meat from butchers V supermarket

110frankie

nearlyrich wrote:

I agree with everything that TM said above, in fact I sometimes think we were separated at birth LOL...we use different markets but in the same area so the food is similar in price and the quality is far superior to supermarket meat. My DH says he will go veggie rather than eat the stuff they sell in out local Asda.;)

Interesting. Would that be Rawrenstall Asda as we get most of our food from there?
My beloved started getting fruit and veg from Bury Market and has stopped because it goes off far quicker than Asda's.
We would love to buy meat in Waterfoot and support our local butcher but we thought he must be more expensive than Asda.

tinkerbelluk

I know this is slightly off topic but I already have a great local butcher (well 10 miles away) but I am desperate to find a good fishmonger - Does anyone know of any the the Cardiff area?

Curry_Queen

froggergirl wrote:

Have been watching this thread with interest and decided to pop into one of the butchers in town - was rushing and not really paying attention and just asked for a 1lb of mince. Left a minute later with my purse £4.70 lighter and very confused. I would love to go to the butchers for all my meat but really cant afford to at that price, 1lb of mince only lasts for 1 evening meal in our house

If I were you I'd go back to the butcher to find out exactly what you bought! I'm wondering if you've inadvertently wandered into an organic butcher, but even then the price you paid is w-a-y over the top for organic mince :eek:

Normal organic mince as around £6 a kilo, going up to around £8 a kilo for minced steak and/or rare breed beef, but what you paid puts it at over £9 a kilo!!! _pale_

Are there any other butchers in your area? I hope you don't let this experience put you off trying again, and also, how many are you feeding with your lb of mince? There are quite a few threads around with advice and suggestions on how to bulk out meals with veggies and pulses so might be worth having a look. I can make a lb mince stretch to 8 generous portions (and my boys eat like horses!) when making things like shepherd's/cottage pie, chilli, lasagne, moussaka, spag bol etc

halloweenqueen_2

Without wishing to get in argument over butchers/supermarkets, along with the increase of supermarkets has also come obesity and debt, loss of nutrition in food and road rage in their car parks. I do use supermarkets as they are convenient - they are open sundays where as my butcher and greengrocer aren't. I also concede that I can't get my 'exotics' from the corner shop. i just prefer to use the small shops as much as I can. I'm trying to cut out preservatives etc, to be honest as long as I remember what i went for the majority of stuff I can get from the locals! I'm also getting to the point that I can't stand the huge numbers and the sell sell sell mentality of places like tesco. I do like morrisons, they are always helpful, the people on their market place shops, for the fish, meat, cooked meats etc are very helpful.
The hours are convenient for working people but I also found it cost me a lot more to eat when I worked, so much so that it was more economical for me to stay at home with the family which i prefer and not throw my money at the supermarket for ease and time management. Its horses for courses, you do what suits you and nobody is in the right or wrong. I just find it a better way of life, friendier, healthier and as cost efficient as I hoover up the bargains and get discounts for being a regular customer.

VickyA_2

Re-reading this post is making me DESPERATE for a bacon sarnie made with the bacon from our local butcher. Luckily, we've got friends coming over on Friday so Saturday morning it'll be bacon sarnies all around. Only 3 days to go!

seraphina

We don't eat a lot of meat in our house - I am veggie and H is happy to eat veggie most of the time. When we have people over we might buy in meat for roasting, or H might get some ham/roasted chicken bits.

We would love to be able to support a local butcher and other produce merchants but here's the rub: We both work full time. I commute, leaving the house before 8am and back sometime after 7pm, H is away similar hours. The only shop open when we need it is Tesco's.

On the weekends when we are around and not off doing stuff, then we might go to the farm shop, but the single biggest barrier to us supporting local businesses is their opening hours. It also doesn't help that there are no independant butchers where we live - they're all a drive away.

We do have a farmer's market, but it is only once a month ON A FRIDAY MORNING! :mad:

djhworld

I went to the butchers today.

Mainly because I was walking in town and Morrisons is about a 25 minute walk from there.

Anyway, I asked for two pork chops (I never really ask for weight, mainly because I'm only 18 and the imperial system confuses me) and it came to £2.36.

I'm not sure if that's good or bad.

black-saturn

Yes one thing I've found about the high street butcher is that they are way more expensive than the supermarket but the meat is better quality. I suppose you have to weigh up which is more important in your circumstances.

Country_Bumpkin_5

black-saturn wrote:

but the meat is better quality. I suppose you have to weigh up which is more important in your circumstances.

I absolutely agree with black-saturn on this one - you pay your money you take your choices. Personally I spend the same but buy less, and eat more pulses etc to compensate which probably works out healthier too.

mistresslenore

i always try and use local shops. The produce is 100 times better and usually cheaper. I am lucky to have a farm shop locally, so you know where everything comes from, the service is friendly and I haven't had any cause for complaint as yet. The range of fruit and veg is greater at a big supermarket but I prefer quality.
As convenient as the big stores are, don't neglet your local traders,