Best Value/Basics groceries?

kimplus8

A few months ago we had a food parcel given to us as they had some left over from the Christmas period. Included were a few tins of cream of tomato soup. all basics/value range.
It was so yummy with some crusty bread rolls that I had lurking in the freezer and the kids have asked to have it again. (bonus, another cheap meal I can add to the list).
The kids have all said they like the value stuff and 'orange label' stuff (Mr. S basics).
So my question is, what great things do you get from these ranges and what is not so good value or isn't great quality?
We are a family of 8 (almost9) so any of these savuings are greatly appreciated.
What big 4 value range do you find to be the best quality?? I'm not able to shop all over the place but will move my weekly shop online to the best value range at that seems to be where I save the most money.
thanks in advance for responses and sorry if this has been covered before.

Grumpelstiltskin

Sainsburys Basics Mushy Peas, Gravy Granules, Sage and Onion Stuffing, tinned Sweetcorn I find all of them good and cheap.

Goldiegirl

Basics frozen peas - no different to the standard range. I also like the basics tinned mushrooms to go in spag bols

HappyMJ

Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »

Sainsburys Basics Mushy Peas, Gravy Granules, Sage and Onion Stuffing, tinned Sweetcorn I find all of them good and cheap.

You've probably picked what I consider some of the worst ones. I've tried them all and those ones I know are in the spreadsheet as a no.

Everything must be tried as some items are fine for one person and some are unacceptable to another.

The 20p basics mushy peas are very different to the 50p Batchelors ones. 90% peas to 95% peas to start with. The colour is different and they do taste different.

The 25p basics gravy granules produce a gravy that doesn't look or taste anything like the £1.25 Bisto granules.

It was very easy to tell the difference between the 25p basics sage and onion stuffing and the 60p Paxo sage and onion stuffing. I cooked both brands for a Sunday dinner once and everyone preferred the Paxo stuffing.

The 30p tinned sweetcorn was not crisp enough to put into a salad. It also has added sugars. It was okay to cook with but the 65p naturally sweetened sweetcorn from Green Giant was much better with no added sugar.

My favourites are the 60p garlic barguettes (45p elsewhere) baked they are virtually the same tasting quite nice, the 60p tortilla chips (46p elsewhere) (compared to Aldi, Tesco's, Asda's and Morrison's own brands the Sainsbury's ones are much better), the basa fillets (it's a cheap white fish. Aldi also sell the same frozen Basa fillets at £1.49 which are much cheaper than the Sainsbury's ones at £2.05).

Grumpelstiltskin

Easy cheap recipe


Sainsburys Basic Pasta 35p
Tuna Chunks 70p
Chopped Tomatoes 30p
Sweetcorn 30p




Tuna Pasta Bake


Grate a little cheese on top if you like it.


If you have an Aldi near by I think their Tuna Flakes are cheaper

Grumpelstiltskin

MJ I think the 2 pack of Garlic Bagettes are 70p now, I bought some earlier in the week, looking on My Supermarket I can only see the single pack @ 40p.


I never eat sweetcorn in a salad and I rinse it before I use it.


Stuffing I guess paying 3 times as much as basics it will taste better but 3 times better?


Gravy granules. I always put water in the bottom of my roasting pan when cooking a joint and I drain the juices off to add to the granules and I am more than happy with the taste.
Also the granules are 25p. Bisto the same size £1.25. A heck of a price difference.

kimplus8

HappyMJ wrote: »

You've probably picked what I consider some of the worst ones. I've tried them all and those ones I know are in the spreadsheet as a no.

Everything must be tried as some items are fine for one person and some are unacceptable to another.

The 20p basics mushy peas are very different to the 50p Batchelors ones. 90% peas to 95% peas to start with. The colour is different and they do taste different.

The 25p basics gravy granules produce a gravy that doesn't look or taste anything like the £1.25 Bisto granules.

It was very easy to tell the difference between the 25p basics sage and onion stuffing and the 60p Paxo sage and onion stuffing. I cooked both brands for a Sunday dinner once and everyone preferred the Paxo stuffing.

The 30p tinned sweetcorn was not crisp enough to put into a salad. It also has added sugars. It was okay to cook with but the 65p naturally sweetened sweetcorn from Green Giant was much better with no added sugar.

My favourites are the 60p garlic barguettes (45p elsewhere) baked they are virtually the same tasting quite nice, the 60p tortilla chips (46p elsewhere) (compared to Aldi, Tesco's, Asda's and Morrison's own brands the Sainsbury's ones are much better), the basa fillets (it's a cheap white fish. Aldi also sell the same frozen Basa fillets at £1.49 which are much cheaper than the Sainsbury's ones at £2.05).

Is that a personal spreadsheet MJ or one on here I can look at??
The kids are not keen on fish except tuna and battered fish fingers, I picked up some reduced salmon so I'm going to try them with that and see what they think.
They love mince and onions in gravy so the 25p granules will be perfect just for that, I've also heard that the value lasagne sheets are nice?? Anyone know?

Grumpelstiltskin

Kim I never make lasagne but I do make a lot of pasta dishes and in my mind once pasta is covered in a sauce its just pasta. I bet if you look at the ingredients on Basic as compered to expensive branded you won't see a difference and I can guarantee the kids won't notice any difference.

kimplus8

Lasagne is lasagne surely?? Lol I completely agree Grumple, once it's got a sauce on who can really tell??

VfM4meplse

I'm sure there's already a long thread about this. Mods?

dingdongsaving

I use Morrisons x4 for £1 plum and chopped toms as the basis of lots of meals...from toms on toast, tom/minstrone soups, ragus for pasta dishes and sauces, enchilada sauce...and the list goes on.
We add a dash of olive oil and a squish of tom puree...then any other desired flavours: garlic, basil, thyme, oregano, cumin, chilli depending not he dish and my family are on cloud 9.

We don't enjoy the value/saver stuffing, but we always enjoy Tesco own brand one or make our own with whichever flavours we'd like depending on the meal.

Value dishwasher tablets from any of the supermarkets also doesn't seem to make any difference to our glasses/dishes so we use those. We live in a pretty neutral water area, and I'm often annoyed that I used to buy high end dishwasher tabs/gels etc and now I pay 1 or 2 £s for the month and get the same result!

Our family like BBQ beans, and we buy and value beans and add a bit of BBQ sauce for this.

We also buy value frozen peas as we always cook with mint from our garden/freezer for flavour and actually never really taste the 'pea'. Hehe.

Plain and SR flours are always value too...for pizza doughs/general baking.

Bleach for general cleaning is always thin value and I dilute 50/50 with water for sprays in the loo each day or 2. Only use at full concentration if somebody is unwell.

Not much else we buy value...but we usually stick with store level and rarely rise to brands unless there's an offer that makes things on par with store versions.