COL - what is the one thing you haven't found a replacement for?

[TheMindfulMum]

I have made countless changes to our weekly shop to try and reduce our outgoings. I've always been quite a savvy shopper since having children and switched from branded to own brand for quite a few items to try and make our money go further. Since COL though other items have had to be substituted. Weetabix and cheddar cheese are now supermarket own brand and we've got used to this. There are a few things though that I just cannot find a good substitute for and adjust to...

Beef OXO cubes - I like being able to crumble it over joints of meat before roasting as well as mince meat for bolognese. I can't find anything that crumbles and tastes as good as OXO does.

Frosties. Need I say any more? Own brand doesn't taste as good. Most are soft and taste stale from the day you open the box.

What can't you find a good alternative for? Or what have you managed to find that's great and costs less?

Waitrose brown sauce is fabulous.

Norpak tastes and spreads like margarine. How can people not tell the difference?

Diet Coke - I've tried so many own brand versions recently but none of them taste anywhere near as nice. I don't drink tea or coffee so diet coke is pretty much all I drink aside from the occasional glass of water. It's so expensive though and it's terrible for me so might just have to stop drinking it and make a full switch to water.

Alpro sugar free soya yogurt (plain and mango)

I bought a butter dish and now buy own brand block butter. There is no real difference between branded and unbranded pure butter. Keeping it out of the fridge means it spreads, when the weather is very hot I cut a bit off the block and keep the rest in the fridge.

I do this too with butter 😁

I find Aldi's Ketchup really decent and their Norpack too, although their Specially Selected Scottish butter block with salt crystals is hands down the best (Sainsbury's have a good one too, but it's more expensive).

Only things still remaining for us are HP sauce and coffee - OH is a coffee aficionado and only Lavazza/ Paddy& Scott's/ local roasters will do. Fair enough, he doesn't drink, so it's his luxury.

I love certain chocolate (Fry's/ Tunnocks/ Aero Mint) but tend to find them in Farmfoods/ B&M at decent prices. Oh, & as a treat those Nuui ice creams are amazing - only on offer though!

This is what we do- proper butter. Honestly try the Aldi with Seasalt crystals- delicious!

I've started bulk buying coffee in 500g tins online, my favourite is cafe Azera but at £5.50 (on offer!) For a 90g tin it's just painful to buy. I used to buy Aldis version which was okay but not as smooth.
We aren't fussy on toilet roll brands but Groupon do 120 rolls for £33 and it lasts for months even with a large family! Massive savings there.
Switched HP sauce to Daddies and all other sauce is own brand.
Crisps- have kinda slowly forced our household into own brand crisps but even the young ones notice the difference.
Started buying big packs of biscuits rather than multi packs.
Cleaning products I just buy from savers/poundland.
Mitchum I buy from Amazon for £2.

I actually just buy stuff from all over the place when I see a good price or on offer. I will refuse to buy something if its a ridiculous price even if on offer.

We do need an alternative to Cathedral city cheese though! We are big on cheese in our house and easily get through 2-3 blocks a week.

We bought a Soda-Stream because you now get Pepsi Max/ Pepsi/ 7up syrups. So much cheaper and is fabulous. My DNiece was skeptical- she only drinks P Max- but was actually blown away that it's the same.

We bought ours Xmas 2021 and have used it so much. You can get good deals if you keep an eye out.

Hellman's mayo and Sure deodorant. Everything else has been own brand for years.

Have you tried Aldi's extra mature white cheddar? It's very, very similar.

Douwe Egbert's coffee
Fairy liquid
Comfort/lenor
Nivea Shower Creme
John Frieda Hair Products

Agree with the Hellman’s mayo, I’ve soldiered through a couple of Aldi jars but back to hellmans now. We manage ok with ketchup and other sauces tho.

dd had Lidl cheerios this morning and seemed to like them but they looked a bit tiny and shrivelled to me.

The only brand I still but is anchor spreadable butter because I haven’t found anything that tastes as good.

Bisto. Whyyyyy is it getting so expensive. £3.10 for normal bisto and £4.50 for the “Bisto Best” ….

Oh yes and fairy liquid and dp can’t use Aldi deo, have to buy branded. I love the smell of fairy washing liquid but generally can’t justify the price unless on special.

I can help you with this! Aldi own branded Bonded shampoo and conditioner. It’s actually way better than Aveda imho

@SprinkleRainbow

My go to cheese for sandwiches/crackers is lidl farmhouse extra mature in the black packaging, not sure how it compares price wise to brands but it's delicious.

I buy the bulk extra mature from lidl for cooking which is cheaper

The irreplaceable things here are:
Vegemite
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
HP sauce
Colemans English Mustard

For the person wanting salad cream - we use cheap own brand mayo and add vinegar and sugar to taste.

Oh yes, I forgot this one too. All of the other brands I’ve tried are horrible. But I think I will stop doing gravy dinners soon because it is getting ridiculously overpriced.

I won't compromise on coffee .. I like Taylor's Lazy Sunday as mentioned by a PP, Sainsbury's 'Taste the Difference' columbian is also good ... decent ground coffee is my real treat, I will happily buy my clothes in charity shops, not fussed about holidays or takeaways but just love decent coffee.

Bisto best, Pepsi max and Heinz chicken soup. I can’t believe the price of Bisto best now, AND the small jars have been downsized!

Lurpak - I’ve tried the Aldi / Lidl versions and they’re fine but just not quite as good!
Fairy liquid and fairy dishwasher tablets. I find the rest don’t work as well.
Good coffee beans (we get these on subscription)
Mitchum deodorant

Regina Blitz kitchen roll, tried others but end up using twice as much!