Page 3 | 2 Bottles of Salt! Why?

JustPassingThyme · 2026-08-24T09:34:30+00:00

Ordered a little grocery delivery via an app. I wasn't feeling well and needed a few bits. Opened the bag to find completely the wrong order. There clearly was a mix up where I got someone else's shop, and they got mine. So I was able to get a full refund thankfully, and was told to keep the wrong shop. Went through the free shop, there were pretty typical items, not what I wanted, but can use: - 4l of semi skimmed milk - loaf of seeded bread (nice bread) - 2 packs of sliced chicken - 3 packets of fridge raiders - 3 packets of mini chocolate oranges - 2 large packs of anchor spreadable butter? - 2 large bottles of salt???? I'm sure whoever got my shop is equally disappointed about the wraps, mayonnaise, egg custard tarts and 2 cartons of cranberry juice I ordered. I consider the delivery shops to be a sort of emergency top up interim type shop. What kind of emergency requires 2 packs of butter and 2 bottles of salt? 1 pack of butter, sure, 1 bottle of salt, ok? But 2? It's the salt that really puzzles me. Why so much salt? What do you get in an emergency mini shop? Anyway I'm going to try fridge raiders for the first time in years, I seem to recall they are as dry as old socks.

roseinthedark · 24/08/2026 12:20

I get through an entire large bottle of salt when my four kids need their homemade play doh made up! Could be a nursery teacher getting supplies ready as they also make their own dough.

Original poster

JustPassingThyme · 24/08/2026 12:19

pontipinemum · 24/08/2026 12:14

Did you have the fridge raiders? They are awful soggy, strange textured, cardboard.

And clearly the salt is to stop the fairies from trying to wreck the place

Edited

I did have one pack, I will not be eating the other two. The texture is so odd, and the flavour is artificial, and dare I say it salty. I think my sister will take them off my hands.

Unfortunately the terrys chocolate orange minis weren't nice either, really waxy? Such a shame they are a Christmas favourite of mine. I am being forced to be healthy, because all the unhealthy food tastes disgusting now!

OP posts:

CaptainMyCaptain · 24/08/2026 12:16

Wisterical · 24/08/2026 10:35

Fabric dyeing.

That was my immediate thought.

pontipinemum · 24/08/2026 12:14

Did you have the fridge raiders? They are awful soggy, strange textured, cardboard.

And clearly the salt is to stop the fairies from trying to wreck the place

Moreholidaysthanjudithchalmers · 24/08/2026 12:14

Drain unblocking, crafts eg salt dough or tie dye, slugs.

Strawberrydelight78 · 24/08/2026 12:13

Cheap table salt in cooled boiled water is great for cleaning infected wounds and soaking feet in if you have a fungal nail infection.

AprilMizzel · 24/08/2026 12:04

Moltenpink · 24/08/2026 11:46

I get through a ton of butter. When my son practiced his GCSE food tech, we used 10 packs in a week.

Anyway I’m intrigued by what the people not buying salt in bottles are doing. Does it come in boxes or something? I would use bottled salt for boiling water or seasoning chips. Everywhere that I shop seems to only sell basic salt in bottles?

It can come in boxes/packets - like icing sugar.

I know because we had to get more salt for fabric dying and that was all local corner shop had - basic salt in a half the icing sugar sized packet.

You can also buy it in big plastic bags - think we sometime get those massive ones with asda which we usually then decant into the plastic bottle - or on-line when I bulk buying for drive though that was old salt ie out of best before but still okay for weeds.

Bjorkdidit · 24/08/2026 12:04

godmum56 · 24/08/2026 11:39

Depends on the size of the bottle, I have never ever seen big bottles of salt. I have bought posh salt in a little bottle, like himalayan (soooo not worth it) or salt with dried seaweed in. The seaweed one was lovely and hard to get so I certainly would have bought two if I found them.

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If you're cooking with it, the posh salt is a waste of money because it dissolves into the same ions as the basic salt the OP is talking about, which has lots of uses.

We use that kind for cooking as well as sprinkling on the path when it's icy, but we do also have posh flavoured salt flakes from Lanzarote for sprinkling on tomato bread etc.

Happyinheels · 24/08/2026 12:02

Making play dough?

CrystalSingerFan · 24/08/2026 12:01

Oooh, salt. Well, this may not apply but I spent time with relatives and their son and his girlfriend. Fit-looking young things. Both Sandhurst graduates. After a nice Sunday lunch and a stroll to watch leaping salmon, we all went home and us oldies had tea and biscuits. The young ones went off for an 8 km run. (3 times up and down a 45 deg slope path.)

Later that evening, over dinner, I watched, stunned, as they tipped salt over and over again onto their plates and just ate it. His mother said that's what the army advises for peeps doing serious exercise, especially in hot climates. (Which was, frankly, not where we were.) Might be an explanation?

