# Money saving tips on food



## travellor

Anyone think it's worth sharing tips on saving money on food?

My first one is never binning anything.
Any leftovers, veg, meat, gravy, stock, ( I don't eat puddings), all gets saved throughout the week, then recycled in a chilli or curry at the end of the week, with anything else that needs using, plus whatever else I have to use up, and other ingredients to finish it off.

The second one is an app called "Too good to go" 
Which I only found today, but seems to be an app that lets you buy a mixed bag of short dates food items.
As it's a mixed bag it may not suit everyone, but could be good in a mixed diet household.


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## jj10125

Really good timing, I was literally just discussing with my other half about how much more food shopping is since being diagnosed.. you know .. in addition to just being more expensive in general! Think it's because we're still adapting, so probably looking short-term in terms of meal plans.

I've had mixed results with Too good to go, supermarkets (if you can get them!) are typically really worthwhile whereas some of the smaller shops Spar etc seem really pointless - could just be where I am!

Saving money on food could never be a negative though so well worth sharing!


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## Lucyr

Meal planning is important, and i do  click and collect for shopping. Then I only buy what I need. I buy basics range for all but a couple of items too


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## Leadinglights

I am always astonished how a few sticks of celery, an onion or leek and a courgette can make a pot of soup for 6 portions. and 300g mince with some veg, kidney beans will make 6 portions of chilli.


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## Drummer

When I went out to buy a new chest freezer - a long time ago now, the size I wanted was not available - but the manager offered me a returned large size for the same price as the one I wanted. It has been under the stairs for decades now, so I look at the larger size packs to see if they are cheaper per Kg than the smaller ones - usually they are, so I take some of the big ones, split them up and freeze them, or if there is an offer on anything, or something I use is marked down, I buy a lot and put it into the freezer. 
There was free bread at the supermarket just before Christmas one year, so I filled a trolley and did not need to buy any until Easter. 
Of course not everyone has the room for a big freezer, or can spare the bowls to have left over or double sized meals in the freezer, but I must have saved a lot over the years.


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## Leadinglights

Drummer said:


> When I went out to buy a new chest freezer - a long time ago now, the size I wanted was not available - but the manager offered me a returned large size for the same price as the one I wanted. It has been under the stairs for decades now, so I look at the larger size packs to see if they are cheaper per Kg than the smaller ones - usually they are, so I take some of the big ones, split them up and freeze them, or if there is an offer on anything, or something I use is marked down, I buy a lot and put it into the freezer.
> There was free bread at the supermarket just before Christmas one year, so I filled a trolley and did not need to buy any until Easter.
> Of course not everyone has the room for a big freezer, or can spare the bowls to have left over or double sized meals in the freezer, but I must have saved a lot over the years.


I buy the containers usually 5 for £1 from the poundshop to use for freezer stuff as they stack neatly and can be reused over and over again. I once took what I thought as a tub of soup to work for lunch but it turned out to be stewed apples.


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## Windy

Leadinglights said:


> I once took what I thought as a tub of soup to work for lunch but it turned out to be stewed apples.


Could you get some stickers to put on the tubs, so maybe red for savoury meals and green for sweet ones, or write on the tub with a marker pen?
I've also found mystery tubs of stuff in the freezer, so clearly don't take my own advice about labelling them!


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## Leadinglights

Windy said:


> Could you get some stickers to put on the tubs, so maybe red for savoury meals and green for sweet ones, or write on the tub with a marker pen?
> I've also found mystery tubs of stuff in the freezer, so clearly don't take my own advice about labelling them!


I am a bit more organised now and do use a sharpie.


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## travellor

Windy said:


> Could you get some stickers to put on the tubs, so maybe red for savoury meals and green for sweet ones, or write on the tub with a marker pen?
> I've also found mystery tubs of stuff in the freezer, so clearly don't take my own advice about labelling them!


I have odd bags and tubs of "things" as well!
If I can't decide what they are, even after I defrost it, it all goes into the chilli!


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## Docb

I try to minimise the amount of rubbish in my supermarket trolley.  By this I am not referring to rubbish food but to all that stuff which ends up in the rubbish bin.  Some of the rubbish is useful, it's tricky to buy milk not in a container which finishes up in the rubbish, but like @travellor I like to use every bit of the useful stuff that is edible or has flavour.  

I also keep a small store cupboard of flavourings.... fresh chillies and ginger and garlic in the fridge bought from an Asian supermarket with a few basic spices and some garam masala (far cheaper and better quality than normal supermarket) and Soy sauce and rice wine from the oriental supermarket.

