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MrsChaos

The mince at Underwood is definitely cheaper, but probably not as lean. Chicken breasts are £20 for 5kg. They have a lot of seasoned meat and packs of assorted stuff. OH wasn't keen on their gammon steaks and I thought they were cut badly.

If money was no object, I'd get all meat from the two local butchers farm shops - both less than 10 minutes in the car. Time to properly compare prices and quality.

EssexHebridean

We've massively turned around to the "not much meat but very high quality" standpoint over the last few years - as an example last night (and Sundays) cottage pies used a 300g pack of mince between them - so about 75g raw weight each, per meal, yet the flavour just shone through. Usually about half our meals in any week are meat free (not sure MrEH has noticed that the proportion has got that high...shhhhh!) This is what appealed about the Heartier people - their quality & welfare is good. We do have a local butcher but when I popped in not long after he opened his answers to my questions about where his meat came from etc were sketchy at best. No thanks.

MrsChaos

EH - that's the way I'd like to go, really.

DS1 would need extra meat, but he's happy to pay for quality and I'm not sure about his brother, because he doesn't eat a massive variety. Have just asked OH and left him to think about it.

I don't enjoy buying the cheapest all the time. Initially I's struggle to come up with ideas for meat-free meals all the males would enjoy. Who are the Heartier people?

Sun_Addict

I can't comment on meat as I stopped eating it 30 years ago after contracting listeria from a beef lasagne. I buy it for Mr SA though as he doesn't do veggie stuff or fish unless it's in batter

Mrs Chaos the Hairy Dieters Go Veggie cookbook has some 'I miss meat' recipes that are meant to be heartier. Although to be honest I don't imagine for one minute Mr SA would be happy with them as a die hard carnivore.

redofromstart

try this link MrsC, they have been in the weekly email thing a few times with hampers. 7% quidco. I've not tried them.

Had a good play with the pensions stuff today - so that we both know exactly what we have, where and under what policy number. Feel better about plans, but also focused on clearing the big mortgage debt rather than more spending.

That said I frittered £3 on a hot water bottle today (B&M, in a knitted cover in the clearance). I also didn't have any form of heating on in the day as a result so I think it will pay for itself in a week.

Gains:
£4.25 of cashback cleared
£10 Am voucher from SB - hadn't had much this month because of no broadband gap.
£59 credited back to account from energy providers - so it wasn't just a 25p per month reduction
Should get £10 m n s voucher for setting up the online pension statements thing for one of his accounts

Spends:
£3 hot water bottle
Food shopping (again!) but we needed milk, fruit, veg.

Chicken curry, lentil dhal (with coconut powder made by whizzing decimated coconut in the nutri bullet) and carrot biryani for dinner. Was v nice, and there is a good tub full left over for a pingy lunch.

HairyHandofDartmoor

I really like the sound of your carrot biryani, one I'll try making it . I love dhal too.

Seasidegal58

I like the sound of the hot water bottle!:D watch that the fluffy cat doesn’t run away with it!

redofromstart

Fat cat has already tried to steal my hot water bottle, either that or she was intent on destroying it through the cunning use of an innocent expression whilst playing paddy paws on it. How dare it steal her spot on my knee?

If I get a chance to nip back I will be picking up a few more. Fellow residents have hot water bottle envy :rotfl:
Actually I (well, he who can sew straight) could make some microwave heat bags instead given that we have plenty of fabric, and a kilo of basic rice is about 40p. I've got some velvet offcuts that would be nice.

MrsChaos

Hot water bottles sound like a good investment! You could cover it with a thick towel and invite FC to sit on top.

Thank you for the link. I'll have a good look, draft a list of things I'd buy regularly and compare with the local farm shops and maybe any other wholesalers/factory shops I can find that focus on good quality.

I bought a small RTC, oven ready pork joint from Lidl recently. I didn't even try it and none of the carnivores in the house could bring themselves to eat it, because it was so fatty. I'd cooked it for hours at a low temp, according to instructions. Was only fit for the dog and cats.

greenbee

He who can sew could make some nice hot water bottle covers and you could get some without covers Microwave heat bags don't stay hot as long.