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

Penny-Pincher!!

Bought 2 pints of sterilised milk from the milkman today £1.06. Not a great price, but I love the taste in my tea and on cereal:D I was thinking of putting a regular order in each week, but he comes so late here. Today was very early for him and that was 8am. Normally its about 10. We have breakfast between 6.30-7.30...this is really putting me off ATM.

OH bought 3 chickens from the butchers today and some minced lamb and this was £10. Enough for about 11 meals for the 3 of us there;)

PP
xx

competitionscafe

"Supermarkets 'are driving farmers out of business'
By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Published: 27 February 2007

Farmers are being forced out of business by the supermarkets despite their claims to be models of responsibility and environmentalism, the new leader of Britain's farmers said.

Speaking at their annual conference in Birmingham yesterday, the president of the National Farmers' Union, Peter Kendall warned that low prices spelt doom for traditional dairy, beef and sheep farms.

In a challenge to match their caring "rhetoric" with action, he urged the big four retailers - Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's and Morrisons - to behave more like Waitrose, whom he praised for fair dealing with suppliers"
full story: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2308408.ece

competitionscafe

bigspender2 wrote:

I was thinking of ordering some meat from here http://www.donaldrussell.com/index.cfm
as anyone tried there meat?

Thanks

I have used them a few times. Their beef and chicken are good but I think that their lamb and pork are nothing special and overpriced considering they are not organic. For example their pork is only 'RSPCA Freedom Food accredited' which only ensures basic welfare standards and yet it is as expensive as Soil Association standard organic pork which is reared to far higher standards of welfare.

As an alternative, I can recommend the following from this "where to buy meat" feature in the Times: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/meat/article645258.ece

MOORLANDS / FISHLEIGH
http://www.moorlandsfarmshop.co.uk/

HIGHER HACKNELL FARM
https://www.higherhacknell.co.uk

PIPERS FARM
https://www.pipersfarm.com

THE WELL HUNG MEAT COMPANY
https://www.wellhungmeat.com

THE REAL MEAT COMPANY
https://www.realmeat.co.uk)

SHEEPDROVE ORGANIC FARM
https://www.sheepdrove.com

GRAIG FARM ORGANICS
https://www.graigfarm.co.uk

THE ESSEX PIG COMPANY (Jimmy's Farm)
https://www.essexpigcompany.com

NORTHFIELD FARM
https://www.northfieldfarm.com

SWADDLES:
https://www.swaddles.co.uk

furndire

hazzie123 wrote:

Have decided to have me santa sausages tomorrow,tried to google them but got nowt,even on the butchers website came up with nothing.

Also most of the fruit I bought at the market yesterday is ready for the bin,already thrown 4 clemintines out as they had a fur coat on them.Although this is encouraging me and the kids to eat more fruit,but dont think they will have much vitamin goodness left in them?

Anyone else found this with their fruit?

If you can afford to get some of the Debbie Meyer's EvertFresh Green Bags your fruit and veg will keep far longer. QVC sell them http://www.qvcuk.com/ukqic/qvcapp.aspx/app.detail/walk.yah.UKHG~UK14
You can probably get them cheaper elsewhere (I got mine from QVC expecting to send them back if they didn't work!!!!) They seem to be expensive for a start, but I have been using them for over 6 month, and they had saved their cost within a month. Split a pack with a friend/relative.
You can prove they work by putting fruit in one and leaving the other out. I had strawberries which I had bought from the market keep for about 10 days in the fridge in a bag. Last week I eventually had to throw the remains of broccolli out, as it had started to flower (the green buds had started opening and turning into yellow flowers.)
I just wash the bags out, and reuse them. I think a pack will last for years.

competitionscafe

tinselfairy wrote:

Hi Rach
I'm in Southampton, though a day trip to Bournemouth by train is looking appealing with all the bargains you are managing to find!

I also saw this place recommended somewhere (can't remember where, sorry!) and remembered that they are in Totton / Southampton - they do weekly fruit/veg boxes, have a farm shop, and offer online ordering but also have a stall at Bournemouth and Winchester farmers markets:

http://www.sunnyfields.co.uk/

Box Scheme (you can add any of their other products (meat, fish, dairy, whole foods, household, beauty) to fruit/veg box orders )
http://www.sunnyfields.co.uk/products/fruit-veg-box.html

kscour

Wow 3 weeks = 25 rebels!!:T

green "keeping fresh vegetable" bags can also be found at lakeland plastics - not quite sure how they work but they do!

Tomato Ketchup recipe
came from topsecretrecipes.com via halloweenqueen

one 6 ounce can tomato paste - I used 6 oz of tomato puree
1/2 cup of light corn syrup - I used 1/2 cup of golden syrup (my 1/2 cup = 120ml)
1/2 cup of white vinegar
1/4 cup of water
1 tbsp of sugar (I didn't put in cos I thought the golden syrup may be sweeter than corn syrup. I think it may need it - depends on your taste buds!)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder

1. mix all ingredients in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk until smooth

2. when mixture comes to the boil, reduce heat & simmer for 20 mins, stirring often (unless you want the walls splattered I would suggest stirring more or less constantly!)

