My first supermarket experience in UK

[scottishbride]

My hubby took me at the supermarket yesterday. It was great! I was amazed on huge selections of Meats, alcohol drinks, fresh milks, fruits ,vegetables & Breads. :omg:Though I have been to Dubai but nothing compares to UK supermarket. I am just a little bit dissapointed on their rice section there is not too many and it is packed in small pockets like 500 grms. Hubby said I have to learn and eat potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!:D:icon_lol:

[aromulus]

My hubby took me at the supermarket yesterday. It was great! I was amazed on huge selections of Meats, alcohol drinks, fresh milks, fruits ,vegetables & Breads. :omg:Though I have been to Dubai but nothing compares to UK supermarket. I am just a little bit dissapointed on their rice section there is not too many and it is packed in small pockets like 500 grms. Hubby said I have to learn and eat potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!:D:icon_lol:


That was only the local corner shop, dear....:xxgrinning--00xx3:

[KeithD]

Find a local Asian shop, they'll have rice by the wagon load :)

[pennybarry]

You can buy 1 sack (10 kilos) of Jasmin Rice in Chinese store in Edinburgh.
Don't be surprised with the price. :xxgrinning--00xx3::D

[darren-b]

My hubby took me at the supermarket yesterday. It was great! I was amazed on huge selections of Meats, alcohol drinks, fresh milks, fruits ,vegetables & Breads. :omg:Though I have been to Dubai but nothing compares to UK supermarket. I am just a little bit dissapointed on their rice section there is not too many and it is packed in small pockets like 500 grms. Hubby said I have to learn and eat potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!:D:icon_lol:

Look around for an Asian grocery shop and you'll find a better selection of rice in larger (maybe up to 25kg) sacks.

[KeithD]

One thing I always say everytime we go to the US, Walmart aka Asda has bugger all selection wise when it comes to food, it's more like the local Co-Op.

[South-east boy]

Lidl's also do big bags of rice too -not sure what type/types it is though.

[aromulus]

Lidl's also do big bags of rice too -not sure what type/types it is though.


Where...???:Erm:

Not in our two local stores...:NoNo:

Lucky if you get some 1kg basmati stuff on occasions, it's mainly microwave in the bag, uncle-ish Ben rice.

[joebloggs]

Find a local Asian shop, they'll have rice by the wagon load :)

yes my misses buys a 20/25kg sack of the stuff :vomit-smiley-011: for £26 from the local pinoy shop.

best for food is Morrisons, tesco and asda not as gud :NoNo:

[KeithD]

Freshest fish is Morrisons.

[aromulus]

Freshest fish is Morrisons.

:rolleyes:

[Tawi2]

Glad you enjoyed your first experience of shopping UK style :)But wait till you get into a trolley-war in Tesco or a Trolley dodgems style race around Marks and sparks,its like a re-enactment of Ben Hurs chariot race:ARsurrender:Visit your local asian store for all the Basmati,thai-scented,Jasmin etc 25kg sacks of rice :)The last one I visited had maybe 8-12 different varieties?

[South-east boy]

Where...???:Erm:

Not in our two local stores...:NoNo:

Lucky if you get some 1kg basmati stuff on occasions, it's mainly microwave in the bag, uncle-ish Ben rice.

That's in the Maidstone in Kent one -large plastic bags on a pallet, not sure of the weight though as never bought it. Maybe 5 or 7.5KG? That size would last me forever being just me here!

Edit: Found the bag of rice I have is 1kg (thought it was 500g), so the large bags in Lidls' are probably something like 7.5-10kg?

[Pete67]

My hubby took me at the supermarket yesterday. It was great! I was amazed on huge selections of Meats, alcohol drinks, fresh milks, fruits ,vegetables & Breads. :omg:Though I have been to Dubai but nothing compares to UK supermarket. I am just a little bit dissapointed on their rice section there is not too many and it is packed in small pockets like 500 grms. Hubby said I have to learn and eat potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!:D:icon_lol:

Apart from the rice issue you mention, I think we often have too much choices and don't always appreciate what we have here in UK.
My local Tesco has something like seven types of those chicken nugget things, and seeing all that christmas chocolate makes me feel a little sick, do most of my shopping in local butchers, greengrocers, bakers etc.

