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Stranger in a Strange Land


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11 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

Unfortunately if I want M&S food it is a car journey of 8 miles across Lincoln City taking 23 minutes plus the return. Wish there was an M&S on my local business park which is only 2.5 miles and 5 minutes away. That is where my Tesco store is along with Aldi, Lidl and Lincoln Co-op. I would even settle for a Waitrose. Never tried Aldi or Lidl and for some reason don't want to join the throng in those stores.

 

All store names used above in the interests of equal advertising.

 

Allan

 

Is the traffic so bad that it takes that long? I can go 8 miles in Wichita in about 10 minutes, including stop lights. 

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13 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 Never tried Aldi or Lidl and for some reason don't want to join the throng in those stores.

 

My nearest supermarket is Aldi which is about 15minutes walk away.  I always go mid week late evening around 8:30pm - always almost deserted.  Never had to queue once during the whole Covid thing and they do some good wines!

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18 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

Unfortunately if I want M&S food it is a car journey of 8 miles across Lincoln City taking 23 minutes plus the return. Wish there was an M&S on my local business park which is only 2.5 miles and 5 minutes away. That is where my Tesco store is along with Aldi, Lidl and Lincoln Co-op. I would even settle for a Waitrose. Never tried Aldi or Lidl and for some reason don't want to join the throng in those stores.

 

All store names used above in the interests of equal advertising.

 

Allan

 

 

Having finally  managed to persuade Sainsbury's that we exist as long standing customers we are now buying most stuff as click and collect or for  delivery and avoiding having to enter shops as much as possible. A lady in my wife's choir works at Sainsbury's and she has caught the bug, to quote, "staff are going down like flies" . She's ok and I suspect that's a considerable exaggeration, but there is a risk involved in shopping (and working in a shop). She also said that a customer told her that her husband had the virus, it beggars belief that some people don't appear to understand the importance of self isolation, but there you go.

 

However the main reason for this post is to point out that Aldi and Lidl offer some great stuff at very reasonable prices. Lidl stores come with an in shop bakery and they make lovely fresh croissants. At Aldi you can buy good quality tinned stuff at very competitive prices. Another great value store is Iceland, you can buy the same branded products as offered by the bigger players for much less, and they offer a free delivery service, provided you spend enough. Post covid we'll be back to using all of these companies.

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5 hours ago, Vincent Lowe said:

 

My nearest supermarket is Aldi which is about 15minutes walk away.  I always go mid week late evening around 8:30pm - always almost deserted.  Never had to queue once during the whole Covid thing and they do some good wines!

 

And excellent vintage cheeses at good prices, my favourites are Caledonian and Barbers cheddar, and their Red Fox Red Leicester.

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On 12/12/2020 at 02:46, Ed Rooney said:

That makes total sense, Betty. This dish I get at Marks and Spencer Foodhall.  It's microwave ready and it's not bad. The meatballs they get just right, a mix of beef and pork and herbs and breadcrumbs. There tomato sauce is a bit sweet. I add some sea salt to rebalance it.  I add olive oil and cheese too.

 

 

spaghetti-and-meatballs-2C9H2BT.jpg

 

 

That looks as good as the picture on the packet!

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10 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Is the traffic so bad that it takes that long? I can go 8 miles in Wichita in about 10 minutes, including stop lights. 

 

Have to travel through the City and yes the traffic is horrendous. Should get better when they open the new bypass.

 

Allan

 

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8 hours ago, Vincent Lowe said:

 

My nearest supermarket is Aldi which is about 15minutes walk away.  I always go mid week late evening around 8:30pm - always almost deserted.  Never had to queue once during the whole Covid thing and they do some good wines!

 

Thank you Vincent but it would be the food I need. Do not drink alcohol.

 

Allan

 

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3 hours ago, Bryan said:

 

Having finally  managed to persuade Sainsbury's that we exist as long standing customers we are now buying most stuff as click and collect or for  delivery and avoiding having to enter shops as much as possible. A lady in my wife's choir works at Sainsbury's and she has caught the bug, to quote, "staff are going down like flies" . She's ok and I suspect that's a considerable exaggeration, but there is a risk involved in shopping (and working in a shop). She also said that a customer told her that her husband had the virus, it beggars belief that some people don't appear to understand the importance of self isolation, but there you go.

 

However the main reason for this post is to point out that Aldi and Lidl offer some great stuff at very reasonable prices. Lidl stores come with an in shop bakery and they make lovely fresh croissants. At Aldi you can buy good quality tinned stuff at very competitive prices. Another great value store is Iceland, you can buy the same branded products as offered by the bigger players for much less, and they offer a free delivery service, provided you spend enough. Post covid we'll be back to using all of these companies.

 

Thank you for the insight of their food lines.

 

Allan

 

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1 hour ago, sb photos said:

 

And excellent vintage cheeses at good prices, my favourites are Caledonian and Barbers cheddar, and their Red Fox Red Leicester.

 

Again thank you for the information on the food lines.

