Is searching for cheaper food really the answer

[youngmafbog]

Aldi have announced profit increases of 200%. The chain is showing major growth as opposed to Tesco that is expected to report first drop in 20 years (Although to put it in perspective Tesco has 295 of the market compared to Aldi's 2.6).

But this has led me to think. Is hunting for the cheapest pastie or ready meal really the answer? It rather appears to me (looking in peoples trolleys- the wheely kind) that no one seems to cook anymore. By that I mean from raw ingredients. For instance, I buy a couple of cheap chickens from ASDA, take off the breasts and make chicken Tikka (not from a past but from raw ingredients), cut off the legs and marinate them for Chicken Tandoori (again no bought pastes). The bones I then stew, separate out the rougher meat for the dog (two meals with biscuits) and make 4 pints of soup (with fresh veg). This works out very reasonable and there are many options so why are people not doing this? do we need to change the way of thinking and offer education in basic cooking to people who have forgotten?

[boxtops]

People are going to Aldi not because it's cheapest (our ASDA is far cheaper) but because it's good. It was voted Best Supermarket again.

However I do agree with you re cooking, it seems many people don't these days but live on ready meals. We have some ready meals (quick and convenient after work) but not all the time.

I don't think they teach cooking in school these days....

[jamesnan]

I agree, it is not necessarily the cheapest, but the quality is very good, and savings can be made overall.

[boxtops]

... and they sell lots of fresh meat!

[Smowball]

Dont know about Aldi, but a Lidl near me sells very good meat, fresh fruit and veg - all really well priced. But I do agree with what you are saying about cooking from scratch and making the most of all parts of the animal etc. if I have a roast chicken on a sunday, I then make chicken and vegetable soup with the remaining meat for the next day, give the skin and scraps of meat left for the 2 cats and then make stock with the carcass.

[pdq1]

I am a firm believer in food supermarkets and without them our food bills would be double they are now. If you don't believe this pop into any corner street food retailer and compare the prices. Supermarkets do a tremendous job of keeping the prices low by putting pressure on the food manufacturers so much so that they have nearly put the milk industry out of business although I have never met a poor farmer.

I bought a whole shopping trolley of food today from Tesco which consumed about 6 carrier bags all for £32 with a £4 discount with one of their coupons.