[JimOttley]

My hubby took me at the supermarket yesterday. It was great! I was amazed on huge selections of Meats, alcohol drinks, fresh milks, fruits ,vegetables & Breads. :omg:Though I have been to Dubai but nothing compares to UK supermarket. I am just a little bit dissapointed on their rice section there is not too many and it is packed in small pockets like 500 grms. Hubby said I have to learn and eat potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!:D:icon_lol:

At the moment I buy two 10 kilo sacks of good quality Basmati from Makro every
6 months or so (I live alone in the UK while my partner is in the Phils)

Makro have a special deal on these that comes in at £10 a sack, still about twice the price it would be in the Phils but not so bad, it's actually cheaper than the 20 kilo sack, good quality Jasmine is available in Makro as well but it's a little more expensive. My partner does not like the Basmati over here but I think that is because I used to cook it too dry :) she much prefers Jasmine rice both here and at home :)

You can get other varieties but best to go to an Asian store to get a proper range, you can get just about anything here if you look hard enough :)

In ordinary supermarkets yes Rice is expensive and you wont get so good a range, as you discovered.

Potato's are ok, I am a Scot and I was brought up on them :) but I much prefer rice these days although Mashed Potato with butter on top is still a favourite :D

Enjoy your local supermarket by the way which one was it?

Jim

[scottishbride]

Cheers everyone for giving tips! Now I know where I can find good selection of rice.:)

[scottishbride]

Enjoy your local supermarket by the way which one was it?

Jim
Morrisons

[Northerner]

My local ASDA has huge sacks of Rice, but only because we have a large Asian local population. And so they are guaranteed to shift it. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Arthur Little]

One thing I always say everytime we go to the US, Walmart aka Asda has bugger all selection wise when it comes to food, it's more like the local Co-Op.

:iagree: ... and HUGE bags of what THEY call "chips" ... and WE'VE always known as crisps ... AND sweet sod all choice of soft drinks [that WE DO HAVE] to wash them down with! Yet MOST of these massive Walmart stores remain open round the clock.

[Arthur Little]

My hubby took me at the supermarket yesterday. It was great!

Guess you'd find it quite a contrast to the shopping malls in the Phils, though :rolleyes: ... with no-one readily on hand to pack your groceries in a large cardboard box and wheel them out to the car, the way they DO there!

[September]

Have you notice that costumer can pack thier own stuff they bought, they cant do that in phil or else........... they will go...bankrupt:icon_lol: losing item

[scottishbride]

Guess you'd find it quite a contrast to the shopping malls in the Phils, though :rolleyes: ... with no-one readily on hand to pack your groceries in a large cardboard box and wheel them out to the car, the way they DO there! Hubby warned me that... I have to pack my own grocery stuff :D, I don't mind... I am having so much fun here! This morning my daughter and I went to the Park and we played snow after that. Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and your family Arthur. Hope you have a good one! :)

[Arthur Little]

Hubby warned me that... I have to pack my own grocery stuff :D, I don't mind... I am having so much fun here! This morning my daughter and I went to the Park and we played snow after that. Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and your family Arthur. Hope you have a good one! :)

Great to learn you're enjoying the British way of life Melissa. A very Merry Christmas to YOU, William and your family ... and all the very best for 2010. :holiday08::holiday08::holiday08:

[South-east boy]

Hubby warned me that... I have to pack my own grocery stuff :D, I don't mind... I am having so much fun here! This morning my daughter and I went to the Park and we played snow after that. Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and your family Arthur. Hope you have a good one! :)

How is your daughter finding everything? Did she like the snow?

What annoys me about supermarkets and packing your self, is that some whizz them across scanning very quickly, quicker than you can pack and sometimes you're spending ages trying to prize a plastic bag open and they're still whizzing items across! Then they have finished, you're still packing and they want you to pay and pack at the same time! Then if you pay by cash, they give you notes, coins and receipt back & you're still trying to pack! Then they and the next person in the queue is waiting for you! It gets me so annoyed sometimes! Lidl's is the worst for that + they only have a tiny ares for the items once they have been scanned. Also why they can't have shopping baskets in that shop, I don't know?!

[aromulus]

Then they and the next person in the queue is waiting for you! It gets me so annoyed sometimes! Lidl's is the worst for that + they only have a tiny ares for the items once they have been scanned. Also why they can't have shopping baskets in that shop, I don't know?!

In Lidl and Aldi's, it is much better for you to put everything back in the trolley after scanning, and do your packing somewhere else, or just wheel the shopping to your car and pack stuff directly in your boot.

Baskets have been proven to be a safety hazard, as too many people don't really know where they are going and tend to turn around suddenly, thus hitting some poor pensioner with the darn things....:NoNo:

[Alan]

I HATE boiled rice! It's so BORING!!

