When the value range is better!

[Du1point8]

Its billingsgate, they supply most of the London restaurants and Borough market with fish.

If its good enough for them, then it should be ok for us plebs.

[Miguel Alvarez]

lockhart flawse said:

You'll find all supermarkets' value brand of corned beef is exactly the same as their "own label". I am sure this is not ethical to say the least.

RizzoTheRat said:

A mate maintains biscuit making machines and apparently all the supermarket custard creams except M&S ones come off the same production line and just get put in a different wrapper.

Shaolin said:

Saw something on the tv some years ago now, it is often exactly the same, just packaged differently. Watch out for veg in particular, they have to have the value stuff there alongside the normal veg. If they don't have 2 standards of whatever the veg is, the same stuff goes into both packs. I've often stood there comparing normal and value bags to decide they have exactly the same contents.

I'm not saying cheaper means crap or anything like that as I'm quite happy with some value items but it's purely on taste alone and not cost. But. I really have to disagree with this train of thought. Tin tomato and corn beef are two of the things off the top of my head that taste damn near awful when you go cheap. Corn beef especially. Just lumps of gristle and fat. I can't think of anything worse.

[truck71]

Du1point8 said:

Billingsgate if you are London based.

I don't know the prices this year but if you like fish that place can't be beaten, you would only need to go once a month and freeze the extras.

Large prawns (as in fking huge ones) were £8-10 per kilo.

If Billingsgate doesnt appeal to you, chinatown or any oriental supermarket and head to the prawn section and they are £12-14 per kilo for the large tiger prawns.

Been toying with going to Billingsgate, I've got plenty of time right now. Can you just rock up and wander the stalls? Are there minimum quantities you have to purchase?

[RizzoTheRat]

Miguel Alvarez said:

I'm not saying cheaper means crap or anything like that as I'm quite happy with some value items but it's purely on taste alone and not cost. But. I really have to disagree with this train of thought. Tin tomato and corn beef are two of the things off the top of my head that taste damn near awful when you go cheap. Corn beef especially. Just lumps of gristle and fat. I can't think of anything worse.

Agree about cheap tinned tomatoes, usually a lot more water than tomato and no flavour.

Celt said:

callmedave said:

I have not found a nice economy coffee yet.

Nor I. The Tesco and Saisnburys own brand higher range stuff is usually fairly comparable with Nescafe and the like though.

The supermarket value brands are pretty comparable to Nescafe and the like IMO, as in they're both miles away from decent coffee.

[Du1point8]

truck71 said:

Du1point8 said:

Billingsgate if you are London based.

I don't know the prices this year but if you like fish that place can't be beaten, you would only need to go once a month and freeze the extras.

Large prawns (as in fking huge ones) were £8-10 per kilo.

If Billingsgate doesnt appeal to you, chinatown or any oriental supermarket and head to the prawn section and they are £12-14 per kilo for the large tiger prawns.

Been toying with going to Billingsgate, I've got plenty of time right now. Can you just rock up and wander the stalls? Are there minimum quantities you have to purchase?

There are opening times and its something like 4am... The limit is usually a whole 1/2 a fish i.e. fillet (cod, salmon, etc) on larger fish like tuna you would need to ask, but no doubt its a kg.

When I went last I just opted for 1kg of banana prawns, 1kg of super large tiger prawns and a crab the size of a dinner plate.

Not been in a while as I don't drive so I would need to a) empty the freezer slightly b) use zipcar to get me there.

All details are usually on the website for opening time, just remember first come first served.

Its an awesome trip and would happily go once a month or so.

[joscal]

Another fan of Sainsbury's here - the basics rind on back is great too.

[truck71]

So todays brief shop in sainsburys has yielded basics salmon fillets @ £11.00 kilo (nice dark flesh with small fat lines rather than the horrid peachy stuff that you can end up with) and a Cadburys flake Easter Egg @ £0.82 per 100grams (cheapest bar of cadbury chocolate was £1.00 per 100grams). Unfortunately my nearest value Supermarkets are all over 3 miles away and would no doubt deliver better savings.

