FOOD and SUPPLIES(Low Cost)

[Lock man]

Packets of chicken noodles are 11p at tesco, they are not to bad to taste but require a bit of flavouring via some dried herbs

[nickdutch]

Does anyone else buy value brands? If so what do you buy and what would you rate it out of 10? I'm curious, I'd like to buy different meals etc. but I'm not very experimental! I stick to what I know

I have spent most of my life on a low income, so buying value or ultra cheepo supermarket stuff as been the norm. A lot of the cheap sh@t is really not my cup of tea, so what i do is to make sure I have cheap tomato puree plus herbs, spices and stock to make a good flavour some sauce if I really cant stomach another grey meal that doesn't go down too well. I also don't have ketchup so tomato puree and cornflour or rice flour can be turned into a red dip in sauce that i can add stock or curry powders to to give it a kick.

Breakfasts are a bastard as I am on a restricted diet, but cheap oatmeal can be ok no matter who makes it. Better to get the plastic bagged stuff as the stuff in cardboard boxes picks up moulds from the shops and storage rooms.

Cheap oatmeal can contain gluten so if you think you have a sensitivity, be careful.

You don't always need value stuff though, as lentils and mung bans are so cheap. 2 Kg for £3 at tesco an last an age.

I prefer basmati rice, and sometimes I get the 5 Kg bags if they are quite cheap. But if their value stuff is cheaper (40p per Kg at the last big supermarket run at Tesco) I might have that although I know ti will take more cooking in my electric steamer to stop it from tasting like sh@t. and to make it more digestible.

[Trish52]

Packets of chicken noodles are 11p at tesco, they are not to bad to taste but require a bit of flavouring via some dried herbs

I've tried the value noodles, not my cup of tea but are rather nice with flavouring like you've said. Lidl actually do 11p noodles which are WAY nicer and have a bigger flavour range too - I make a meal out of them if I go camping

1x Spicey Shrimp noodle packet (11p)
1/2 can of Tuna (90p?)
20g dried vegetables

Rather nice meal if you're camping

[23pioneer]

got 5 bars of soap for 1.20 in dealz

[itsybitsy]

Does anyone else buy value brands? If so what do you buy and what would you rate it out of 10? I'm curious, I'd like to buy different meals etc. but I'm not very experimental! I stick to what I know

I've tried a few different value brands. I rate the following:

Sainsbury value curry flavour noodles. Great for a quick meal with extra curry powder (but I'm a bit freaky like that!)
Value rice is generally fine
Sainsbury value tinned custard - not as thick as the more expensive brands, but I like it (and I'm fussy about custard)
Sainsbury value steamed puddings
Sainsbury value chopped tomatoes in tetra pack - fantastic for cooking, but not too good if you are eating them with a cooked breakfast as they are not very sweet
Any value herbs or spices are absolutely fine, as is other store cupboard staples such as sugar, flour and salt. The production techniques are the same for branded and non branded items for produce of this nature.

[handystrap]

Am going to get a cash and carry card in the next week or two, so i can get a better price