Good and Bad Buys at Lidl and Aldi stores (***Please don't expire***)

Brie

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

harz99

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

No you're not by by far, i lift trays and always persue the freshest product...

Doc_N

harz99 said:

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

No you're not by by far, i lift trays and always persue the freshest product...

Me too. Most people do. Which is precisely why they’re removing the dates! 

Pollycat

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

No, you're not.
I do it too.

Doc_N said:

harz99 said:

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

No you're not by by far, i lift trays and always persue the freshest product...

Me too. Most people do. Which is precisely why they’re removing the dates! 

I don't just do it for the longest date.
I want the biggest, glossiest, unmarked aubergine, the best matched leeks & courgettes (not one as thick as a baseball bat and one like a conductor's baton), the best pick (including colour) of family pack peppers, the family pack of mushrooms that suits what I'm cooking. That may be smaller ones or larger ones.

maman

Pollycat said:

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

No, you're not.
I do it too.

Doc_N said:

harz99 said:

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

No you're not by by far, i lift trays and always persue the freshest product...

Me too. Most people do. Which is precisely why they’re removing the dates! 

I don't just do it for the longest date.
I want the biggest, glossiest, unmarked aubergine, the best matched leeks & courgettes (not one as thick as a baseball bat and one like a conductor's baton), the best pick (including colour) of family pack peppers, the family pack of mushrooms that suits what I'm cooking. That may be smaller ones or larger ones.

And the packs of large mushrooms with 4 rather than 3. And the best looking cooked meat cut offs. And the wonky chestnut mushrooms when available rather than white ones. And the bacon with least fat. And the Belgian buns that have a decent amount of icing evenly spread. 🤣

Doc_N

maman said:

Pollycat said:

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

No, you're not.
I do it too.

Doc_N said:

harz99 said:

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

No you're not by by far, i lift trays and always persue the freshest product...

Me too. Most people do. Which is precisely why they’re removing the dates! 

I don't just do it for the longest date.
I want the biggest, glossiest, unmarked aubergine, the best matched leeks & courgettes (not one as thick as a baseball bat and one like a conductor's baton), the best pick (including colour) of family pack peppers, the family pack of mushrooms that suits what I'm cooking. That may be smaller ones or larger ones.

And the packs of large mushrooms with 4 rather than 3. And the best looking cooked meat cut offs. And the wonky chestnut mushrooms when available rather than white ones. And the bacon with least fat. And the Belgian buns that have a decent amount of icing evenly spread. 🤣

With you on that - entirely.  Now, though, we're wholly reliant on deliveries from supermarkets, mainly Tesco, and the difference between the way we used to shop (at Aldi and Lidl) and the way the pickers work is glaringly obvious.

The stuff that arrives is frequently short-dated, poor quality, going off, and exactly the sort of thing we'd have avoided if we'd been doing the shopping ourselves.  All this stuff Tesco push out about their pickers choosing the very best is just a downright lie - they aren't given the time to do it.

YoungBlueEyes

Grumpelstiltskin said:

I live in a town with 100.000 inhabitants and we haven't had a Greengrocer for about 20 years. Until recently there was a stall on the market but that has gone as well now.

No supermarket anywhere near the town centre apart from M & S, so what do people do?

I don’t know what the answer is I’m afraid. If towns don’t have a greengrocer then possibly the only loose f+v to be had would be a veg box - be that from a sm or one of those delivery co jobbers. 

alicef

Stock rotation should be the norm at supermarkets - it has to be to ensure no item past the use by date was on the shelf.    I'd like to think that any reputable supermarket would still do this!  If it looks manky why buy it?  

On dairy, some supermarkets are replacing use by with best before.... let's hope everyone's sense of smell is up to scratch!

Rosa_Damascena

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

Reminds me of what I was told was the norm in Kenya - elephants being slaughtered because they would rampage through crop fields at night. It surprised me as I think of elephants as being gentle creatures, but I cannot imagine the flesh wasn't eaten.

harz99

Rosa_Damascena said:

Brie said:

Am I the only one that moves the cartons of veg to get to the fresher stuff below?  Seems completely sensible way to do things to me!!

I was fortunate enough to come across a place advertising itself as a "salad farm".  And that's what it is - a barn full of things they are growing in their poly tunnels or in their fields - absolutely beautiful quality and cheaper than any shops as it's direct from the producers.  They also had a refrigerated bit that was stocked with other local produce - unhomogenised milk, organic yoghurt and the....errr....leftovers of a deer that decided to sample the salads.  The farmer was sadly apologetic and hoped it didn't offend me - I expect he gets criticised if a non carnivore wanders in.  But as someone from a rural background I am well aware of having to manage all sorts of pests.  

Reminds me of what I was told was the norm in Kenya - elephants being slaughtered because they would rampage through crop fields at night. It surprised me as I think of elephants as being gentle creatures, but I cannot imagine the flesh wasn't eaten.

Nothing to do with harvesting the elephant tusks then...