I like my shopping and cooking to be interesting and fun but not time-consuming and waste generating.


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## Pumper_Sue

I take a list of what I want and stick to it. 
Always check so called special offers as not always as good as claimed, also I know which shops items are cheaper than others so make my list out for each shop.
Shopping every two weeks saves on fuel as 20 mile round trip to shops.


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## Felinia

I love my freezer.  Like many others, all left overs go there, and I've made some "interesting" soups and pasta sauces.  I buy whole chickens, roast them, and make stock with the bones and juices, which add significantly to the flavour of my concoctions.  But my most effective saving has been getting a vegetable box from a local farm outlet.  I shopped around and found one for just over £28 which gives me more than 3 weeks worth of veggies (thanks again to the freezer).  This week's budget meal was a sauce made with left over salad items of diced onion, celery, peppers, courgette, some of the juice from a tin of tomatoes, the pickings from a chicken carcase, served with soy bean spaghetti.


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## freesia

I do a meal plan for the week before we do a shop. I make a list of ingredients i need which are not store cupboard and stick to it. The meals we eat are varied, tasty and we don't have waste. Any extra vegetables are used up in a meal at the end of the week and if the portions make enough, extra goes in the freezer.


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## travellor

Pumper_Sue said:


> I take a list of what I want and stick to it.
> Always check so called special offers as not always as good as claimed, also I know which shops items are cheaper than others so make my list out for each shop.
> Shopping every two weeks saves on fuel as 20 mile round trip to shops.



I'm the exact opposite.
I buy the yellow labels, the offers, and freeze everything.
Then I make a meal from whatever I have in.
I also buy some wholesale items, 24 packs of tinned chick peas, kidney beans, tomatoes and things like that.

Going off topic, but it's a rant for me - offers in supermarkets really do annoy me.
Today for example, cup a soup, £1.15 each, three for £3.
Toilet roll, buy 2 get the third half price.
I feel fortunate I can afford to buy the three this week.
But other can't, so they are penalised into paying full price for one.
It's chronically unfair.
It's penalising the very people that need the offers. It would be fairer to say, "sell them all for £1.05 or £1.10 or similar"
Rant over.


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## travellor

Docb said:


> I try to minimise the amount of rubbish in my supermarket trolley.  By this I am not referring to rubbish food but to all that stuff which ends up in the rubbish bin.  Some of the rubbish is useful, it's tricky to buy milk not in a container which finishes up in the rubbish, but like @travellor I like to use every bit of the useful stuff that is edible or has flavour.
> 
> I also keep a small store cupboard of flavourings.... fresh chillies and ginger and garlic in the fridge bought from an Asian supermarket with a few basic spices and some garam masala (far cheaper and better quality than normal supermarket) and Soy sauce and rice wine from the oriental supermarket.
> 
> I like my shopping and cooking to be interesting and fun but not time-consuming and waste generating.



I batch cook a base meal, and freeze it in portions.
Say chicken thighs, slow cooked, with veg and stock.

Frozen in portions, then I can add spices, tinned chick peas etc to make it a curry, or thicken it with gravy to make it a stew, or a white sauce.
The same with pork, beef cubes or mince, and I can prepare very quick meals with no waste.


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## Vonny

Leadinglights said:


> I buy the containers usually 5 for £1 from the poundshop to use for freezer stuff as they stack neatly and can be reused over and over again. I once took what I thought as a tub of soup to work for lunch but it turned out to be stewed apples.


A colleague at work always has a "freezer surprise" for lunch. Admittedly it will be more lunchy than stewed apples!


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## nonethewiser

Chest freezer in garage so can purchase reduced items & freeze if necessary, going in supermarket early in morning usually find best reduced items, Aldi especially.


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## travellor

jj10125 said:


> Really good timing, I was literally just discussing with my other half about how much more food shopping is since being diagnosed.. you know .. in addition to just being more expensive in general! Think it's because we're still adapting, so probably looking short-term in terms of meal plans.
> 
> I've had mixed results with Too good to go, supermarkets (if you can get them!) are typically really worthwhile whereas some of the smaller shops Spar etc seem really pointless - could just be where I am!
> 
> Saving money on food could never be a negative though so well worth sharing!



I just tried Too good to go, at a local Asian supermarket. 
Supposedly £10 reduced to £3.33.
Basically a bag of very past the best apples and nectarines, a pineapple and a few other bits of fruit.
So that shop is definitely of the list!
It made an Apple pie though, rather than binning it.


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## Pumper_Sue

travellor said:


> I'm the exact opposite.
> I buy the yellow labels, the offers, and freeze everything.