 

Allan

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10 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Is the traffic so bad that it takes that long? I can go 8 miles in Wichita in about 10 minutes, including stop lights. 


You’ve not experienced driving in the UK Betty?!? 

Pre Covid we used to go by bus the 3 miles into Oxford, now (very occasionally) we go in by car. 

A few days ago the journey in was a bit slow because of roadworks. On the way out the traffic was backed up all the way past the car park  so we went the long way round, about 8 miles. Took us about 40 minutes to get home! Could have walked it in that time! 

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7 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

I suppose I will have to bite the bullet and try these other stores sometime.

 

Allan

 

 

I’m a committed Aldi shopper (with a bit of Waitrose on the side) Luckily they’re very close to each other.

Personally I think a lot of Aldi products are better, and much cheaper, than Waitrose. The main plus point to Waitrose is that I scan my shopping on their phone app and pay with my phone to so no-one handles my food and I don’t touch any machines. 

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12 minutes ago, Thyrsis said:

Agreed. And now I’ve discovered free delivery over £30 I don’t need to lug it home! 

 

 

I have never had food delivered much prefering to go in and select what I want off the shelf which applies to fresh, chilled and frozen foods mainly. I would not mind deliveries of ambient temperature food like packaged and tinned etc.

 

Allan

 

Edited by Allan Bell
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6 minutes ago, Thyrsis said:

 

I’m a committed Aldi shopper (with a bit of Waitrose on the side) Luckily they’re very close to each other.

Personally I think a lot of Aldi products are better, and much cheaper, than Waitrose. The main plus point to Waitrose is that I scan my shopping on their phone app and pay with my phone to so no-one handles my food and I don’t touch any machines. 

 

Unfortunately our Waitrose store is on the same trading estate as M&S which makes it a no-no too.

 

It would appear that I will have to try Aldi first.

 

Allan

 

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6 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Unfortunately our Waitrose store is on the same trading estate as M&S which makes it a no-no too.

 

It would appear that I will have to try Aldi first.

 

Allan

 

Beware the temptations of the centre aisle...

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both Aldi &  Lidl  do these curious centre aisles with all manner of "STUFF" It's cheap and some  a bit nasty and I just don't see why it would be in a supermarket. I confess I have snagged a couple of bargains but I still reckon they could put the space to better use

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1 hour ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Thanks. But why?

 

Allan

 

 

Stocked with very random items without rhyme or reason, yet somehow tempting.

 

All manner of DIY tools from makers you have never heard of. Pillar drills and drop saws not just a set of screw drivers. You might see welding rods one week and a welding mask the next, but never the two together.  It's worth a browse just for the entertainment.

 

🦔

 

 

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1 hour ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Unfortunately our Waitrose store is on the same trading estate as M&S which makes it a no-no too.

 

Allan

 

Sound so much fancier than shopping mall or shopping strip. You Brits have all the class.

 

Paulette

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1 hour ago, Mr Standfast said:

 

Stocked with very random items without rhyme or reason, yet somehow tempting.

 

All manner of DIY tools from makers you have never heard of. Pillar drills and drop saws not just a set of screw drivers. You might see welding rods one week and a welding mask the next, but never the two together.  It's worth a browse just for the entertainment.

 

I normally don't give Aldi's centre aisle a second glance, other than earlier in the year I picked up a pair of wellington boots that were a perfect fit and for a reasonable price. They now live in the car boot, and came in handy when photographing local storm flooding. Shame I've never seen waders for sale there. Not suitable for long walks though as they are quite heavy.

Edited by sb photos
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2 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I have never had food delivered much prefering to go in and select what I want off the shelf which applies to fresh, chilled and frozen foods mainly. I would not mind deliveries of ambient temperature food like packaged and tinned etc.

 

Allana

 

 

I agree. With perishable food you also have no control over the sell by date, I avoid short dated items. Perhaps I should have a bulk delivery of cat food, enough for a month. On the downside Tesco and Sainsbury's often don't have the cat food our cat likes, he's a fussy eater. I dread the supermarket would substitute something out of stock for food our cat would sniff and leave. Then the local chancers and strays would get well fed.

Edited by sb photos
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3 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

I suppose I will have to bite the bullet and try these other stores sometime.

 

Allan

 

I rotate between 7 supermarkets, there isn't just one that sells everything I need. The least visited are Morrison's and Waitrose.

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3 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I have never had food delivered much prefering to go in and select what I want off the shelf which applies to fresh, chilled and frozen foods mainly. I would not mind deliveries of ambient temperature food like packaged and tinned etc.

 

Allan

 

 

I agree, I buy all our food in the shop so I can pick and choose. But buying wines online that I know we like is really handy.

Edited by Thyrsis
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2 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Thanks. But why?

 

Allan

 

 

As they say ‘what’s in the middle at Lidl’! 

 

First time we went to Aldi Ian bought a ‘centre aisle’ security camera and an arc welder. Has he used either of them? No.

I don’t take him with me any more.

 

 

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