Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Cost of olive oil

123 replies

Comedycook · 17/02/2024 23:27

Wow!

Olive oil always used to be a staple for me but I switched a while back to veg/sunflower oil as much cheaper.

But today I wanted to buy some for a particular dish I'm making. I was blown away by the prices. Just a standard bottle of supermarket stuff...not extra virgin, was about £6/7. I found the tiniest bottle of supermarket own brand for £3.30...not ev or particularly special. The really decent stuff was closer to £10+.

So wondering...when you see TV chefs they start so many recipes with olive oil and I always used it too...but seems like it's going to be a luxury product now rather than a staple.

Do you use it for standard frying and cooking?

OP posts:
cardibach · 17/02/2024 23:30

I use it for everything. A bottle is a bit pricey, but it lasts ages.

Orangesandsatsumas · 17/02/2024 23:30

I use it for standard cooking but goodness, it's really gone up.

Sparsely · 17/02/2024 23:32

I don't think it gets hot enough for a lot of cooking. Rapeseed oil gets hotter and is more neutral taste. Can't beat it for roasties or salad dressing, though.
I look out for offers then buy a few.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Cost of living General food
TheChosenTwo · 17/02/2024 23:32

We buy a litre bottle every 2 weeks, it’s about £12 and I think it’s always been a fairly similar price. I used to order from this cooperative farm place in Italy, mil got us into it and I don’t know why we stopped now! Might look into it again. It wasn’t cheaper but it was really excellent olive oil.
Cook with it (depending on what it is, we often use a really nice pressed rapeseed oil) and use it in a lot of dressings.

Moveoverdarlin · 17/02/2024 23:35

I buy it and use it for everything, I go to Aldi and buy a big plastic bottle of their standard olive and then I buy a glass bottle of their extra virgin OO. And use that more for dressings and nicer meals.

Sunshineandrainbow · 17/02/2024 23:36

Sparsely · 17/02/2024 23:32

I don't think it gets hot enough for a lot of cooking. Rapeseed oil gets hotter and is more neutral taste. Can't beat it for roasties or salad dressing, though.
I look out for offers then buy a few.

Did you mean olive for good roasties?

PickAChew · 17/02/2024 23:37

It's not great for frying. The last bottle I bought was rancid by the time I had used half of it so I didn't buy any more. I use cold pressed rapeseed oil in most cooking and peanut oil for frying and really crunchy roasties. (despite what all the current diet fad books say about seed oils, I am not the size of a house)

EcstaticMarmalade · 17/02/2024 23:37

I do use it for a lot but these days I am more inclined to use it for things like dressings and with bread or in mash so I can properly taste it.

Moier · 17/02/2024 23:38

Can't use for high heat cooking .
I use crisp n fry Rapeseed.
Olive oil for dressings.

TeenLifeMum · 17/02/2024 23:40

I use it for all my cooking but £12! I bought some yesterday and thought I need to re think how I cook.

spanishviola · 17/02/2024 23:45

It has gone up because a lot of olive trees are diseased and have had to be be destroyed. I saw a programme on it a while back and it was really sad that these ancient trees, some a hundred years old have to be destroyed.

mrsfollowill · 17/02/2024 23:45

I use a mix of olive oil and butter for cooking roast potatoes. Also use olive oil in general cooking so Bolognese sauce, browning meat for a casserole etc- tray of roasted veg like peppers/onions/squash. Got a joint of beef for tomorrow and it will be rubbed in olive oil with salt and pepper. Will slap a bit of mustard on it as well.
Bottle (500ml) lasts maybe 6 months so don't mind paying a bit more. Have a bottle of sunflower oil for a fried egg though we maybe have one x 2 a month if that.

Original poster
Comedycook · 17/02/2024 23:47

Bottle (500ml) lasts maybe 6 months so don't mind paying a bit more.

6 months! Wow...that's ages.

OP posts:
Original poster
Comedycook · 17/02/2024 23:47

spanishviola · 17/02/2024 23:45

It has gone up because a lot of olive trees are diseased and have had to be be destroyed. I saw a programme on it a while back and it was really sad that these ancient trees, some a hundred years old have to be destroyed.

Oh I never knew that. That's interesting and sad....off to google

OP posts:
mitogoshi · 17/02/2024 23:49

I buy mine from Lidl - £3 something for 750ml use a bottle a month

Original poster
Comedycook · 17/02/2024 23:50

mitogoshi · 17/02/2024 23:49

I buy mine from Lidl - £3 something for 750ml use a bottle a month

I don't think it's that cheap in there is it? Will have a look next time I'm in there. I'm sure it was more than that.

OP posts:
BlindurErBóklausMaður · 17/02/2024 23:53

I'm in Puglia and in-laws have olives.
Prices have rocketed here too, in some provinces the Xylella bacteria has wiped out a lot of trees-not so much where I am, but over recent years there's been poor weather during the spring when the olives are formed which has contributed. The oil that's produced in Autumn has been good quality, but not much of it.
It's selling at about €10 a litre here.

aitchteeaitch · 18/02/2024 00:01

spanishviola · 17/02/2024 23:45

It has gone up because a lot of olive trees are diseased and have had to be be destroyed. I saw a programme on it a while back and it was really sad that these ancient trees, some a hundred years old have to be destroyed.

Some are way older than that. They can live for 500 years at least.

Kalevala · 18/02/2024 00:04

I use it in general cooking to start off the onions and brown meat, but a small bottle lasts ages. Or I use coconut oil. I do fried eggs in butter and roast potatoes in goose fat.

JamNittyGritty · 18/02/2024 00:07

I noticed the price hike a little while back. Have switched to rapeseed oil - uk produced so better for the environment, similar to olive oil in terms of health and cheaper too. Still have some extra virgin olive oil for salads / bread dipping etc

Kalevala · 18/02/2024 00:07

Look for single country origin, it's less likely to be adulterated with other oils.

DollyDoyle · 18/02/2024 00:15

We’ve switched to cold pressed rapeseed oil for cooking.

WulfWuman · 18/02/2024 00:15

Yep, goose fat for roast potatoes, extra virgin olive oil for dressings/slow roasted veg/if need a rich flavour, normal olive oil for regular everyday cooking, sesame oil for stir fries/when otherwise appropriate for flavour, sunflower oil when I want a high temperature (so, pancakes basically), butter for frying mushrooms. I am a one woman oil slick.

Lidl is cheapest and actually pretty good. It's not three quid though! Think it was £4.75 last time I bought it. Of course four years ago I'd have been horrified at that price. Now it's a bargain.

Appleblum · 18/02/2024 00:27

We were in Italy recently and bought evoo from a farm at more than €20 per litre! Prices have really shot up.

TheRealKatnissEverdeen · 18/02/2024 00:28

I always used to buy a couple of bottles of olive oil at a time so have a few left from pre price hike.

For those of you saying you now use rapeseed oil, is there any distinct taste to it or can I use it as I would olive oil (I use olive oil for everything and am also in despair re the price)?