General Chat

I have just opened two bags of different salad leaves etc.,to chop and prepare for the evening meal. Both were bought on Friday, from my usual supermarket, and have tomorrow's best before date on. Both were slimey, and inedible. I always look for the longest best before date, and this would have been the longest.
Alright, in this instance I have only lost about a couple of quid. But, I had to completely strip down a crown of celery to find only three small sticks, which were white, and edible. Another quid. Then the bunch of spring onions, tired and withered, and yes about 75p, wasted again. Tomatoes, just about okey.
So, bearing in mind that, all this FRESH produce was imported, hung round a packing shed for about a week, had to be transported to supermarket outlets, lie in their warehouse until put on the shelves, and we are, being generous, talking about ten days to two weeks.
So, fresh, I hardly think so. Roll on when our own produce on the allotment is ready. Meanwhile, I will have to have a trip up the street to TRY and get something more 'fresher'.
PS. Evening meal is Rib Eye Steak with a Red Wine and Brandy Deglaze and Reduction, served with Saute Potatoes, and a Tossed Mixed Salad.
Julia in Derbyshire

I thought you would grow your own Julia

Good Morning Hayley, yes we do grow all our own. But, here in the northern hemisphere, these products are only just going into the ground. So, for a few months will have to rely on shop bought. Just wish the shelf life, at least, was abit more than a couple of days.
May take it up with the management when I am in the supermarket next Friday. I think it is about good stock rotation. If there was only a couple of days on them, they should have been binned, and written off.
Julia in Derbyshire

Julia, If i was you I would take it back as soon as possible, if you can do it today then they can see that it's before the best before date. Is it one of the major supermarkets?

Good morning Julia and Helen

Morning Hayley, how's you?

Good Morning Helen. Thanks for your advice, but alas I have already thrown it, and the bags to the bottom of the wheelie bin. However, I can be adamant, very adamant when I have to be, and unless the manager wants to call me an out and out liar, which I am not, then he is going to have to take my word for it. And yes, it is one of the big supermarkets.
Hope your op. goes well. Is it for Gall Stones. Had mine out last year.
Julia in Derbyshire

I had to take 2 punnits of strawberrys back after the bank hol weekend to Asda as even though still in date were furry. They were very good and changed them - but thye had furry ones on the shelf too - so called someone to remove them.

On the other hand we bought a fresh squid at Morrisons a few weeks ago and whilst OH was chopping it to cook - he found a whole tiddler fish inside - it was that fresh it could have been cooked on itas own was about three inches long - you cant get fresher seafood than that!!!

Did you know that those bags of salad leaves are washed in more cholrean than is in a swiming pool? Thats why they have no flavour.

No Julia, had gall bladder removed 9 years ago, having a hysterectomy this time.

Hi All, sorry for the delay in reply, I always ring my old Dad on a Sunday morning to see if he is okey. At 88yrs, I think he is in better health than me, at times.
Maddiecow, boy was that fresh
Mel, I did know about the chlorene thingy, that is why I put a good dressing on it, for the taste.
Helen, sorry, my mistake. I thought someone had recently been on here asking about Gall Bladders. But, I wish you good luck for your op. How long will you be in hospital
Off to do abit in me greenhouse after a cuppa, which OH will be in for any minute now from the allotment.
Julia in Derbyshire

Speaking as a man who does ALL of the family shopping, why on earth would anyone want to buy food from a supermarket? Do you not have real food markets, pannier markets or farmers markets to buy real fresh produce from?
As for buying bags of salad leaves - I'm gobsmacked. Why would you do such a thing? Can you not cut up a fresh lettuce? Do you not realise how stupidly simple things like lettuce, beetroots, tomatoes or spring onions are to grow? You only need a window box, a bag of compost and a packet of seeds!

Eddie, with the greatest respect, please read through all I have posted on tnis thread. I have said that we grow everything on an allotment. And, I do mean everything, including soft and hard fruit, salads, vegetables and potatoes.However, these products are only just going in the ground now.
As for all the different kinds of markets, I am more than aware of their existence, only not in the area where I live.
And, as for the salads in bags, these were only bought to get a variety for only two people, for one meal, and I am more than capeable of cutting up a lettuce. What I did not want, was to be left with a pile of unused different salad ingredients. Hence a bag of mixed leaves.
Perhaps the next time you are out shopping, you could buy yourself some good manners, before you call people spupid, then you will not be so gobsmacked
Julia in Derbyshire

Edited to say, just off down the greenhouse again, to tend my melons,butternut squash,aubergines, three varieties of tomatoes, and a plethora of herbs, among other things.

