ASDA Hot Counter

Conan1Sett

I live close enough to ASDA that I can shop there everyday easily and just get what I need. I often go to the Hot Counter Hot Cabinet and get some chicken portions that have been reduced in price. A daily saving of 50p on this purchase is possible. 

My one reservation is health. Does anyone know if this food is healthy or not? Surely if they cook the chicken fresh and daily then it isn't processed food right? 

Farway

Conan1Sett said:

I live close enough to ASDA that I can shop there everyday easily and just get what I need. I often go to the Hot Counter Hot Cabinet and get some chicken portions that have been reduced in price. A daily saving of 50p on this purchase is possible. 

My one reservation is health. Does anyone know if this food is healthy or not? Surely if they cook the chicken fresh and daily then it isn't processed food right? 

It's processed before it's even reached the shop, antibiotics & injected water for instance, but TBH depends what level of processing you are trying to avoid, pound to a penny the chickens are battery ones, possibly mishaps, legs broken or bruising from the cages

Probably healthier and far less processed vis a vis a burger so if it suits you why not?

mandy47

The chickens arrive in store in oven bags already seasoned or marinated. They are cooked fresh but no prep is done in store.

maman

If you saw the TV programme the other night about what we're feeding children, there was a good rule of thumb. Processed food generally has ingredients you wouldn't normally have in your kitchen. So I wouldn't worry about marinades or seasonings.

P.S. From a mse point of view, unless you're very disciplined, I wouldn't shop daily. 

General_Grant

maman said:

If you saw the TV programme the other night about what we're feeding children, there was a good rule of thumb. Processed food generally has ingredients you wouldn't normally have in your kitchen. So I wouldn't worry about marinades or seasonings.

P.S. From a mse point of view, unless you're very disciplined, I wouldn't shop daily. 

Shopping daily may lead to less food wastage as you can buy for just that day (or the next if shopping in the evening).  Also buying one day's food is lighter to carry and may not require taking the car to transport "a big shop" and thus save petrol/electricity costs.

comeandgo

I don’t know what has been injected into those chickens but I find them incredibly greasy compared to a chicken I cook myself.

McKneff

Them chicken print chicken thighs, 4 in a box forc2 quid are just mmm ,  can't cope with the smell in my car on the return journey, only 3 ever make it home...

Rosa_Damascena

General_Grant said:

maman said:

If you saw the TV programme the other night about what we're feeding children, there was a good rule of thumb. Processed food generally has ingredients you wouldn't normally have in your kitchen. So I wouldn't worry about marinades or seasonings.

P.S. From a mse point of view, unless you're very disciplined, I wouldn't shop daily. 

Shopping daily may lead to less food wastage as you can buy for just that day (or the next if shopping in the evening).  Also buying one day's food is lighter to carry and may not require taking the car to transport "a big shop" and thus save petrol/electricity costs.

Short-term, yes. But if you intend to do any prep at home (and I am no cook) a store cupboard can save lots of money.

maman

General_Grant said:

maman said:

If you saw the TV programme the other night about what we're feeding children, there was a good rule of thumb. Processed food generally has ingredients you wouldn't normally have in your kitchen. So I wouldn't worry about marinades or seasonings.

P.S. From a mse point of view, unless you're very disciplined, I wouldn't shop daily. 

Shopping daily may lead to less food wastage as you can buy for just that day (or the next if shopping in the evening).  Also buying one day's food is lighter to carry and may not require taking the car to transport "a big shop" and thus save petrol/electricity costs.

I'd agree if you have the time to spare and can be disciplined but, for too many people, shopping daily means buying unnecessary items on impulse. The examples on TV programmes where people are grossly overspending on food invariably show a link between the large bills and frequent visits to the supermarket. 

briskbeats

General_Grant said:

maman said:

If you saw the TV programme the other night about what we're feeding children, there was a good rule of thumb. Processed food generally has ingredients you wouldn't normally have in your kitchen. So I wouldn't worry about marinades or seasonings.

P.S. From a mse point of view, unless you're very disciplined, I wouldn't shop daily. 

Shopping daily may lead to less food wastage as you can buy for just that day (or the next if shopping in the evening).  Also buying one day's food is lighter to carry and may not require taking the car to transport "a big shop" and thus save petrol/electricity costs.

Not necessarily. As I work at a supermarket and see and serve the same customers 2-3  times a week. They buy two carrots each time . Those carrots cost 15-18p. Buying a kilo bag costs 40p containing 8-12 carrots. That’s one example. As if buy loose carrots like this over a year compared to buying a bag of carrots per week - wasting £35-40. Can see people wasting £400 a year with other items. Another example is baked beans. The smaller tins are only 5p-10p less than a can double the size. Buy a full can and put half in a food storage pot in the fridge and use 3-4 days later. Can be frozen. Then defrost naturally overnight.

My store stopped selling the small tins of spaghetti hoops. When a customer complained about this, I suggested the above to him and the way he looked at me was like if I was talking in a different language.

I live alone and always buy the big tins, large packs of chicken breasts, mince etc (unless the smaller packs have reduced stickers). Then split the packs of meat  up on getting home, wrapping in foil then with a food bag with what’s inside. Plus I can slip a chicken breast into a small gap into the freezer.

Last year, I found in the reduced in Lidl, a pack of 16 chicken breasts for £2. Gave 8-10 of them to my parents.

General_Grant

briskbeats said:

General_Grant said:

maman said:

If you saw the TV programme the other night about what we're feeding children, there was a good rule of thumb. Processed food generally has ingredients you wouldn't normally have in your kitchen. So I wouldn't worry about marinades or seasonings.

P.S. From a mse point of view, unless you're very disciplined, I wouldn't shop daily. 

Shopping daily may lead to less food wastage as you can buy for just that day (or the next if shopping in the evening).  Also buying one day's food is lighter to carry and may not require taking the car to transport "a big shop" and thus save petrol/electricity costs.

Not necessarily. As I work at a supermarket and see and serve the same customers 2-3  times a week. They buy two carrots each time . Those carrots cost 15-18p. Buying a kilo bag costs 40p containing 8-12 carrots. That’s one example. As if buy loose carrots like this over a year compared to buying a bag of carrots per week - wasting £35-40. Can see people wasting £400 a year with other items. Another example is baked beans. The smaller tins are only 5p-10p less than a can double the size. Buy a full can and put half in a food storage pot in the fridge and use 3-4 days later. Can be frozen. Then defrost naturally overnight.

My store stopped selling the small tins of spaghetti hoops. When a customer complained about this, I suggested the above to him and the way he looked at me was like if I was talking in a different language.

I live alone and always buy the big tins, large packs of chicken breasts, mince etc (unless the smaller packs have reduced stickers). Then split the packs of meat  up on getting home, wrapping in foil then with a food bag with what’s inside. Plus I can slip a chicken breast into a small gap into the freezer.

Last year, I found in the reduced in Lidl, a pack of 16 chicken breasts for £2. Gave 8-10 of them to my parents.

I wasn't suggesting buying small sizes - I've never bought a small tin of baked beans in my life and sometimes buying 4 tins packed together is better.  If that's too heavy to carry, that's when you use your car for the bigger shop (perhaps when you are buying 18 or 24 toilet rolls etc).
I live on my own and shop frequently (use the time for gentle exercise and escape from the computer) and do buy packs where I need to split and freeze - including loaves and cheese.  It is just that the purchases are spread through the week or month.