular is gorgeous(not very good for diets though ).I like to buy British bacon rather than Danish to support our farmers.

As Zed42 said unfortunately you have to choose between spending less and getting a good product most of the time :mad:

Ticklemouse

kiwi - my mum always gets her bacon off the market at a reputable butchers. I bought some for her once and like you, nearly died at the price. It was about 50p per slice, but it was the thickest, tastiest bacon you could want. I find the supermarket bacon is often tasteless and watery - it oozes white gunk and so much water when cooking. Mum's bacon is meaty, no water and tastes divine. She only goes for dry cure. It's a case of you get what you pay for.

I have to admit the only meat I do buy from a supermarket is bacon and a certain type of sausage. I know it's not as good, but I don't eat it that often and the way Mr TM eats it, I couldn't afford it He's not noticed , so unless I give him fabbo bacon, in which case he'd want it all the time, I'll save my few pennies there

halloweenqueen_2

I always find the supermarket bacon makes me thristy for the rest of the day -the proper bacon doesn't.

moggins

I splurged a bit yesterday and bought 2 rump steaks from the organic market in town. They cost nearly £6 for the 2 but even DH raved over the taste. It's not something I could afford to do every day but I did also get a lovely piece of brisket from them which looks big enough for 2 meals for £5.

Curry_Queen

kiwichick wrote:

I did try my local butcher yesterday as dh said he fancied a bacon roll, he charged me £1.49 for 4 pieces of bacon, I nearly died! Tesco wanted £1.69 for 8. Is that normal price or is mine expensive?

Rather than compare prices by the rasher you should do it by the weight. I'd guess that your 4 rashers from the butcher probably equalled the weight of those 8 rashers from Tesco, if not more, and you're also not paying for the added water like you do in supermarket bacon

black-saturn

I wish I could find a decent butcher in my area. There doesnt seem to be any around here.