Zimunya · 24/08/2026 11:59

Cross posted with @AbsintheMakesTheHeartGrowFonder

Zimunya · 24/08/2026 11:58

I consider the delivery shops to be a sort of emergency top up interim type shop. What kind of emergency requires 2 packs of butter and 2 bottles of salt?

You're assuming that the other person also considers delivery shops to be an emergency top up. But maybe this is how they always order. Perhaps they have no car, are infirm or elderly, or disabled? It's not necessarily an emergency shop for them.

Larsaleaping · 24/08/2026 11:56

AbsintheMakesTheHeartGrowFonder · 24/08/2026 11:34

I consider the delivery shops to be a sort of emergency top up interim type shop.What kind of emergency requires 2 packs of butter and 2 bottles of salt? 1 pack of butter, sure, 1 bottle of salt, ok? But 2? It's the salt that really puzzles me. Why so much salt? What do you get in an emergency mini shop?

Just because you happen to consider deliveries to be for emergency top-ups only, that doesn’t mean everyone does. People might have a million other reasons for using them.

Butter is a fairly staple item that gets used for all sorts of things - including baking, which uses large quantities. Or it might have been on special offer and they wanted to take advantage of that.

Salt has a zillion non-culinary household uses. Slug control or making weed killer, cleaning products etc immediately spring to mind for me but people also add it to bath water sometimes, defrost freezers with it, use it for adding to dyes, brining/salting/curing meat or fish, making play-dough and lots of other things.

Nobody is doing deliveroo type deliveries for a normal grocery shop, which is clearly what the OP meant. It's usually for things you need right now. The mark ups are insane.

TubeScreamer · 24/08/2026 11:54

I’ve seen lots of stuff on instagram suggesting soaking feet in salt water or standing on piles of salt in the shower to sort out summer feet (dry, peeling horrible heels etc)

BingoBnago · 24/08/2026 11:54

I buy large bottles of salt to add to horse feed.

Pebblesonawall · 24/08/2026 11:54

Salt dough. I use about a bottle a week in the first term of school (after that, we use less play dough). I live near all the 24 hour shops, so don't use delivery apps but have definitely been out at 11 pm panic buying salt before.

binding13 · 24/08/2026 11:53

godmum56 · 24/08/2026 11:50

what actual glass or plastic bottles? genuinely never seen it.

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Plastic. You’ve never seen table salt?

nomas · 24/08/2026 11:51

lcakethereforeIam · 24/08/2026 11:45

Tesco used to sell a plastic bag of salt in the Value range. I bought one during covid though I'm only about half way through it so I've not looked recently to see if they still stock it. Perfectly adequate for seasoning food, pickling, and keeping out ghosts. Bit too fine for filling shotgun shells though. No heft, best using Maldon if you need to shoot a ghost or similar.

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They do sell bags of salt but not value range.

This recyclable bottle is handier though, no decanting required.

godmum56 · 24/08/2026 11:50

Moltenpink · 24/08/2026 11:46

I get through a ton of butter. When my son practiced his GCSE food tech, we used 10 packs in a week.

Anyway I’m intrigued by what the people not buying salt in bottles are doing. Does it come in boxes or something? I would use bottled salt for boiling water or seasoning chips. Everywhere that I shop seems to only sell basic salt in bottles?

what actual glass or plastic bottles? genuinely never seen it.

Electricsausages · 24/08/2026 11:50

killing weeds or making playdough

Moltenpink · 24/08/2026 11:46

I get through a ton of butter. When my son practiced his GCSE food tech, we used 10 packs in a week.

Anyway I’m intrigued by what the people not buying salt in bottles are doing. Does it come in boxes or something? I would use bottled salt for boiling water or seasoning chips. Everywhere that I shop seems to only sell basic salt in bottles?

lcakethereforeIam · 24/08/2026 11:45

nomas · 24/08/2026 11:10

I buy this bottle too at 75p. Tesco only sell the £1.90 Saxa bottle.

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Tesco used to sell a plastic bag of salt in the Value range. I bought one during covid though I'm only about half way through it so I've not looked recently to see if they still stock it. Perfectly adequate for seasoning food, pickling, and keeping out ghosts. Bit too fine for filling shotgun shells though. No heft, best using Maldon if you need to shoot a ghost or similar.

HelloDaisy · 24/08/2026 11:43

WalkingThroughTreacle · 24/08/2026 11:22

I got an ingrown toenail removed last year. I had to bathe my foot in a salt bath every day for over a month to reduce the risk of infection whilst it healed.

I’m doing that now and have gone through 4 bottles already!

godmum56 · 24/08/2026 11:39

Floatlikeafeather2 · 24/08/2026 10:55

I don't understand the references to a bottle of salt. I've never bought salt in a bottle in my long life. What am I missing?

Depends on the size of the bottle, I have never ever seen big bottles of salt. I have bought posh salt in a little bottle, like himalayan (soooo not worth it) or salt with dried seaweed in. The seaweed one was lovely and hard to get so I certainly would have bought two if I found them.

Carouseloflife · 24/08/2026 11:37

Preparing for ice on paths, sprinkling with salt