which sainsurys basics are good ???- i need to do a big stock up and thought would give it a go !!

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please share !!! thanks x

The basics butter is fine!

Pasta is good, fresh fruit & veg is fine, bread is ok for toast/school lunches, chocolate is ok, baked beans fine.

Plain biscuits and Jaffa cake type things are ok. I can't think of anything that was dreadful, but the tea bags and coffee (which I haven't tried) are apparently not great.

I bought the tea bags (27p a box) after seeing them recommended on here! They are fine. Not great (I like my tea strong! Yorkshire Gold is my fave) but passable.

Biscuits are all good as are fruit and veg. Love the tortilla chips. Pizza's are good for us as we add our own toppings and a bit more cheese. The cheese is also good. All the lunchbox type biscuits/choc wafers are good for kids.

Always happy with the veg. Fish fillets are fine as are the frozen prawns and frozen veg. The frozen pork and beef mince is ok if you're going to bung it in pasta with lots veg - wouldn't use it for anything where it would be the main event though.

The fromage frais are lovely, we never buy anything else. I've heard the fish fingers are tasty and also contain a proper amount of fish too.

Agree the tea bags were ok. I hardly buy any 'basics'/savers type stuff. It doesn't make you go Hmmm a very delicious cup of tea but it is perfectly drinkable. Tortilla chips are fab.

I also like the sainsburys basics frozen sausage rolls Not much meat in them, but I like them like that. The basics fishfingers are really nice too.

The basic fish fingers are really nice. Cheese and yoghurts are good. I don't think the basics bread is very nice (texture wise, I can't eat it as gluten intolerant, but don't get it for the kids as it always seems dry). Tinned goods like beans, kidney beans, sweetcorn are good. Tinned tomatoes are a bit aneamic, but fine if you are using them in a sauce with other ingredients.

Basics rice was terrible, couldn't even make a decent rice pudding from it. Rice bits were varying shapes so never cooked evenly.

Oh, I forgot, the basics houmous is good too. I wouldn't serve it at a party but it's fine for sandwiches (or late night snacking...)

Frozen veg is mainly cauliflower and some carrot. I don't like cauliflower.
Muesli is floury. Didn't like the coffee much.

Everything else is fine, esp prawns, fish, fruit and veg. And choc digestives I prefer to standard ones - more biscuit.

Yogurts, especially the 15p individual ones.
Fromage frais (lower in sugar than more expensive ones)
Tinned kidney beans
Fresh blueberries
Mozzarella balls
Toilet rolls (but I hate the extra thick quilted type)
Have had no problems with the rice.

Don't assume the Basics butter is the cheapest. It isn't always.

foil 15m 54p
tea bags 80 (fair trade) 29p (I like weakish tea)
cashew nuts £1.30 ish
orange juice 1L 65p
Frozen fish cakes
Frozen yorkshire puddings- 15 55p
Jaffa cakes 24 90p
Houmous 85p
wet wipes 51p
Dish washer tabs 40 £2.40
Tortilla chips
Frozen lollies 75p
muffins 6 69p
scotch pancakes
All biscuits
Butter (for baking,don't like it on toast)
All flour
lettuce,apples.bananas and potatoes

trial and error is what you need,taken me a while but I now know that we won't drink the coffee!

Was going to mention the humous - very good.

Tinned tomato soup is good, have had their basic orange juice in a carton which was fine, the squash / cordials aren't very good. Shortbread biscuits nice, blueberries / strawberries fine. Have also used their basic frozen fruit before (forest fruits I think) which was good as something to whack into a smoothie. Basic plain yoghurt good (although not as thick as others which I prefer and it drives me mad that there is no lid once you've peeled back the plastic). Haven't had the basic brand bread, but always buy the little scotch pancakes and english muffins which the children love. Also bought for the first time this week the basic brand crackers, think they were called snack crackers - very similar to TUC biscuits, children loved them.

Have tried the cheese and ham, don't really rate those (not much taste and a little bit plastic-y) but do use the basic brand for back bacon. Have had basic brand standard fruit & veggies too (pototoes / carrots / parsnips / broccoli florests / apples / lemons) - all fine. The basic young leaf salad is good if you use it that day (and its not necessarily the cheapest) but tends to go off quite quickly.

The tomatoes in a mini carton are OK but quite watery.