Al.:)

[Arthur Little]

What annoys me about supermarkets and packing your self, is that some whizz them across scanning very quickly, quicker than you can pack and sometimes you're spending ages trying to prize a plastic bag open and they're still whizzing items across! Then they have finished, you're still packing and they want you to pay and pack at the same time! Then if you pay by cash, they give you notes, coins and receipt back & you're still trying to pack! Then they and the next person in the queue is waiting for you! It gets me so annoyed sometimes! Lidl's is the worst for that + they only have a tiny ares for the items once they have been scanned. Also why they can't have shopping baskets in that shop, I don't know?!

Tim, my friend ... I couldn't agree more! That's about it in a nutshell ... and it's a bloody nightmare! Trying to pack shopping into these flimsy *bags ... once you've - eventually - prised *them open [especially if, like me, you're all "fingers and thumbs"] ... when there's an apparent lack of understanding on the part of a queue of impatient folk behind, waiting to go through the checkout ... is something I can readily identify with! And as for for Lidl & Aldi ... well ... as a rule, the quality's good. But I object to paying for carrier bags on principle! :angry:

[Arthur Little]

[SIZE=4]Baskets have been proven to be a safety hazard, as too many people don't really know where they are going and tend to turn around suddenly, thus hitting some poor pensioner with the darn things....:NoNo:

:iagree: with this statement ... BUT ... wouldn't you say that these MASSIVE shopping trolleys are even MORE of a safety hazard? :Erm:

[South-east boy]

Tim, my friend ... I couldn't agree more! That's about it in a nutshell ... and it's a bloody nightmare! Trying to pack shopping into these flimsy *bags ... once you've - eventually - prised *them open [especially if, like me, you're all "fingers and thumbs"] ... when there's an apparent lack of understanding on the part of a queue of impatient folk behind, waiting to go through the checkout ... is something I can readily identify with! And as for for Lidl & Aldi ... well ... as a rule, the quality's good. But I object to paying for carrier bags on principle! :angry:

I've bought a few of their thicker bags and always use them again (I keep them in the boot of my car). Nearly every time I go, I go for just a few items and don't really need a trolley as I'm only shopping for one (or don't have a £'s change to put in the trolley), but I nearly always end up coming away with 2 or 3 times what I set out to buy! :icon_lol: I think I shall have to try to remember to keep a £'s change in my car just for trolleys!

[South-east boy]

:iagree: with this statement ... BUT ... wouldn't you say that these MASSIVE shopping trolleys are even MORE of a safety hazard? :Erm:

And especially this time of year when you can't move in the supermarket there's so many people & trolleys! :icon_lol:

[Arthur Little]

I've bought a few of their thicker bags and always use them again.

:lol2: ... ME too!!

[Arthur Little]

Nearly every time I go, I go for just a few items and don't really need a trolley as I'm only shopping for one (or don't have a £'s change to put in the trolley), but I nearly always end up coming away with 2 or 3 times what I set out to buy! :icon_lol: I think I shall have to try to remember to keep a £'s change in my car just for trolleys!

:doh ... Sounds familiar! I somehow never seem to be able to lay my hands on a pound coin JUST when I need one! :D

[Gavanddal]

How is your daughter finding everything? Did she like the snow?

What annoys me about supermarkets and packing your self, is that some whizz them across scanning very quickly, quicker than you can pack and sometimes you're spending ages trying to prize a plastic bag open and they're still whizzing items across! Then they have finished, you're still packing and they want you to pay and pack at the same time! Then if you pay by cash, they give you notes, coins and receipt back & you're still trying to pack! Then they and the next person in the queue is waiting for you! It gets me so annoyed sometimes! Lidl's is the worst for that + they only have a tiny ares for the items once they have been scanned. Also why they can't have shopping baskets in that shop, I don't know?!

The trick is not to pay until you've finished packing. By the way, there's a cracking Asian store in Gillingham High St that sells sacks of rice plus loads of Pinoy foods.

[Steve.r]

The trick is not to pay until you've finished packing. By the way, there's a cracking Asian store in Gillingham High St that sells sacks of rice plus loads of Pinoy foods.

Is that Gillingham in Dorset or Kent ?? :Erm:

[aromulus]

Is that Gillingham in Dorset or Kent ?? :Erm:


Why...??:Erm:

Is there more than one...???:doh

[Steve.r]

Why...??:Erm:

Is there more than one...???:doh

Ermmm.....yep!!

The one in Dorset, not far from me, is said with a 'G' (Gillingham) the one in Kent is said with a 'J' (Jillingham)Does that make sence?

[rusty]

Why...??:Erm:

Is there more than one...???:doh

There is also one in Norfolk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillingham,_Norfolk

[Steve.r]

There is also one in Norfolk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gillingham,_Norfolk

Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!! :omg: :D too confusing!!!!