to automatically ignore value brands

[somedayma]

I probably am BU because I could definitely do with saving some cash on my grocery shop. But I've had some v bad tesco value items in the past (soft rice crispies, plasticky tasting chocolate etc).

I was looking at value chicken breasts today, thinking 'they're probably going to taste the same as the other slightly more expensive ones once it's in a stew anyway'. but for some reason bought the more expensive ones anyway.

Value ready salted crisps taste the same as branded ones. Just FYI

that is interestihg foofighter
meat is 80 g per person for a meal, so 80 x 5 = 400 gm

i was nearly right, just a bit under,

Nah, our PCT don't prescribe fuck all any more, as they are on the verge of bankruptcy. No diprobase for 11mo DS3, has to be paid for. As does his Oilatum bath liquid. As does a £300 Nebuliser for severely asthmatic DS2, I have been told this week. . (I'm going to apply to the Family Fund with that one). THAT is the truth of the NHS in some areas, I'm afraid.

Karmabeliever - no Farmfoods here. At all. Within a 20-mile radius, which is the furthest that is remotely practical by public transport. We only EAT meat 3-4 days a week, but when you have food allergies to cope with, it ISN'T easy to replace meat with other things. When you THEN add into it the fact that two of the DC have Autism and sensory issues around food textures, it becomes nigh on impossible.

Neither of my two children with Autism will eat chickpeas (which is annoying as I luuuurve them). They won't eat courgettes or peas or fresh tomatoes either. I can get away with tinned tomatoes, and I make my own sauces, but when you are having to use GF flour as the base for your sauces, it gets expensive. Tesco Value plain flour is 52p for 1.5kg (0.03p per 100g). Dove's Farm GF plain flour is £1.70 for 1kg (17p per 100g). So there is a significant price difference!

slarty, I would use a whole (medium - large) chicken to feed 5. My dh and teenage son are huge meat eaters and would look at me in horror if I tried to bulk it out with beans/lentils. In a stir fry, I would use 4 chicken breasts. They eat 4 sausages each at dinner. DS1 has hollow legs. I think I used less meat when the boys were younger, but now I get through a huge amount, although they will eat quorn too (although that isn't cheap either, if you need a lot of it).

karma, now i feel guilt again,

Slarty, I think my family maybe eat too much meat. Fwiw, I eat a lot less that they do and don't feel deprived.

Karma - I only use two chicken breasts in a stir fry right now, but then I only have one adult and one teenager to feed. my 9yo DS1 eats as much as an adult though. I put a LOT of veg in my stir fry's - water chestnuts, bamboo shoots (I use half a tin of each, so get two stir frys out of them), 2/3 peppers (I use half of each pepper, so I can spread them over two dinners), a bag of beansprouts (again, I get two stir frys out of that), and grated carrots. Carrots go a LOT further when grated...

I dread to think what my shopping bill will be when DD is 17yo, DS1 is 13yo, DS2 is 12yo and DS3 is 5yo. .

I'm trying to get our weekly spend on food down to £40 or less for 2 adults and 2 children, plus one almost-teen every other weekend as I am now on maternity pay only. Plus still need to get gas and electricity on a meter and nappies for 3.

Looks like it's value all the way :(

DS1 is pretty good about eating veg, he just thinks a 'proper' dinner contains lots of meat too. I am tempted to become a vegetarian, like ds2, as I don't think I'd miss meat very much. It seems awfully expensive to me, for something that's not that nice. Sometimes I stand in the shop and think about how many books and bars of chocolate I could buy, if I didn't have to buy chicken and pork!

Most of the own brands are the exact same thing as some of the leading brands, know what you means about the Tesco value rice krispies though, they are vile. There are some things that I prefer, I won't buy normal minced beef, I prefer the lean minced steak etc as there is alot less fat and gristle (it's 2x 500g for £5 in Adsa though so still cheap) but things like corned beef etc, check the ingredient lists, the contents are exactly the same and with the same percentage of meat etc so I get the Adsa value of that, we get the Asda own brand beans etc. Yogurts etc are all leading brands that have been repackaged, usually the fruit in them is mis-shapen etc and it's not passed 'quality control' for that reason with the leading brands so it's just repackaged, same with tinned fruit etc.

I find the Asda own dishwasher tablets loads better than Finish etc and I used thier own brand bio washing tablets too which are loads cheaper than the leading brands and I've found no difference in the wash. Most of what we buy is the shops own brand rather than the value range but still alot cheaper than buying all main brands. Chicken breasts etc, some value branded does have more water added to add more weight but if it's for a stew/curry etc you won't taste a difference.

