Making every euro count ... great things under €1/€2

Kajor · 20-01-2013 06:24PM

To keep garlic fresh, break the bulb up and put it in an airtight container in a dark place. This should also retain the flavour. Don't put it in the fridge.

styron · 20-01-2013 06:26PM

et101 wrote: »

That's my problem too find it goes off very quickly. Don't know how to store it so it stays fresh for longer

Peel the cloves stick them in a jar and covered with olive oil they'll keep for months in the fridge - a nice flavour infusion for the oil left over as a bonus.

Also bulbs are also meant to stay dry and fresh for longer stored in a cool dark spot ... hanging in the toes of old sheer tights for better air circulation! - drop in, loosely knot repeat building "storeys" of separated Garlic and/or onions as you go.

http://www.garden.ie/post.aspx?id=745&idpost=5880

http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/07/a-guide-to-curing-and-storing-garlic/

uli84 · 20-01-2013 07:08PM

Sorry guys if thats mentioned somewhere earlier- which would be the nicest cheapish ketchup? Could be from lidl or aldi. Thx

Tabitharose · 20-01-2013 07:56PM

lindtee wrote: »

I have tried this and it doesn't smell nor taste like garlic. I don't know what they have done to the cloves to make it like this. Not recommendend at all.

Good to know - thanks - saves me buying it & trying it - I do like the Very Lazy Garlic one though

uli84 wrote: »

Sorry guys if thats mentioned somewhere earlier- which would be the nicest cheapish ketchup? Could be from lidl or aldi. Thx

I love Lidl's organic ketchup - used to only ever use Heinz but I prefer this one - tastes so much better! (& it's cheaper & organic lol)

Cherry_Cola · 20-01-2013 08:35PM

I agree about the Lidl organic one, got it for the first time a few weeks ago and love it. It was €1.49 I think.

Squeaky the Squirrel · 20-01-2013 09:12PM

Tabitharose wrote: »

I love Lidl's organic ketchup - used to only ever use Heinz but I prefer this one - tastes so much better! (& it's cheaper & organic lol)

Cherry_Cola wrote: »

I agree about the Lidl organic one, got it for the first time a few weeks ago and love it. It was €1.49 I think.

+1 on lidls red sauce. I go through a bottle a week. lol.

Down to 1.29 now aswell.

Qualitymark · 21-01-2013 10:34AM

Lidl have a special on old-fashioned sweets today - bull's-eyes to suck as you trudge through the snow, Skittles, etc!

et101 · 21-01-2013 01:55PM

styron wrote: »

Peel the cloves stick them in a jar and covered with olive oil they'll keep for months in the fridge - a nice flavour infusion for the oil left over as a bonus.

Also bulbs are also meant to stay dry and fresh for longer stored in a cool dark spot ... hanging in the toes of old sheer tights for better air circulation! - drop in, loosely knot repeat building "storeys" of separated Garlic and/or onions as you go.

http://www.garden.ie/post.aspx?id=745&idpost=5880

http://www.gardenbetty.com/2011/07/a-guide-to-curing-and-storing-garlic/

The idea of keeping it in oil sounds brill I'm off to try that now. I guess you should sterilize the jar first? Thanks for that great tip

styron · 21-01-2013 07:53PM

et101 wrote: »

The idea of keeping it in oil sounds brill I'm off to try that now. I guess you should sterilize the jar first? Thanks for that great tip

Yeah, sterilize or a quick microwave drying does the trick. Mustard/condiment - sized screw topped jars (200-300gr) work best, compact in the fridge not as fiddly and less olive oil required to keep the cloves submerged.

Not limited to garlic either - I've heard Paolo Tullio on Newstalk recommend olive oil preservation for fresh herbs, mushrooms, chillies and more:

http://www.foodandwine.net/recipes/recip006.htm

Bon Appetit :pac:

GalwayGuy2 · 21-01-2013 08:11PM

I love Lidl's organic ketchup - used to only ever use Heinz but I prefer this one - tastes so much better! (& it's cheaper & organic lol)

.79 cent Bramwells ketchup (don't see it in lidl anymore. If they can keep the quality and get it cheaper, they will drop a supplier. Which I like, if i'm rght) is the nectar of the Gods.

On storing garlic in olive oil and in Fridge. There's actually a chance of botulism poisoning.

maringo · 21-01-2013 08:50PM

Galway Guy is right - good tips here too on preserving and a warning on botulism

http://www.vegkitchen.com/tips/preserving-garlic/

south · 21-01-2013 09:00PM

uli84 wrote: »

Sorry guys if thats mentioned somewhere earlier- which would be the nicest cheapish ketchup? Could be from lidl or aldi. Thx

Not from either store but the ketchup from Marks and Spencers is really nice and not that expensive

Qualitymark · 21-01-2013 10:22PM

Slight thread creep, but Secrets of Your Supermarket Shop, on 4+1 now, is truly shocking

crayon80 · 21-01-2013 10:47PM

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

.79 cent Bramwells ketchup (don't see it in lidl anymore

Perhaps because they sell it in Aldi :P

Yeah i like that one too. It has nice texture and taste

kumate_champ07 · 21-01-2013 10:53PM

Glusosamine sulphate is 1.25 for 30 pills in Lidl. nowhere is cheaper

good for the joints/cartilage. can use short or long term

Squeaky the Squirrel · 21-01-2013 10:57PM

crayon80 wrote: »

Perhaps because they sell it in Aldi :P

Yeah i like that one too. It has nice texture and taste

Probably full of GM?