There was an article on the net a little while back saying the yellow/reduced labels in Morrisons were not as good a reduction as made out. 
Must admit I had noticed this before so pick and choose in that dept.


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## Docb

Went to my favourite Kashmiri shop today and bought a handful of chillies, fist size piece of ginger, spring onions and a big bulb of garlic and the bill was £1.14.  The chillies or ginger and maybe the garlic would have cost me that in your big supermarket.  Then went over the oriental supermarket for light and dark soy sauce (500 ml bottles), rice wine (500 ml bottle) and a big pack of five spice which is made in China and very different to that stuff you get in those little jars.  Came to £9.40.  Would have paid close to that for the 125ml bottles and little jar you get again in the supermarkets. 

If you have such shops around you then give them a go.  I use them because the quality and flavour of the stuff is better but they are significantly cheaper than supermarkets.  Another tip... go to the ones full of Asians or Chinese doing their shopping.


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## travellor

A yellow label and coupon week.
£5 of a £40 shop at The Food Warehouse (Iceland) and a good selection of yellow label discounts on the chilled section.
A visit to Costco with my daughter, a mixed bag there, but some good bulk discounts.
A yellow label shop at Aldi.

A couple of days ago I made a French Onion soup out of a Coca-Cola cook book.
Onions, beef stock, Coca-Cola, (well Diet Pepsi), a splash of red wine vinegar.
Croutons from the end of a stale jalapeno loaf, a bit of cheddar on top and baked to melt it.

The weekend has started early though, the chilli is on today, to use up some sad looking veg, including a turnip, and a pack of the beef from Aldi that I can't fit in the freezer.


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## Leadinglights

travellor said:


> A yellow label and coupon week.
> £5 of a £40 shop at The Food Warehouse (Iceland) and a good selection of yellow label discounts on the chilled section.
> A visit to Costco with my daughter, a mixed bag there, but some good bulk discounts.
> A yellow label shop at Aldi.
> 
> A couple of days ago I made a French Onion soup out of a Coca-Cola cook book.
> Onions, beef stock, Coca-Cola, (well Diet Pepsi), a splash of red wine vinegar.
> Croutons from the end of a stale jalapeno loaf, a bit of cheddar on top and baked to melt it.
> 
> The weekend has started early though, the chilli is on today, to use up some sad looking veg, including a turnip, and a pack of the beef from Aldi that I can't fit in the freezer.


I do find COSCO a bit of a mixed bag and you do have to be careful as some of their prices are not that cheap when compared to some of the things you can get in places like B & M.
Chicken and pork are usually good price and quality but beef and lamb WOW. £36 for 4 sirloin steaks, mind you they were massive.


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## travellor

Leadinglights said:


> I do find COSCO a bit of a mixed bag and you do have to be careful as some of their prices are not that cheap when compared to some of the things you can get in places like B & M.
> Chicken and pork are usually good price and quality but beef and lamb WOW. £36 for 4 sirloin steaks, mind you they were massive.



16 chicken thighs £2.49.
The pork was average price, although I had to cut the joint I bought into four to freeze.


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## everydayupsanddowns

Good thread idea @travellor 

I’ll move it to the food section and make it a sticky for a while. 

We had a great experience with “2 good to go” and a local artisan bakery with a bumper bag of assorted loaves. Bunged most of it in the freezer, and brought it out gradually over weeks.


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## arthurocannon

Smaller portions of food will make leftovers go a long way. I love home cooked meals, especially alot of lima beans and kidney beans. Along with broccoli and asparagus. I have the tendency to make alot of them in a large pot, and it lasts me for about 4 days. It's much better than spending alot of money on food everyday.


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## Vicsetter

since first lock down and my wife being vulnerable,  we resorted to on-line ordering. Apart from saving 1000s on fuel for the car (supermarket s are 60 miles away)  we spend a lot less each week.


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## travellor

Just got home after a couple of days away to find the house power tripped off.
Freezer defrosting, so a monster weekend of cooking coming up.
It'll go into basic stocks, then be refrozen to use in curries, chillies, pie fillings, and similar. 
Caught just in time hopefully.


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## jackymax

travellor said:


> Just got home after a couple of days away to find the house power tripped off.
> Freezer defrosting, so a monster weekend of cooking coming up.
> It'll go into basic stocks, then be refrozen to use in curries, chillies, pie fillings, and similar.
> Caught just in time hopefully.


Hopefully?! :O  Sounds like a fun and tasty weekend.


