I need a reality check

earwig

hi im like you when it comes to meat in fact i spend about 18.00 per week on it my famley are big meat eaters and i tryed to cut it down but when i gave my oh pasta bake made with cheep veg my oh ate it and then went down kfc and brought a bargin bucket for ten pounds
when i asked why he said that allthough the bake was nice were not vegies and he dosnt feel like he has had a dinner as there was no meat i was mad as i ate the bloody thing to and that ten pounds spent on one snack could of done us 3 or four meat dinners so lesson lernt there is always meat on his plate now as if there is not any he will only go and buy a takeaway instead
i guess what im saying is that if you are all big meat eaters your food bill will awalys be higher than most on here who dont mind switching some dinners for cheeper ones as they dont mind not eating meat
also try someof the sainsburrys basic range for years i turned my nose up at it but i decded to try some of it and i can honestly say its quite nice the paxo stuffing is 38 per pack the basic one is 13 and its just as nice as there crisps 12 bags for 48 taste really nice so do give it a try but becarefull with meat as that is one thing i wont buy basic good luck with it all

Greenwellies_2

Thanks everyone for the responses, I'm in the office so I need to be very quick, however, as soon as I can I will respond to each Q raised.

Like earwig, hubby complains about lack of meat.
as for bulk, I have kidney beans, baked beans, tinned toms, chick peas in stock - perhaps I should post the weeks menu.

The cereal, cheese and beef were all on special offer and cheaper than own brand.

I haven't got a problem with buying basics, if the item is avaliable in the basic range, I'll compare the cost (sometimes I'll find that the regular label is cheaper than basics)

boss here bye

lynzpower

GW

You say the beef was on special offer-do you mean this
1 x Sainsbury's Traditional Beef Roasting Joint, Extra Large, Taste the Difference approx. 2.3kg - Total Price GBP 10.22

Only whether its on offer or not, its still 10.22!! and it is the posh one as well

Toomuchdebt

My ex hubby is a big meat eater -I found that if I bought a big turkey leg £1.08) it would last us (me him and 4 kids) for a meal and he would be happy

Greenwellies_2

My boss has disapeared upstairs for a few minutes

lynzpower wrote:

GW

You say the beef was on special offer-do you mean this
1 x Sainsbury's Traditional Beef Roasting Joint, Extra Large, Taste the Difference approx. 2.3kg - Total Price GBP 10.22

Only whether its on offer or not, its still 10.22!! and it is the posh one as well

I believe that it's cheaper than what I would pay at the butchers, and it will make 2 weeks of roast at least.

In response to the turkey suggestions, I am useless at cooking turkey, it's always too dry and horrid by the time I have finished, have you any suggestions?

The chicken breasts, again were on offer, in recent months I have brought thighs as these are cheaper.
I'm a bit squeemish, so I need to get my head around the idea of jointing a raw chicken, but I know there is a page here with a link on how to joint one, so I'll try to locate that. - My eldest, being a budding Chef brought a set of knives, so there should be some in there for 'butchery'

This has been a really helpful thread. I am in the office now, I was supposed to have salmon and salad for dinner tonight, but I've run out of salad (used it in lunches) so I will pop to the market and get some potatoes and use the frozen peas for dinner.
I am on my bike, (saving petrol) so I can't carry much, but what I plan to do is cycle home, get the car, go to lidl, get the items that are not fresh fruit and veg (as I don't need them today) and compare F&V prices.

I think that's a plan - albeit making today a very busy day!

Comments? Am I getting there?

GW

Greenwellies_2

Payingitallback wrote:

I find Sainsburys really expensive anyway :mad:

Do you have a Netto or Morrisons nearby?

I find their fruit and veg an ok price.

I have a lidl about 4 miles away, so I will get back into the routine of going there - thanks

GW

Greenwellies_2

ali007 wrote:

Greenwellies wrote:

1 x Bisto Rich Gravy Granules 300g - Total Price GBP 1.09 Buy Sainsburys own!
2 x Nestle Fitnesse With Fruit 375g - Total Price GBP 1.98Buy Sainsburys own!
2 x Nestlé Shredded Wheat Fruitful 500g - Total Price GBP 1.74Buy Sainsburys own!
3 x Sainsbury's Wheat Biscuits, Organic 24's - Total Price GBP 3.53 You can't afford this!!
1 x Sainsbury's Traditional Beef Roasting Joint, Extra Large, Taste the Difference approx. 2.3kg - Total Price GBP 10.22 :eek: :eek: :eek: How large????? Cow size????? You can't afford this!!!! Replace with chicken......

2 x Sainsbury's Chicken Skinless Breast Fillets x4 520g - Total Price GBP 5.98
2 x Bernard Matthews' Chicken Breast, Premium 200g - Total Price GBP 2.59
These will do you what - 4 meals? For the same price you could have bought 3 chickens & had 3 meals from each one - roast, with pasta, rissotto, stew with beans etc, curry, pie, 'shepherd' style pie, salad, sandwiches and made 3 big pots of soup.

