Does anyone OS "gourmet" style?

npsmama

It might seem like a contradiction in terms but TBH I don't think it is.

What I mean is: we like to eat yummy food but try to do so OS style.

So for instance we'd rather have no ham than have Netto Wafer Thin slimy stuff. Or we have some scrummy ham from the farmer's shop once a month or so. Or (better) we figure out how to make things at home that taste like the yummy stuff.

We have fewer things but nicer ones.

Anyone else do this? Or do you all eat just the cheapest stuff for the sake of economy?

wigginsmum

We do a bit of both as we're fairly new to OS. We usually try a cheap item to see what it's like, and incorporate it if it's pleasant. I'm a cheese-freak and am perfectly happy with Lidl's medium cheddar as opposed to Cathedral City, but their frozen peas are vile so we'll go back to Birds Eye when they're finished.

Certain things are an occasional treat, like Sainsburys lightly smoked salmon fillets - once in a blue moon.

Since doing OS I've noticed that I've got more adventurous with cooking - before that I was in a rut with 6 or 7 dishes which I rotated.

thriftmonster

I mostly make from scratch, so for example with ham or meat for sandwiches I would buy a joint of gammon or pork or brisket, cook it and then slice it very thinly. Same with baking. However I do try the cheaper basics eg tinned tomatoes etc as threy're fine - but most of my meat comes from the butcher - I just make it go a but further.

moggins

OS is gourmet style isn't it? I always thought it was not about buying cheap but buying better for less

**purpleprincess**

moggins wrote:

OS is gourmet style isn't it? I always thought it was not about buying cheap but buying better for less

Ditto on this moggins!!

nabowla

I'm definitely an OS gourmet. I buy my cheese from specialist cheesemongers, but don't eat cheese that often. I buy expensive chocolate as a very special treat instead of cheap chocolate every day. I buy organic or 'Taste the Difference' meat from the supermarket - but only if it's got a yellow sticker! I buy good quality meat from the butcher but eat a couple of vegetarian dishes every week to balance out the cost. I have a fantastic diet, have cut my grocery bill and lost 5lb already. Can't be bad!

apple_mint

Over the past 18 months I have moved from convenience food buying to buying good food and living well.

There are some excellent recipes and tips for making good food on here. I now have ... (through saving the pennies) ..

* a breadmaker (lovely for home-made poppy seed rolls)
* a yoghurt maker (lots of uses for yoghurt in cooking as well as for desserts, breakfast etc.)
* a huge collection of recipe books (picked up from car boot sales)
* ... a slow cooker (for gammon and lamb joint mainly)
* some lovely kitchen equipment (my latest being a Kenwood Chef from the local car boot)
... the drive to make my own 'gourment meals' (I love looking for something new to make from this web site or from my recipe books).

I buy lots of staples (tinned tomatoes, porrige oats, flour etc) from the supermarkets, but I buy my meat from the farmers market and fruit and veg from the local farm shop. I make a mean tomato sauce for my home made pasta based on value tomatoes. I buy what is best value based on taste.

We very rarely eat out now, 'cause we eat so much better at home.

thriftlady_2

You can be very gourmet and OS at the same time. The book Moggins recommends here

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=244783

is a perfect example of this approach - buy better but get more out of it.

Lillibet_2

I've recently made a switch from a lot of supermarket food, eg buying meat only from an organic butcher who is very expensive but it tastes divine, I just have to eek it out more & eat a bit less. I will NOT go back to supermarket meat after trying this stuff! I'd rather eat vegaterian more often.

HTH;)

Icemaiden

I never economise where food is concerned and by doing it the O/S way I don't have to.
Personally I find buying from the supermarket expensive.

recovering_spendaholic

I try to make meals from scratch and made a switdch early on from buying pre-packed cold meats for sandwiches, to cooking a chicken or piece of ham and using that. I always buy ham shanks from a local butcher and get about a pound of meat or more for £0.90 - and its from outdoor reared pigs. I also like to try out recipes and so our meals are a little more adventurous - although I have to say this has met with very mixed results from my VERY fussy DD's who would eat Pizza and oven chips every night if they had their own way. However my friends like my new recipes as I often ask them round for tea as I seem to always make too much!!