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## travellor

Found a bargain.
(I thought)
Four fish from Morrisons cold shelf, a very good price.
Just came to cook them, and realised they aren't gutted!
I don't know if they forgot, or if it's a way to sneak the price up by pushing the price up by the weight.


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## 42istheanswer

I found a small organic chicken reduced by 75% when I did my shopping on Saturday (I try to only buy free range chicken), no space in meat drawer in freezer so I roasted it straight away, between me and my meat eating child it's done 4-5 meals as the main protein, and last night I made stock from the carcass, and picked it plus tore up the remaining thigh, and made 6 portions of lentil soup (I added a bit of smoked ham as well). I'm feeling pretty happy with myself, both in terms of money saving by getting the most out of my bargain, and having the healthy homemade meals to stash in my freezer for when I don't have time/energy/ ingredients to make something another day


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## travellor

I've got the Lidl app with the virtual loyalty card, cash rewards, and weekly offers.
This week I've finally got an offer for burgers and sausages, after weeks of jam, crisps, biscuits that I never buy!
So it is worth using, but seems targeted to get me looking at things I don't buy, unlike the Tesco club card that used to target vouchers to encourage me to buy repeats.


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## notmez

Food waste. I buy lots of ginger and garlic and little chillies. I also grow a lot of herbs. 

Ginger doesn't last and my garlic goes bad quickly,in the current heat my chillies also go bad very fast. 

If you can't get through what you buy before it's gone bad,  while it's still fresh in a food processor or pestle and mortar grind it down with a little bit of salt to help make a paste add a little bit of olive oil at the end.  Remember to rinse the equipment between ingredients or your pasta sauce will taste of ginger etc. 

Portion out the paste on a baking tray or a ice cube tray in 1tsp portions and then freeze it. Once frozen transfer to a container or a baggy.  Keep each ingredient in a separate bag 

Next time you make a dish pop in one or more of the cubes straight in to the hot pan, no need to thaw and often no need to add oil if you are also using a herb cube. 

This works for Garlic. Ginger. Chillies. as a paste 
Herbs - whole or roughly chopped and frozen in olive oil. 

I have a separate ice cube tray just for all this and don't use this tray for ice.


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## Leadinglights

notmez said:


> Food waste. I buy lots of ginger and garlic and little chillies. I also grow a lot of herbs.
> 
> Ginger doesn't last and my garlic goes bad quickly,in the current heat my chillies also go bad very fast.
> 
> If you can't get through what you buy before it's gone bad,  while it's still fresh in a food processor or pestle and mortar grind it down with a little bit of salt to help make a paste add a little bit of olive oil at the end.  Remember to rinse the equipment between ingredients or your pasta sauce will taste of ginger etc.
> 
> Portion out the paste on a baking tray or a ice cube tray in 1tsp portions and then freeze it. Once frozen transfer to a container or a baggy.  Keep each ingredient in a separate bag
> 
> Next time you make a dish pop in one or more of the cubes straight in to the hot pan, no need to thaw and often no need to add oil if you are also using a herb cube.
> 
> This works for Garlic. Ginger. Chillies. as a paste
> Herbs - whole or roughly chopped and frozen in olive oil.
> 
> I have a separate ice cube tray just for all this and don't use this tray for ice.


I grow chillies and freeze then but it is always a bit of a lottery when you get one out to use as to how hot it will be.


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## NotWorriedAtAll

Vicsetter said:


> since first lock down and my wife being vulnerable,  we resorted to on-line ordering. Apart from saving 1000s on fuel for the car (supermarket s are 60 miles away)  we spend a lot less each week.


I have been shopping online for years now and it really does seem to save a lot of money.  I am far less likely to impulse buy and I am able to check before I order whether I really do need something whereas doing in person shopping I would buy something and then realise I already had two in the cupboard.  It also means I can check prices to compare with various supermarkets and on Amazon and then buy the item at the most competitive price. 
I've found the supermarket pickers do a much better job of choosing good quality items that fit my requirements with longer dates and far fewer things that go off.


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## Leadinglights

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I have been shopping online for years now and it really does seem to save a lot of money.  I am far less likely to impulse buy and I am able to check before I order whether I really do need something whereas doing in person shopping I would buy something and then realise I already had two in the cupboard.  It also means I can check prices to compare with various supermarkets and on Amazon and then buy the item at the most competitive price.
> I've found the supermarket pickers do a much better job of choosing good quality items that fit my requirements with longer dates and far fewer things that go off.


You must be lucky as we had quite a lot of short dated items when we were mainly doing on line grocery shopping.
I do recall having 10 tins of tuna lurking in a cupboard once.


