a month without supermarket - new challenge for 2011 starts at post 1013

greenbee

Caterina - it sounds as if you've made a sensible decision for yourself and your family, and you have thought it through carefully and logically. You've made some realistic changes to your shopping habits, and your continuing with the ones that are manageable. It sounds as if this way you are more likely to succeed, as you aren't trying to over-achieve.

As for the sustainably-sourced fish thing, Hugh FW was on the radio yesterday morning talking about how supermarkets control 70% or so of the fish market in this country, so its not surprising that it is difficult for you to buy decent fish elsewhere. (For anyone living near Guildford, apparently there is a really good fish stall at the farmers' market on Thursdays - someone who comes up from Salcombe. I heard someone raving about it last night!). He's started a campaign called fish fight' in case anyone is interested in learning more about the ethical issues involved in the fish industry...

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Catrina.....Well done..... the main thing is you have changed a shopping habbit... which will support a local shop ( news agent)

It is going to be easier in some parts of the country than others..

But if possible if we could all at least use one local independant shop.. it will make a huge difference to that business, because hopefully if you really do like the quality and service that the your local shop provides whether its a butcher, baker, farm shop, market stall at a market, independant craft shop, pet shop, iron mongers, cobler, locally owned pound land type shop, etc, you will tell other people about it, and hopefully that shop will get another new customer..

I need some veg etc, but our local sunday market's fruit stall is totally hit and miss, unless you eat it all up within 24 hours its only fit for the compost heap ( not even good enough for my chickens)

so there is a little fruit and veg stall in the fouyer of our local wyevale.. so will use then, and then buy my seed potatoes in wyevale... so even though wyevale are a big company... I havent heard anything bad about them, and there also have areas inside where they sell locally prduced craft things etc..

hex2

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

so there is a little fruit and veg stall in the fouyer of our local wyevale.. so will use then, and then buy my seed potatoes in wyevale... so even though wyevale are a big company... I havent heard anything bad about them, and there also have areas inside where they sell locally prduced craft things etc..

Our Wyevale has a fruit and veg stall too but it is an independently owned one.

Caterina, sounds like a sensible decision to me. It is a very personal challenge though - my primary aim is to stay out of the big supermarkets without dramatically increasing my time or budget commitments.

mineallmine

Morning all,

This is hard isn't it. I'm doing a casserole today and everything for it came from independent shops - butchers and greengrocers.

I think even if we spend less then we used to in the main supermarkets that's a good start. What I've already learnt is that I don't have to go to Tesco if we run short of Cravendale (sorry that's one of our downfalls) but the local independent Nisa stock it too, along with my favourite bread Kingsmill toastie - so for that alone I'm grateful for this challenge. For making me look elsewhere.

* So I'm certainly up for a mini challenge of avoiding Tescos (i like one of their make up products so will go in there with only the money only for that - useful way to use their ruddy vouchers).

* Will use my local butchers more - a usual size chicken cost half what I was paying in Asda plus he quartered it for me. Their bacon isn't great sadly so will probably go to Waitrose for that (see Waitrose as better for staff than the other supermarkets). I can get really good ham at another butcher's close to work - just a bit of planning needed to remember picking up some. Again cheaper than Asda or Lidl. And fresher/better tasting.

* Will use the green grocers more - there's one on the way home from work - and I've found recently that Asda in particular has become a lot worse with packaging. So it's really nice to be able to pick up 4 tomatoes without a heap of plastic tray and film around it. And again tasted better.

So this way probably requires a way of shopping that my mum used to do - little and often. I've also done a meal plan for this weekend at least and I know that's saved some money.
:money:

parsonswife8

We couldn't go to the local market stall on Friday as it poured with rain.

I've had to despatch DH into town, to buy some tomatoes, salad stuff and berries.

:o:o:o:o

Not done or intend doing any online grocery shopping for this month. We've been living out of the freezer and store cupboard.

:T:T:T:T:T

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Its allways better to do baby steps....

maybe find a good butcher, and fruit and veg supplier first...

What i learned the first time round, it is hard to try and do it all in one go....

Hex2 our local wyevale is in llansamet, swansea

Caterina

Hi all

Thank you for your kind words of understanding and encouragement. I hope as many of you as possible continue the challenge and are successful in changing your shopping habits!

kezlou

Well i've decided that i also can't join in with the challenge, checked flour prices with independent store and it was ridiculously expensive.

So just going to try and use local shops and markets much more while avoiding supermarkets as much as possible.

Just like to wish everyone the best of luck!

Pitlanepiglet

I'm keeping up buying fruit and veg from our farm shop, the quality is definitely much better than Tesco. It is more expensive but I'm hoping the longevity of it will avoid waste.

They have loads of other stuff in the shop, some of it is not badly priced and I could, if I had the budget, do the majority of my shopping there I think AND they are a proper family owned farm and shop.

I will buy some of my shopping there but I cannot afford to buy flour, butter, pasta, rice and the other staples there sadly.

Lily-Lu

Jolaaled wrote: »

I am really wanting to avoid Tesco (my previous main food supermarket) for as long as possible...but am struggling with the relative cost a bit.

Today I got:

Potatoes (from local farmer market) @ £1.00 per kilo (Mr T would have been 40p per kilo).

I've only been to a couple of farmers markets, but did find them quite expensive; especially the meat, which for us was seen more like a treat/luxury, because it was too expensive to eat it on a regular basis. We had some lovely eggs from one a couple of months ago and although they sounded pricey (£1.60 for a half dozen) they were really big; tasted lovely and one was even a double-yolker:D

As for potatoes, for us, buying a big sack works out much cheaper than buying them loose. I can't get ours directly from a farm, because none of us drive; but the local greengrocer's sell 25kg sacks for somewhere between £9.50 - £11, depending which sort, and only charge 50p extra for local delivery:)
If you have a local greengrocer's, perhaps you could look into buying a sack instead?