To boycott Sainsbury’s for their mince packaging!!

[daydi]

Light hearted (ish) but I shop at Sainsbury’s and since they changed their mince packaging I’ve always hated it every time I buy it! It’d be a pain to buy only mince from a different shop so thinking it’s time to part ways!! It’s all so compact together and doesn’t cook as nicely anymore. Does anyone else have this issue or is it just me? Or does anyone have any tips for cooking it?!

I did already. It reminded me of dog meat.

@GandTtwice I’m def still buying it looking normal in M&S

Yanbu

Buy the frozen mince instead

@Crikeyalmighty that's good to know if Tesco decide to follow the crowd. I don't normally go to m&s for food but I would make an exception for this

I have stopped buying it.
I thought I was being daft and it was just packaging but my DS who eats anything (except vegetables) asked why his Chili was "funny"
I rarely buy meat but if I do its farm shop only now - I buy so little its affordable

I used some only the other day - a 500g pack - and I honestly don’t see a problem. I will usually fry it briefly with chopped onion, but partly break it up with 2 forks first, and carry on the breaking up while it’s frying. Takes very little time.

Any lumpy bits later are broken up by squishing them against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon.

I think the asda turkey mince in still packed regularly. I've stopped buying beef mince in Asda now as its honestly awful. Most of the reviews on the website say the same 🤷‍♀️

It’s not good is it, not just the packaging. I always get mince from Ocado now.

Its vile. I buy from the butcher instead.

I hate it.
Boycott the mince I say.
I find the slab of vacuumed meat difficult to get out of the pack. Blood goes everywhere. And when the slab is in the pan it doesn't break down easily. It also has a mushy texture and a bit tasteless when cooked.
I buy my 5% beef mince at Waitrose now (very MNet) as they often give me a £1.70 discount voucher which makes it a similar price as Sainsbo's but much better quality.

I totally agree! You just have to cook the meat first. I usually fry the block of mince on its own — with just a tiny amount of oil — because the heat from the pan helps break it up really easily and quickly. Then, in another pan, I cook the veg (onions, carrots, celery, etc.) and either add the cooked mince back into the pan with the veg or mix the veg into the meat.
I made a Bolognese sauce the other day using this method, and my mum (Italian Nonna!) said it tasted as good as hers.
By the way, here’s a tip: add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda to the meat while it’s cooking — it helps tenderise it and break the mince down even more quickly.

It's to reduce packaging and waste, so it's a bit 'damned if we do, damned if we don't.

Ah but it isn't. Its to reduce plastic packaging tax. They replaced recyclable plastic trays, with non recyclable film, because its reduces the tax. But the film/soft vacuum packaging is not recyclable.... do it is more waste. Its just about profit/tax.

My last pack of Asda mince was vacuum packed. It has a really weird texture when its cooked.

I always fry the mince off first. It still turns out like mush because you have to bash it about so much in the pan. It has a really weird texture however you cook it.

I buy it in M and S now. The Sainsbury’s stuff is now vile.

Or as the late great Sean Lock called it, the 'meat nappy'.

OP YANBU. Have switched to morrisons.

YANBU
I shop in Lidl, and they have switched to mince paste vacuum packed too. It costs more, but I now get my mince from Tesco.

So do I. It comes out just like a massive burger and really hard to break up.
I won't go anywhere else though as I have a discount card for Sainsburys.

Ah glad it’s not just me! It is definitely a first world problem but it’s a problem that’s bothered me since it changed think it’s time to change up my supermarket choice!!

I’ve been sending dh to the farm shop of late which is the same price (for the more expensive supermarket mince I buy) less water in it too

@daydi its definitely not just you! From the day they changed it a good while ago, the outrage was was deafening but looks like Sainsbury’s are holding firm. I remember doing a double take when I first saw it as it looked unappealing to begin with n the new packaging. Getting into it is messier and harder and then it just falls with a heavy clump into the middle of your pan splashing fat everywhere and then it’s a race against the clock to break up the densely compacted meat. Takes the fun out of cooking as well - I have a shoulder impingement and so now even more it’s much harder for me to break down and get it evenly cooking quickly. The only other convenient nearby supermarket is Asda and they’ve adopted the same for their basic mince also so looks like I’m stuck with it unfortunately.

Not unreasonable I only shop at Morrisons to avoid this now. I’ve also noticed Sainsbury’s is a very over priced supermarket considering the food isn’t even that great

I don't buy my mince in Sainsbury's because of this. I cannot stand looking at the mince vacuum packed like that- it puts me off cooking it and wanting to eat it.

Sainsbury's and any other supermarket that vacuum packs its mince need to listen to their customers on this issue.

I either buy my mince from the butcher or Ocado.

The exact point I was going to make

Apart from not finding any major difference (see my pp) I will continue to buy vacuum-packed meat because it has a much longer shelf life. In the fridge, vacuum-sealed mince can stay fresh for up to two weeks, compared to just 3–5 days for conventionally packaged meat. When frozen, it can last for a year or more, whereas regular packaged mince typically keeps for only 3–4 months. Great for cutting down waste and also great for when I buy online from Sainsburys as I do not need to worry about use by dates!