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## rayray119

travellor said:


> The second one is an app called "Too good to go"
> Which I only found today, but seems to be an app that lets you budates food itembut could be good in a mixed diet household.



Oh I love too good to go. So places on there are better then others.


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## rayray119

Oh I also look out for the reduced stickers on items.


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## NotWorriedAtAll

Leadinglights said:


> You must be lucky as we had quite a lot of short dated items when we were mainly doing on line grocery shopping.
> I do recall having 10 tins of tuna lurking in a cupboard once.


I always put notes on my orders asking for as long a date as possible please.  If they send me short dates they give me a refund and I keep the items.


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## john e

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I have been shopping online for years now and it really does seem to save a lot of money.  I am far less likely to impulse buy and I am able to check before I order whether I really do need something whereas doing in person shopping I would buy something and then realise I already had two in the cupboard.  It also means I can check prices to compare with various supermarkets and on Amazon and then buy the item at the most competitive price.
> I've found the supermarket pickers do a much better job of choosing good quality items that fit my requirements with longer dates and far fewer things that go off.


Same here, Although only started recently, much easier for me as I can't drive at the moment whereas I would have gone to the shop and spent more than I realized


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## freesia

notmez said:


> Ginger doesn't last and my garlic goes bad quickly,in the current heat my chillies also go bad very fast


I buy a big bag of ginger or chillies at a time. The ginger i open, chop into lumps the size i need then freeze it as it is. When cooking i just take out a chunk and it starts to thaw quickly while i get the other ingredients. When i'm ready to chop, its thawed enough to get a knife through and chop easily. It saves a lot of money rather than buying small pieces.




NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I have been shopping online for years now


I've never done online shopping. We have three big supermarkets close by plus smaller aldi and lidl. I just make a list...and stick to it.


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## NotWorriedAtAll

freesia said:


> I buy a big bag of ginger or chillies at a time. The ginger i open, chop into lumps the size i need then freeze it as it is. When cooking i just take out a chunk and it starts to thaw quickly while i get the other ingredients. When i'm ready to chop, its thawed enough to get a knife through and chop easily. It saves a lot of money rather than buying small pieces.
> 
> 
> 
> I've never done online shopping. We have three big supermarkets close by plus smaller aldi and lidl. I just make a list...and stick to it.


I am disabled and so is my husband - online shopping is a necessity for us . Prior to Covid we struggled with very poor delivery services - it is one of the few positive outcomes from the last few years that food delivery services are now fit for purpose.
I also freeze ginger in chunks. It keeps for years and I grate it still frozen into recipes or slice it thinly while still frozen with a very sharp knife enabling me to use paper thin slivers in soups.


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## everydayupsanddowns

NotWorriedAtAll said:


> I also freeze ginger in chunks. It keeps for years and I grate it still frozen into recipes or slice it thinly while still frozen with a very sharp knife enabling me to use paper thin slivers in soups.



We’ve literally just started doing this. Such a simple idea, but so effective!

We are also portioning up things like Harissa paste in frozen ‘teaspoons worth’ as historically we have struggled to finish the jar once opened.


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## Windy

You can also freeze pesto into ice cubes, to minimise the risk of finding half a jar of hairy pesto in the back of the fridge.


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## everydayupsanddowns

Windy said:


> You can also freeze pesto into ice cubes, to minimise the risk of finding half a jar of hairy pesto in the back of the fridge.



Hairy pesto is my least favourite pesto.


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## travellor

Cauliflower stalks and leaves, broccoli stalks.
Do you throw them away or eat them?
All of mine get chopped up, either into very small squares, or julienned, and go into a stir fry or a curry.
A very decent crunch, good flavour, and no waste.
Red Thai fish curry with them last night.
Three to four large portions with the usual mushrooms, onion and yellow pepper.


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## helli

freesia said:


> I've never done online shopping. We have three big supermarkets close by plus smaller aldi and lidl. I just make a list...and stick to it.


I don’t shop for food online. The reason for me is  the walk to and from the supermarket is cheaper exercise than buying online and then paying for a workout the gym.


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## helli

everydayupsanddowns said:


> We are also portioning up things like Harissa paste in frozen ‘teaspoons worth’ as historically we have struggled to finish the jar once opened.


You can’t be trying 
I use a lot of harissa in tagines, in sandwiches (lovely addition to hummus), bread, omelettes, pasta, adding flavour to bland veggie sausages, …


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## everydayupsanddowns

helli said:


> You can’t be trying
> I use a lot of harissa in tagines, in sandwiches (lovely addition to hummus), bread, omelettes, pasta, adding flavour to bland veggie sausages, …



Haha! I only really think of it when we make Falafels. 