3. Remove pan from heat & cover until cool. Chill & store in covered container (ex tescos tomato ketchup with big homemade sticker on is acceptable:D )

makes 1 1/2 cups which isn't an awful lot so if you don't like it you can always use it as a base for a casserole.

friend tried it tonight - consistancy full marks, flavour 110% but she prefers it cos its not as sweet as heinz - I think the sugar may be needed for some tastes not for others.

And for those new to the thread - I still have to buy some stuff in lidls but don't think so much as walking into a supermarket as a failure - instead look at every item, however small, that you purchase in an independant as a success.

katmad99

well....since joining this thread i havent needed to buy much food (just one loaf of kingsmill and i got it in a little corner shop) but today OH and I went for a 'big shop' as we had nothing for lunch let alone dinner!!

So i made a big efficient list with prices on (collected from old asda receipts and posts on this thread) so i knew what i was willing to pay more/less for.
Then we went to the local farmer's market in town and got ......

carrots, red onions, one leek, big mushrooms, baking potatos and small salad potatoes, bag of mixed leaf lettuce, garlic, and 12 eggs for about £5.50 (which i was very pleased with )

got a loaf of multigrain for £1.80 :eek: but is really yummy and i will scout around for a better deal in other bakeries that i know of.

Also got my favourite apple juice as a treat (£2)

sliced chorizo for £1.00 (it was imported from france but is organic and is sold by one woman who has a kind of 'deli' stall with fresh olives and pesto and so forth)

4 pork and leek sausages for £1.30 which we ate tonight and were delish!!:D

Then we went to Lidls (i know it counts as a supermarket but i'm doing my best!! on a tight student budget and at least it wasn't one of the big'uns) for standard stuff like beans (heinz 4 pack for £1!), chopped toms, biscuits, and a few frozen bits.

Only other shop i have been to is a co-op for fruit and i only buy fair trade when i'm there.

I'm having problems getting rice milk (cant stand soya) and 'Pure' vegan spread (i'm not a vegan i just cant have much dairy) but i know of a small local wholefoods shop that sells it so i'm going there asap. (prefer them to holland and barretts)

all in all a 50% success day as the farmer's market was lovely and i know that once i am used to shopping there i will get more things there and less in Lidl. I am happy though as my money went to local traders and a smaller, underrated supermarket, rather than Mr.T (or Mr.A/S/M!!!) Plus i spent about half as much as i would have done in a regular supermarket, and was pleased to come home with no "just couldnt resist.. such a bargain....3 for 2!" rubbish and just the things i actually wanted!!!!!!!!

Doing my best and i hope that with time i will get better at this.

well done everyone for your efforts so far.....rebelling is fun!!!!

rach

well done everyone, i have realised how easy i have it with all the little shops that are nearer than the supermarket!!!

tomorrow night we have a kids event at church (my work) which i am running, normally i would buy donuts for the refreshments but instead i am going to try and bake some buns i have pretty much everything i need for a couplf of dozen, will nip out for eggs (99p for 6 free range i think, same as sainsbury's) and some marg. only thing is i don't have an elec whisk so might go and treat myself to one as they are reasonable and are really useful!

catznine

Morning!:hello:

Just had 2 lts semi skimmed organic milk and 1 lt soya milk delivered with fruit and veg box and eggs from abel and cole which cost £14.45. Half the milk will go in the freezer for the end of the week.

I am looking at their list to see what else to have delivered, does anyone else use abel and cole? so far everything has been very good but would love to know what else is worth trying.

We really don't have much in the way of independent stores, just the local mill, a couple of butchers and 1 indepedant chemist, I have used the co-op in an emergency, but I have remembered my friend has just opened a small store and does some fair trade goodies so if i can get over there I will stock up.

So far my months spend looks like coming in at £160 :j covering the weekly box/dairy deliveries for the month and the meat orders. I have a good supply of rice, pasta, flour and tins. Could run out of butter and soya spread but that is factored into the £160. Is it possible that shopping this way will start to save me money? :T

Just thinking that in order to use and not waste any of the lovely fresh ingredients I am baking more and prepping food to put into the freezer if we can't get through it quickly (also use and recommend the green bags) having a baking day is very old style isn't it? Would love to know how cost effective others are finding this challenge. I do believe that being away from the big supermarkets we are also away from the brainwashing and temptations of spending on stuff we really don't need.

Catz x

belleabi0405

I've decided to stop shopping at Tesco but I'm having a little difficulty sourcing fresh fruit and veg locally (a box scheme is in operation 12 miles away but they are not sure they can supply us here), anyone know of a national delivery scheme? It's crazy that we live in West Wales with a mild climate, an abundance of land and there are very few greengrocers..... I recently read an article that the reason fresh food is scarce in this area is because it is being sold into England and into Supermarkets...Agghhhhhh