Where is best for all round cheap groceries

puddy

As I havent got the time to get something from here, or something else from there, I need to shop in one place and stick to it. We are struggling at the moment and I need to get the supermarket shop down in price (difficult as OH wont eat cheap food stuffs like pasta or tinned tomatoes and wont eat anything that has been opened for a bit even if its ok)

So, I tried Lidl and thought they were quite good, tried Netto and hated it. OH swears by ASDA but Im not sure.

whats best, Asda, Lidl or Aldi (and what is Aldi like?)

thanks

Francesanne

I like Lidl's and I've always been very happy with their prices and quality. Tend to do my major shop at Tesco's but am a great fan of Morrisons. I know Iceland equates with frozen food but really impressed with their choice of fresh foods and think they're prices are good and their shops are always bright and very clean.

milliemonster

Personally, all the supermarkets have offers on some things and not on others so if you aren't prepared to shop about to get the bargains from each place then really it will depend on what you buy as to which place will be cheapest for you, and even then the offers change so much from week to week I don't think that will make a lot of difference.

Your best bet is to write a list and stick to it when you go shopping and just buy what you need, don't get sucked in by offers and mealplan

puddy

my basics are milk, bread, cheese, sliced meats, fruit, museli, ready brek (or equivilent), fruit squash, tinned toms, onions, lean minced beef, casserole lamb, white fish, spaghetti, tuna, carrots, swede, turnip, parsnip, celery, tinned lentils, chicken drumsticks, chick peas, herbs and spices, potatoes, frozen chips and frozen veg, rice.. i try to have 2 meat free dishes a week, 2 with fish, 1 with chicken and then 2 with red meat. unfortunately he is very faddy so it tends to be, chilli and rice, chicken curry, lamb stew, fish fillets with chips or potatoes, lentil chilli and chickpea curry.
all a bit boring really, personally i could eat pasta every night, and i also do a lovely savory bread and butter pudding with cheese, onion and bits of ham, but he wont touch eggs or things with cheese on top.

zippybungle

I would say Morrisons is best for all round cheap groceries.
I know you said you didn't have time to shop around everywhere, but imo that's the best way to do it. What I also like about Morrisons is that they don't have clothes, toys and other things to tempt me.

I do a big shop at Morrisons, Milk from Iceland (£1 for 4 Pints), Eggs from Sainsburys (roughly £1.85 for 18 barn eggs) and bits and bobs from the Market and £1 shops.

Would also agree with what one of the above posters said about Iceland. I had previously associated it with just ready made frozen meals, but they have lots of other good deals too, plus the stores are generally quite small, so you can be in and out in 10 mins!

Zippy x

katylou6180

My opinion is as follows (having had three months out of work..and only just found a job again I think I have some info that may help) bearing in mind this is just my opinion....everyone's will differ! For your "branded" stuff you can't really go wrong in Asda with all their £1 deals and the like, if you strategically shop there it can be cheap, especially as I see you must cook a lot from scratch and need meat etc, I time my visits just after the weekend for reduced meat that I can portion and freeze( and no...red meat is still red...not that horrible grey colour!) You mentioned your OH can be fussy and am wondering if we are going up the Asda route due to "branded and brainwashing" Asda's fruit and veg...well in our local store it's not much cop, and doesn't keep very well so needs using more or less when you buy it. Aldi and Lidl in my exp can be pricey for meat believe it or not when compared to a branded supermarket, whereas Asda will have cheap-Normal-Premium ranges priced accordingly, the other two will have a packet of "mince" middle of the road and priced slightly higher than Asda's "normal" range. Aldi and Lidls fruit and veg however, seems to keep a lot longer than Asda's so you get a bit more leeway on that! You also cannot beat them for packet stuff and cereals etc, I have a really fussy other half that will only eat "shreddies" and at £1.89 a pop that's not good on a budget, both the cheaper supermarkets do an equivalent at approx 95p that is just the same when emptied into a container Their muesli is good too, and if you pop into Lidl sometimes they are throwing brand names at you cheaply with a slightly different label! I hope this helps, I think in all honesty as a previous poster said, it's all about planning...maybe do a trial shop in all three and see which works out cheapest all round for you? I figured it's all about trial and error but now i'm back in work I don't really have the time to go trawling round and like you..would rather get it done in one supermarket:) Another tip is keep your eyes peeled on leaflets and speak to friends and family, I don't personally shop in Morrisons but some of my family do, and if I want anything on special they are more than happy to pick it up- as long as I do the same for them when I walk through Mr Asda's door Good luck:)

puddy

thanks everyone, he is so contrary, he's like a toddler really. tonight i cooked a pasta sauce out of onion, celery, 3 fresh tomatoes, garlic, green olives, jar mushrooms, jar grilled peppers and herbs (jar things from lidl), bit of pickle in it. he cooked spaghetti (its the only time he will eat pasta if he cooks spaghetti, no other shape will do) and he loved it. however, if i tell him in advance whats for tea and i say, vegetarian pasta, he'll moan!!!

TheSaint_2

if you have the time go to www.mysupermarket.co.uk and fill in your entire shopping list on any of the supermarkets.
It will then show you the cost of your shop at all 4 of the major places.

I found with my weekly shopw that Tesco was cheapest, but only by about 30p!
They are all much the same really, but whatever you do - write a list before you go and stick to it.
They make their money when you fall for the upsell offers, buy 2 get 1 free etc.
Just don't buy it unless you need it

cooking-mama

jenner wrote: »

whats best, Asda, Lidl or Aldi (and what is Aldi like?)

thanks

Aldi is good for the fruit and veg special deals,but it is regularly voted 2nd most expensive supermarket for basics in the sun newspaper,beaten only by waitrose,Asda is normaly cheapest followed by Tesco/Morrisons.
price is based on a basket of staples..bread/milk/eggs/rice/etc,cant remember everything
Here the list from todays sun.
Basket league


SAINSBURY'S climb to fourth in my weekly Basket League of basics.
The basket is: sliced bread (800g); milk (two pints); butter (250g); cheddar (500g); eggs (ten medium or large); cornflakes (750g); orange juice (one litre); baked beans (220g); minced beef (500g); and seedless grapes (500g).
Some sizes adjusted to match. Quality may vary.

<LI sizset="58" sizcache="5">
I GIVE £100 to spend at Asda for every tip published. Send yours to either address at the top of the page.
Morrisons £8.39 =
Tesco £8.80 =
Asda £9.32 =
Sainsbury's £10.27 +1
Aldi £11.35 -1
Waitrose 13.97 =


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/money/captaincrunch/2716982/Captain-Crunch-on-bargain-toys-for-Christmas.html#ixzz0W86tJlFW

meg72

I am very lucky to have a wide choice of stores and the time to shop around but if I had to choose only when then it would be Asda everytime for me.

dizzybuff

TBH Id rather get fruit and veg from the market , but if I can will get basics from the majors . Im very lucky and have a fab market nearby . If you are up north go to Bury market . The meat market on there is fabulous. Then pop to asda for things that you havent been able to get ..