How do you organize your food shooping?

WantToBeSE

I am trying to find the most economical way to food shop.
I was wondering how you decide what foods you will buy on your weekly/monthly food shop?

I am wondering if it's worth, every week, looking at the leaflets that show the supermarket offers, and then making a meal plan from that? That way, i can get food when on offer.

What do you think?
How do you organize it?

quintwins

I always check lidl offers online on a monday and if i can use anything and it's a good price i will, you can check asda. tesco and sainburys offers online, at the moment i'm doing small top-up shops as i'm trying to use things up.

I also have a look and see what i have in and try plan around that.

Online shopping is good if you find you keep going overbudget as it stops you impulse buying and you can keep a track of your running total.

rozmister

I look on Aldi and Lidl's website to see what the offers are - buy my meat, fruit, veg and dairy (cheese and yoghurts) from there.

I go to Aldi as my main shop and find I can be quite flexible on my meal plans and don't have to stick to offers but there's always something in the store cupboard I can use as a base for a meal.

I use Sainsburys to pick up specific bits I like from there; popcorn, pasta, rice, etc.

I go to Lidl for a few specific items I want however sometimes it's not worth the trouble because it's advertised as an offer and then it turns out to be cheaper not on offer at Aldi!

I always make a list too!

WantToBeSE

Thanks quintwins, i think thats a great idea, i might start online shopping, but to be honest, i struggle to get my bill up to £50 which, i believe, is the min spend you need with Tesco to get delivered?
The only other place that delivers here is Asda, and i dont get a leaflet for them, but didnt know i could check online!

quintwins

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Thanks quintwins, i think thats a great idea, i might start online shopping, but to be honest, i struggle to get my bill up to £50 which, i believe, is the min spend you need with Tesco to get delivered?
The only other place that delivers here is Asda, and i dont get a leaflet for them, but didnt know i could check online!

no not at all i think the minium spend is £20, asda do cheaper delivery slots tho i'm pretty sure there £3 (i don't have an asda yet i'm sure someone else will confirm this) tesco do have a few £3 ones but only at set time (for my are thats wed/thur afternoon which suits me fine and i force myself to get up to £50 as i only ever use home del now when i have a £10 off £50 spend, as like i said i'm just topping up i can't remeber the lats time i filled a trolley or even half filled a trolley and theres 5 of us)

WantToBeSE

rozmister wrote: »

I look on Aldi and Lidl's website to see what the offers are - buy my meat, fruit, veg and dairy (cheese and yoghurts) from there.

I go to Aldi as my main shop and find I can be quite flexible on my meal plans and don't have to stick to offers but there's always something in the store cupboard I can use as a base for a meal.

I use Sainsburys to pick up specific bits I like from there; popcorn, pasta, rice, etc.

I go to Lidl for a few specific items I want however sometimes it's not worth the trouble because it's advertised as an offer and then it turns out to be cheaper not on offer at Aldi!

I always make a list too!

I have been reading really great things about Aldi on this site, but dont have one near me (the closest on is about 20miles away, and plus £1.50 on the toll bridge), which is a real shame!!

WantToBeSE

quintwins wrote: »

no not at all i think the minium spend is £20, asda do cheaper delivery slots tho i'm pretty sure there £3 (i don't have an asda yet i'm sure someone else will confirm this) tesco do have a few £3 ones but only at set time (for my are thats wed/thur afternoon which suits me fine and i force myself to get up to £50 as i only ever use home del now when i have a £10 off £50 spend, as like i said i'm just topping up i can't remeber the lats time i filled a trolley or even half filled a trolley and theres 5 of us)

Oh wow, really, thats great!
What a shame that Lidl dont do home delivery, and Aldi, i wish they would!

quintwins

We don't have a aldi either, and i don't think i'd like lidl deliver, they rush you threw tills and don't even give you time to pack god only knows what your shopping would arrive like :rotfl:

I only really buy offers in lidl or bread at 60p or toilet roll they do 10 rolls for under £1.89 they aren't the softest but are really full rolls and last us ages, at the moment were using andrex i got on an amazon glitch and using 4-5 rolls a week once thats done i'll def be back to lidl.

Penny-Pincher!!

I use the supermarket with the highest coupon code and shop for there. I always try to utilise with their offers but if I can get £10-£15 off my shopping then I don't mind paying full price for some items.

We generally have similar meals each week and will usually consist of a chicken that will roast up with left overs for sandwiches or salad, sausage based meal, chilli or spagbol but made with lamb not beef, pork chump chops cooked in a soup to keep soft, chicken curry made with thigh fillets as half the price of breast, a fish based meal which can be a pie, piece of fish or fingers and a free meal which is stuff we already have in and usually egg, chips and beans.

If using a £15 off £70 spend, then I generally have more than enough meat/fish/poultry to do 2 weeks menu.

HTH

PP
xx

Stephen_Leak

As above, I ROBOshop (Research Online, Buy Offline).

The only problem is when a supermarket doesn't show a particular item on their website, but I look on this as more of a problem for them than me. If they can't be @r$ed to advertise it to me, why should I be @r$ed to buy it from them?

Also, I keep a back-up store of those items I use regularly. Then, when one runs out, I can replace it immediately but also have time to shop around for a replacement. For example, my 1kg box of Kellogg's corn flakes has just run out. I've replaced it with the 1kg one from the store cupboard. My online research shows that ASDA and Sainsbury's are currently doing the 750g box for just £2.00, which is better value than a 1kg box.

Also, shop from a list. You only buy what you need. You don't forget things. You don't buy things you don't need. You don't buy things you already have. However, if you find a bargain, rules are meant to be broken.

gravitytolls

I stick to online, as I find it easier to budget and not overspend ~ might even have a little left for a treat.

I like Asda because they price match their substitutes, never use Tesco cos they're rubbish, like Sainsburys, but have to buy yumyums.

Mind you, we're a large family, so it's easy to spend enough to make it worthwhile.