Just go to lidl and aldi, I find sainsburys stuff disappointing

Bananas
Peppers
All fruit and veg actually, they are just not perfect shapes.

Other than that I only buy basics rubber gloves (bit thin but very cheap), baby wipes for cleaning the stainless steel in my kitchen, and thin sanitary towels.

Mozzarella is fine. Their baby bath and shampoo also do the job! My husband also likes the scotch pancakes.

The salmon trimmings are horrible.

Yy to humous, bananas, bake yourself bread, pancakes, pitta bread, long life milk, cornflakes and tinned rice pudding.

I have a tin of basics tuna to try.

another vote for the houmous

its my favourite houmous actually

I do a few sainsburys shops a year (other wise i use ocado) and stock up on basics:
tinned sweet corn
chopped tomatoes
tinned fruit (all in juice)
fruit
pitta
parmesan cheese
soft cheese
butter
biscuits
blueberries
kidney beans
smoked salmon is lovely in pasta
smoked mackeral
orange juice
doritos
flour
porridge oats
golden syrup (or is that tesco value?)
cocoa powder ( " " " ?)
all fresh fruit and veg (just odd sizes)
baby weaning spoons have been perfect too!
fragrance free baby wipes
nappy sacs
nothing wrong with the basics baby vests either, seemed the same!

i also like the aspartane free drinks sainsburys own brand do, so stock up on sugar free high juice, and sainsburys version of lemonade / lemon & lime (fizzy) etc

Sainsbury's Sponge Scourers, Basics x5 (14p)

Their version of feta is fine; mozerella better than fine. Parmesan not bad.
Custard cream biscuits
Dark choc
Kidney beans

Toilet cleaner,
dishwasher tabs,
tinned tomatoes,
kidney beans,
tin foil
scourers, j cloths
tea bags,
fizzy water (20p for 2l)
mozzerella balls,
pasta shapes (also buy biggest bag you can as it is cheaper!)
currently testing long grain rice
porridge oats
wet wipes,
tissues,
butter,
peanuts,
smoked mackerel ( watch out for bones though)
bacon bits
smoked salmon trimmings ( fine for pasta and dd2s sandwiches)
some of the fruit and veg ( depends on quality - need to have a look at offers to!)
frozen peas

one up from basics stuff -
instant coffee
chocolate powder
washing up liquid
washing tablets
sugar free high juice,
hard parmesan
choc ices - 8 for £1

I do try and buy quality meat ( only for DH and dd1 as dd2 and i are veggie)

Also find it cheaper to buy fruit and veg (good quality) from local greengrocer stall - also more seasonal that way!

I like

Tortilla chips, 50p LOVE these!
Mini pancakes, 20p
Bag of peppers, £1.29
Tea bags, 29p I like weak tea. If you like it strong, this may not be your tea bag.
Tinned pineapple, 30p Tasted nice, just in chunks rather than rings.
White chocolate bar, 30p Love this, tastes like Milky Bar!
Toffees, 35p Yummy.

Not so much

Chocolate coated wafer biscuits, 66p I could only taste the wafer, a miniscule amount of chocolate.
Milk chocolate bar and buttons Had an unpleasant aftertaste.
Jaffa cakes, 90p Not bad, but I ate some alongside McVities ones as a taste test and they didn't measure up.
Instant custard powder, 15p So disgusting, I couldn't eat it :(

I shop in Aldi/Lidl, so this is all I've tried so far. Whenever I go in, I pick up a Basics thing to try. I nearly got the butter last time, but another one was reduced so it was cheaper.

I think the Basics range is definitely better than ASDA Smart Price.

The hot chocolate is about a pound it is ok, cadburys is much nicer.

also tinned plum tomatoes and kidney beans. I quite like the basics frozen cooking bacon ( although appreciate it may not be everyones cup to tea) for cooking with.
the basics angel delight stuff is ok for children. yoghurts are good including the massive tub of natural yoghurt.
loo roll is fine ( not scratchy at all)
all biscuits are yummy.
mozarella ball is fine on a pizza.
frozen peas and fish fingers are fine too.
also nappies are perfectly fine and a BARGAIN ( only realised this when potty training child 3 and could have saved a fortune)

only things i havent like are the cider ( should have seen that coming), tea bags ( i'm quite fussy about tea) and rice crispies.