food buying question

carlsberggal

I’ve been looking and reading with interest the meal plan/cutting down on food spending threads and wondered if our Grandmas generation had the right answer (though I suppose it depends on how old you are LOL!). They always shopped everyday for whatever they needed that same day, therefore ensuring less waste. I know it helped more really for them as not everybody had a fridge etc and things like big supermarkets didn’t exist.

So, this week, I’ve gone out everyday during lunch hour and bought what I needed and cooked it that day. For example bought chicken pieces, veg etc for Hunters chicken, called in at home and threw it in the slow cooker. I know it’s easier for me as I work in the same village where I live.

I wonder whether I’m on my own with this way of thinking?

CCP

I like your thinking, but I don't think it would work for me - I would just ending up picking up 'a couple of other bits' while I was there and it would cost me a fortune! I also find it's generally cheaper to buy bigger packs than I need for one meal and freeze what I don't need for another day.

I guess it comes down to what suits each person/household - your approach might not work for me, but it's obviously good for you.

Skint_Catt

I've thought about it and tried it a few times but I find it too easy to think 'oooh I'll pick that up while I'm here' or 'I'm running out of this' and spend £20 every time I go in :eek: So no good for me I'm afraid! (Only due to my lack of willpower though if you don't pick up a basket/trolley it works better!)

ajmoney

OH prefers doing it that way although I am sure that is just his way of getting out of making decisions. He hates making shopping lists too so it is awkward for me. He would rather decide depending on what he sees but needless to say we often end up buying stuff we don't need because it takes his fancy.

LeeSouthEast

I tried this. £20 a day is not a good way to 'save money'

carlsberggal

I also meant to say, that I DO think meal plans in general are a good idea, but I'm carp at sticking to them, as sometimes I just don't fancy what I've chosen for the week!!!!
CCP - your right you do have to be blinkered when you go in or end up spending a fortune!

thriftlady_2

It's something I've wondered about too Carlsberggal. I'm sure it would help save money, but because I am a fussy so and so and like to do my shopping at a farmshop and butcher a few miles away from where I live it would mean driving to the shops every day. Not very green or money-saving. If I had an old-fashioned high st of shops near me I'd be shopping every day;)

I think if you are disciplined enough to stick to a meal plan then you can still shop once a week and not waste money or food.

freakyogre

I can see that this would be a good idea, but I think it would work out more expensive. Even things like carrots I try and buy a bag of as when I bought 3 in the greengrocers they cost almost half the price of a bag which has 4 times as many in it. I have to be careful though as I live on my own, so there's no point buying too much of anything as I just can't eat it in time.

Some meals would work I suppose, but a lot of what I make I do more than one portion of and save it for another day, so buying bigger packs of things is usually easier.

I'm very good now at not picking things up 'just because'. I pop into town most days at the moment (unemployed ) and only buy what I need. Today for example I needed milk and spread and that's all I bought. Usually i'd look round and buy some other bits.

carlsberggal

freakorge - I agree with not buying just 3 carrots or whatever as it's not cost effective. Today I bought a bag of carrots, a bag of potatoes and a big broccoli, because I know I will use them as we have lots of veg a week

ragz_2

I would also like to add that in those days food was actually more expensive (no value stuff!) and a much greater percentage of the household income was spent on food compared to today. These days we have so much more to waste our money on, like gas, electric, cars, insurance, sky tv, mobile phones!

newlywed

With and OH and 2 step kids, I would worry that if I was ill, there'd be nothing in the house for them to eat if I only shopped per day

I always try to have at least 3 days of meals in the house just in case. Plus I batch cook some things so would need more stuff on those days.

However when I tried to do a 2 week shop .... they all saw the biscuits and cereal and tucked into a double helping so they didn't even last one week :rolleyes: So a 2 week plan doesn't work for me unless I can find a double sized freezer!