Weekly shop spend?

[vickster]

Is the higher end spend because people buy more expensive prepared products rather than cooking every day using raw ingredients?

Maybe but living alone, frankly I can't be bothered to cook from scratch every day and the cost of buying prepared food doesn't trouble me.

I never shop in Lidl or Aldi but do mostly use Asda and/or Tesco for every day stuff which are really no more expensive, offer more choice (and are closer to home)

 

[Reynard]

There's always a big group around the yellow sticker shelves here, so always nervous trying to get near it at moment... plus all that packaging handling and poking puts me off!

It can be a bit of a bun fight, true...

In my local Tesco, it's a relatively small group of regulars on Saturday evenings, which is when I go. And other than a couple of grabby ones, the rest of us all seem to go for different things, so it tends to be fairly civilized.

 

[Reynard]

I never shop in Lidl or Aldi but do mostly use Asda and/or Tesco for every day stuff which are really no more expensive, offer more choice (and are closer to home)

I find that too - when you compare price per weight. They can look cheaper, but often it's simply because the packets are smaller.

I do go to Lidl for the things I can't get in Tesco (continental deli mainly), but I haven't been for a year. The nearest one is a 40-something mile round trip, and can't justify doing that right now.

 

[NorthernDave]

I probably spend around £60 a week on food shopping, just me now. That's a supermarket delivery with a midweek top up on fresh stuff. I try to do "proper" meals where possible.

I have noticed prices have increased over lockdown - a year ago I often struggled to hit the minimum order amount of £40 for delivery so would end up having to add a store cupboard staple.
Now it's never an issue on largely the same shop and there have been some considerable price increases on some items.

I could reduce the cost a bit by swapping to lower welfare meat or fish, or for budget brands, but I'd rather not.

 

[mjr]

Backbone of our shopping is now a weekly farm box delivery, topped up with a market visit including fishmonger. I visit a butcher if needed but we don't each that much meat. The rest (tins and so on) was being bought off peak in small supermarkets but I am now trying click and collect again as I got a slot. I will take the bike trailer.

 

[Gunk]

It can be a bit of a bun fight, true...

In my local Tesco, it's a relatively small group of regulars on Saturday evenings, which is when I go. And other than a couple of grabby ones, the rest of us all seem to go for different things, so it tends to be fairly civilized.

Aldi is good for the basics, like cleaning products, cheese, cooked meats, beer!

But for everything else we've always shopped at either Waitrose and M&S, Mrs Gunk just prefers it. If we were on a tighter budget then our habits would probably change.

 

[mjr]

Slightly disappointed that so many people seem to be supermarket-mainly or supermarket-only. If you buy fresh food from them, you are paying more for worse (usually not as fresh or not as tasty). I thought cyclists were cleverer than that and a cycle makes it easier to visit more smaller shops (in normal times, at least!)

 

[vickster]

Aldi is good for the basics, like cleaning products, cheese, cooked meats, beer!

But for everything else we've always shopped at either Waitrose and M&S, Mrs Gunk just prefers it. If we were on a tighter budget then our habits would probably change.

I rarely drink, don't eat meat, try not to eat too much cheese and the amount of cleaning I do I've probably got enough stuff to last me for years (and if not, it's cheap in Asda)

The nearest Aldi is at least 20 minutes away by car (probably 30 realistically), every other major supermarket 5-10 minutes away by car (or 10-15 minute walk)...so it's really not worth seeking Aldi out for me (especially based on past experience).

I do prefer ready meals from Waitrose and M&S also (as well as things like smoked salmon pate, artichokes and their mini poppadums )

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Is the higher end spend because people buy more expensive prepared products rather than cooking every day using raw ingredients?

Not necessarily, I put £50 plus and cook everything myself, but I do use a fishmonger and local butcher, which are more expensive, but the quality is worth it IMO. Since lockdown I've been spending more on quality foods on the basis I'm not eating out.

 

[Gunk]

and their mini poppadums

I agree, they're lovely!

 

[Archie_tect]

I hadn't picked up on it until Mrs A_T and I were talking about our shop but we've just about stopped buying meat... except for unsmoked bacon for bacon and egg rolls!

We buy a few prepared individual meals a week for my mum but they're worth it because it saves us having to do cook different things for her and makes it easy for her just to microwave stuff rather than spending a lot heating up her oven to 180 agrees for 30 minutes or so to heat a single meal.

 

[vickster]

I agree, they're lovely!

With Geetas mango chutney from Waitrose

 

[Archie_tect]

This is nice just as a curry if you don't want to bother with the pastry:

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/recipes/sweet-potato-and-cauliflower-curry-pies

 

[vickster]

That involves cooking and ingredients though

....Heads off to put fish fingers in oven

 

[Gunk]

That involves cooking and ingredients though

....Heads off to put fish fingers in oven

Fish finger sandwich?

lovely with thin chips