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

Mrs_A.

hi everyone

can i join in this too please, today i took ds16 to asda as he needed a new bag and a few stationary bits for school, i didnt do any shopping as i dont actually need anything.
however, earlier tonight i said to my hubby do you fancy a run to asda or tesco for the shopping (they are both 20 miles each way from my house!!!!) thankfully hubby said that he couldnt be bothered so i stayed in and read this thread.
i would have spend aroung £100 not including the petrol. Two days ago i went into the local butcher and bought 6 pork and leek sausages i usually buy tesco or asda value for 50p or something, well the butchers ones were more expensive, a lot more tastier and probably 300% healthier than the value ones. and i didnt have to travel 40 miles to get them and bring them home!!!!!!!!
tomorrow is localish market day so guess where i will be.
thank you for such a great thread
kindest regards
mrs a

Icemaiden

Okay, I getting desperate for flour now:eek: have managed to sort myself out for everything else but can't for the life in me find any

Have various people doing undercover detective work trying to source it, even 'Rodger' the butcher has offered to borrow some from the wife to keep me going but admits hers is probably from the supermarket:rolleyes:

I'm not giving up yet but think I may have hit a brick wall:mad:

Ice
x

angelatgraceland

I notice some people are going to Makro. Well I do have a card for them, also for Bookers but I don't find them very good value when you add on the V>A>T and you have to buy so many of everything. I would class them as a supermarket-I know they arent but its not like using your local shops-its in the "super" size category after all. Its a place Ive vowed to stay away from as I ended up buyin all the things I normally would not. I want to find a local petfood supplier now though as I can't get what I want on the High St. I usually buy big bags of Wagg but ven Mr Ts is always out of stock. Thought of the stuff for working dogs but no idea where to begin! I'm just outskirts of Bristol-near to Weston Super Mare.

competitionscafe

Some interesting articles from the newspapers:

From todays Observer Food Monthly magazine (inside the Observer newspaper):

Just going down the local

You might think delis are booming, but at least 53 closed last year. It's time to think small, says Caroline Boucher

Recently a Dorset food supplier launched an initiative to draw attention to small, independent retailers - delis, farm shops, village stores - with the message: Love It or Lose It.

full article........> http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,,2017486,00.html

Others:

Where to buy meat:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/meat/article645258.ece

How to recognise good meat
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/meat/article640298.ece

Are you really buying British?
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/body_and_soul/article1360194.ece

Why we must stop shopping in Tesco:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1717576,00.html
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rach

i forgot to say there were also 4 big leeks in the bag. unbelieveable, i bet it would have cost at least a fiver in tesco for that lot! i am going to work out my meal plan now for the next week based on what i have in the fridge drawer!!

i have realised how lucky i am as there are a few independant convenient shops around here, and even the post office sells flour and things like that (i got lasagne sheets there yesterday!) makes me even more passionate about preserving these little gems. 2 of them have appeared over the last few years.

Penny-Pincher!!

Makros

I only buy from Makros when they have super special offers on. Buy loo rolls, tetley tea bags, washing powder, lenor, nescafe and any good bargains...generally I find them no cheaper after adding the VAT than other stores.

OH went Friday and he bought loads of Warburtons loaves which are normally over £1 a loaf to 30p and he also got some other very cheap yellow stickered items...please see above post!

Ive never been to Costco before

Flour-Our local corner shop had 1.5kg bags for 78p...so not too bad.

HTH

PP
xx

kscour

CTC - thanks but NOOOOO!!!!:eek: It looks wonderful I'm just trying to find an excuse to go, failing that it's on route to my brothers so next time I go I may just find I need the toilet just as we're coming to Llandeilo!:D

Ice - whereabouts are you? Have you tried health shops? Or search for mills in your area (seriously! we have this one http://www.yfelin.co.uk/products.htm)

And I've just rediscovered a lovely site
http://www.buywelsh.biz/cnc/index.php
select food & drink and get ready to drool!

Oh and managed to get freshly squeezed orange juice in Lidls as well so that cured one problem £1.09/litre:D

charlies_mum

I don't go to my local butcher, but have an abbatoire locally, so sometimes go there for my meat - it's just like an ordinary butcher, you don't see the animals, and you know that the meat is a fresh as it gets !

it might be worth checking in your local phone book to see if anyone else has one locally as their prices are really good

catznine

I've put in an order with Goodness Direct as well - the introductory meat pack, sweet potatoes and some extra sausages and hopefully will receive the free fruit and veg box. With the order from Jimmys farm coming this week I should have a lovely full freezer to see me through for quite a long time! :j

I am planning a trip to our local mill shop to check out the flour prices and to pick up some yeast for breadmaking. They also sell pet food in bulk so if I can find something to suit our very fussy old girl I will pick that up as well.

Rach I wish I had a market like yours so close to me! I am hoping to visit dd on a saturday so I can take advantage of her being close to her market in Walthamstow for some better bargains.

I think that giving up convenience food at the same time as giving up Mr T has helped though I could have probs with my lifelong addiction to fishfingers :rolleyes:

COOLTRIKERCHICK

hi.....mrs a...... you are rebel no.....24...welcome aboard:T

you will be suprised....and what you can get locally.....yes you will have some stumbling blocks with some products that you want/need........but over time... you will find somewhere that stocks it.......sp prob.. the first few weeks you might have to use a supermarket/ cash and carry....as emergencies.....

competitionscafe.......you are briliant with these links.... thank you....will read them after i posted...:T
i have noticed you havent got a rebel no


icemaiden...i had this problem too...........so i asked my local baker did he sell flour... and yep...... so this is where i get my flour from... now.......i think its 85p a kg.........there was a link in one of the previous posts.... where you could buy flour by mail order... and get it delivered for free...... i think it worked out that you had to buy 12 x 1.5 kg.....i was going to buy my flour from them until.. i found out my baker would sell me flour.....in the begining..... you do need a back up.....not ideal ..but for me its better than going to tescos..... who are trying to take over the consumer world......i have used the co-op. just to buy milk ..high juice... and a box of weetabix... in the begining.. now i only get my high juice from there until i can find somewhere else.....mackro.....i buy the large tubs of jam....and the chineese cartons for bulk cooking to freeze......i was going to get sugar from there but on friday i managed to find a half decent corner type shop..... which has great deals on beer so hubby will be pleased......:D

i was just thinking.. i take part in the shopandscan.wherei scan all my shopping every week and the place i buy it from and the price........i bet they are wondering what i am doing in the sudden total change in shopping habbit

kscour.... i love llandeilo.....go there regular.. even though its about an hour away for me......if you ever do go there.. dont bother with the little fruit/veg place on by the bridge.....when ever i have called in there....the produce. .allways look as though it has seen better days...