Beat the Christmas Grocery rush

parsonswife8

The first Christmas I spent in England was in 2000. I went to Sainsburys in my lunch hour on Christmas Eve and have never seen so many sprouts on the floor in my life.
It was a real 'ealth and safety issue.
I couldn't believe my eyes. Grown women fighting over sprouts.
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Enterprise_1701C

I start my non-perishable shopping in September, taking into account the tinned salmon/cranberry sauce/brandy butter (now frozen) that are left over from last year. You will not catch me within a mile of Tesco's after next Wednesday (or earlier if I can make it), if I have to do any shopping on Christmas Eve it will be my local Lidl as soon as they open in the morning!

tiff

I_luv_cats wrote: »

I have got most of my non perishables in Sainsbury(Can Soup/Sauces/Gravy/Juice/Tinned Fruit/Crisps/Crackers/Chocolates/Trifle mix/Aero Hot Choc/UHT milk etc.)
Few Frozen in Iceland / Morrisons (Turkey Crown, Pork Loin and 2 Cartons Soup)
Nuts for Squirrels n birds in 99p shop/Morrisons

Spent £40 for the above

Just means Fresh Fruit, Veg, Salad, Cheese to get Christmas Week.

Super Bargain was the Morrisons £4 deal, few Sainsbury toiletries offers (used Nectar Points)
The Chocolates 2 for £6 (as didn't want £5 / £6 tin offers around) wasn't great as sounded as £3 each in Iceland and deal also in Costcutter!
Few pennies offers off the some of the above or opted for Basics range.

You can buy cheese now, it keeps for ages. I already have mine as one year I left it too late and couldnt get stilton anywhere!

neutron

I_luv_cats wrote: »

Nuts for Squirrels n birds in 99p shop/Morrisons

If they are grey squirrels there's probably not much point feeding the birds as the bushy tailed vermin will be eating the eggs and young in the spring.

Enterprise_1701C

tiff wrote: »

You can buy cheese now, it keeps for ages. I already have mine as one year I left it too late and couldnt get stilton anywhere!

I already have mine, though some people might be put off by the lack of knowledge of some deli assistants - I was buying my cheese at the end of November one year, just to give it time to get nice and ripe, and the assistant asked if I was buying it for Christmas, I said I was, and she said "you do know it won't last for more than two weeks don't you", I carried on buying my brie and stilton whilst desperately trying to keep a straight face. As far as I'm concerned it only starts being edible when it has been in the top of my fridge for at least two weeks!

tiff

Absolutely! (I used to work on the deli counter at Sainsburys but didnt give duff info like that lol)

debrag

I'm going to have to make a few trips to the shops as there are no delivery slots for any supermarket till the new year!!!! I don't even have a car

**skinnyminny**

oh gosh, i am getting worried now as i can only get my fresh xmas foods on xmas eve morning:eek:

I have got all of my non- fresh items already and last night wa sthe last time i could go shopping before xmas eve so i got some clotted cream as it was dated till the 29th (which it will be well and truly gone by, believe me!)

Got the pate and eggs and things it is just the veg and meat and stuff for boxing day i need to get and we are planning to go to m&s at 8.30am to get it over and done with but i'll prob still be stuck in there at midday in a queue:rotfl:

fuzzgun19

987654 wrote: »

Totally agree, why do people clog the shops up in the last few days before Christmas by buying a massive trolley full of food when most of it could have been bought well in advance.

I think some people get excited by an overflowing trolley!

The only things I will be buying next week is perishables.

Why so much food anyway? I know people say they are cooking for loads more people - but surely this must be compensated by the 'loads more' people not needing to do any shopping???????

Alot of people get stuff last minute, as they are waiting for their last pay packet/bonus. I know this year DH is being paid on xmas eve....

jenniewb

Always amazes me- Xmas is one maybe 2 days, yet people buy so much you think it was a month long! Stores are open again in some cases on Boxing day and otherwise in the 27th. Its not just the empty shelves that gets me, but all the frozen food vanishing. I can understand the alcohol being very popular- but the tins of food? Madness!!

Went to Tesco this week at 11.30 PM!!! FULL of people- queued for 30 minutes and this is when I normally shop- I normally have just one person ahead of me in the queue- wouldn't have minded as much but they only had half of what I wanted in anyway as so much was out of stock. Basics like frozen veg, milk, apples....
And then people wonder why they gain weight over the festive period!