Enough. We're walking away from supermarkets

gailey_2

sams247 wrote: »

Aww thank you. Its http://sayingnothethebigfive.blogspot.co.uk/

I am trying to keep up with it......... must be better, must be better.....

Today I am gathering some of the links I have started to use to order food, ones I have been happy with, and my plan is to add these to the site. My DD urges me to open a Twit account so I am preparing to embrace yet another leap in computer world

Glad to see you still doing well with the challenge.
Must read your blog.

I find it hard to keep up with blog finally updated today as been so hectic plus guess less is some times more as have more material per blog.
Im on twitter was skeptical at first but enjoying the banter with lots small producers and shops.Im goodlifeliving1 similar to my home page.

If you edit your mse profile you can add your blog to that so people can look you up more regular.

I havent managed to avoid supermarkets due to hubbys crazy schedule so couldent get to farm.

I have ordered from ocado.
shopped aldis and lidls
local deli and 1 market stall selling cheap veg in shopping centre and ordered local from local dairy.

I do wonder how the sales in big 4 are since horse meat thing.
Theres definatly big drive to shop local on twitter theres shop local 4lent.

Im glad its spring but feel like this year slipping away fast .

sams247

Tonight is Twitter night, I am going to sit with DD and start a Twitter account and learn about links etc. I feel a headache looming even as I speak.... but everyone assures me its simple so .......

We ate the most amazing scones at the weekend, i am boring people to death about them! Its one of the good things about this avoidance of the supermarket thing - I must insist on trying new producvts whenever we stumble across them. I am willing to suffer for my beliefs and if this includes scones, fresh bread, deli quiche and chocolate samples then so be it!

Thank you, Gingervamp, for the twitter suggestions, I will be looking them up.

Off to attempt to edit my mse profile!

Finefoot

Edwardia wrote: »

Yogurt maker
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/3440/Electric-Yoghurt-Maker?src=gpelc&gclid=CNDK1NiCgbUCFYLHtAodVRUABA

Yogurt mixes including organic and fruit
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/brands/easiyo?intcmp=INTSRCH:easiyo

In one of the OS threads, was instructions how to make yogurt in a thermos. Went down vey well in our house!

[Deleted User]

sams247 wrote: »

For many reasons - health, not liking the ways we are manipulated and tricked by supermarkets, not trusting the food we eat...... etc we have taken the decision to try a year without using a supermarket.

We live urban, close to Windsor, we have supermarket at every corner, we often have two Mr T's in the same area, we can barely walk without tripping over a supermarket. But enough. For us.

We are going to try not to use any of supermarkets, shop local where possible, shop small, shop online from individual providers. This is going to take us a week or two to adjust to.

We are not smallholding fans, we're not even gardeners (live in a flat), we don't have chickens, I dont knit my own clothes and live off the land. I am basically a Wai**so lass, I have loved the convenience of pressing that button, then a guy bringing my order to me. We have long work commitments. So this is not a simple decision, but I believe its the right decision.

A question - money saving is still a focus for us - is it cheating to still use Costco for our cleaning products? Would appreciate your opinions as we are divided on this.

I dont eat generally eat red meat although succumb to the odd bacon or sausage, OH never eats meat at all and no shellfish, DD has strict food rules (self imposed), so organic, healthy, non processed is the order of the day.

Planning now, will start on payday.

I think this is the way alot of people are going now...

I don't relish the thought of dragging a shopping trolley through the market then bringing it home on the bus but there are not many other options for me out there...

SAYING THAT I have recently placed an order for 3 weeks of mini veg boxes as a 'trial' which is going to cost me a tenner for the whole 3 weeks worth!

Not a bad price as I will be getting 4-5 different seasonal vegetables ( for £3.35 ) in the parcels as I think they are delivered in strong brown paper bags but I can't WAIT to try it!!!

The company I used are here ; http://www.kentvegbox.co.uk/VEGFRUIT.html

There may be others in your area if you search for 'veg boxes' and they DO often work out cheaper , let alone fresher than the supermarkets and come literally straight from the farm :T

Other good & reasonably priced ones are here ; http://www.organicdeliverycompany.co.uk/

And ; http://www.farmaround.co.uk/index.php

*Edit* The Kent Veg box company also do a 3 week trial of free range farm fresh eggs for £3 so £1 per pack which is a very competitive price versus the supermarkets!!

I like the convenience of it & there are also local food co-ops where you go and collect your food from but make sure you check the online delivery companies as some charge around 5 or 6 quid for delivery if the order is under £50! :(

I also like Abel & Cole who deliver pretty much everywhere it seems???

