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

the_optimist

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

who's going to be the pans people dancers in the background

I'd love to but it would scare the viewers away :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

rach

:rotfl:love the song!!!

i am with you, i will go back to supermarkets for very little if anything. and the funny thing was, i LOVED my trips to tesco, wandering round etc!! how funny to think back now! my challenge is for lent, which is obviously more than a month (its actually 46 days, as when they say 40 they don't count the sundays!), but i can't believe i've just counted and i'm on day 16 already!!! and i've spent less than a tenner on food & household stuff so far in March :T

i've found i've not bought stuff for the sake of it. my fridge is more empty than usual but i used to end up throwing a lot of stuff away! meal planning has also helped on that score. i think i've also realised that i'm not even here every day to eat so i don;t need to buy enough food for an army!!! i am looking forward to my trip to the market for fruit and veg tomorrow, especially with my new funky trolley! part of today's flylady task is next week's meal plan so i will do that and buy anything else i need. i am planning to use up the supermarket frozen meat before buying from the butcher, as i know otherwise i won't want the supermarket stuff...

competitionscafe

TV chef leads fight against supermarkets
By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent
Published: 28 February 2007

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, the television chef and champion of small producers, is fronting a new offensive against the supermarkets which he portrays as a "bullying" force destroying British food.

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_medical/article2311315.ece

catznine

It is day 17 of avoiding the big supermarkets and so far we haven't stepped foot in Sainsburys, Tescos or Asda :j We have had to visit Aldi and our small Co-op but not for very much, mainly cat food as we have a very fussy cat who will only eat Aldi cat food :rolleyes:

OH has just steered the car away from Sainsburys again and headed off to the local newsagents for his Saturday paper and we are enjoying stressfree weekends again!

The cupboards and freezers are bulging so we won't starve and we are eating healthier food. The bin stays mostly empty (1 or 2 bags at most by binday) 2 weeks to payday and we are still in budget:D I see no reason why we can't keep this up until Easter (we gave up supermarkets for Lent) and will now continue to shop this way.

Only problem I have had is with Slimming Worlds eating suggestions, mostly brands and supermarket items which are also IMHO quite unhealthy, but I am cooking from scratch using the diet plans food optimising as best I can.

Overall I am really pleased we have joined this challenge! Thank you CTC! :T

Catz x

rach

i took my trolley down to the market this afternoon, unfortunately there weren't as many bargains as the lat time i went, mainly i think as it was too early in the afternoon. i got:

3lb apples £1
1lb parsnips & 1lb leeks £1.50
1lb red seedless grapes £1 (could've had 2lb green for £1 but prefer red)
about 15 small greenish bananas £1

forgot to buy mushrooms but can manage without or nip to local shop

also got in weigh and save:
oats (big bag just under a kilo) 54p
3 packs 'hit' choc biscuits 99p
and i bought some soda crystals and a bar of soap and a masher in wilko, total 1.13p

competitionscafe

Shopped! How supermarkets rip you off
By JOANNA BLYTHMAN
8th March 2007

Supermarkets use clever tricks to push up their profits

Think you're making a saving by shopping at a superstore? Joanna Blythman reveals the devious tricks the big supermarkets use to make rip-offs look like bargains. Fall for one con - get another one FREE:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=440864&in_page_id=1879&in_a_source=

By the way - saw Joanna Blythman (author of Shopped and Bad Food Britain) doing her shopping at the [Edinburgh] farmers market last weekend

thriftlady_2

What an inspiring read :j I'm going to try harder. Fruit,dairy,veg, meat is easy. I'll try Lidl for storecupboard stuff. But what about fresh fish ? There are no fishmongers near me.

London_Girl_3

I have given up supermarkets for lent. i get a veg box delivered once a week and they also do bread, milk, eggs and few other bits. My freezer was stocked with meat from a butcher anyway. Today was the first day i wanted something from a supermarket and it wasn't anything important. I am hoping that my washing liquid for my clothes last till Easter.
I haven't really missed the supermarkets - and neither have my pockets. It makes me wonder what i will do from Easter and how much will use them then.
My partner goes to the supermarket nearly everyday (and then wonders my shopping costs so much less each week)

i hadn't noticed this thread before and it's great to see so many people shopping locally

mophead

Back again, with another link http://archive.corporatewatch.org/pages/whats_wrong_suprmkts.htm

rach

London_Girl wrote: »

I have given up supermarkets for lent. i get a veg box delivered once a week and they also do bread, milk, eggs and few other bits. My freezer was stocked with meat from a butcher anyway. Today was the first day i wanted something from a supermarket and it wasn't anything important. I am hoping that my washing liquid for my clothes last till Easter.
I haven't really missed the supermarkets - and neither have my pockets. It makes me wonder what i will do from Easter and how much will use them then.
My partner goes to the supermarket nearly everyday (and then wonders my shopping costs so much less each week)

i hadn't noticed this thread before and it's great to see so many people shopping locally

welcome

my OH goes to supermarket loads too, well, he buys his lunch at M&S every day....though i guess its preferable that he gets a salad and fruit from there to a pastie from greggs!:)

i am not planning to go back to supermarkets for much at all, if anything, after easter. in terms of laundry, i am making my first lot of laundry gloop, will let you know how it works. was so easy to make i can't believe it, and has cost me about 30p!!!!