May try and get to Billingsgate on Wednesday, bit of an early start mind.

Edited by truck71 on Monday 30th March 13:08

[Munter]

callmedave said:

I once heard that all custard creams are made in the same factory, regardless of the label thats put on them. I cant tell the difference between the value ones and branded ones!

With these kind of things you might find the recipe of the biscuit or filling is slightly different.

I spent 2 weeks making puddings and various companies were selling the same sort of thing in the same basic packaging with the same sort of name. But each one was a slightly tweaked crumble, or filling. Or at least they were supposed to. But you finished off company "A" crumble on company "B" puddings until proper company "B" crumble turned up.

Anyway I like the value spaghetti. Yes it takes an extra 2 minutes to cook, but it tastes better to me, and it's cheaper.

[mph1977]

jogon said:

Those small North Atlantic/cold water prawns, only ones I now buy as hate farmed, the premium super market offerings which are 'fresh' have just been allowed to defrost and exactly the same as the cheaper versions in the freezer. Defrost them your self.

yep , it another of those things like 'cooking' / 'offcut' bacon ...

[TheAngryDog]

We buy "basics" Sauces - less sugar etc in them, better for you and tomato is pretty much tomato!

[Riley Blue]

We have a jar of Sainsbury's Basics strawberry jam, the label proudly proclaims, "Less fruit, spreads more smoothly".

[RizzoTheRat]

When making our own jam a couple of years ago we found supermarket own brand value marmalade was cheaper than buying empty jam jars! The marmalade was pretty nasty though with an odd aftertaste but in terms of buying jars value was definitely better.

[Craikeybaby]

The Sainsburys basics smoked salmon trimmings are great for sandwiches.

[Du1point8]

Craikeybaby said:

The Sainsburys basics smoked salmon trimmings are great for sandwiches.

They have been going up in price a lot recently, OH uses it in salmon pasta she cooks, but now its hit £1.70, its cheaper to buy sliced Scottish smoked salmon from lidl instead of the trimmings.

Check it for yourself.

[spikeyhead]

RizzoTheRat said:

When making our own jam a couple of years ago we found supermarket own brand value marmalade was cheaper than buying empty jam jars! The marmalade was pretty nasty though with an odd aftertaste but in terms of buying jars value was definitely better.

The cheapest jars I've found is tesco value pasta sauce. The contents are inedible, but the jars are fine.

[Bradgate]

Sainsbury's Basics fruit & veg is also a good buy.

The produce is sold as 'basics' because it doesn't meet size or appearance specs, it says 'all shapes & sizes' on the bag. Apples, onions, peppers etc might be larger or (more usually) smaller than the normal stuff. Pears might be slightly odd shapes etc.

All half the price of the normal stuff .

[jogon]

Not quite supermarket but sausage rolls.

There is lots of fancy bakeries selling these posh sausage rolls but they all seem a bit greasy to me and not enough pastry, give me a Gregg's any day. If some one comes up with a Gregg's style sausage roll, long and thin rather short and chunky, with nicer meat they could be on to a winner.

[bluelightbabe]

Du1point8 said:

Craikeybaby said:

The Sainsburys basics smoked salmon trimmings are great for sandwiches.

They have been going up in price a lot recently, OH uses it in salmon pasta she cooks, but now its hit £1.70, its cheaper to buy sliced Scottish smoked salmon from lidl instead of the trimmings.

Check it for yourself.

I buy these and make risotto with them. Tesco have stopped selling them but I can get some from my nearest Asda for £1.40 (they used to be 95p not long ago).

[mr mac i]

Biscuits: head for Lidl, their Custard Creams are really nice and for the same or less than the value ranges.

Coffee is another vote for Lidl, try the Columbian £1.70ish for a jar of nice smooth coffee.