Re: Groceries
 

On the subject of broths/stocks, there is a very good TV programme here called l'Epicerie. It is, as the name suggests, about groceries.

Last night they were doing a special on stocks/broths. They gathered a huge variety of cubes, boxes etc and subjected them to a bling tasting by chefs.

The boxes won hands-down. The Irresistibles Smart brand (Metro) was top of the pack.

A tip in all cases was to look at the list of ingredients. The shorter the list, the better.

Re: Groceries
 

Frozen foods and moving. Better to dump them/give them away or will they stay okay on just ice in a cooler for 24 hours or so and placed back in the freezer?

We move out Saturday and not into the new place until Sunday late morning.

So from 5pm Saturday to 12 Noon Sunday no access to a freezer. So not quite a full 24 hours.

Re: Groceries
 

If it's meat, you could cook it in advance and keep it on ice in the back of the vehicle (presuming it's cold outside).. or make a big pot of stew with the veggies as well, so you have a meal ready when you get there! If it's large pieces of meat (as opposed to ground beef or similar) then it should keep if you wrap it. Fish I would give away.

If it's veg, it will likely thaw out in that time unless it's totally packed with ice and you wrap everything in newspaper or similar.

:)

Re: Groceries
 

As for the body, best get rid of that under cover of the night


ooops....wrong thread.....:lol:

Re: Groceries
 

Nope- thaw meat- Charlee will have it- she has big capacity- waste not want not

Re: Groceries
 

Only things left are frozen veggies, which we will give to her mom.

Oh and Charlee's food is frozen, but it's meat and on ice will stay frozen, and well we planned the last dog food purchase so we had only a tiny amount of food left for her. Didn't want to have a months worth on moving day...:lol:


Oh that poor dachshund, it is way overweight. :(

Re: Groceries
 

No, it is just big boned;)

Re: Groceries
 

No matter Bristol, Im not a huge Stones fan but that is a great one- video aint bad either!:thumbup:

Re: Groceries
 

The black stuff they squeeze out of grasshopper heads:
I won't be running out of that for a while... the Horse Power sauce was $9!

Re: Groceries
 

Superstore again today.

Spuds @ $2 for a 10lb bag again. Red and yellow.

Pork chops a ridiculous $1.44 lb. Bought two packs of 6, split into 3 fours, total cost a bit over $8.

Various apples $2.50 4lb bag.

Dried pasta 99c 450g.

Taster's Choice Instant coffee - Dark Roast is passable in emergency, $3.99

Frozen chicken burgers (10) $4.88

Cheap deals.

Re: Groceries
 

This article discuses food prices but what surprised me is that on average Canadians are supposed to be spending 2% of their income on fresh fruit and vegetables William Watson: About that $8 cauliflower—locavoring probably won’t help | Fraser Institute
We spend a lot more than that, at least 5%, with our grocery bills being over 20% of our income.

Re: Groceries
 

It also states housing is 26.8% of income. Oh how I wish it could be that low. :lol:

Food is roughly 7-9% of our income.

Housing is roughly 45.5% of our income.

Hydro is roughly 3%.

Transportation total costs runs about 20%

The rest is misc internet, phone, toiletries etc.

(Monthly income)

Re: Groceries
 

our son who lives in the city of Toronto, expenses to income

Groceries ~15%

Housing (includes hydro) ~51% income.

Transportation (public transit, cabs & walking to work) ~10%

The rest: eating out, entertainment, cell phone, internet ~19%

surplus cash at the end of each month ~5%

.

Re: Groceries
 

We dont have the luxury of public transit, and without a car it's not possible to get around the region in an efficient manner. Also not the norm in BC to have hydro included, at least I have yet to rent an apartment that included it.

Rent in Vancouver is just too high, and it's the only viable place in BC with a useful public transit system where you can get around and make do without a car, anywhere you pretty much need one since so much is done in Vancouver medical wise.

Our price range isn't doable in Vancouver, 260sq feet is just too small and the area isn't very good....lol
Edit to add, looks like we end up with about 1.8% left each month with the new place.

http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/apa/5423052996.html

Re: Groceries
 

Swings and roundaboutsIn a year with full rental income and average amount for repairs (only about one of those in 5 years) equalised electricity/heating accounts for 17% of my pension/rental income. Otherwise more. :ohmy:

Re: Groceries
 

One thing that is cheap in BC is electricity. Not many places in North America are cheaper.

Re: Groceries
 

I expect a large part of that is you don't need as much heating even if actual rates are lower than other places.

Re: Groceries
 

That helps too. Heat isnt needed all winter especially in an apartment.

Re: Groceries
 

If anyone's feeling like a laugh, have a browse through this and then giggle over the comments.

10 best foods to make from scratch and save money | Cook on a Budget | Life and style | The Guardian

Re: Groceries
 

:lol:

and
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/b...20160128105740

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I looked at that this morning. We either do the recommended things or don't eat the item in question. How come we're still brassic?

