Grocery shopping....anyone else finding it increasingly expensive? What do you pay weekly?

[whispywhisp]

Anyone got any recommendations on Tesco Value products - are they any good? What foods to avoid that are clearly rubbish?

We are a family of four. I have always tried to buy our groceries economically but have tended to avoid Tesco Value products because I've worried about the quality.

Its now become so expensive to buy food and household products that we've got no choice but to buy the cheaper range.

I don't know what everyone else is spending each week but, on average, I'm paying way over £100 per week on everything - food, cleaning materials, pet food etc etc and we simply can't afford to continue like this.

What does everyone else do? Are we all finding it increasingly expensive to buy groceries? Anyone found some of the Tesco Value stuff should be avoided?

I would grow my own stuff but we don't have the room. I would use a local greengrocer...if we had one. I cook all our meals - we are a family who eat a lot of fruit and veg and its those items that I'm finding have gone up so much. I like my kids to eat well, which they do, I don't want them to eat junk (which they'd love to, I'm sure!). Help!

[nkf]

Everyone is. Food is more expensive.

[Frizbe]

Wilkos
Homebargins
Aldi
Lidl

Then a few treat items from the more expensive places!

[AnAngelWithin]

6 of us plus dog. only buy nappies ocasionally as use washables. £120 a week average. Dont buy named brands but don't buy the value stuff either usually. Usually go to asda.

[AnAngelWithin]

teso value bread tastes yucky

[nkf]

Tesco value apple juice is just that - apple juice. Totally fine. I also buy Tesco value chopped tomatoes. Not as nice as the Italian ones but with fresh herbs, still fine.

[Pablop]

I've been worrying about the increase in shopping, no idea about Tesco Value though, think I would try anything except products that contained meat or eggs, will be avoiding Tesco chicken full stop now as they have no interest in improving welfare standards even though they have the power to do so.

My friend shops in different places which is a good idea because she checks out the bargains at LIDL & NETTO & ALDI and WILKINSONS before shopping. I use time as an excuse for not doing it but starting to think it will be worth it.

[nkf]

I can't spend time running from supermarket to supermarket. It may come to that but right now, I'm looking for one stop bargains.

[whispywhisp]

Our Wilkos doesn't sell food. We've got an Aldi but never food shopped there. I need to take a look. Is Asda that much cheaper?

Thanks re the opinion on the Tesco value bread. Anything else that I need to avoid on the Tesco value range?

DH wants us to convert completely to Tesco Value!...but he's not the one who gets the food shopping each week nor has to feed two kids...one of which can be a fussy eater sometimes.

[nkf]

ASDA is a bit ropey I think although they do try.

[JudgeNutmeg]

We enjoy Tesco value:

Fresh tomatoes.
Tinned Tomatoes.
Tuna chunks.
Wholemeal bread.
Choc. digestive.
Pasta.
Red Pesto.
Red Onions.
Stir fry veg.
Bananas.
Tinned fruit.
Rice.
Flour.
Oats.
Jaffa cakes.
Back Bacon.
Coleslaw.
Fruit scones.
Soap.
Washing powder.

I'm sure there's loads more.

I am a really good cook and don't mind using these ingredients at all. My children don't discriminate between chocolate biscuits and have extremely healthy appetites.

I don't mind being creative with what we have and I have much more important things to spend my money on. My shopping bill for a family of four, including loo roll and washing powder was £48 this week. That included a free range chicken and a bottle of Rocks organic squash so I can still allow for a small amount of ponceiness.

I do think people buy a lot of stuff they don't actually need but to each their own.

[nkf]

Same here, Jajas. Three of their green crates for £100. Bit dismaying. I said, "Is this it?" and it was.

Morrisons are less good I think.

Judgenutmug, you are clearly a super shopper.

[kingfix]

Snap, nkf and Jajas. Just unloaded 102 quids worth from Tesco and it all fitted on our tiny kitchen table. Cost really has shot up hasn't it? We have had the luxury of not seriously economising for a while but looks like we'll have to go back to planning round the bogofs again.
Anyone think it's worth switching to washable nappies to save money?

[nkf]

I know. Economising necessary but I've got out of the habit of paying proper attention. Do you think actually going to the supermarket will save money?

[kingfix]

I reckon we buy more if we go to the supermarket, and with toddlers in tow it would be hell to spend ages shopping around, it has to be a quick in and out for us, which is why we shop online now. Like you, nkf, I just think we need to start paying attention again. And meal planning. And lots of lentils. Sigh.

[JudgeNutmeg]

I find the opposite to be true for me, nkf. If I walk into a supermarket, I get swept along. I find a delivery keeps me on the straight and narrow.

Also, I find that I'm more creative towards the end of the week if I only have (generally) basic foods rather than bogof's to hand. I wouldn't have bothered to roast up all the bits of veg left in the fridge to mix with couscous to have with our chicken today if I'd had a surplus pizza in the freezer.

We have Lidl in town and I have used it before but I'm trying to avoid driving where possible at the moment and Tesco's deliver.

[nkf]

I pretty much always meal plan. I don't write it down but I know what there is and what it will make. I've got to stop buying things that don't really work. For example, I try but I can't make white fish taste nice. It just gets wasted. And it's not particularly cheap.

[nkf]

I hate driving to supermarkets so I will stick with online probably. I'm going to set an upper limit, I think. Grim.

[JudgeNutmeg]

Ahhh...Tesco value white fish = only good for cats.

[nkf]

I meant cod or plaice though. And not the value range. I can't cook fish sadly.

[kingfix]

Cook fish happily, then! (oh, dear. sorry. I don't get much sleep these days)

[nkf]

I do. I grin as I spoil it.

[kingfix]

Boom boom! I think white fish is basically more of a duty than a joy, unless it's fish fingers. Value fish fingers are gross too, IME.
A first step for me will be to stop buying lettuce, we never eat it all and cleaning up climy fridge drawers is oen of my least favourite things.

[whispywhisp]

Sorry to be really nosey...but what does everyone spend, on average, each week on food and household shopping? I worry that if we continue paying £120-£130 per week we're going to have major money problems later in the year.

I try so hard to look for bargains whilst I'm traipsing round Tesco or Sainsburys and then when I get to the till I'm astounded and really gutted that its come to over £100 again...and then I get home, unpack it all and can't believe its come to that much and then within a few days I'm up there again re-stocking. Even to fill my car up with fuel is costing an absolute bomb. I'm even considering getting rid of the car because keeping that on the road - ie tax, petrol, insurance...is costing so much. Had my insurance renewal paperwork thru yesterday. Its gone up another fiver a month and I've never claimed on my insurance in all the 19yrs I've been driving!