Setting Myself a Grocery Challenge for discounted food.

MrsStepford

Have been watching some videos from Family Freedom, on YouTube. They seem like a lovely family (Bob, Katie, Sam, Jamie & daughter Astrid and JoJo). It would be impossible for me to do a weekly shop for £30 because they are vegans and we aren't. 

However, I have thought about trying as many discount food places which deliver, as I can find in July. There aren't any discount warehouses near me, at all. I won't buy out of date food as OH would be upset with me. 

I kicked off today with Best Before It's Gone, and spent 29.78 (including £6 courier) for King Oscar canned sardines and mackerel, Garofalo gluten free farfalle & fusilli and Kirkland Signature 500ml bottles of sparkling mineral water. 

Just done an order for 29.95 (including 4.99 delivery) with T K Maxx. A 500ml bottle of EVOO for 9.99, two 200ml bottles of infused EVOO (chilli and oregano) 4.99 each and a 250ml bottle of truffle flavoured EVOO, also 4.99. Brands are Bono, Chonos Earth Products and Bene Olive. 

I will have a look at Poundland and Approved Food, but then I'm stumped. Will go to B&M and Home Bargains, locally. 

Any other suggestions ? Anyone want to do this as well ( in or out of date) ?

PLRFD

Home Bargains prices are creeping up so be careful for example red kidney beans 56p in Asda the yellow label ones 23p I think they were no difference in quality or size but you will need a can opener with the Asda ones. Just now they have some Chinese curry paste in about £2:30 it’s really nice and you don’t need lots of it so it goes a long way be careful with HB veg it’s very hit and miss.

PLRFD

Oh yes they have Irish steak mince I think Sheelan brand I’ve not had better mince .

MrsStepford

Have found The Bargain Warehouse which has two outlets, one in Ashford (Kent) and one in Folkestone. They don't ship so will be sending OH to have a nose. https://www.thebargainwarehouse.co.UK

CliveOfIndia

MrsStepford said:

I won't buy out of date food as OH would be upset with me.

I've never seen anywhere that sells "out of date" food, they just reduce stuff that's very close to its best-before date.  It's perfectly good, and ideal if you can either pick it up and cook it tonight, or else stick it in the freezer straight away.  When we're out shopping we'll often grab a few yellow-stickered bits and pieces, as long as it's stuff we'd buy anyway - our freezer is full of the stuff.

I guess with discounted stuff, it's probably better to go into the shop yourself rather than get it delivered.  Quite apart from the delivery cost, it means you can actually have a look and say to yourself "That looks fine" or "Hmmm, that looks a bit manky around the edges, I won't bother with that one this time".

In terms of other suggestions, the old stalwarts Aldi and Lidl are well worth keeping an eye on.  Obviously their prices tend to be lower in general than the other main supermarkets, but they also do reductions.  They sometimes have some cracking deals on veg, and very often they'll discount meat and fish quite heavily when it's near it's BBF date.

If you like salad and veg, consider having a bash at growing your own.  If you've got a small garden it's surprising what you can grow really easily and cheaply.  But there's a lot you can grow just in pots on the windowsill if you have no garden.  Sure, it takes a little bit of effort, but not excessively so, and there's nowt better than picking something off the plant and eating it straight away.

If you do have a bit of garden space, it's worth making sure you've got room in the freezer.  Stuff like runner beans and peas are a doddle to grow, but you tend a get a glut all at once - no problem if you can freeze them until you need them.  (Sorry, going slightly off-topic there, but it's all in the spirit of money-saving )

sarah1972

MrsStepford said:

 I won't buy out of date food as OH would be upset with me. 

I’ve never seen anywhere selling out of date food 😩 If you mean past its best before then that’s not out of date 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ 
The sooner best before are ditched, the better. Too much food being wasted by people calling it out of date when it isn’t 

shykins

Olio offers free food that runs out of date the day you collect so not out of date.   its all free including the App,  volunteers list in the evening and you collect the same day items that are either UB or BBE that days date 

they have jus started a "deals" section where reduced food is listed but you go to the supermarket to buy it as normal, not sure how well that works unless you are close to the store but worth a look

MrsStepford

Husband went to discount stores nearby. 

