Own brand quality

[Chancer]

I buy whole jumbo oats in 25kg sacs, cost around £20 delivered in the UK or €30-35 delivered in France, Aldi France have recently started doing low price porridge oats, probably the same as the Lidl ones.

Lidl oats are 39p for 500g in the UK.

[YCCMB]

We import Lidl porridge to France when we are there...

Idun, I soaked my chick peas because I was in France where I have no fait tout and only a teeny freezer, and I also tried to use them up by making falafel, which came out so inedible that I refused to feed them even to my friends' dog who would eat anything.

Don't get me started on trying to find tahini in France. I know, first world problems....

Chancer, I am advised that Aldi's porridge isn't as good as Lidl's. By Mr J, who fancies himself as a connoisseur...

[Théière]

[quote user="You can call me Betty"]

Chancer, I am advised that Aldi's porridge isn't as good as Lidl's. By Mr J, who fancies himself as a connoisseur...[/quote]

Personally I find Lidl's porridge a little gritty with bits of hard husk?

I don't usually praise Tesco but a kilo of their cheap porridge at 79p smooth and far better IMO

[Chancer]

Whole jumbo oats every time for me now, there is no going back to porridge oats, it would be like having instant coffee again.

 

Most of them come from the same organic millers, MorningFoods IIRC, I buy them from either Wiltonwholefoods or Buywholefoodsonline whoever has the best deal, the cost of whole oats in the supermarkets is crazy and they are hard to find now.

 

Crazy economics as well as the porridge oats cost more to produce with the additional cutting operation but they can use any quality of oat and once shredded you would not know also they can add in all the floor sweepings and dust, with whole oats WYSIWYG.

 

The real advantage is they are a much slower release carbohydrate.

 

[idun]

Oh Betty, even when we go camping I have a big casserole. Just realised I cannot live without one. LOL I even take a very big frying pan with me too when I think about it.

Funny old life isn't it when one just does things and doesn't think about it until something like that is said, and at least in this case made me think about my behaviour.

And when we camped I would put the porridge oats in the blender before leaving and grind them into powder........ dead easy quick breakfast and easy to wash up. And I do like porridge, but I don't care what it is, I hadn't realised how fussy I should be about it, although I love my porridge stirred until well cooked in milk and it is really creamy, and that may be the difference.[:D]

With food each to their own.

[Théière]

Agreed the price of whole oats is too high that's why I went back to dust [blink]

I will certainly look into your source Chancer.

[woolybanana]

Betty, tahini is freely available round here but if you are stuck try the bio shops - I know the chain Biocoop but am not sure whether they are all over France

[Chancer]

Its either maximising profit by creating an illusory high end luxe market or the cost of the product and processing is next to nothing but the packaging and transport costs are the major one, dust takes up a much smaller volume.

 

You will never go back once you change Théière.

 

Both the sellers I mention sometimes have better deals on amazon so check that out as well.

[nomoss]

[quote user="Théière"]

Years ago my Mum would buy Sainsbury's wheatabix, there was a difference there. Sainsbury's version were waterproof (milk proof) even if you broke them up the little bits would float [:D]

[/quote]

That's because they sprayed Scotchgard on them until the practice was banned[:D]

[Théière]

[quote user="Chancer"]

You will never go back once you change Théière.

 

Both the sellers I mention sometimes have better deals on amazon so check that out as well.

[/quote]

In happier times I only bought whole oats, would pass right by the dust. One of my employees (I used to share stuff) commented how much better whole oats were.

[Gardengirl]

We have a Biocoop nearby, well nearby as long as you have transport, otherwise you can spend all day going by bus, buying what you need then waiting for the return bus. Luckily there’s also a big Carrefour close by also M. Bricolage and a Macdo for those so declined plus a coffee shop amongst others.

We have anither bioshop nearby in the other direction, which we discovered when we had no car available and walked crosscountry, checked it out while having a coffee at the betting shop while waiting for our taxi home. Very good coffee at €1 per cardboard cup delivered to your table with a smile, papers on sale as well as wine, kids toys etc. Not like betting shops I’ve come across in the UK. I’m not a connoisseur of betting shops really, last went into one while at college 50 or so years ago.

[suein56]

You can call me Betty wrote : Don't get me started on trying to find tahini in France. I know, first world problems....

It is v easy to make :

Heat a clean, dry cast iron or heavy duty skillet over medium heat and add some sesame seeds. ...

Once they're toasted, let them cool a few minutes then add them to a food processor.

Start by adding 3 tablespoons of olive oil ...

Makes a little less than 3/4 cup tahini paste, depending on how much olive oil you use.

NB Sesame seeds are quick to burn so I just wait for a light change of colour.

I don't bother with a processor for a small amount, I use my trusty pestle and mortar.

Keeps for months in a screw top jar in the fridge.

Sue

[YCCMB]

It is a sad fact of my life in France, Wooly, that I baulk at making a 20mile round trip for a jar of Tahini. However, I totally understand that the chances of me finding some in our village co-op are as remote as those of me being elected to parliament. We do have a biocoop, somewhere. I may have got over my hummus fixation before it ever becomes an issue ?

Sue...I eventually found some sesame seeds. By which time I'd eaten all the chickpeas. They are in the cupboard in France for future use. And they were pre-toasted.