Must try harder!


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## 42istheanswer

If you have a smartphone, I recommend the Olio app. It's designed to reduce food waste, but if you can pick up useful food then it also saves money!

You can give away food you won't eat, but also there are volunteers called Food Waste Heros who pick up unsold food from various supermarkets and distribute it through the app. There are a lot of salad items appearing now, often a lot of bread but not so much recently. Use By dated items have to be given to you by midnight (or frozen if they say they can be and the FWH has freezer space) so you'll need to be able to collect in the evening for those, but best before can usually be collected the next day. I've started doing some FWH collections, and a high proportion of my veg intake is now free! I've also sometimes picked up some minced beef or other meat too.

Salad and stir fries often end up still leftover, so if you want those you will make the FWH very happy too! Iceland collections tend to go up around 6.30pm and Tesco/One Stop around 9-10pm on the app, and you can set what distance from home you want to see what's available


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## everydayupsanddowns

We’ve had a few successes with ‘too good to go’ recently @42istheanswer 

It’s a system where you sign up to buy a box/bag of random stuff from local shops which is perfectly fine, but won’t keep for sale - eg from local bakeries. You don’t know what you’ll get. It will just be whatever is left at the end of the day. 

Got some very lovely bread from a nearby artisan bakery for peanuts, ate some straight away, and put the rest in the freezer.


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## 42istheanswer

I used to love getting the Auntie Anne's pretzels when I was going to be in the city centre at the right time, I kind of avoided it (the city centre) while I was newly diagnosed but might try next week, might be able to get away with part of a savoury (cheese or cheese & pepperoni) one and sure kids will eat any I decide I can't....


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## Brambleberry

We are making more than we need and putting left overs in zip lock bags in the fridge. Not only to save money but for days we are having a bad day. My daughter and I both have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue and on this days if we cook we tend to mess it up! Or order a take out which was both unhealthy and expensive. Since my diagnosis this has now stopped.We don't throw out veg or fruit anymore either it is all getting used up. Pity the food bills are still rising. I refuse to pay £1.20 for broccoli in Sainsbury when it is 69p in Aldi.If I have time I go to local green grocer his stuff is fab and last longer. I cam home with a bag of mixed salad leaves last week and sat eating marigolds, cornflowers and nasturtiums!


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## N4Woman

There is an app called Olio which is excellent for food items. Olio volunteers collect food from various supermarkets restaurants etc etc and post all on the app - anyone can request those and all is free on Olio


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## Leadinglights

N4Woman said:


> There is an app called Olio which is excellent for food items. Olio volunteers collect food from various supermarkets restaurants etc etc and post all on the app - anyone can request those and all is free on Olio


There is also lowpricefoods.com which we have had some stuff, all quite short dated, packet stuff mainly so does keep.


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## N4Woman

Leadinglights said:


> There is also lowpricefoods.com which we have had some stuff, all quite short dated, packet stuff mainly so does keep.


Olio is completely free


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## travellor

For those who qualify, The Company Shop is a very good discount foodstore.


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## 42istheanswer

travellor said:


> For those who qualify, The Company Shop is a very good discount foodstore.


For those on a very low income, the same company has Community Shop in some places - qualification via benefits rather than employment. They also do Too Good To Go which is open to anyone


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## travellor

Two huge pumpkins from the local farm shop.
50p each


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## Lucyr

travellor said:


> Two huge pumpkins from the local farm shop.
> 50p each


What will you make with them?


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## travellor

Lucyr said:


> What will you make with them?



They are a squash.
And very healthy.

Soup,
Sliced and roasted,
Stuffed,
Sliced and used in lasagne instead of pasta,
Cubed as a veg.
Curried,
Mashed.....

The seeds can be eaten raw, or baked and salted or flavoured.


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## Lucyr

travellor said:


> They are a squash.
> And very healthy.
> 
> Soup,
> Sliced and roasted,
> Stuffed,
> Sliced and used in lasagne instead of pasta,
> Cubed as a veg.
> Curried,
> Mashed.....
> 
> The seeds can be eaten raw, or baked and salted or flavoured.


I’ll have some of the soup and lasagne please


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## travellor

Lucyr said:


> I’ll have some of the soup and lasagne please


I have just found a pumpkin wine recipe as well.......


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## 42istheanswer

travellor said:


> I have just found a pumpkin wine recipe as well.......


