Cost of M & S Christmas food

Well the amount of people o see in our large M&S. who appear to do their entire weekly shop there, clearly don’t take the advise fro GN😄

I always stand behind someone thinking “oh that looks delicious”!

I buy quite a lot in Marks - mostly stuff that cuts out work, like béchamel sauce, of course pastry, fish prepared ready for cooking like salmon or seabass.

At Christmas and our big family get togethers, it is always my job to get puddings - so marks is my go to every year. -except the Christmas pudding and trifle which are home made.

I agree RosieandherMaw I don't buy a lot of prepared food because I like to cook and am able to cook. But the day will come when I am not able, and I will be only too happy to pay M&S/Sainsbury/Waitrose/Co-op/Asda or anyone else to do most of it for me. Can't remember the last time I made puff pastry but I don't think anyone has noticed 😄

I respect your opinion Madeleine but you do M&S an injustice.
What “push and shove” situation did you envisage?

A keen and at one time professional cook, I too do most of it from scratch, but even the professionals will buy puff pastry sheets, and a lb of good well-seasoned sausages , skinned and combined with ready made puff pastry sheets makes as good sausage rolls as any.

I wish people didn’t feel the need to disparage M&S, implying shoppers have more money than sense or are useless in the kitchen.
There’s a place for every approach and judicious supermarket shopping is no longer just “ping cuisine” but has its place especially in busy lives.

escaped

And a Charlie Bigham alternative for two. £29.95
I quite like his meals.

Charlie is here this evening cooking for us 😁

As for mince pies. My special ones are made with pastry contain ingredients butter and orange juice.

Jocelyn Dimbleby recipe?

Yes, I've made those, they are just a little different from the norm.

Sadly, not all of us are up to working in the kitchen for hours making everything from scratch any longer.

Even Mary Berry buys puff pastry!!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202510/medium-fisu41-ln-939200-bp-11.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202510/medium-370710-4659.jpg

And a Charlie Bigham alternative for two. £29.95
I quite like his meals.

Usedtobeblonde

Unless I missed it M&S didn’t get a mention.
Aldi did very well as did Asda.

Sainsbury's didn't seem to do very well. I wonder if they just try one of everything? There will be various turkeys or crowns so I wonder if they check one randomly.

I never buy food from M and S,. Even if I had money to spare, I can make most things I want to eat,and offer to guests. Happy to know exactly what is in my food, known as a decent cook. Being able to make food with love. As for mince pies. My special ones are made with pastry contain ingredients butter and orange juice. Sausage rolls with light flaky pastry etc. Yes it takes work but is my contribution to the festivities. When I get to the stage that I am no longer able to cook it all, I shall be supporting local farm shops and the open market. Speaking to people who I have got to know over the years. I can think of nothing I would dislike more than queuing in a push and shove situation, so that is my choice. I shall enjoy whatever we have and like boxing day with cold meat bubble and squeak and lots of different pickles etc. Won't owe pounds to the bank in the new year

Unless I missed it M&S didn’t get a mention.
Aldi did very well as did Asda.

Just announced.
www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/christmas/a29385528/best-christmas-food-drink-test/

Just in M&S and noticed the mince pies are 6 for £4😲 No way am I paying that.
Most supermarkets do perfectly nice ones for less.

Well, they're doing better than I thought because they were in the doldrums for a bit.

Don't think I'll make it to Cabot Circus now but it should be a welcome addition there. I used to visit the one opposite good old Debenhams years ago!
And Debenhams etc.

Allira

AmberGran

fancythat

Mt61

No wonder they are closing down in certain towns, its way too expensive now.
TBH, I think their chicken is the worst I have ever tasted, it’s rubbery.

Are they?
I didnt know that.

I know they are closing about 11 of their cafes, hadn't heard about any stores. Although a couple have closed recently I think.

A big new flagship store is meant to be opening in Bristol soon.

A big new flagship store is meant to be opening in Bristol soon.

Is that in addition to the one at Cribbs, AmberGran or are they relocating it?

Sorry Allira don't know about that. I just read

M&S has revealed Thursday 13th November as the opening date for its brand-new flagship store at Cabot Circus in Bristol city centre

Apparently they are opening 13 new stores this financial year. So someone, somewhere doesn't mind the prices.

Allira

mum2three

M&S used to be known for the quality of their food but not any more. I bought one of their Christmas hampers and it was very disappointing. The shortbread wasn't made with butter and was greasy and tasteless. The luxury mince pies are worth buying but the ones from my local Spar are just as good.

They claim to be All Butter Shortbread, so are you saying that M&S are lying?

Well the ones in the hamper certainly weren't all butter, because I checked. I actually threw them away.

mum2three

M&S used to be known for the quality of their food but not any more. I bought one of their Christmas hampers and it was very disappointing. The shortbread wasn't made with butter and was greasy and tasteless. The luxury mince pies are worth buying but the ones from my local Spar are just as good.

They claim to be All Butter Shortbread, so are you saying that M&S are lying?

SueDonim

We’ve had this same conversation in our family. I assume M&S must now be aiming at a market of impoverished aristocrats who can no longer afford the staff. 🤔

Their basics can be a reasonable price but once anything is added to gussy it up, the price goes through the roof. It also annoys me that their pre-order system doesn’t mean you can go in and collect your order and leave. You have to queue while staff pick out the items you ordered maybe two months ago and it’s all chaotically (dis)organised. A local farm shop is doing a free range turkey breast with accompaniments for £48 and as we’ll be just four of this year, that will be perfect.

I'm always shocked at the prices in our local farm shop. Go in occasionally, see the prices and leave. Try again months later, still shocked still leave.

I like to pop into Marks and Spencer to pick up the occasional thing, we both like their Chicken Kyiv. During lock down, when the only supermarket delivery I could secure was from Tesco, not my favourite retailer, so we mainly used them for household and branded stuff, apart from a rye loaf of theirs which I quite liked. As eating out wasn't allowed, we decided to get most of our food from M&S food hall, it was worth the queuing. I'm lucky in my town I have an M&S, Waitrose, Sainsbury and Aldi, I float between the four with more groceries coming from the latter two, but I do appreciate getting a few items from M&S and Waitrose too. Apropos of this thread, it's given me ideas which I've never tried before, I think I will get myself along to my local M&S food hall on Christmas Eve pm to see what I can secure, making sure of course that I have backups if everything is gone.

No. That is rude, in the same way that the opposite is well, the opposite.
Is what I thought until this thread and the one I have started.

fancythat

We all quote on other peoples' comments all the time.
That is what the quote button is for.

So when a poster says they get the food boxes put by at Lidl for £1, or that they buy a top in charity shop fie £2, we all quote them, saying, X or Y must be poor.
I don't think so. 😆

But, as said previously, it's very rude to comment on others people's personal circumstances unless asked to do so.

We all quote on other peoples' comments all the time.
That is what the quote button is for.

Still dont get it.
Started a thread about the subject.

Because this is an interesting discussion about the quality and provenance of meats at Christmas. Not about making comments on a poster's wealth or spending habits. Visgirl was neither boasting nor making any statement about her bank balance, so it was rude to single her out.

Thank you Mamie.

Jaxjacky

Mamie

I can understand Waygu beef being that expensive, but I would make my own pie. Can anyone enlighten this French resident on how much a button goose is now in the UK?

Not sure what you mean Manmie I don’t know the word ‘button’ used in this context?

Button geese were the small ones about 5 to 6lbs. Waitrose used to sell them.