JamieOliver.com

I agree with all the above, however, let me tell you.
THE BEST EVER Borlotti beans I ever had came from Jamie's recipe of the series Janie at home and I don't usually like beans.  I didn't have one of the fresh spices and since I put in rosemari, I omitted the fresh lauder leaves, I figured two strong tastes might clash.  I did put in 2 big onions though along with the garlic and the celery and tomatos.  My husband had two helpings and I had one veeeery hefty one.
I love his recipes and since I grow my own vegetables and spices in Greece where I live, I have a whale of a time trying them out.  The BBQed fresh salmon with the satziki sauce is another of my favorites.

Some comments on the above.

On number 1.  Cheapest is not always the best choice.  Specially on meats you wind up throwing a lot of it away by trimmig too much fat and sinews.  I buy good meat  and use all of it.  Many supermarkets mark down meats with a short expiry date. I buy them and what I don't cook I freeze for future use.
If you freeze something before the expiration date there is no problem.

Well I am new at this site so I have a lot of exploration to do.  Better get to it.
Catch you later.  Cheers

Hi Dimitroula,

Yes, you are right about meat, cheap is definitely not best there. There's nothing worse that getting a bad cut!

Hi!
Health food stores sometimes sell veg cheaper that doesn't look too good (any more), but is still very edible and tasty.
I had some of the best tomatoes of my life at half price because they were already going soft and being sold as "cooking tomatoes".
Cheap lentils, bulgur, couscous etc. may often be obtained in turkish or other mediterranean stores. They sometimes sell cheap ready made entrees as well: For a party I bought a 2 kilo tin of stuffed wine leaves for 8 or 9 €.

Hi Melanie,
Re: #6 - bagged, or washed salad mixes.

Buying salad bagged seems to work for us.

We have had few nasty experiences with "fresh" salads where the outside were crispy but the inside was completely off and as you know we cannot really take off any of the leaves just to check if they are OK.

Also, as they usually have more than one variety per pack, it saves us to purchase 3 to 4 different salads to get the same result.

(for the aussies) They seems quite fresh if bought from "ALDI".

Cheers
Claude

Claude:  I have to agree with you on the salad! Here by us you get wonderful salad leaves washed and ready to use and a great variety - i wash them again though.  We have Woolies foods here who sell wonderful Organic food, no added msg foods etc. 

I don't really ever buy cheap meat or chicken.  Always free-range. 

ada

Hi there A Dietitian

I'm a single mum unemployed - and at risk of labouring the point - I always buy organic meat...pricey but I feel whenever we have meat it's good meat.

Store cupboard things can be picked up resonably which I agree can bulk out a meal...however I'm no saint when it comes to food - am recovering from ME and often in the darker years when I couldn't physically stand to cook I bought ready meals just to have food on the table. uke:

New leaf being turned over and it's good to see a list of tips like yours which helps. And I've often fallen under that danger of shopping on an empty stomach!

My saving grace is a really basic tomato sauce recipe - chopped garlic and onions sizzled in a little olive oil then added to chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, basil S&P. Bubble gently for 15 mins then blitz until smoothish - perfect for pizzas and pastas - even nice drizzled over top of soups. Sometimes it's good to add peppers or a piece of chilli. Once I added celery but it kinda took over.

Whatever did our foremothers do without freezers??? They must have been canny women with fresh food - salting and pickling no doubt.

What part of Northern Ireland are you from? I originate from Eskra, Co.Tyrone, moved to Omagh in the late 60's then Belfast in the late 70's - Antrim Road direction in case your a Belfastian?

Hello

I agree with Rohroh about meat. i have recently decided to become much more choosy about the meat i do buy, as i hate the idea of it being full of hormones or water!

Melanie, i wondered if you had tips/thoughts about fats. I've started using olive oil much more lately, for almost every thing. I might post on the forums about it...

My tip for those on a budget is home made porridge...so filling...so good!
In a pan: 1 cup oats, 1 cup semi skimmed milk, 1 cup water, simmer, stir, eat!

After many years as a student i have become a shrewd shopper and as a student of Nutrition my goal was always to get the best quality fruits, veg, meats and fish and alcohol for a little as possible.

Here are my tips
Supermarkets hate throwing away foods without making a profit/ return on the good
Look for the sections in the isles where products are reduced due to short expiry date. Freeze meats that are not going to b used straight away.
You,ll often find top quality meats and fish reduced by up 50% Sainsburys are great for this. This is also true for fruit and vegetable and in the case of the veg they make great soups.
Find out from the storestaff when products are likely to be relabeled that way you get first pick.
Get to know the staff of your local supermarket there are members of staff that have been working in the store for many years and these people will be only more than happy to look after you as best they can see what deal they can offer you from the meat/ fish sections.

Farmers markets work the same way, they supply some of the best fruit and vegetables available packet with vitamins and minerals, the trick again is to build up a relationship be a regular customer and hit him as he draws near the end of his day you mite not get all the fruit and veg you desire but at the end of the day he,ll be delighted to take ur money over having to pack up the veg to bring back home.

Be friendly with your neighbours especially those who have fruit of vegetable patches. Living in london i struck up a friendship with a family who had a veg patch that was very productive so i bartered with them i cooked a couple of exceptional loaves of bread/pies/tarts for them and in return i recieved surplus fruit and veg from their garden, and the ultimate bonus i offered my girlfriends as a babysitter and in return we recieved boxes of wine as my neighbour happened to work for a wine wholesaler.

Think on your feet is what i say and be positive and friendly with people and you never know how they,ll hook you up.

hello