Home Bargains - car park was rammed solid, couldn't get in the store
B&M - usually get a few things but everything on the shopping list was out of stock
The Bargain Warehouse - laid out like a maze, wall to wall carbs e.g. fizzy drinks, crisps, biscuits

Have placed orders with Best Before It's Gone, T K Maxx and The Range. Total 89.16 for assorted olive oils, King Oscar canned sardines and mackerel, gluten free fusilli and farfalle, sparkling mineral water, large tubs of Herbes de Provence and Italian herbs, Protermars pork snacks.

Poundland is always rammed on a Saturday so I did a next day delivery for 4.95. 

John West wild pink salmon 213g for only £2 per can so I bought four £8
Roasted & salted cashews 90g x2 £2
Sea salt & black pepper cashews 90g x2 £2
Whitworths nutty mix 130g x2 2.50
Whitworths pumpkin seeds 140g
x2 2.50
Whitworths snacking walnuts 140g x2 2.50
Pepco steel tongs £1
Total 25.45

Amazon Prime next day free delivery 
Cheesies goats cheese snacks box of 12 for 16.98 cheapest found
Total 16.98

TOTAL 131.61
Amazon 16.98
Poundland 25.45
The Range 29.45
T K Maxx 29.95
Best Before It's Gone 29.78

Snacks ( Cheesies and Protermars pork snacks), nuts & seeds, olive oils, canned fish (sardines, mackerel, salmon), gluten free farfalle & fusilli, sparkling mineral water, two large tubs of Herbes de Provence and Italian herbs and a pair of tongs.

I feel like I've done really well for packed lunches and snacks, olive oil and herbs. Still have 568.39 left of my food budget for the month. Don't need to buy red meat at all as have quite a bit in the freezer. Have some fish in there too. No chicken though. Will need more water. 

If Iceland counts as a discount supermarket, I can add some fresh stuff. 
,

MrsStepford

Have done an Iceland order for Friday 12 July 43.81 with 1.75 savings which covers the 1.30 pick & pack fee. Free delivery.

Iceland 4 Beef Sizzle Steaks 2 for £7 offer
Celtic Spring 5L still spring water 1.40 1p more expensive than Avant Turkish still mineral water from Milk & More
Keeling's Closed Cup Mushrooms 300g £1
Del Monte Pineapple Chunks 200g x4 5.96
Slimming World frozen sweet potato chips 750g 3.25
Napolina Chickpeas 400g 90p
Go Nuts Roasted & Salted Pistachios 85g x2 £2
Don Mario Extra Virgin Olive Oil 500ml 4.50
Chicken Tonight Spanish-style One Pan Sauce 500g x3 £5 offer
Heinz Tomato Grana Padano Mascarpone Sauce x2 £4 not listed as an offer but RRP is 2.50 
Rodolfi Pesto 190g 1.75 offer
Rodolfi Red Pesto with Parmigiano Reggiano 190g 1.75 offer
Iceland Cheshire Cheese 220g x2 £4 not listed as an offer but used to be 2.20

pumpkin89

sarah1972 said:

I’ve never seen anywhere selling out of date food 😩 If you mean past its best before then that’s not out of date 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ 
The sooner best before are ditched, the better. Too much food being wasted by people calling it out of date when it isn’t 

How is it not out of date?  Best before is literally a date.  Your point is that food can still be good when it is out of date - hence various websites and warehouses offering it for sale.

FlorayG

pumpkin89 said:

sarah1972 said:

I’ve never seen anywhere selling out of date food 😩 If you mean past its best before then that’s not out of date 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ 
The sooner best before are ditched, the better. Too much food being wasted by people calling it out of date when it isn’t 

How is it not out of date?  Best before is literally a date.  Your point is that food can still be good when it is out of date - hence various websites and warehouses offering it for sale.

'Best before' means it's still safe to eat but may be a bit 'sad' or dried up or past it's best. 'Use by' date means that after that date it's considered not to be safe to eat, so is 'out of date'. It's illegal to sell food that is out of date.