Ocado - what do you buy?

[KenAdams]

After lockdown I'll move from Ocado, but for now I need the regular delivery slots I'm offered so I'll have to stay.

I'm really struggling to find something to buy every week. Because the M&S range is so ready meal heavy, things to make actual meals from aren't in abundance and are often out of stock. For example I wanted a bit of pork shoulder this week and it was either Ocado (OOO) or Packington for over 3 times the price. When they had Waitrose at least you'd get a few more options.

Can you tell me of anything that you but regularly from Ocado please that's half decent and am I missing any M&S gems? All I've discovered so far is their pizza.

I'm also waiting until my pass ends before I jump ship. I feel like securing a slot and then getting stuff that isn't out of stock is a full time occupation.

I still haven't got use of the app back which is driving me Crazy.

I find M&S fruit far superior to other supermarkets. It's one thing I don't buy from the budget stores & it goes off so quick.

@savemymuu

I find M&S fruit far superior to other supermarkets. It's one thing I don't buy from the budget stores & it goes off so quick.

Well theres a big problem with m&s food going off quick from Ocado, this didnt happen when it was Waitrose

To those thinking of ditching Ocado, I transitioned to Tesco slowly during and after Christmas. They have been brilliant- bought a delivery pass and no problems with slots at all. Huge range of produce, obviously not quite as 'premium' as Waitrose was with Ocado but I'm buying meat at the local butcher as and when required. Tesco is fab for anything and everything else.

I do prefer Sainsburys but can't book slots far enough in advance for my liking.

Don't wait until Covid has gone, vote with your feet (or shall I say, orders)!

Didn't realise how many Waitrose products I bought until the transition to M&S.
My orders are now monthly not weekly.
So much OOS.

We buy hardly any meat so I've not really noticed an issue. I always bought the ocado own products though. It's not fit quite the same level of choice as before but I like the reliability of no subs and the overall quality of the food, plus the vegan selection is fab.

Theres been loads of subs on ocado lately and they are one of the few supermarkets that charge the higher price. I ordered 3 for £10 steaks and ended up paying over double because they subbed it with sirloins.
I now return all more expensive subs

I have yet to find anything where I think the M&S version is superior to Waitrose - in some cases it’s far poorer!
Well theres a big problem with m&s food going off quick from Ocado, this didnt happen when it was Waitrose

Yep. I find M&S food in store has the edge on Waitrose, especially fruit, veg and meat but the quality of M&S fresh food from Ocado is terrible. Poorer quality and taste, and it often goes mouldy or off before the use buy date.

They've also seemed to have stopped stocking a lot of the independent products they used to have and some of the M&S products are never in stock (and I mean never, I check every week).

I've reduced my orders to mainly store cupboard/household items every few weeks and started using Deliveroo (Waitrose, Aldi and independents) and Farmdrop for fresh food.

The Skandikitchen meatballs and lingonberry jam are good far superior to Ikea. The Iberico presa (pork) is a nice alternative to steak. The M&S 2 for £8 ribeye steaks and £3.50 Oakham chicken are better than the Waitrose equivalents.

And the M&S baby brussel sprouts!

Well theres a big problem with m&s food going off quick from Ocado, this didnt happen when it was Waitrose

Not happened in my shops.

I haven’t really noticed much difference? I never but ready meals (except the M&S chicken Kiev’s which my DC love). I get M&S chicken breasts, chicken, pork joints, lots of fresh veg and fruit etc. The only thing I’m missing is the frozen chopped spinach

I want to leave Ocado - so many packets of rotten chicken, M&S stock is low, I'm going back to waitrose once the Covid thing is done with. I miss Waitrose - I never thought I'd say that but the M&S stuff is better is the M&S shop .

I’ve been with Ocado for about 13 years I think. I spend a lot on shopping for our small family. Ideally I do a Lidl shop once a month or so and weekly ocado shop.
The things I always order are some branded things, M&S olives, houmous, fruit, M&S Prosecco and bakery. I order Provamel coconut milk which is what I have at pret when I’m at work getting coffees.
I really like meat by the juicy meat company. I find things like Fairy dishwasher stuff on good offers. Also the flash sales as you checkout. Tonight I added a loch Fyne salmon, M&S Victoria sponge and some asparagus as they were about 30-40% off.
The email that came out showing my most purchased items were Cravendale milk and apparently I’m the top customer for pimento stuffed olives in our county, the randomness made me laugh

Also I like the ocado chicken breasts. £3.50 a pack I think so very well priced and always nice.

I only miss Waitrose branded stuff for a few things, but I’ve noticed that there’s a lot fewer Ocado branded things now too, prices in general have gone up and a lot of things out of stock.

I’m not finding much ocado stuff out of stock but some M&S lines seem quite often unavailable.

I want to leave Ocado - so many packets of rotten chicken

Yes, our Sunday roast this week was ruined because the chicken stank like a dirty nappy despite being in date. We had veg and potatoes for dinner.

Loads I love, we have no access to Waitrose locally so that’s not an option for us.
Best buys for me are
Packington chicken
Jackson’s bread
Picard Frozen stuff
M&S frozen mash, fruit, veg
Juicy meat company
Unearthed range
Chef parmalat béchamel

It’s just a lot more crap now we are finding.
I absolutely hate M&S for its abundance of pre prepared ready meals or preseasoned meat.
We do the bulk of our meat shopping at the butchers but like the Thoughtful chickens or if they’re OOS (frequently), a Packingtons one.
Just loads of little bits and pieces that I didn’t realise I would miss until they were gone. Food is our second biggest monthly outgoing after our mortgage, we really do spend a lot on good quality ingredients to make nice meals but my god it’s all seemed like hard work recently. Lots more subs and like Pp has pointed out, with ocado you pay the price difference if it’s a higher value swap.
Also really pissed off with the app still not working after nearly a year! What’s that all about?

The app works. It got switched off in lockdown one but I’ve been using it for months.

@icelollycraving

The app works. It got switched off in lockdown one but I’ve been using it for months.

Not for all - I too have not yet been switched back on after it was closed in March.

It has got really poor since the introduction of M&S, I'm also switching to Waitrose deliveries.

Oh I didn’t realise! Is it by area perhaps?

Really missing the veg quality from Waitrose especially the bunched beets, broccoli etc, I have signed up to Waitrose but don't always get the slots so keeping Ocado pass for time being.

I haven’t had any issues with subs, and, although there are Waitrose items I miss, i have found some new things from M&S I really like.

Love from M&S range the following - bao buns, mangoes, chicken karaage, pikelets, Oakham mini breast fillets (very tender), vintage Cornish cruncher, readymade shortcrust pastry, flapjack cookies, salt and pepper pork belly joint, rainbow stir fry mix, cod fillets, potato croquettes.........

Other things from Ocado - in general their wide range - love being able to buy pillows or oven tongs or birthday gifts with my shopping! Or very unusual ingredients /spices for new recipe.........
Particular things/ ranges - crosta & mollica (apricot croissants, white bread, flat bread all fab), brindisa ( olives, salsa brava I use as pasta sauce, chorizo), packington pork ( esp bone in joint), epicure (anchovy paste, flageleot, grapefruit ), Picard, Stokes sauces, east end spices, Black farmer, Tony’s chocolate.

Hope this gives some ideas 😁