Top Five Tips -Food Shop

ScotsLass

Hi,
First post here!

I've started buying cheap cuts of meat eg. brisket, at around £2/kg. If you pot roast these in a slow cooker or rayburn/aga, you get a very tasty roast & lots of stock for freezing(family say it is tastier than more expensive cuts).

I also buy large roasts when on offer, and have recently invested in a meat slicer (around £30 to £45 from Argos). This means you can get loads more slices from your joint, and I cut some thinner slices for sandwiches, which are then frozen in 250g batches - much cheaper than deli or prepacked meat (also no additives). First two large roasts saved the cost of the slicer!

mineallmine

Great thread! A few more ideas:

1. Ask friends/family - what is their favourite week-day dinner? You can often get ideas like this which can help 'refresh' your menu planning.

2. Accept that some days, you will be tired/exhausted/fed up and will need food that can go from a to b very quickly. If you're really organised, you will have some home made ready meals in the freezer. If not (we're amongst friends here, it's ok!) then a few tins of curry can be a godsend, served with some rice. They're not as good as home-made, but are cheaper than a takeaway. Try different supermarket's versions. Found that Morrisons were better than Asda.

3. As pet food can be expensive - get it from the cheapest place you can, not necessarily the supermarket. Sometimes your local garden centre stock pet food (and can deliver). Compare the prices. We mix several brands together (often ones on offer) in a clear container so the pets get a mixture. Be savvy on the prices you pay. The local market can be cheaper for some things for pets, or the pound shop. Sometimes flea/worming treatment is cheaper at places like Wilkinson.

4. Scan the shelves. An earlier post outlined the own brand products can be on the lower shelves. I've also found that other lesser known 'branded' goods can be there which are cheaper or are on offer. Get to know the stock.

5. Mix and match. I now buy Asda's biological powder (smallest one is 50p) to wash t-towels/towels/pet towels but use branded stuff for the rest of the washing.

Hope these have been useful. Keep the ideas coming, a fab thread.


Edit: Welcome ScotsLass, great idea for brisket. I do that recipe too.

buxtonrabbitgreen

Nothing to add really. I have had to be extremely tight over the last 3 months that my oh has been out of work. And have had almost all basic groceries. But just one argument with valients very good post. There is a difference in the taste of butter (to me at least) I only like unsalted and president is the nicest in my opinion. I have tried many different brands including basic. As the rest of my family prefer sainsburys soft spread supposed to be for baking. My half a pound of butter lasts nearly 2 weeks.

Bambywamby

I would like to add - try Asdas smart price range...the green and white packaging maybe dull but 95% of that range is additive free...which is a real bonus for taste & health.

gb57

I am a bit perplexed as to why so many people are saying that buying on-line and getting shopping delivered is "money-saving" - don't they charge £5 for delivery, thus adding £20 per month to the food bill?

Otherwise I endorse all the suggestions already made - particularly meal-planning and never shopping without a list.

Also, if possible buy fruit and veg from a local greengrocer, with whom you can cultivate a relationship - a lot of things are much cheaper, you can buy just the quantities you want/need, and he might sell you stuff like over-ripe tomatoes for a few pennies - and they are much better for cooking than firm tomatoes, for example.

If you have even a small garden, or balcony, in the summer grow your own herbs - it is very easy and much cheaper. Rocket, for example, grows from seed within a few weeks. Keep planting a few seeds every week or so and you have a supply from spring through to early winter.

claireabelle_2

gb57 wrote: »

I am a bit perplexed as to why so many people are saying that buying on-line and getting shopping delivered is "money-saving" - don't they charge £5 for delivery, thus adding £20 per month to the food bill?

You can always get free delivery codes for tesco on here, I haven't ever paid for delivery! We only get fortnightly orders online, too, then fresh stuff from local shops.

gb57

Thanks for the explanation, Claireabelle.

I still think I prefer to go and poke around in the supermarket every so often, though, but then I am one of those nasty, smug, always have a list, don't overspend, not in debt, people:D . Who knows, though, I might need to get stuff delivered one day, and if so I will definitely look for the free delivery tokens.

gilliana_2

1) Find a friend with a membership card to a bulk-buying store such as macro. You can go shopping together and get some real bargains. Pick up your store cupboard essentials such as trays of tinned tomatoes, massive bottles of pantene shampoo, etc etc, then split the cost and the groceries.

2) Use an empty milk bottle as a 'stock jug' and keep it in the freezer. Every time you boil up vegetables, cool the cooking liquid and tip it into this bottle. It will soon be filled with a nourishing stock that costs nothing! NB- make sure that you store it upright otherwise the liquid might freeze over the top off the bottle and you wont be able to put anymore in! - this happened to me today!

3) I definitely agree that growing your own herbs and salad leaves is much cheaper (and tastier) than those you buy in the supermarket.

4) TVP is such a great way to bulk out mince dishes without compromising on flavour - my mum also adds a handful of pinhead oatmeal, and you can try those red lentils too, as they cook away to nothing in a bolognese, or even a handful of breadcrumbs. We do this kind of thing each time we cook a mince dish and none of the men ever notice!

5) If you don't get through much bread, look for the BOGOF offers and then just store it in the freezer, defrosting or toasting as and when you need it - you will never throw away a mouldy loaf again!

sb44

char85 wrote: »

I don't know what people will think about this but it's something I have started doing recently...
I always used to drink semi skimmed milk, but did a taste test and found i couldnt tell the difference between that, and full fat milk diluted with 1/3 - 1/2 water. I buy a litre of full fat milk (costs the same as semi) and that instantly turns into almost 2 litres, meaning I'm buying half as much milk. Can be used in exactly the same way as all other milk - i made a delish cheese sauce last night!
Just off to the market now to get myself some bargains...
Happy money saving

Mmmmm. May give this a go and see if my other half notices.

Cheers.

Little_Chicken

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Hi there

I Would have to go:-

1. Try and keep a list of what you have in the cupboards, freezer etc -and cross off as you use it..save hours when you meal plan and loads of cash from picking "IT" up just in case -only to end up with 3
2. Make a meal plan..using up as much as you canthat you allready have - i don't list mon-sun but just list 7 meals for any one week so i have a bit more flexibility
3. Try not to shop without a list... i can now -but only because i have become as tight as a ducks "do da" so won't pick up stuff willy nilly :rotfl:
4. Shrink the portions, and bulk out where you can... grated veg, porridge oats, lentils etc make mince go much further.. oh and freeze extra portions ASAP to save them getting eaten -just because they are there
5. Take advantage of whats on promotion or whoopsed... so just put down "VEG for so many meals" or "salad for so many meals" on your list and buy whats the best value

oh and a sneaky extra one ..visit the grocery thread lots..loads of recipes hints n tips to be had

you will get that budget down in no time....:T

WOWZER!!!!!!! Just noticed your weight loss. Very very very well done.:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T