The veg are v dear - e.g. Nettos do a bag of baking pots for 99p. I agree with OP - Nettos, Aldis etc are v good.

There is no 'bulk' in there (appreciate 1 shop is not a true picture) - what about kidney beans, flageolet beans etc - around 12-15p a tin, even main supermarkets do economy kidney beans. Make a chicken stew with left overs - plus onion, celery, carrots, any other veg looking sorry for themselves, chillis/herbs/seasonings, tin of (cheap) tomatoes, simmer then add chicken at the end. Gorgeous with rice, baked pots, cous cous etc. V v good for you, and a heck of a lot cheaper than basing the meal around chicken breasts.

Hi, I hope I haven't 'over edited' your response.
Gravy - thanks, hadn't thought of that, was using oxo, but bisto is cheaper - will change that - thanks.
Re cereals, they are all on offer and cheaper than own brand. Our ususal cereals are lots of cornflakes and weetabix - all own brand with the occasional porridge
Tinned 'stuff' I have most of these already, and unless I am pushed, I only buy basics

The bernard Mathews is sliced chicken again on offer, for lunches.

I am sure I will be going to get a whole chicken, just to make a selection of lunches. I wanted to make 'coronation chicken' and chicken pasta, so I will do that. BUT I must admit, I made a chicken and mushroom soup a while ago, and I couldn't bring myself to eat it (fed it to the family though )
When I had made the stock I was then trying to get all the bones and jointy bits out and it took ages and looked horrid. Really put me off.

Thanks

GW

lynzpower

I tell you whats great value for meat, pork fillet. Good heavens, we bought some the other week it was about £2 for 2 fillets sliced into about 12 medallions, and you can do all sorts with it. I guess we could have one between 2 of us next time I buy it.

Greenwellies_2

Toomuchdebt wrote:

1 x Sainsbury's Granny Smith Apples - Total Price GBP 1.47 why are you buying 2 different kinds of apples when the basic ones are half the price?
2 x Sainsbury's Apples, Basics x6 - Total Price GBP 1.44

Hi, thanks for this.
The apples: I only like granny smith, and the children aren't fussed, so I get the cheaper ones for them.

Toomuchdebt wrote:

1 x Sainsbury's Kids Pears x8 - Total Price GBP 1.19buy the basic ones

These were the cheapest I could find

Toomuchdebt wrote:

1 x Sainsbury's Parsnips, Roasting 750g - Total Price GBP 1.29buying loose ones is cheaper

These were actually cheaper per kg than loose

Toomuchdebt wrote:

1 x Bisto Rich Gravy Granules 300g - Total Price GBP 1.09 buy own brand

Agreed - thanks

Toomuchdebt wrote:

3 x Red Seal 400g - Total Price GBP 5.25 what is this?

Cheese, on offer. Great for a back up when we run out of sandwich fillings, and we have jackets planned during the week.

Toomuchdebt wrote:

1 x Sainsbury's Chestnut Mushrooms, Closed Cup 250g - Total Price GBP 0.80COLOR="Red"]3 types of mushrooms?[/COLOR]
1 x Sainsbury's Mushrooms, Basics 750g - Total Price GBP 1.18
1 x Sainsbury's Oyster Mushrooms 125g - Total Price GBP 1.08too expensive!

This was me trying to be good!!! I was having mushroom rissotto! - although the basic ones are also for other meals

Toomuchdebt wrote:

2 x Sainsbury's Chicken Skinless Breast Fillets x4 520g - Total Price GBP 5.98ouch-breast fillets are expensive-I always buy whole chickens

Point taken! I will buy whole chickens, although these were on offer, otherwise I would have brough thighs

Toomuchdebt wrote:

1 x Sainsbury's Traditional Beef Roasting Joint, Extra Large, Taste the Difference approx. 2.3kg - Total Price GBP 10.22how many meals will this last for?Is there a basic version you could get?

I don't know how many this feeds, but I always cook and slice my meat and then bag it up for another roast. This again was on offer and a better size

Toomuchdebt wrote:

2 x Nestle Fitnesse With Fruit 375g - Total Price GBP 1.98
2 x Nestlé Shredded Wheat Fruitful 500g - Total Price GBP 1.74
3 x Sainsbury's Wheat Biscuits, Organic 24's - Total Price GBP 3.53why are you buying the organic ones?Weetabix taste the same

The cereals were all on offer and cheaper than own brands

Toomuchdebt wrote:

2 x Bernard Matthews' Chicken Breast, Premium 200g - Total Price GBP 2.59
why buy these?You already bought chicken breasts

This is sliced meat for lunch fillings. Point taken, will get a whole chicken to make other lunches from it


Thanks

GW

Greenwellies_2

Argh colleague here now, will catch up later

Thanks

GW