davros1984

We also shopped at local fruit & veg shops when we could and had the time. I also agree that fruit & veg was typically cheaper there than in NZ supermarkets.

However, as time went on and we both worked more and more hours (the last 6 months, i typically worked 60 hour weeks), the time to shop around disappeared, so yes, quick shop in the supermarket became the norm, hence the shock at prices now. But it does extend to other things, i.e. luxuries such asfajita kits which typically i can only find at supermarkets in nz. Hideously cheap at this end.

You already know my position on Auckland housing so no argument there either. I had several messages following the creation of this thread about the shock of the cost of things in NZ, which actually indicates you get pretty good value for your money in the UK. My contributions are to help prevent others falling into the Auckland trap that I did.

TTFN.

bearskin

Scotch bonnets were for sale at the local market on Sunday - 50c each. I was tempted, but maybe next time - doesn't really fit my meal plans for this week.

TommyLuck

Grass fed - I buy; HERE.

Although it says pasture fed, I'm assured this mean grass fed.

I don't tend to buy red meat from a supermarket.

I bought my red meat in London from these chaps; T & G.

In my opinion, they are of comparable quality although T & G usually has a wider selection in stock.

TommyLuck

TIP - if you buy chillies but don't need to use them soon, freeze them.

Sounds obvious I know, but I didn't think of it until I saw a mate get some out of his freezer recently to make a Vietnamese dipping sauce.

The flavour and scoville scale ratings don't appear to be impaired.

The Weezer

I'm pretty sure that beef in NZ is not %100 grass fed, because hardly any NZ beef sold in supermarkets and local butcheries is. In fact, I don't think I've ever found any easily available, or remotely affordable that is 100% guaranteed grass fed. I would suspect your beef is fattened up with supplemental palm kernel and genetically modified grain meal, because that's how meat and dairy is produced in NZ, mostly.

They like to tout "grass fed" which it is to an extent, but don't elaborate on what else the animals eat.

TommyLuck

Maybe.

But I like to think I get an honest answer when I ask a question in person.

And I've already noted that I'm of the opinion that the red meat quality is on par with the London company I used. Are you going to doubt their grass fed claims too ... ?

The Weezer

I also prefer to believe people are honest. I called the butchery you linked to and asked. Yes, it is grass fed. When I asked if they are fed supplemental foods, I was told they can't know for sure but conceded they possibly are. I believe if the beef was 100% grass fed it would sell at a premium, be touted as 100% and I know from experience it's not available in many stores.

I'm not trying to prove anyone wrong, just want to get the facts straight as far as I am able. It's good to know what you're eating.

I'm sure the meat is as good quality as it was in London, no reason to suppose it isn't. I wonder if the London meat is fed palm kernel by product, though? I haven't investigated, but what I've read is the European Union is the largest consumer of palm kernel product, followed by New Zealand. Quite extraordinary that a small country like NZ would buy so much.

TommyLuck

Fair enough, that's above an beyond, but it's still assumptions, ifs and buts.

And in the interests of fairness, are you going to give Turner & George a call too, to ask the same question?

On a sole NZ perspective, I would also add that the Meat is undoubtedly far superior in quality at the butcher in question than the supermarket. And cheaper.

Blade Down Under

Aaah yes, that was recommended by Heston Blumenthal when he was doing one of his weird food nights on the tv. He said if not using chilli within 3-5 days of purchase, freeze it. Then let it unfreeze overnight before it returning to what it was. Doesn't ruin the flavour or scoville

But it does make it easier for some chillis to use when cooking. There are some that you need to wear protective gloves when using but when freezing, they sometimes lose that sticky power that can be very painful without protective gear.

The Weezer

I'll let you do that! I never doubted grass fed claims. It was the 100% bit that I was calling into doubt. There certainly is enough pasturage out there in NZ, in fact too much. Pollution and all, you know.

Blade Down Under

I won't argue about the time to shop around. I'm lucky I have these available to me on my way home. If I was living in Fendalton for example, or somewhere where a local shop like this was a drive away - then I too wouldn't use them and just use the supermarket. Especially when working very long hours

Not all fresh fruit and veg shops are cheap though. There's one on Victoria Street - by the corner of Salisbury and Montreal. That shop is more expensive than the supermarkets. I was shocked to see $6.99 for a kilo of mandarins in a fruit and veg shop. Then again, many here use Raeward Fresh and I don't find them to be particularly supermarket cheap either

Maybe it's the costs of living away from the city that make it cheaper? No wonder why many are relocating away from Christchurch itself and picking up suburban areas.

garethwm

To be fair, all of Europe, including the UK feed cattle genetically modified grain, without there being a requirement for it to be labelled. Some may argue that because the NZ cattle diet generally has a higher pasture grass component, the amount of GM intake is somewhat less than the average UK cow. One thing about NZ is that although some people complain about the rain, that plus the high sunshine hours and relative warmth makes for lush pasture.

TommyLuck

Nah, I'm good. Nothing to prove here.

All I can do is speak to people with knowledge for information. In this case restaurateurs and butchers. I would have asked a farmer too if I knew one!!

Not sure about the pollution tangent? Always seems to get thrown in, in a NZ food product discussion.

Much of the pasture isn't polluted so ...

Pom_Chch

When I say quality I am referring to taste and texture. One of the biggest differences for me is salad items. Tomatoes taste a lot better here (sweeter and more flavorsome), as does lettuce, avocado and corn on the cob. That is a personal opinion though, others may think differently.

As for in season items I don't feel I miss out. The only difference is I spend more $$ on tomatoes and mushrooms in winter. Sometimes I will not buy as many if I feel they are too much, but more often than not I do still buy them. I just then make sure I don't spend too much on other items and stick to "in season" produce, which is dirt cheap right now (pumpkin, parsnips, broccoli, cauliflower etc). Another thing I do is buy heaps of tomatoes in summer, make them into a sauce and then freeze into portions ready for pasta/pizza/bolognese etc.

I wouldn't say the variety is enormous, no. Enough to get a variety of nutrients from and cook in lots of different ways, yes. The variety increases in summer what with more berries and citrus fruits available.

I would imagine the same could be said for rural Britain, although due to the difference in climate I believe it wouldn't quite match quality wise. I always found tomatoes (particularly fresh cherry/plum varieties) to taste sour in the UK. It is only since I moved to NZ I've actually started eating tomatoes and enjoying the taste. Same with avocado. The avocado in NZ is damn good, almost a totally different taste. Anyway, I digress!

Depending on which green grocer you go to, yes, I believe the quality to be better. The example I gave with the green grocer who has a stand in front of his crops, then you can't get much fresher than that unless you grow it yourself (a work-in-progress atm!) Also the produce does perish quickly, which leads me to believe not many chemicals have been used, which adds to the quality IMO. If you use a green grocer without this set up then you could argue that the produce still has to be picked, packed and transported. Although a small green grocer in a semi rural town would probably have fresher produce as it's on a much smaller scale, especially if you compare to the likes of Countdown or New World.

Pom_Chch

Yes, fair point about the corn tortillas. They wouldn't be cheap to make if on a budget. For me, I prefer the flour based ones as I'm not keen on the taste of the corn variety.

As a side note, this website is pretty good for anything you can't find in NZ: International Groceries. They sell Mas Harina, although, not something you would buy if cooking on a budget.