what foods can i scrimp on?

[qazxc]

Is the lidl/aldi stuff just as good as m&s? Is there any taste difference between frozen turkey and poncey bronze turkey from butchers? Please come here and impart all your money saving tips esp for food,drinks and nibbles.

Unless you only like white meat, turkey legs from your local butcher make a super delicious very cheap alternative to a whole turkey. Easier to cook too!

"poncey bronze turkey" - def not to be scrimped on. Sorry a bird that has been raised well, fed well, hung and cooked really juicy cannot be compared with a cheap white bird. Much rather cut down on the crappy orange foods (pastries etc), mass chocolates and just the over gorging that isnt necessary. The veg in Aldi/Lidl is very good. Usually do a good ham selection. Their smoked salmon isnt good though. Just buy what is going to be eaten instead of the mass buy everything and bin it.

bobs123 Thu 13-Nov-14 21:51:01

would you risk a lidle goose? 19 QUID...

I much prefer the Aldi smoked salmon to the rather insipid mild cure that our local Waitrose stocks. It is far better for being robust and you can actually taste it in scrambled eggs, pasta sauces etc.

Lild's £12.99 French champagne is rather good as well ( does well in the taste tests every year) but it does run out so look for it now.
Their frozen whole Canadian lobster is also good (£6.99 each) but again stock is already running low.

ZeVite could not possible comment on the goose - sorry!.
The problem with any supermarket is they are good at some things and rubbish at others, and I haven't had a goose for years

Hopefully someone else has had one from Lidl and can comment....however even this thread is showing that some like, say, the Aldi smoked salmon and some don't.

With turkeys, it depends what you are used to and who is coming to dinner!! I had a top of the range one a few years back and it was wasted on our family. However if you are feeding a discerning older crowd, well then...IMO bronze are tastier but not necessarily juicier

My mum used to get a 20-25lb free range bird from the local farm every year as we had all the relatives for Christmas - paid a fortune but it was good

[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/10/31/bbc-good-food-christmas-taste-test-lidl-waitrose_n_6081084.html]

See this for taste test

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/10/31/bbc-good-food-christmas-taste-test-lidl-waitrose_n_6081084.html

Can't do links!

We always have a frozen medium turkey crown from Sainsbury's. It's bloody lovely. Never had a fresh butcher's one mind.

Bought frozen party food from Sainsbury's last year and I really wasn't impressed at all. Going for less is more this year and buying frozen party food from Waitrose. It'll just be the 3 of us compared to 6 people last year so won't need so much.

Don't have an Aldi or Lidl near here so can't comment on them.

Ocado are selling a whole frozen lobster for £7 at the moment. Never had lobster but it sounds like a bargain if anyone is interested!

All the goodies like chocolates and biscuits and sweets I've bought supermarket own-brand, unless branded has been on offer and worked out cheaper. Alcohol I've bought on offer too. Sainsbury's Taste the Difference prosecco is absolutely delicious so I waited until it was on offer before buying it this year.

Wish an Aldi would open up near me so I could see what all the fuss was about!

We had a big Xmas last year and SIL brought the Aldi 4 bird roast and I did the M&S cheapest turkey crown (£27.50).

The 4 bird roast fell apart on carving and looked and tasted very unappetising, duck was tough and dry. M&S turkey crown sliced beautifully, was tasty, juicy and was devoured.

Have heard good things about Aldi's Xmas meat before, haven't experienced it yet, but would avoid the 3/4 bird roasts.

I think M and S food is much tastier than waitrose.