Jamie Oliver has once again called on Britons to opt for fresher and more healthier ingredients from local markets – arguing our cash will actually go further and cause less waste.
Speaking to the Radio Times promoting his new series, Oliver said that Britons could learn from “the Sicilian street cleaner who has 25 mussels, 10 cherry tomatoes, and a packet of spaghetti for 60 pence, and knocks out the most amazing pasta”, arguing that it cheaper and healthier to pick up food locally over choosing convenience food and ready meals:
"From a supermarket you're going to buy a 200g bag of this or a 400g pack of that. If you're going past a market, you can just grab 10 mange tout for dinner that night, and you don't waste anything."
But how much do Oliver's comments really stack up with the reality for British consumers? We want to see what's in your shopping basket and how you're making your money stretch for meals in the UK. Do you find buying ready meals and convenience food more effective or do you mix supermarket shops with local produce and markets? Tell us via GuardianWitness
Your stories of shopping for local and convenience produce and what's in your last meal
Beef Ragout & Mashed Potato
I've just eaten my dinner. The beef came from the local farmers market. I don't normally shop there, because its far more expensive than the supermarket, and while I'm not poor, I'm not rich either. Plus, it's only open on Friday mornings and I'm at work then.
The carrots, onion, garlic and potatoes came from our local green grocer. It's more expensive than the supermarket but the quality is far better, the produce stays fresher for longer. But you do need a car to get there.
Everything else, wine, bacon, butter, milk, oil came from the supermarket. It's the cheapest place to get groceries. Sure, I'd love to be able to never go near a supermarket, and get everything from the growers market, but that's not achievable where I live, even on a comfortable middle class income. It'd be completely out of range for many people I know.
Meat free burgers and colcanon, french beans and salad
Got an allotment, potatoes, kale, french beans and onions are from there. It tasted great. Even had cucumber and tomatoes from my polytunnel. I bought the burgers from Tesco and brocolli from the Asian shop down the road. You can buy some veg cheaper than supermarkets in some shops in my area. But choose well. The big local market a bus ride away is cheaper but also veg does not last very well.
As for my organic allotment produce it tastes far more superior, I pick it when I need it or store in the fridge. Tends to last longer than bought stuff. Started freezing some produce. Plus it's a pleasure to watch it grow and it gives me the exercise that I lack in taking part in.
Local Food Vs convenience
I will start by saying I used to volunteer for local food project and now work there. But in answer to the question what did you last eat, then nearly every meal I can say local. I only eat out once or twice a month and prefer local restaurants to chains. I hardly shop at Supermarkets and by 85% of my stuff from small local shops. I cook as much food myself as I can. My last meals have been roasted veg on one night, a good mix of carrot, swede, beetroot, spring onions, mushroom, calabrese and peppers. The night before I had the same sort of mix but this time stir fried with the addition of a few nuts and kale. I usually cook in olive or coconut oil. As we are in Grimsby then I sometimes eat fish. I realise my diet and approach to food isn't typical and the work I do is to encourage more people to buy local and healthily. It would be a real boost to have someone like Jamie Oliver pay an interest in our small social enterprise. All the staff and volunteers here are really passionate about what we do.
Soup
Since failing at my gallant supermarket boycott attempt, I now just try to reduce my supermarket trips with a home-delivery order of fruit and vege, eggs and cheese from a company called Farmaround.
The vege deliveries have been brilliant and resulted in us eating a much greater variety of vegetables that we would normally, as it's whatever is in season. Today: some sort of squash, carrot and kale soup... very well blended, so my children will eat it!
Rustic Spanish Soup - with organic chorizo
Bubbling away in the slow cooker...Rustic Spanish soup.. white beans, stock, cider vinegar, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes and organic chorizo from farmers market - a little goes a long way - I only eat organic meat but I manage even on my tiny budget - you just have to be creative. We should be eating less meat anyway.
Cooperative Dinner.
Dinner for two tonight was Lentil Dahl. The recipe is based on one of Rose Elliot's that I have memorised through years of use. Onions, carrots and garlic from a supermarket. Curry spices from The Spicery, mail order, a real treat. The lentils, rice, tinned tomato and tea for afters all come from Green City Wholefoods in Glasgow. We share an order every six weeks or so, with a collection of friends in the village and beyond. One friend collates the orders, another does the finances and yet one more makes soup to share on delivery day.
Buying in bulk, collectively, means we can afford good ingredients on a low income.
I would quite happily buy fresh produce every day if I could, the fact is in Liverpool there aren't any stalls unless you go to town (and perhaps one dodgy looking one at the top of Smithdown Road). However in London, almost every street has a stall overflowing with fresh fruit and veg- even the little corner shops. So Asda/Aldi have to do up here most of the time. Jamie Oliver may have time to wander around perusing the streets for good deals on fresh food and finding charming little stories out of what is actually poverty rather than budget cooking for fun, but in the real world you do the best with what you have. That being said I think supermarkets offer a lot more range to make cheaper meals so it's a toss up on preference/convenience/time/effort where everyone chooses to shop.
In my town in Scotland there are no real independents, its all supermarkets however over the past five years there is more of them. We have 2 sainsburys, 2 tesco, 1 aldi, Lidl, and Morrisons.
In order to improve my families diet and health, I have opted to do more cooking from scratch which can be more expensive and time consuming, I also try to use local bakers and butchers where appropriate and if I can afford it.
I have always avoided ready meals but did make heavy use of sauces in a jar. I have now cut those out and started making my own. In addition, I have started to grow my own vegetables, lettuce, tomato, spring opinions, carrots and potatoes. Space restrictions mean I do have to buy these items from the shops but it reduces the amount of money spent and trips to the shops for stuff ie for salad stuff for lunchtime sandwiches or my own pasta pots. With the added benefit of enjoying my time in the garden and increased level of family engagement in my project.
I also grow my own chives, parsley and sage to improve the blander meals I make.
There is a local farmers market which appears every now and then but its expensive however, I go along with a 10 pounds and buy what I can.
During the week for breakfast we go cold, as we call it, eating cereal, pancakes, yoghurts and fruit and on Sunday a treat with a full fry up.
Today - breakfast - natural yogurt, discounted fruit (I use approved food & stores like B&M & home bargains) granola (supermarket). Lunch - homemade soup & bread (lentils and veg - often reduced to clear from supermarket) - Dinner - lasagna using courgettes - home grown, home made bologna sauce, and reduced to clear cheese; baked potatoes and home grown cucumber on side. I bulk cook and freeze and utilize out of date and reduced to clear. Being a competent adaptable cook helps, plus I own a chest freezer. I understand that many do no have this choice. Also I can adapt my food budget and spend more when there are bargains. Rarely have time to go to markets, but would love to. Pick hedgerow fruit etc when possible - roll on Autumn. 15 miles from shops!