Well this week I did a £40 shop at ALDI and got all the fruit and veg, tinned things, free range chicken, yoghurt, pizzas etc

When I go to ALDI I pretend I am on holiday in a continental supermarket so there will be no Cadburys or Heinz or Kelloggs and it seems to work for me!

Then I do late night top up shopping at Waitrose and get all the massively reduced stuff! This week I got smoked salmon for 49p reduced from £4.99, Sharon fruit for 10p instead of £1.99, Blue cheese for 13p instead of £4.99!!!!! Lots of salad cheap as chips, bread for 10p, crumpets were 15p. Tis a bit random but quite fun!!

And when I make a chilli, I use a pack of mince and half a bag of red lentils which doubles the portion!

Same with shepherds pie and spag bol! Halves the price and doubles the portion.

Try it and see if the family notice..........

I think you just have to try them and it is a bit hit and miss, there's definitely some items where it's not worth buying value. Cheap binbags are a definite false economy, as are toilet rolls. Value sausages and mince are particularly vile .

We buy value biscuits as they are also less likely to contain egg or milk as the kids have allergies. Value beans are vile, but things like value tinned tomatoes you're not going to notice much difference. Value mango chutney and jams and the like are fine too. I will admit to buying value tuna as it had got so expensive, but the chunks not the flakes.

These threads always make me laugh, yes the value ranges are often made at the same factoory as mcvities etc but with different ingrediants. You do get what you pay for.

Unfortunately DS is allergic to lentils otherwise I would use them to bulk out bolognese etc. I never get to eat lentil soup anymore and it's my favourite .

My dad once did the shopping, convinced Mum was spending too much.

He was delighted with himself until she pointed out "bargains" such as the own-brand butter, just a penny cheaper than our usual brand and tasted vile, the jumbo coffee jar that was more expensive than two jars half the weight, and all the multiple buy offers with short sell-by dates that couldn't all be frozen.

I simply don't believe that all the "my family comes first-so I don't care about animal welfare" brigade have special circumstances like yours.

No seeker of course they don't - why cant you just accept (and Im not part of a "brigade") some people aren't bothered about it all and its just to do with cost?

campergirl "No grounds for holier than thou 'my family comes first' posturing there."

I don't see that and I'm certainly not saying that - but my family and feeding them on my budget do come first - whats holier than thou about that? And if that includes value meat then thats my choice, one Im perfectly happy with.

Collision when you add the lentils do you have to do anything particular to make sure they cook? I always add water and carrots and cook it down anyway but lentils seems a good way to bulk it out!

trixy thats a shame - I make a very simple gorgeous lentil soup with grated carrots that even my vegetable hating 18 year old DS loves.

Has anyone tried Aldi nappies? Are they any good?

whackamole - I fry onions/garlic/mince. Add 2 tins tomatoes and puree, add beef stock with water and then pour in half a bag of red lentils. Tis purely guess work but you need to watch the liquid content as the lentils take in all the water.

Just add more stock and keep it at the consistency you like for spag bol.

No one ever notices the lentils.

I've just been to our local butchers and bought 5 enormous fresh chicken breasts (around twice the size of the supermarket ones) for £7.10. That seems a huge bargain. Maybe we should buy more from our local shops?

Actually, it isn't the dinners that ratchet up the cost ime - it's the yoghurts, juice, cakes, clearasil, household stuff, cat food, toiletries that all adds up. Having teenagers who are constantly hungry is very expensive and pandering to their pudding weaknesses.

Dinner tonight is going to be macaroni cheese and tomorrow (DH is away) we will have a roast chicken. I will still fill the trolley somehow and end up spending £70.00 to last until Tuesday !

Sainsbury's basics smoked salmon trimmings are fantastic, and I really like their bags of peppers and aubergines: you just have to check them carefully.

The tinned chopped tomatoes are really watery, though, and the kidney beans are either too hard or too gritty.

DP and I probably eat too much meat, but we are both tall and have big appetites. I hate lentils so they wouldn't be any good for 'bulking out' purposes. I don't understand people who actually like lentils - vile things!

I totally admire people who can say they can feed a family of 4 for a week on £50 or whatever, for me its impossible. Yes Im sure if that was just a breakfast, lunch and dinner per person that would be maybe ok but like married its everything else that adds up - all snacks (healthy and otherwise), drinks, household goods etc. Yogurts - I can sympathise - my 3 go through them so quickly!

And eating food is so subjective and down to personal taste. I genuinely dont like a lot of vegetables so stick to meat or fish with the veggies I do like like carrots, onions, butternut squash or salad for dinner. I dont like pasta and tomatoes.

I have a 18 year old who would just processed stuff all the given half a chance and a 9 year old who is the complete opposite thank goodness.