Affordable Grocery

doctorgeek

Hello All!

I am a new person to Dublin. I am here as a student and I am wondering if I could ask the boards community a very important question. I am looking for an affordable way to do all my produce shopping. I have been to many different stores around my area, but I am simply not happy with the way I am spending so much on so little and yet also short storage life food. I was wondering where do most people go for their food shopping?? I have been to Dunnes and Aldi, frankly cause they are the ONLY two stores near my apartment. However, I am more than happy to take on any suggestions. I do not have a car, so I really depend on the LUAS (Green) to take me everywhere.

Hope this information helps!!

Thanks!

Dr.G

Dizzyblonde

Welcome to Boards

I've moved your thread into the Dublin City forum where people who live in the same region as you will be able to advise you.

L1011

You need to find a local greengrocer (and butcher, if you eat meat). Products from here are likely to last a bit longer than supermarket products due to usually shorter supply chains (this doesn't always occur though) and they are generally cheaper than the non-offer pricing in supermarkets too.

Dunnes are dear - very, very dear. However, there are some items that they stock that other stores just don't, even Tesco now as they're cutting products.

I split between local greengrocer/butcher, Lidl, Tesco and an Asian supermarket. Fresh produce from the first two, bulk groceries / non perishables / non food from Lidl, specialist items from Tesco and spices/pulses/cooking fats/rice/some very specialist items like fresh paneer from the latter. I end up spending very, very little on day to day meals as a result - more is spent on deserts and alcohol by a huge margin.

odyssey06

Pay attention to the ALDI Super 6 deals to see if anything is listed that you can use:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056943828&page=70

MarkAnthony

I miss my local grocer in D8 - I used to be able to bearly carry all the stuff I got for €25 on Thomas Street.

doctorgeek

A local grocer, hmmm very interesting. This is a new concept to me actually as I have not heard or saw any local grocer really. I only saw some few small stands here and there in city center but nothing like an actual place that is considered a local grocer. Btw, I think it would help if I mention that I am all the way out here in Leapordstown. >.> and here there is not a lot of places. What should I look for exactly? ALL suggestions so far have been very helpful and insightful so please keep the suggestions coming!

MarkAnthony

It's probably worth coming into the CC for the sake of bus fare. I'm not familiar with Leopardstown but the Dublin suburbs are a bit soulless and usually very much the 'drive out of town to Tescos' type efforts.

The little stalls are even cheaper than a fixed grocer. The other option is to find out if there is a guy in a van who delivers.

Alternatively grow some of your own in the garden!

newacc2015

MarkAnthony wrote: »

The little stalls are even cheaper than a fixed grocer. The other option is to find out if there is a guy in a van who delivers.

Here is a fact that no one knows. If you go the fruit market just off Capel Street. All the fruit and veg that the wholesales dont sell and is going off. Is sold to the fruit sellers that you see on Moore Street. I have had wholesalers in the fruit market literally give me bags of free fruit, as "its only **** and its going to stall sellers".

Groceries in Dublin are the same as anywhere else in Ireland(except Tesco in the CC is more expensive than the suburbs). Lidl I think is the best value for fruit and veg. See what meats on offer eg 24 meat balls for €3 this week.

MarkAnthony

newacc2015 wrote: »

Here is a fact that no one knows. If you go the fruit market just off Capel Street. All the fruit and veg that the wholesales dont sell and is going off. Is sold to the fruit sellers that you see on Moore Street. I have had wholesalers in the fruit market literally give me bags of free fruit, as "its only **** and its going to stall sellers".

Groceries in Dublin are the same as anywhere else in Ireland(except Tesco in the CC is more expensive than the suburbs). Lidl I think is the best value for fruit and veg. See what meats on offer eg 24 meat balls for €3 this week.

Good points but the fixed grocers are cheaper than the supermarkets and the stuff is way nicer.

strandroad

doctorgeek wrote: »

A local grocer, hmmm very interesting. This is a new concept to me actually as I have not heard or saw any local grocer really. I only saw some few small stands here and there in city center but nothing like an actual place that is considered a local grocer. Btw, I think it would help if I mention that I am all the way out here in Leapordstown. >.> and here there is not a lot of places. What should I look for exactly? ALL suggestions so far have been very helpful and insightful so please keep the suggestions coming!

Why don't you try Stillorgan: Tesco, Lidl, Asian store, butchers, greengrocers, bakers...

RebelButtMunch

At the butchers you can get good value meat like mince, liver, chicken thighs, hearts, sausages. Supervalu black pudding is delicious and only just over a euro I think.
At aldi you'll get great value for bread/cheese/fruit.
Bulk up your spag-bol and other sauce based dishes with chickpeas or mixed beans, less than a euro a tin. Add spice to your food with a few slices of their chorizo.

Try cooking and preserving. e.g
750g mince. (fiver?)
2 tins of pureed tomatoes (euro?)
tube of tomato puree (euro?)
tin of mixed beans (.50)
stockcube (.20)
onion (.10)
garlic (.10)
(Herbs if you have any , rosemary, thyme, or you can buy the pre-herbed tomato tins)
Handfull of pasta or rice (.20)

That should give you dinners for 3 or 4 days for about seven or eight quid.

L1011

Even cheaper than that - Aldi have 900g of mince for 3.59, tinned tomatoes are 47c pretty much everywhere, cartons of pasata are about the same price and double concentrate puree not vastly dearer, etc.

You need to spend larger amounts initially buying herbs, spices, bulk packs of rice, packs of stock cubes (usually a minimum of 6 in those) so the first bill could make a 4 serving bolognese look like it cost 20 quid and curries insane amounts - but the later ones will cost vastly less.

fleet_admiral

Dunnes have a 'Salmonella Corner' section where all food that is at its sell by date is kept. You can get some good deals there and put the stuff straight into the freezer if you arent using it.

RebelButtMunch

L1011 wrote: »

Even cheaper than that - Aldi have 900g of mince for 3.59, tinned tomatoes are 47c pretty much everywhere, cartons of pasata are about the same price and double concentrate puree not vastly dearer, etc.

You need to spend larger amounts initially buying herbs, spices, bulk packs of rice, packs of stock cubes (usually a minimum of 6 in those) so the first bill could make a 4 serving bolognese look like it cost 20 quid and curries insane amounts - but the later ones will cost vastly less.

That's good value. With the mince at that price, and the aldi price, I usually have to tilt the pan at some stage and use a spoon to take the fat off, still though, its good value even then.