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EWmums

EWfood

ewmoda

Monthly shop?

144

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 November 2011 - 09:36

Lately our shopping bill seems to have gone massive. Following on from a thread yesterday someone mentioned they go shopping monthly and then just weekly for vegetables and fridge stuff. Does anyone else do this? Do you have any tips? I've planned all the meals for the month, which took forever! I was wandering what would be the most cost effective way to do it, for example meat from one shop, cheaper cleaning products from another, dry good another? I don't mind going to 2 or 3 different ones if its going to work out better. Tia

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5452

Posts

EW MASTER

Latest post on 22 November 2011 - 10:26

I really like these ideas. Thanks for the suggestions.

DDougherty21687

70

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 November 2011 - 10:25

I go to carrefour once a month for toilet paper, soap, shampoo, staples, canned stuff...not too much. I mostly go there for my baby stuff-diapers, wipes, some baby foods I don't buy my fruit and veg from carrefour usually. I find that it only lasts a few days. Then I would have to go buy more again... I go to Spinneys, once a week on market day. With a list of 7 meals and what I need for them. With one alternative meal. If there is a sale on mince or chicken (provided its fresh not frozen) I will buy a little extra and throw it in my freezer chest. I buy fruits, veg, dairy, eggs, etc...I have one rule...try to stay on the outside perimeter of the supermarket. All you need is on that outside perimeter. Fruit, Veg, dairy, eggs, meat, bread. Inside isles are usually junk. I only venture into this isles if I need something specefic, walking around browsing, you end up buying stuff you dont need. We are a family of 4, with a dog and a housekeeper ( I hate the word maid, sorry). I usually spend on this weekly shop, anywhere from 450-600 aed. It includes all our meals for the week pretty much. My husband takes a cooler bag with his breakfast and lunch with him to work every day. Once a month I go to organic supermarket, on the third saturday of every month its 20% off. i load up on Quina milk, sugar free cookies, organic baby food, baby snacks, formula, cereal, frozen organic burritos or pizza pockets (my boy loves them for school) and of course a few packages of sausage, chicken breast, and a large mince meat package. This usually costs me around 700 aed-but remember this is baby food, formula, quina milk (my 1 and half year old loves it) for an entire month and there is usually enough that it carries over to the next month.

149

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 22 November 2011 - 09:54

I usually do a monthly shop for everything from Carrefour (except meat), and then pop into Spinneys for the fridge stuff every week. I have a storage room - a friend once toured the house and asked whether I was preparing for a tsunami (toilet rolls went up to the ceiling!). But that means I spend 2 hours at Carrefour once a month with DH (2 trolleys!), and 15 mins each week at a smaller supermarket. I buy some of my meat from the butchers, some from Waitrose, and sometimes I'll get chicken from Carrefour or Waitrose depending on what it looks like. There are cheaper options but I don't have all the time in the world to look for those options. I try to buy meat in bulk, cook it and freeze it in bags for quick cooking throughout the month. A bolognese or a stew will take only 20 minutes to prepare if the meat is already done. Your best bets for the monthly shop are Carrefour, Lulu, Union Coop in terms of price I believe. Apparently Union Coop Al Barsha has great prices and a wonderful selection of fruit/veg, but have never been there and also heard that fruit/veg doesn't last in the fridge. I've tried going to Union Coop in Safa but found that some of the things I get, like Petit Filous for my DD and other "imports," were not available. Whatever I save by going to Carrefour (money and time) is much more than what it costs me to go to Spinneys for the weekly stuff. Would love to hear what others do!

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