[Food] Best supermarkets/places to buy groceries in the area

[bluenitsuj]

Taj grocery down Western Rd. Beats all others by miles.

 

[bluenitsuj]

I find the shelf life on fruit and veg is better from Lidl and Aldi than my local Tesco. Plus Lidl and Aldi tend to champion local meats.

We find fruit and veg in Lidl goes off very quickly.

 

[Weststander]

We find fruit and veg in Lidl goes off very quickly.

Not if you slightly shift crates to get the fresher produce behind .

 

[WATFORD zero]

Taj grocery down Western Rd. Beats all others by miles.

If you like Taj, pop into Teba over in Portslade Village

I find that now we have a more leisurely lifestyle, we shop every couple of days popping into various shops/supermarkets buying whatever we fancy at the time. We always have a shopping list on the go, but it never seems to get beyond a few items.

Appreciate that if you're young, working full time, with kids being picked up and dropped off everywhere, this may not be feasible. Our shopping lists used to run to a couple of pages in those days, but I never got Fresh Rabbit, Samphire, Gravlax, Smoked Duck Pate, Fresh Octopus, Pheasant etc etc because all the bloody supermarkets have their 'range' and don't move outside it.

And yes, I know that Aldi or Lidl, can't remember which do Gravlax now

 

[zefarelly]

I haven't been into a Tesco anything for years now. I infrequently go into our local One Stop as they accept parcels for a well know (shoddy) parcel service but never buy anything....Reason being, when they signed a contract with a place I used to work at, and when the first invoice was due, said they cannot pay it to the terms (that they agreed on the contract), as their outsourced Accounts Payable function in India could only pay at 90 days, at best 75. This was significant sums of money. I was made aware at the time this is what UK farmers are subject to by them as well.

I know my little dummy spit will mean nothing to Tesco and this was some time ago now so may have changed, but it satisfies my personal standards and principles.

I'm sure Tesco will be squirming around with the Procurement act/Prompt Payment Code...they'll flex their might at it and work around it, to try and give you the cheapest price possible at the detriment of anyone in the supply chain they can.

I know most of us don't have a lot of money to go around, but I hope that people sometimes have a think about who is being screwed to get you your cheap price, if you're ok with that go ahead. If you're not, then shop elsewhere.

This is fact . . . And should be heeded by all who can. . . Cheap is rarely good or right, never both.

It's only being done to offset the fact you're being shafted from the other end. people are profiting, people are suffering, you may be getting a perceived bargain but at what cost? Ignoring what happens before you eat it. It's probably doing you harm and/or delivering a lack of nourishment, compared to a wonky carrot or a knobbly spud grown in an old dustbin on a 5th floor flat balcony!

We're not all in this together, as the nation has, after 15 years, finally twigged. . . . Much like our beloved BHA players, sometimes we have to dig for victory.

 

[zefarelly]

Not if you slightly shift crates to get the fresher produce behind .

Why do you buy fresh produce if you want to store it?

 

[Weststander]

Why do you buy fresh produce if you want to store it?

To give us a chance to eat it over the following week, without fur on it.

 

[getz]

If you like Taj, pop into Teba over in Portslade Village

I find that now we have a more leisurely lifestyle, we shop every couple of days popping into various shops/supermarkets buying whatever we fancy at the time. We always have a shopping list on the go, but it never seems to get beyond a few items.

Appreciate that if you're young, working full time, with kids being picked up and dropped off everywhere, this may not be feasible. Our shopping lists used to run to a couple of pages in those days, but I never got Fresh Rabbit, Samphire, Gravlax, Smoked Duck Pate, Fresh Octopus, Pheasant etc etc because all the bloody supermarkets have their 'range' and don't move outside it.

And yes, I know that Aldi or Lidl, can't remember which do Gravlax now

Lidl, very nice too

 

[clapham_gull]

I’ve never shopped in Lidl or Aldi, but I hear a lot about them. Just wondering if many of you guys use them and what’s good/not good?
What else is good out there in the cities supermarkets/independents? Where do you like/find good offers?

I like home cooking, lots of lovely ingredients and try to avoid heavily processed food - I also love a good offer.
Would love to be able to do the greengrocer/bakery/butcher/fishmonger combo - but just don’t seem to have those options around me, sadly. Any worth travelling around for?

I'm been using Aldi and Lidl for years.

