Shopping daily or weekly?

maman

Personally I wouldn't want to be going shopping daily. I just cook for 2 but when children were at home we had milk delivered so I shop weekly and I've never needed top ups. I always write a meal plan and a shopping list and stick to it.
kathryna is right and good storage is important. Iceberg lettuce (although fairly tasteless) keeps well otherwise plan to have your salad earlier in the week. I freeze all my meat and fish except what I'll use immediately and take it out daily. If you keep some meals that can be cooked from frozen then you're covered if you're in a hurry or tired.

RHemmings

I'm a cyclist with no car. I shop most days, but only a small amount.

System

I live alone too and I have never done a traditional weekly shop. I buy fresh and produce as and when I need it. Then with ambient products - tins, packets etc when they are on offer and bulk buy.

My spending is never consistent - varies from £10 a week to £80. The latter is alcohol and once in a blue moon purchases

[Deleted User]

My health is not great so I can't always get around a supermarket (far too tiring). I've fallen into the habit of doing a delivery every 2-3 weeks (I'm ablt to choose very cheap delivery slots) and stock up on all my essentials and heavy, bulky stuff, then I can just pop into a local Co-op or the market (or similar) once a week to buy fresh stuff. One thing I have noticed is that since we've had milk delivered (yes we've gone back to a milkman) I'm actually saving money on food as I don't go into a shop as often "just to pick up milk and while I'm there ..." !!

atrixa

I shop a few times a week, once at sainsburys and then at either lidl or aldi for the rest. I have a list and stick to it like glue. I used to get shopping delivered weekly with one of the bigger supermarkets, but I would always end up adding in extras so I would hit the minimum spend. Complete waste of money, so this works way better for me as long as I don't veer off the list.

suki1964

Mfw2016 wrote: »

Sorry I confused you - I shop weekly usually on a Saturday but I find that sometime by Thursday / Friday its gone off if I haven't used it so I was thinking of going daily and buying what I need for the next day or two. This is because for example I threw away a lettuce yesterday which I bought last Monday.

Why are you buying food to throw away? Save your time and just go to your bin and chuck a tenner in it

Menu planning and a list is vital

Even if you don't stick to the menu plan rigidly as in daily,you need to plan your meals for the week.

No way would I buy a lettuce for one meal, I know I'd need to eat it over three or four meals within two week

Why did you chuck it, out of date or putrid?

Never buy what you cannot use. You can skip ingredients or substitute them when following recipes. The golden rule for me is, if I need an item for one recipe, I need to have something else in mind for later in the week that will use the left overs up or I do without, or I freeze it

Shopping daily will cost you more believe me. Meal planning is the way to go

maman

atrixa wrote: »

this works way better for me as long as I don't veer off the list.

I think that's the key.


Some people like to take a walk to the shops daily for the exercise. That's not a problem if you're disciplined.


Those 'eat well for less' type programmes on television always seem to feature people who think they spend less than they do. So called 'top up shops' are inevitably the culprits.

Mfw2016

Thank you for all your replies. I am going to draw up a meal plan this weekend before I shop on Saturday and then try to stick to it. I went to a shop the other day and bought frozen fruits and vegetables like mushrooms and peppers so I didn't buy fresh. I like mushrooms for example but I don't want a full punnet when a recipe only calls for 1 or 2. The only time I use a full punnet is when I make soup but I don't want the soup in the summer months.

I manage to spend under budget every month so I know i'm not going over but sometimes things do get binned because they have gone putrid.

Gnocchi

I loathe going shopping at all !

My mother could shop for Britain and has to go to Sainsbury's practically every day or she gets withdrawal symptoms - I am not joking.

So every other week we do a marathon supermarket schlep of 2-4 supermarkets. In between I order from Ocado and Abel & Cole.

Frittata is great for using up veg, ditto soup. If your veg is looking a bit bendy or wrinkled, try soaking in cold water for a couple of hours. Will work if not too dehydrated, to perk veg up enough to use.

[Deleted User]

I shop about every ten days or so and as yet haven't binned anything Lettuce if you don't have a lettuce keeper can be wrapped in foil and kept at the bottom of the fridge and will certainly keep well I use my freezer for stuff that may go off but as for mushrooms I but a punnet and normally use them up successfully if I think I won't I peel slice and freeze for use in other meals sliced mushrooms are fine in stews,casseroles omelettes etc.I make soups at least once a week and use up veg thats getting past its best.If you don't want to eat the soup straight away then freeze it in pouches (takes up less room in the freezer) I live alone and have done for the past 14 years since losing my OH, but I certainly wouldn't buy food to throw away.Most food lasts very well in the fridge Mushrooms peel and put on kitchen role back into their punnet to stop going slimy . Cabbage or celery also can be wrapped in foil and kept for at least two weeks without going off .I have a small pad by the kettle and as I run out of stuff I will make my shopping list but never bother to go shopping unless there is at least 10 things on there. I do my menu for the week every Sunday morning and have done for the past 50 plus years, only shop with cash and never go shopping when you are hungry save yourself a fortune and I always use a shopping list