What have you bought today?

[Mottie]

That applies to much of the fruit and veg, no matter where you source it.

Not always. I haven’t even opened the tomatoes that I bought from Sainsbury’s last Thursday, they are past their best before date and still feel firm and fresh.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

That applies to much of the fruit and veg, no matter where you source it.

I've bought plenty of fruit and veg from Sainsburys, it often lasts past it's date, Aldi/Lidl stuff on the other hand rarely lasts the times I've bought it, half the time they look a bit shabby before you even buy them. I generally do a family shop every Saturday early doors, then anything else comes from Lidl or Morrisons as they're our nearest so it's not like I just got unlucky once or twice.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I've bought plenty of fruit and veg from Sainsburys, it often lasts past it's date, Aldi/Lidl stuff on the other hand rarely lasts the times I've bought it, half the time they look a bit shabby before you even buy them. I generally do a family shop every Saturday early doors, then anything else comes from Lidl or Morrisons as they're our nearest so it's not like I just got unlucky once or twice.

The only fruit or veg problem we have had, from Lidl, has been the potatoes - the cheaper range. Often they were black inside, and I would cut upto 1/3 away - I wrote and complained to Lidl. I stopped buying that range, I paid the few extra p for their Albert Bartlet range. They have proved to be better quality, as well as better value, because there is much less waste. A local farm, is offering 25Kg bags, for £6, I was thinking to try those.

 

[Mottie]

A local farm, is offering 25Kg bags, for £6, I was thinking to try those.

That’s a bargain. Over my allotment, it’s cost me about £40 in seed potatoes, compost and other bits 'n' bobs and taken me about 8 months plus some back breaking digging to get a 25kg bag of spuds.

 

[kingandy2nd]

Then you have chosen the especially cheap, economy foodstuffs they offer.

No actually, it was the other end of their range. Like I said, I just didn’t find it nice.

It depends what you’re used to I guess.

Some people drink PG tips tea and others drink Yorkshire tea, and can’t stand the other brand…different strokes for different folks.

 

[blup]

Waitrose is the worse for fruit failing before or at the best before date ime, tesco better than average.

Blup

 

[Brigadier]

When I was at uni in the early nineties, us poor students shopped at Morrisons.
Fruit and veg usually went off within a couple or three days of purchase.

When the "humanitarian food drops" (parental, start-of-term Sainsbo deliveries ) arrived, that batch would last a week or more beyond the best before dates.


Nowadays, I shop a lot at Aldi and, much as I like the place, you have to be very watchful when buying fresh produce. And it doesn't last well.

Tesco, Morrison, Sains and Waitrose all fare much better, in my experience.

 

[securespark]

What, like their fresh fruit and veg that only lasts about 3 days before it goes off? No thanks.

You have to be careful with the dates, but that applies in all stores. When I worked in supermarkets as a student, I was taught to always make sure to rotate stock by putting the later dates at the back. If you don't, all the later dates stuff sells first, leaving the shorter dated stuff on the shelf.

Always have a rummage around for later dates, usually at the back or underneath in the case of racks of fruit and veg.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Always have a rummage around for later dates, usually at the back or underneath in the case of racks of fruit and veg.

I do the same, especially so with milk, and bread. I pay the fresh price, I expect it to be fresh.

 

[JohnD]

The only fruit or veg problem we have had, from Lidl, has been the potatoes - the cheaper range. Often they were black inside, and I would cut upto 1/3 away - I wrote and complained to Lidl. I stopped buying that range, I paid the few extra p for their Albert Bartlet range. They have proved to be better quality, as well as better value, because there is much less waste. A local farm, is offering 25Kg bags, for £6, I was thinking to try those.

My local farm sells sacks of potatoes, but unless you are a voracious eater, they will be long past their best before you finish them.

Are you sure your price is right? Remarkably cheap.

 

[securespark]

The only fruit or veg problem we have had, from Lidl, has been the potatoes - the cheaper range. Often they were black inside, and I would cut upto 1/3 away -

I've had an issue with Lidl spuds too. Just the same. And their veg didn't last long either.

Aldi is much better, but speaking as someone who has done the job, freshness problems arise if the cage leaves the warehouse and then gets left on the shop floor. Food needs to get put on the shelf/ in the fridge or freezer in a timely manner.

 

[lostinthelight]

There must be a glut of spuds around you Harry, around here its £6 for half that weight

 

[JohnD]

Here is £15 for 25kg

Fresh dug.

 

[Mottie]

My local farm sells sacks of potatoes, but unless you are a voracious eater, they will be long past their best before you finish them.

Our sack of spuds in a hessian sack kept in the cool and dark under our stairs keeps well into the new year until we have used every last one of them.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

My local farm sells sacks of potatoes, but unless you are a voracious eater, they will be long past their best before you finish them.

Are you sure your price is right? Remarkably cheap.

Yep, I've just rechecked, they are straight from the farm - a facebook ad., and I know the farm. As you suggest - they would be past their best, before they were all used, then there is the fuel cost of fetching to factor in. When we used lots, with the kids here, we would have a local farm shop drop them off for free delivery.