They do a good veg box for £10 delivered & at the moment you get a really nice FREE cookbook with your first order using the code 'BOX' ; http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/

I LIKE THE FACT THAT IF YOU DON'T LIKE EG SWISS CHARD OR JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES ETC YOU CAN SET YOUR PREFERENCES NEVER TO RECEIVE THEM!

I used to use them when I was working and set it to once a fortnight and loved the range of veg I used to get in the boxes , it also inspired me to cook very healthily which I DON'T right now coz it's just cheap cr*p I am eating at the moment , hence the fairly cheap veg bag trial! x

sams247

The Kent Veg box people look good, but out of our area. Organic Delievry - also dont delivery to us But Farmaround do! Yay! Will browse and see what they do.

The delivery charges can be really offputting, I have found what are probably great suppliers of chickens and sausages but both charge a lot for delivery and it makes it unaffordable for us by doing so

Kirri

sams247 wrote: »

The Kent Veg box people look good, but out of our area. Organic Delievry - also dont delivery to us But Farmaround do! Yay! Will browse and see what they do.

The delivery charges can be really offputting, I have found what are probably great suppliers of chickens and sausages but both charge a lot for delivery and it makes it unaffordable for us by doing so

Riverford are free delivery and Able & Cole 99p delivery and min order value is only £10-£12 ish. I've tried both recently and been really good. Though min order is higher for meat I think (I'm not sure exactly as I don't eat/order it).

Would be interested to hear how you get on with Farmaround if you order, I've not tried them recently.

Been using the boxes again for a few weeks now and unlike when I tried them (pre-allotment, 9 ish years ago), places like Able & Cole now have a huge range of dairy and storecupboard stuff - I'm not needing to go to the supermarket and prices are cheaper for org items. Not much help if you don't necessarily want org though!

gailey_2

Abel and cole and roverford on my must try list.

Think useful alternative for those who cant get to farm, butchers or green grocers.

my dairy deliver local veg box might order one for this week.

sams247

gailey wrote: »

Abel and cole and roverford on my must try list.

Think useful alternative for those who cant get to farm, butchers or green grocers.

my dairy deliver local veg box might order one for this week.

I have to say the Riverford guy was very friendly but I wasnt always thrilled with what I got. I have returned to Abel and Cole after a long long time and found them to be greatly improved. They have a very wide selection and I have to say the chicken was amazing. I will be using them again!

I've decided to give Natoora a go, and want to try out their fresh pasta as I have such a weakness for that! (I have a recipe to make some but time......... excuses.......)

ss3n08

Hello, I have just started reading this so I hope this hasn't been mentioned but we buy our meat from a website called Douglas Willis. About every 3 months they have half price chicken breasts so a 10 pack is £8.75. They come fresh and we divide them up and freeze them. We also got lamb henrys (like lamb shanks) half price and they are amazing, there is so much meat on them. I don't think the offers this week are that great but thats just my opinion. I used to buy meat from the supermarkets but it was so rubbery (especially tesco) and I was frying some chicken but with all the water that came out I was practically boiling it, it was so revolting. I always worry about these veg boxes that there will be stuff I won't use or don't like, I prefer to go to the greengrocer and pick what is in front of me x

sams247

ss3n08 wrote: »

Hello, I have just started reading this so I hope this hasn't been mentioned but we buy our meat from a website called Douglas Willis.

I prefer to go to the greengrocer and pick what is in front of me x

Thank you for that, I had a quick look and it looks good. One of the first things I check now is the delivery price, rapidly followed by the minimum order price (if there is one). I am trying so hard to do all my shopping without any supermarket, and try and source organic where possible, artisan where I can, fresh, chemical free, natrual etc and when I find somewhere that excites me I sob in frustrattion if I am then forced to spend over £50 or £60 with them in any one go. Or I find I have to spend £10 (plus) on delivery even if all I want to do is order a simple pie to test out the quality. If I go to my butcher and want to test out the quality of chicken I can buy one piece, I can go to the grocer and buy one apple. Why cant I buy small lots from small producers?

Rant over.

I came in under my budget last month but this month plan to spend more....... and get the freezer stocked up. I am spending less and using all I buy which is a change from when I wandered around the aisles putting things in my trolley I fancied, some of which never made it to the table as it got ignored till it grew cultures and sprang new life forms. But I am spending more than I want to on delivery and petrol. So bulk buying ahead.