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

Glusosamine sulphate is 1.25 for 30 pills in Lidl. nowhere is cheaper

good for the joints/cartilage. can use short or long term

I dunno, no real proof it's any good is there?

kumate_champ07 · 21-01-2013 11:02PM

Squeaky the Squirrel wrote: »

I dunno, no real proof it's any good is there?

the jury is still out, theres other stuff more expensive that has less proof of effectiveness.

either way Im sure it has a positive placebo effect at minimal financial cost!

Reesy · 21-01-2013 11:43PM

Moving away from the foostuffs - the pound shop (Euro whatsit) on St. Stephen's Green (and its other branches I assume) is selling computer mice for €2.

PinkFly · 22-01-2013 10:14AM

On the ketchup note

LDLi have Heinz on special for 2€

et101 · 22-01-2013 11:30AM

styron wrote: »

Yeah, sterilize or a quick microwave drying does the trick. Mustard/condiment - sized screw topped jars (200-300gr) work best, compact in the fridge not as fiddly and less olive oil required to keep the cloves submerged.

Not limited to garlic either - I've heard Paolo Tullio on Newstalk recommend olive oil preservation for fresh herbs, mushrooms, chillies and more:

http://www.foodandwine.net/recipes/recip006.htm

Bon Appetit :pac:

That's done. Had an old mustard jar so it didn't take too much oil to cover the garlic. Really delighted with this tip. Thanks so much

tm2204 · 22-01-2013 07:56PM

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

Glusosamine sulphate is 1.25 for 30 pills in Lidl. nowhere is cheaper

good for the joints/cartilage. can use short or long term

Yep I use these daily too as well as the Omega 3 (45 pills) and the MultiVitamin (90 pills) all around the same price.

They also have 1000mg 'Rubex' like disolvable vitamin C tablets for around the same price. Compare that to Rubex prices :eek:

Qualitymark · 22-01-2013 08:41PM

et101 wrote: »

That's done. Had an old mustard jar so it didn't take too much oil to cover the garlic. Really delighted with this tip. Thanks so much

No need for all this palaver. Garlic comes in its own handy keep-fresh packaging. Simply turn your knife on its side on a clove of garlic and give it a good thump with your fist, chop off the bottom and the skin of the garlic clove will come away. Chop and in she goes.

Esel · 23-01-2013 02:24AM

tm2204 wrote: »

Yep I use these daily too as well as the Omega 3 (45 pills) and the MultiVitamin (90 pills)...

Ah fup, that's a lot of pills, man!

Thargor · 23-01-2013 10:47AM

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

Glusosamine sulphate is 1.25 for 30 pills in Lidl. nowhere is cheaper

good for the joints/cartilage. can use short or long term

Ah brilliant stuff thanks, Ive got this killer pain in my jaw for the last few days, cant even chew a breakfast bar or open my mouth fully, no idea where it came from but someone on another board reccomended that stuff.

Pal · 23-01-2013 11:11AM

less chat , more bargains please

I got a HUGE BIG can of car frost spray €1.49 Dealz

tatli_lokma · 23-01-2013 12:49PM

the trigger spray defroster are better IMO - they are easier to manage with gloved hands than the spray. With the spray you have to take off your gloves, then your hands get freezing and you can't hold the spray long enough!

The trigger ones are also €1.49 from Mr Price in Finglas. Other good bargains in there too.

Macy0161 · 23-01-2013 12:52PM

Our family shop is Aldi, has been the last 4 or 5 years (originally convenience rather than price driven).

The Aldi Bramwell's sauces go down well in our house - the ketchup and the summer BBQ. We've ditched the brands of these at this stage. Aldi wheetbisks are on a par with wheetabix, their rice krispies and cornflakes are ok (the kids don't really notice the difference, although I must admit there's still a Kellogg's pack for mam and dad).Aldi Low Sugar Baked Beans are the preferred in our house, rather than Heinz.

A few things we haven't really found matched up - the non-bio washing liquid is fine, but it does tend to need a fabric conditioner, where as fairy doesn't. The porridge is ok, and maybe fine done the traditional way, but doesn't microwave as good as the leading brand in our experience (we use it for baking recipes though). We used to buy our bread there too, but they increased the thickness of the slices of the country farmhouse we used to get, so we're currently between brands!

Finally, on meat - go to your local craft butcher! Better quality and generally cheaper in our experience (for example his mince is less than the supermarket offers, and is low fat (you generally have to add oil to fry it). Whole chickens is the only thing that's cheaper in the supermarket, but even then the quality is better. Chicken Breasts/ Fillets are cheaper, (and he'll dice or slice them for you if you want too).

batmanzed · 23-01-2013 02:39PM

Any thoughts on good quality value for money burgers, our eldest never ate them but the youngest is now mad for "crabby patties". (God I hope this doesn't send the thread off on a tangent)

snubbleste · 23-01-2013 02:42PM

batmanzed wrote: »

Any thoughts on good quality value for money burgers, our eldest never ate them but the youngest is now mad for "crabby patties". (God I hope this doesn't send the thread off on a tangent)

Buy some minced beef and make your own.

rameire · 23-01-2013 08:23PM

snubbleste wrote: »

Buy some minced beef and make your own.

yup.

500gram minced beef
2 slices of bread, crumbed in a blender
1 finely chopped onion ( can be done in blender )
mixed herbs
salt and pepper
1 dessert spoon of tomato katsup
1 egg

mix all together by hand.

you can add anything or substitute what ever you like
do a 50/50 beef and pork mince mix

the above mixture can be used for burgers or meet balls

this does a nice quantity of items which can then be frozen without cooking

Making every euro count ... great things under €1/€2

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