That reminds me of a story the deputy head at my secondary told about when he was a teenager at boarding school... they were given an orange each as part of their breakfast but none of the boys ate them... so he decided to collect some up and ferment them into wine in his locker. Unfortunately he didn't judge the process right and there was an explosion, with orange mess across the whole room... he was made to clean it up and had a locker door held on by plasters for the rest of the year


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## travellor

42istheanswer said:


> That reminds me of a story the deputy head at my secondary told about when he was a teenager at boarding school... they were given an orange each as part of their breakfast but none of the boys ate them... so he decided to collect some up and ferment them into wine in his locker. Unfortunately he didn't judge the process right and there was an explosion, with orange mess across the whole room... he was made to clean it up and had a locker door held on by plasters for the rest of the year



He is my hero


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## Leadinglights

42istheanswer said:


> That reminds me of a story the deputy head at my secondary told about when he was a teenager at boarding school... they were given an orange each as part of their breakfast but none of the boys ate them... so he decided to collect some up and ferment them into wine in his locker. Unfortunately he didn't judge the process right and there was an explosion, with orange mess across the whole room... he was made to clean it up and had a locker door held on by plasters for the rest of the year


A bit like my bottle of homemade blackberry gin which exploded in the fridge, it looked like a blood bath with glass and 'blood' everywhere. 
It must have gone with a hell of a bang as all the fridge magnets were on the floor.


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## travellor

Just had a good Sunday afternoon shop at Sainsbury's.
A lot of vegetables, and stir fry bags, and courgette spaghetti reduced to 20p.
That along with bread at 19p, some mince, pork, and a few other bits and pieces.
Then I succumbed to a Christmas t shirt.
But offset by finding a couple of Tefal frying pans half price, a Salter wok for £9, and a loaf tin for £3.50.
All is all well worth going after 3 on a Sunday.


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## Sally W

42istheanswer said:


> If you have a smartphone, I recommend the Olio app. It's designed to reduce food waste, but if you can pick up useful food then it also saves money!
> 
> You can give away food you won't eat, but also there are volunteers called Food Waste Heros who pick up unsold food from various supermarkets and distribute it through the app. There are a lot of salad items appearing now, often a lot of bread but not so much recently. Use By dated items have to be given to you by midnight (or frozen if they say they can be and the FWH has freezer space) so you'll need to be able to collect in the evening for those, but best before can usually be collected the next day. I've started doing some FWH collections, and a high proportion of my veg intake is now free! I've also sometimes picked up some minced beef or other meat too.
> 
> Salad and stir fries often end up still leftover, so if you want those you will make the FWH very happy too! Iceland collections tend to go up around 6.30pm and Tesco/One Stop around 9-10pm on the app, and you can set what distance from home you want to see what's available


I love Olio. In addition to food items I’ve recently collected a brand new pair of winter boots that were £100 & Jamie Oliver cookbook. All free. I also like donating food & items that would go to waste either.


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## travellor

I'm pleased with another bargain today.
Morrisons cooking bacon, 750g for £1.49.

I usually have a look for ones with decent rashers in, I've had most that are just perfect rashers of bacon, I spotted one that was just 4 very thick bacon chops.
So, two meals for us for less than 40p each.


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## zuludog

travellor said:


> I'm pleased with another bargain today.
> Morrisons cooking bacon, 750g for £1.49.
> 
> I usually have a look for ones with decent rashers in, I've had most that are just perfect rashers of bacon, I spotted one that was just 4 very thick bacon chops.
> So, two meals for us for less than 40p each.


Yes, I sometimes buy cooking bacon, also known as bacon pieces or bacon ends - they're the ends of sides of bacon that are too small to slice into rashers on a machine
Though usually you can get a couple of slices from a pack to have as 'proper' bacon if you slice it by hand; then I trim & dice the rest to make a vegetable + beans/lentils + bacon stew in the slow cooker
I batch cook it then dispense it into single servings in plastic bags and freeze them.


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## zuludog

Thought I'd mention Iceland, the frozen food stores

At the moment they are giving a 10% discount to over 60s on Tuesdays, on all items, food & non food, including items on offer or reduced prices
You need to take proof of age, such as a bus pass

I haven't done an extensive or thorough survey & comparison, but it does seem to be a genuine reduction
Obviously they have a wide range of frozen food, and although it includes sweet & carby items such as chips, pizzas, & food in batter & sauces, they have a fair amount of plain veg, fish, etc, and it's worth having a good search through the freezers to see just what they do have
They also have fresh meat, veg, the usual grocery & cleaning stuff, though not as extensive as a full blown supermarket

I checked with my local store this afternoon, and as far as they are aware this offer will continue - though who knows when & how companies run their businesses & change things.