I sometime avoid my local Aldi because it is so busy.

Since I live in walking distance of Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Marks and Spencer and Aldi it's easy to compare the prices. Aldi are not always as cheap as they claim to be and I won't buy crap in there.

That said there cheese selection can be superb especially if you hunt the usually more expensive ones.

I like ribs and been through all that the supermarkets offer. I bought some LIDL ones recently and they were superb. Some M&S ones have gone in the bin tonight. I'm back to ALDI tomorrow.

 

[clapham_gull]

We find fruit and veg in Lidl goes off very quickly.

It's funny. I've found that with M&S.

 

[zefarelly]

To give us a chance to eat it over the following week, without fur on it.

It's another impossible Q&A from raspberries to potato's

It amazes me how some supermarket stuff keeps, when homegrown wilts within a day or two . . . .

Thats not a judgement or criticism in any way, I'm just amazed and curious. . We're currently living in the early 30's/70's or 80's . . .depending on your sarchasm scale . . . . . Or now, which is equally concerning.

 

[Seagull58]

The butcher in Jafers for meat and poultry. I recommend the Chorizo Sausages and the ribeye steaks. He's closed from 1 to 3 for lunch. Quarteira fishmarket for fish and seafood. The stall at the far end always has fresh tuna, middle right for prawns, top left corner for octopus, bottom left corner for oysters and clams, several options for bream, bass and for sardines when in season. The Wednesday farmers market is best for fruit and veg. Fresh figs currently in season ( about to finish), mangos also good, strawberries just finished. Coriander, parsley and lettuce always available. I can give more precise directions if required

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

I haven't been into a Tesco anything for years now. I infrequently go into our local One Stop as they accept parcels for a well know (shoddy) parcel service but never buy anything....Reason being, when they signed a contract with a place I used to work at, and when the first invoice was due, said they cannot pay it to the terms (that they agreed on the contract), as their outsourced Accounts Payable function in India could only pay at 90 days, at best 75. This was significant sums of money. I was made aware at the time this is what UK farmers are subject to by them as well.

I know my little dummy spit will mean nothing to Tesco and this was some time ago now so may have changed, but it satisfies my personal standards and principles.

I'm sure Tesco will be squirming around with the Procurement act/Prompt Payment Code...they'll flex their might at it and work around it, to try and give you the cheapest price possible at the detriment of anyone in the supply chain they can.

I know most of us don't have a lot of money to go around, but I hope that people sometimes have a think about who is being screwed to get you your cheap price, if you're ok with that go ahead. If you're not, then shop elsewhere.

interesting, my friend who is a dairy farmer has nothing but praise for Tesco in their dealings. They’re a massive organisation so it’s likely different people have different experiences.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

It's another impossible Q&A from raspberries to potato's

It amazes me how some supermarket stuff keeps, when homegrown wilts within a day or two . . . .

Thats not a judgement or criticism in any way, I'm just amazed and curious. . We're currently living in the early 30's/70's or 80's . . .depending on your sarchasm scale . . . . . Or now, which is equally concerning.

Bread always amazes me. Even loaves from the local baker last longer than mine from the bread machine. Let alone from the supermarket.

 

[Anger]

J. Sainsbury in 59 George Street and 14 Church Road always provided excellent service.

Then they changed to the serve yourself model in Blatchington Road. Madness!

 

[zefarelly]

Bread always amazes me. Even loaves from the local baker last longer than mine from the bread machine. Let alone from the supermarket.

Yes . . . White sliced goo lasts weeks.
good bread lasts a day, 2 tops

milks another one . . .3-4 days when I was a kid, seems to last weeks now

 

[zefarelly]

interesting, my friend who is a dairy farmer has nothing but praise for Tesco in their dealings. They’re a massive organisation so it’s likely different people have different experiences.

in a past life I worked for a logisitcs Co. Mostly packaging/conveying/palletising . . . We went and quoted a large cake factory in Launceton, Cornwall.

They were a local producer, using local produce . . .got into bed with Tesco to the point they tripled in size, all good, seemingly . . .but they were then forced into using a super dairy in the Midlands to get the quantity and consistenct demanded . . .and the price.

the bottom line is a profitable local business is now wedded to the corporate who control them by the short and curlies . . . They don't and can't work for anyone else. Tesco completely control with no risk to themselves. I'm sure its common place in many industries, but it's not good.