Early shopping

[MrsDeaconClaybourne]

Can I ask for inspiration please?

I'm not usually an early shopper but one of my DC has had a summer job at a supermarket. I have a 10% off discount card which I'll lose at the end of September when he goes to uni. I also have quite a lot of loyalty card points for same supermarket. I'm thinking it would be really smart to do a very early shop for non- perishables but I'm not that organised and my mind is blank! The only thing I can think of are crisps and cheese biscuits! So, if you were stocking up early what would get?

My local tesco's already has a Christmas treat section, I'd have a look there.

I'd be getting a couple of big tubs of chocs, some chocolate santas and choc coins for stockings, probably some chocs for teacher gifts.

If you buy mincemeat that keeps well. And booze, if you need that.

@MrsDeaconClaybourne frozen meat staples, cans of soup - or even that more expensive lovely chilled soup - you could just decant and freeze. With winter coming up, these are your best bets. I should add that mince pies freeze very well and you’d never know once they were defrosted!

I wouldn’t stock up on Xmas sweet treats and things because often they have BBs before the big day and if you’re like me, you’ll only eat them some random cold dark evening when you’ve had a bad day at work or something! 😅

Some things I've picked up already are:

Mint sauce, goose fat, stuffing (I don't want to make my own), Nutella, advent calendar, sweets, chocolate, crisp, nuts, biscuits, crackers, ice cream, sellotape, batteries, tin foil.

Gifts: pjs, socks, slippers, nice toiletries, pens/pencils, candles.

These are great ideas thanks. I sort of half make my own stuffing with chestnuts and those dried mixes so that's a good idea. Some small gifts also good. @MoominMai me and my DM have a strategy for storing sweet treats where we store them for the other person - much less likely to give into temptation if they belong to someone else!

Soft drinks if you have storage ( I bought a big tray of Pepsi one year , IIRC 24 for £10 ) put it in the garage ....... they must've frozen because most burst . Horrible mess . Luckily they were in plastic storage drawers so just hosed them .
Bit boring but why not get your binbags/foil/DW tablets / laundry stuff ? You;ll need it and but means less expense at Christmas ?

I;d get:
J2O
Jams/ Lemon curd (nice ones )
The tubs of Heroes
Coffee/Tea
Artichokes (in jars)
Good tinned tomatoes ( Nutti or Polti)
Olive oil
Maraschino cherries in a jar
Dried fruit (for cake)

I need to clear my Christmas Shelf in the pantry soon

anything you need for the cake if you make your own - and anything for the trifle if you do one?

booze, although nearly all supermarkets do bulk deals so depends if that would be cheaper later for you. Naice non alcoholic drinks if you need them.

pickles and chutneys for boxing day.

I was watching a program where a baker was giving some of their tips for cakes .
Buy the best dried fruit you can. I always used to buy those bags of wizened little sultanas in the supermarket but the last cake I did I invested in some really nice (and £) Turkish sultanas . Made a huge difference .
They soak the fruit but don;t feed the cake .

No-one else likes Christmas cake except me so I don't make them often .
But I'm thinking I could do an Amaretto soaked fruit cake this year without the marzipan or icing .

I would get the soft drinks in like Coke, sparkling water, schloer etc, but if you have the space put them out of sight so they don’t get drunk early.

Comversley, I buy cheaper fruit and soak in a little Earl Grey tea (or regular tea would do) overnight. Makes all the difference. I still feed the cake afterwards