How much does your supermarket cost?

**Lesley Jay** · 16-02-2006, 05:10 PM

I read in my jam making book that redcurrants contain alot of pectin and some juice from them would help set strawberry jam. So at the time I didn't grow redcurrants and found them in Tesco's. A little tiny tray with a little tiny sprig £1.99. That was summer 2004 and in the autumn 2004 I planted my own redcurrant bushes!!

Last summer Tesco's had the same little tiny tray containing blackberries. There couldn't have been more than a dozen blackberries in the tray and they were over £1 in cost.

I don't know where they get their prices from and if only people who bought their fruit and vegetables from the supermarkets knew how cheap it is to grow your own they would never buy them again.

**Nicos** · 16-02-2006, 05:21 PM

Baby charlotte spuds at �2-3 a small tray always amuse me.

**Jaxom** · 16-02-2006, 06:53 PM

I wanted to press lots of buttons

Asda gives value for money on lots of things but then it is the seasonal items that cost an arm and a leg.
I often shop around and find Lidl gives wonderful value on exotic fruit and veg, which many big supermarkets don�t carry. Often when I go to Lidl all the fruit and vegetables are half price.
Jax

**nick the grief** · 16-02-2006, 08:27 PM

I'm with you Andrew, I bought some Nectarine last year and they were going mouldy within 3 days. You could have Killed rabits with them when I bought the damn things they were like bullets ... well maybe cannon balls!

ntg

**nick the grief** · 16-02-2006, 08:29 PM

Strawberries are another, sorry about this folks but as I'm on the soapbox..

My wife loves them but they taste of nothing when you compare them to home grown, even my dog won't eat bought ones!

(see post on another thread for the story

)

**Geordie** · 16-02-2006, 11:59 PM

Supermarkets only respond to demand. I am not defending them but people want to but strawberries and peaches in January and that is why they supply them. Taste is not important, having it on the shelf is. When was the last time you took something back to the supermarket because it tasted rubbish? If it was a meal in a restaurant would you not complain, or at the very least not go back? Likewise if you want to buy them you know you will have to pay a premium, because it is out of season.

Once you bought potatoes, then you bought washed potatoes, now you buy trays of ready mash or pre cut chips or mixed with herbs etc. Each part of the process whilst saving you time will cost you money.
I bought 12kg of seed potatoes, about 160 in total. Wild guess but say each one produces 10 potatoes when planted and so returns a tenfold increase in weight, my 12 kg of seed potaoes will net me 120kg of potatoes. (Simplistic I know). Assuming I love mash potato and thats all I use them for I would have enough for 240 trays of 500g mash, which retails at about �1 per tray = �240. I paid �17 for my seed potatoes.

Try this with early rhubarb at about �6 kg, or first english strawbs, or beans or fresh peas etc etc etc.
I know I preach to the converted on here and I dont do this to save money, but it is a nice feeling!

**Nicos** · 17-02-2006, 08:37 AM

anyone bought a pre-peeled orange from M&S? They must be in demand or they wouldn't still be selling them!

Watch those nails ladies

**Lesley Jay** · 17-02-2006, 10:13 AM

Pre-peeled oranges? Are you pulling our legs?

**andrewo** · 17-02-2006, 01:57 PM

Yanking more like

No, it's true, I've seen them with cored apples. I have just been to the supermarket, brought some grapes, small bunch at, wait for it, a whopping �3.86...disgusting too.

**Beryl** · 17-02-2006, 08:33 PM

peeled fruit

This peeled fruit is supposed to be the healthy option for those that eat 'on the go'. Have you noticed how many people eat in the street/public transport etc. these days? One ear to the mobile phone and while munching on their snacks. I find it it appaling. No one has the time to sit down to eat properly these days.
The supermarkets get away with it because of the demand.
Unless you grow your own - how many actually know what is in season these days, let alone where it comes from. Fruit flown half way round the world - stands to reason it is going to cost the earth.

Asda sells grapes 'ideal for lunch boxes' - how many of the workers that grow them actually have a lunch? I would be prepared to pay a bit more if I knew it was being produced by a work force that was adequately paid and fed.

Sorry I am getting on my soap box.

Beryl.

PS Gooseberries are very high in pectine and a good substitute for red currants.

**sewer rat** · 17-02-2006, 08:47 PM

Fairtrade

Beryl
I'm with you on the being prepared to pay a bit more to ensure that the people responsible for growing and harvesting the food I buy are paid a realistic price - I find the Co-op is excellent as far as this is concerned and actively seek to promote the Fairtrade idea.
Rat

**Lesley Jay** · 17-02-2006, 09:02 PM

Beryl - Yes I know gooseberries are great aren't they. The first year I made jam (which was 2004) I made gooseberry jam first but didn't use all the gooseberries. My Husband was quite impressed and took me straight to the allotment to pick strawberries to make him strawberry jam. There weren't enough strawberries so I cooked the remaining gooseberries down first and added the strawberries later. The jam was gorgeous. It was roughly two thirds gooseberries and one third strawberries. I love making jam and entered a jar of red gooseberry jam into our show last year and got a third place which I was thrilled to bits with. It was only my second year making jam. Dead chuffed.

**nick the grief** · 17-02-2006, 09:34 PM

Why do people buy mashed spuds? If it was a Souffle or something realy hard to make I could sort of understand, but mashed spuds!!
I think it's time that Home Economics were taught at school again rather than computer programming & how to manage a share portfolio.

God I'm turning into my dad now

**ric** · 18-02-2006, 03:33 PM

not only mashed spud, tesco had baked spuds this week, think they were over a quid each, though there may have been a sprinkle of grated cheese on it, but the blackberries have to be the biggest rip off.

My supermarket is charging an arm and a leg	44.44%	8 votes
My supermarket is value for money	11.11%	2 votes
My supermarket doesn't stock a wide range	5.56%	1 vote
I prefer my allotment	38.89%	7 votes

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