Supermarket food that's much better that you expected: pls name.

Could carigransnet or some one clever list the recommendations as a printoff for shopping lists-I don't have a tesco or an asda near me-have to do a detour for aldi or lidl.sorry about the caps just vanished off the keyboard(totally bewildered emoticon)

when we got home last weekend tired from long flight from India I bought from Tesco shepherds pie, carrot and swede mash, and cauli cheese, have to say they were all very good, better than Marks!!

I was suprised.

the cottage pie actually tasted of good quality mince gravy and mash was tasty too.
happy to recommend these!!

I will throw in Tesco 70% dark chocolate - miles cheaper than the big brands but still goes down v nicely with a cuppa

Every time I pop back on this thread I see another addition about Aldi and Lidl chocolate being praised,I now have this chocolatey feeling going on in my mouth and wonder if I can ignore it? Only 5 mins to my local shop !!!

I agree gaga we use them too, I forgot about them I was thinking of chocolate

Aldi Magnum dishwasher tabs are brilliant and got a best buy from "Which".

Lidl W5 washing up liquid, just as good as Fairy and much cheaper. (I have found with some supermarket own brand economy versions you need to use twice as much)

Morrisons Kitchen Caulifower Cheese, I buy this to go with a roast with all the trimings, it works out cheaper than making from scratch and has a better flavour then Waitrose.

(if we are having cauli cheese as a sort of "main" I do make it myself.)

Lidl W5 glasses wipes, v. cheap and leave your specs gleaming and smear free!

annodomini "The Continental supermarkets, Aldi and Lidl, have superior chocolate. I have to walk briskly past those shelves."

Yes Yes Yes! [expanding waistline emoticon] There's a chocoholic's site somewhere on the web, they rave about Aldi varietal chocolate bars. They're made apparently by Germany's top, oldest chocolate company under a false name.

I've found (it's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it) Lidl's to be every bit as good!

Aldi Gianni's Cornish Ice Cream made with clotted cream. It really is delicious one of the nicest I've tasted and much cheaper than leading brands under £3 for a 2 litre carton.

For the home baker various sugars and dried fruits available so much cheaper than other supernarkets their Italian glace cherries are really nice not as sticky as the French and 99p 100grms. I don't like their flour though, currently using Allinsons SR flour 1.5kg for 99p at my local Home and Bargain store. Neither am I a fan of their fresh produce as some of it never goes off which makes me wonder if it has been genetically modified.

Aldi and Lidl are cheap enough to try without breaking your budget.

My hounds also wish to give the bark of approval to Aldi sardines in oil.

Agree about the aldi three bird roast and it can be cooked from frozen so great in a panic situation. []

Rinky give them a try you will be surprised, they dont look like M&S,Waitrose etc but your not buying the shopfittings.

Aldi free range chickens are only £4.99

Oh dear I have been a food snob! Always assumed lidl and aldi not good stuff because cheap. Have always been keen home cook even though still working but just lately have been dabbling into ready meals and easier stuff and shopping around a bit more due to change of location and will take note of your suggestions and try more from those shops.

So far m&s large lasagne is lovely and so is their haddock morney. Morrisons new Kitchen range is also very good I think.

Still find it difficult to even contemplate ready meals but tell myself that after 45 years of cooking for general hoards, parties, teenage boys, other family and drug addicts its time I let someone else do it sometimes!

Snap glass great minds...

Adding Lidl liquid wash from another thread (.and chocolate florentines )

Aldi packs of wraps are much cheaper than the supermarkets and very good.

The hazelnut chocolate at Aldi is gorgeous and not expensive.

Wow, thanks for all those tips! I'll be going to Lidl soon to get a 3 bird roast, plus other things you've recommended.
My tips are Morrisons Savers range, especially French wholemilk set yogurts and cottage cheese. Their meat and fish is really good and their fresh produce much better than it used to be.

Just tested Tesco finest mince pies....well you have to test for the best before Christmas don't you lol.....and they are beautiful.

Off to Lidl later to look at all these recommended products, although must avoid the panettone, which I would be tempted to eat all in one day -I love it warmed in the microwave or in a bread and butter pudding.
I have just done a price comparison on my last Asda shop and found that my £75 worth would have cost £20 more at Waitrose! Lidl is not quite local but I often pass it, I think I should shop there before going to Asda each week. I have actually never been in although it has been there for several years.

Asda even though I detest my local store do a fab line in Belgian Choc Cookies where on offer last week for £1.00 a pkt.Sorry but all gone now and the price has gone up

There was a time when I would drive miles out of my way to buy Waitrose own-brand Baked Beans... I had read of a blind-tasting carried out for (I think) the Sunday Times, in which they had come out top all round. That would have been over thirty years ago... I wonder if they are still good. The sauce was thick, with just a hint of spiciness... Heinz seemed bland and gutless by comparison.

Sainsburys do some lovely Belgian Chocolate cookies...

Oops ^ spelling sorry,in a hurry on way to Liverpool for C shopping.DD expected in 20 mins.Still not showered.

Lidl's tiger bread is fab - tho' not available in all their stores. Their cold meat and fruit and veg is good and good value. You do need to know your usual prices but on the whole theirs is good. I haven't tried Aldi yet as the one nearest me is a 30 minute bus drive away. However, a friend does most of her weekly shop there.

anno you are so so fight about the Lidl's Panettone it must be about the best I have tried with exception from the one my Italian friend made for us at a dinner party one year.Their fruit and veg are always best quality and fresh far better than other supermarkets and the prices excellent,when we had our restaurant I always bought the veg from the local Lidl store and it would be packed out with customers mainly German and Dutch buying up their wines and fruit and veg in vast quantities,and if they buy the produce you know you are on to a winner as they don't spend a penny if they are not getting value for money.Since we have been back in UK we have always looked into Lidl for a boxed wine which we used as a House Wine with the menu's I served it was at the rediculous price of about 80centimo's but it must have been bought in for the continental market only it was always commented on as being very palitable indeed.

Lidl is good for fruit and veg and the GC love the mini choc ices they do (so do I). The apricot and other jams they do are brilliant and have a much higher fruit content than those in other supermarkets. I buy all my basics from Lidl or aldi and just go to Waitrose or M and S. for an occasional treat ( or when they have dine out for a tenner)