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## travellor

Back to my biggest bugbear.

Shopping in Sainsburys.

Bought a bottle of wine,
It's on buy a case of 6, get 25% off.
We only wanted one bottle.

But, it you can't afford 40 quid, and can only afford to buy one bottle, you are paying so much more.
Buy one at a fiver. Buy six, pay £3.75 each.
Buy six bottles, pay for four and a half.
So, the poorest who can't afford to put down over twenty quid in one go pay £30 over a few shops.


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## Lucyr

travellor said:


> Back to my biggest bugbear.
> 
> Shopping in Sainsburys.
> 
> Bought a bottle of wine,
> It's on buy a case of 6, get 25% off.
> We only wanted one bottle.
> 
> But, it you can't afford 40 quid, and can only afford to buy one bottle, you are paying so much more.
> Buy one at a fiver. Buy six, pay £3.75 each.
> Buy six bottles, pay for four and a half.
> So, the poorest who can't afford to put down over twenty quid in one go pay £30 over a few shops.


An offer only saves you money if you planned to buy it though. 

If you went with the intention of buying one full price bottle then you planned to spent £5. Knowing you can buy 6 because of the offer means the offer cost you an extra £17.50. The only person saving is the person who planned to buy 6 bottles at £5 each who saves £7.50. The person who planned to buy one bottle at £5 and stuck to buying one didn’t spend more than planned, they just spent exactly what they intended to. 

Okay if you buy 6 and then only use them exactly as you would normally then you’d save too, but the reality may be you drink more than usual because of the offer and so the offer actually costs you extra.


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## nonethewiser

Topped up wine supplies last week in Sainsburys with 25% off 6 bottles, even better wine we like was on offer at time plus we get staff discount.

Few supermarkets have 25% off wine at moment, Asda Morrisons being two.


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## travellor

I picked up a ham hock in Morrisons, £2.50.

Slow cooked overnight in a glass of homebrew and coarse mustard., (a ruby ale style).

Taken out and shredded.

Now made into sausage rolls with pork mince and grated cheese.
Another batch of sausage rolls with pork mince, and sage and onion stuffing made out of the juices.

A lot of shredded ham left to make a rillette with the gelatin after boiling the bones and fat up in the rest of the juices.

The skin into the air fryer for scratchings.

About the only thing I had to throw away was the fat, but I'm sure others would use it.


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## helli

nonethewiser said:


> Topped up wine supplies last week in Sainsburys with 25% off 6 bottles, even better wine we like was on offer at time plus we get staff discount.
> 
> Few supermarkets have 25% off wine at moment, Asda Morrisons being two.


And Waitrose (or, as was known when I was a kid Way Troses) being a third


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## nonethewiser

helli said:


> And Waitrose (or, as was known when I was a kid Way Troses) being a third



Expect more will jump on board with Christmas fast approaching.


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## Kelz7683

Leadinglights said:


> I buy the containers usually 5 for £1 from the poundshop to use for freezer stuff as they stack neatly and can be reused over and over again. I once took what I thought as a tub of soup to work for lunch but it turned out to be stewed apples.


If you buy large freezer bags and your freezing something like spaghetti bolognaise or chilli or any other none hard item name the bag and what date you froze it pop it all into the freezer bag and zip it up then lie it down flat and spread it all out. It saves so much room in your freezer compared to the tubs you can just lie them on top of each other.


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## helli

Kelz7683 said:


> If you buy large freezer bags and your freezing something like spaghetti bolognaise or chilli or any other none hard item name the bag and what date you froze it pop it all into the freezer bag and zip it up then lie it down flat and spread it all out. It saves so much room in your freezer compared to the tubs you can just lie them on top of each other.


I guess there are pros and cons for all approaches. 
I use tubs as they are reusable and stack. I fill them to the top so space isn't very different. 
My preference maybe related to an experience of bags slipping partially through the gaps in the grated shelves and freezing around the rungs.


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## Kelz7683

helli said:


> I guess there are pros and cons for all approaches.
> I use tubs as they are reusable and stack. I fill them to the top so space isn't very different.
> My preference maybe related to an experience of bags slipping partially through the gaps in the grated shelves and freezing around the rungs.


Ah I never even thought of that because my freezer has normal plastic shelves so it saves a lot of space for me because of the hubby’s and daughters food in the freezer. I have to admit I have rinsed the bags out a few times and reused them. I just thought I would mention it incase it helped someone save space. I do also use plastic tubs for some stuff now and again because not everything can be put in freezer bags.


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