Re: Groceries
 

Potatoes wrapped in tin foil and kept in a cupboard become a welcome consolation if your house burns down. :)

Re: Groceries
 

An Independent and a No Frills here are really bad for not having the stuff that's in the flyer, especially chicken and shrimp. The No Frills at least has some decent sales, is cheaper than the Independent, but the Independent is bigger, built-in deli, bakery, etc. When you drive 10 minutes and the chicken isn't there it's depressing. The Independent is next to a liquor store so that's a plus, but I'm not crazy about the store. We used to have a big Superstore centrally located but they moved ages ago and it's a multi-use facility now, you can get an ultrasound but no groceries. When Superstore moved, the Safeway in the Cathedral area (main competition then) raised it's prices back up to the same usurious levels they had been before Superstore.

Re: Groceries
 

And now we have a $16 watermelon. Well not me, I don't buy them but they're out there folks.

Re: Groceries
 

I think the usual $7.99 for a big water melon is actually decent value.

But one lasts us 4 days so it's not something to buy every week, as much as I like them. So I''ll get one when they're $4 or $5 and in the week they're $8 I'll get some other fruit that's half its normal price instead, like strawberries.

It's lovely to see cherries down to $3.99/4.99lb but even then a small bag is about $6 :blink:

Re: Groceries
 

Fruit makes you fat.

Re: Groceries
 

We have cherries on sale this week for $1.99lb!
I can't remember the last time I bought them at that price....tasted pretty good too

Re: Groceries
 

Ok, now that I've had a few drinks, I'll show you mine, then you can show me yours.;)

Re: Groceries
 

Apart from simply not buying expensive items, the best way I've found to save money on groceries and to eat well is always to have a jug of homemade soup in the fridge. Any time we're out and about and come home hungry, it's takes about five minutes to get bowls of soup heated up. With some really tasty and satisfying soups to come home to, there's a lot less temptation to eat out. So here are some of my favorite soups.
West African peanut yam
Curried lentil
Carrot and ginger
Smokey chipotle pea
Portuguese chowder
Cullen skink (look that one up in a Scottish recipe book)
Like all good recipes,these can be modified if you're missing ingredients, and you can always get creative to make them suit your taste.
What are your favorites? Any other ways to save on the grocery bill?

Re: Groceries
 

It is ketchup related......:p

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You must have to remove half a dozen things from the top shelf every time you want something.

I'll see about taking a pic of ours the next time I have reason to unplug my laptop. No phone to take a shot.

Re: Groceries
 

A trip to No Frills nets olive oil, 2 bags of pot stickers, 2 packs of pork ribs. Everything on sale, $28.05.

Re: Groceries
 

Wouldn't surprise me if the 2 packs of ribs cost nearly 28 here....:lol:

Re: Groceries
 

I think they're $1.95/lb, ($4.35/kg?) and fresh not frozen so definitely decent, a recurring sale at No Frills along with the 2 pack Maple Leaf pork tenderloin. The tenderloin is more versatile for meals but I can brine and smoke some of these ribs and take them down to the club and be a big hero. When shopping I try to think of how and when I can use something and keep in mind that I want to rotate the food I have in storage. These cryovac'd packages will be good after the apocalypse but storage space is finite. Just because we have bbq weather in February I should go back tomorrow and get more.

Re: Groceries
 

I am not sure what the per lb price is, but I was at Safeway tonight and they have these ribs in the same package as in your photo, cheapest was 14 and some change, priciest was 25 and some change, so 2 would cost at minimum 28 dollars.

No Frills has no stores around here as far as I know, I think they do towards Vancouver though.

Re: Groceries
 

Got the extra pack of ribs and brined them 24 hrs (salt, pepper, molasses, brown sugar, red chili, sriracha, bay leaves) and now have the smoker going in the back yard full of pork ribs and hot Italian sausage.

Re: Groceries
 

So, not pancakes then. Heathen. :p

http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/eating/pancake.gif

Re: Groceries
 

No pancakes today, big cheddar burger, leftover curry and rice, meatballs... I have the digestive tract of a black bear.

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And the arteries of the 405 in rush hour by the sound of it. :p

Re: Groceries
 

Work & some personal stuff saw me unable to do my usual grocery shop this week; I usually shop 3/4 stores for best offers. Also bought a lot of out of season stuff I wouldn't usually look at unless on special offer.

I ended up rushing through a not-local Walmart:

1 dozen large eggs: 3.26$
1lb sweet potatoes: 1.54$
.5 lb Cremini mushrooms: 2.17$
3.3 lb chicken thighs: 10$ (Special offer)
16 Italian sausages: 10$ (Special offer)
1l EVOO: 4.97$
2 x 796ml canned tomatoes: 1$ each
3 heads garlic: 0.67$
1 lb butter: 3.97$
1 Fake Camembert: 3.97$
500ml half & half: 3.02$
1lb courgettes: 3.99$
1lb red peppers: 3.37$
1 aubergine (just under 1lb): 3.11$
1lb "vine-ripened" tomatoes: 2.39$
2 bunches fresh spinach: 2.47$
1lb bacon: 2.97$