Eddie

I would love to be able to shop in a farmer's market - or even a real greengrocers - but I work full time and the only options available to me in my lunch break or before or after work are two supermarkets ....

Except on Saturdays - but then I'm usually charging around like a headless chicken catching up with everything else.

I think that's why they call these things "convenience foods" ...

Jill

Oh, and PS - I can't grow veg in the winter - no greenhouse or conversavtory you know. AND a very small garden so even in summer my crops are limited!

Please don't condemn us as stupid because of time and space limitations.

One day, when I've retired I would love an allotment - and chickens! But, not yet. No way.

Jill

I hate the word stupid.

But I do know who on this thread resembles it most closely!

Julia... I live much further south, and yesterday we starten on the Japanese cut and come agains, lolol.... it was sooooo rewarding to be eating my own home grown stuff and delicious too... the early pots will be ready soon, and the tumbling toms, courgettes and cucumber are actually flowering!! All are now out in the open, full time, and hardened off.

I have an A*** across the road from me, and so it isn't too far for me to go on a good day, and on bad days, hubby can pop in and get what we need on his way home from a full days' work.

I could go into town on the bus, but still don't feel comfy and now that my smell is coming back, confined spaces and people's deo and perfumes, fabric conditioner and washing powder smells combine to unfortunate effect, and can't always walk to the bus stop anyway. Then around the market... I am exhausted at the thought, although I would love, once again, to be able to do so whenever I felt like it.

So, Eddie, what about, very cleverly, putting brain into gear before opening mouth?

Daff xxx

There is another thing I feel i should point out... a lot of elderly people living alone, who have neither the garden nor health to grow their own, find bags of salad the least wasteful way to shop...it is all very well saying buy a lettuce and chop it...but that invariably leaves you with a lot of wastage, and also does not give the variety found in the bags, buying a small bag for one is 'just enough'.

And it is not always easy to go and buy fresh, loose product...if you can only go a certain distance and that does not include a market, or greengrocers, you buy what the supermarket has.

Eddie perhaps if you are in the fortunate position of being able to grow your own or have access to farm shops etc,you could ask elderly neighbours if they want to share...either a lift or a lettuce ;) perhaps you already do that :))

I potter in the garden and grow our veg and lettuce too - but there has been more than one occasion ive picked up a mixed bag of salad for convenience and agree there is less wastage too.

My Rocket is not big enough to pick leaves from yet and neither are my radishes, so I will continue to buy them until mine are ready. Of couse your own or fresh taste better but not all of us can get to a farmers market or such.

I also recommend buying some manners ...or maybe grow some.

Oh Daff, how I envy you with your fresh produce already. Here, in the frozen North, we are so behind you. Potatoes have only been in about a month, but are just beginning to show. Flowers on the strawberries, and cherry tree, but we will be weeks yet before we get anything. And, we are still being forecasted with frosts. The OH and I listen to the weather forecast more than we do the news, once the gardens and allotments have been started up. In fact, I have had a woolie on whilst outside today, even in the greenhouse.
I love the markets that Eddie mentioned, but they are few and far between here, maybe occassionally at a Bank Holiday. I remember the Pannier Market in Bideford, whilst on holiday one year. Lovely. But here, people just do not have the money to spend on these things, and generally go for what they can afford, and if that is at the supermarket, well at least they are getting something.
Rose, my Dad, at 88 yrs and living on his own,is a life long vegetarian, so eats lots of salad. He buys the bags, for the selection within, and when he has had enough, he can buy fresh. Many people living on their own, find this way as convenient. I bought mine because I wanted variety, and just sufficient for one meal.
The other week, I think it may have been the Easter Holiday weekend, there was a little old lady buying from the 'Salad Bar' in T***o. She seemed embarrassed. But I explained to her that this way, she got just enough for herself, with the variety she liked, and it was her money to spend how she liked. It probably was her 'holiday treat';. Anyway she seemed quite happy after I had helped her.
OH very often drops 'produce' off at the home of some of the pensioners that life neaby, when he is coming home from the allotment. After all, we can't eat all of it, and not eveything freezes for the winter.
Julia in Derbyshire

Julia the Pannier Market in Bideford is still there I think.My Aunty (who died last year ) used to go every Tuesday.