Ask Mum Now - hints and tips and solutions » shopping http://www.askmumnow.com Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:49:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Bulk buying – cheese http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/bulk-buying-cheese/ http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/bulk-buying-cheese/#comments Fri, 11 Nov 2011 02:24:16 +0000 admin http://www.askmumnow.com/?p=1490 Bulk buy cheddar cheese when it is on special at the supermarket, grate it and store in the freezer in sealed plastic bags or containers with lids.  It will easily break up into smaller amounts when you want to use it.

]]> http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/bulk-buying-cheese/feed/ 0 Stress-free supermarket shopping http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/stress-free-supermarket-shopping/ http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/stress-free-supermarket-shopping/#comments Tue, 08 Mar 2011 20:14:40 +0000 admin http://www.askmumnow.com/?p=1892 If you need to take the children with you to the supermarket, give the older ones the responsibility of taking the younger ones to find things like toilet paper, toothpaste, breakfast cereals etc that are on low shelves.  This ploy will give you a few minutes peace and the freedom to cruise the other aisles without everyone tagging along.

]]> http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/stress-free-supermarket-shopping/feed/ 0 Seasonal fruit and vegetables – February http://www.askmumnow.com/around-the-house/healthy-living/seasonal-fruit-and-vegetables-february/ http://www.askmumnow.com/around-the-house/healthy-living/seasonal-fruit-and-vegetables-february/#comments Sat, 12 Feb 2011 22:46:48 +0000 admin http://www.askmumnow.com/?p=2689 Blueberries are expensive but full of flavour and easy for children (and adults!)  to eat.  Note too that frozen blueberries in the shops now are more likely to be NZ grown.

NZ grown stone fruit is in full flight – apricots, peaches and nectarines.

Vegetables in season now include:

Beans – all sorts – runner beans, butter beans (yellow) and short green beans (sometimes known as French beans)

Cauliflower, broccoli and cabbages. Red cabbage bakes a great coleslaw when sliced finely and mixed with red onion and a lemon or orange juice based dressing

Lettuce and other salad greens

So what about all the other fresh fruit and veg in the supermarket?

There are still imported plums and other stone fruit. Watch for these now our own stone fruits are in season.  The imported fruits are often picked very green so they keep till they reach our supermarkets.  They often don’t have a lot of flavour or juice and don’t keep well at home once they have ripened.

Pumpkins were harvested before last winter so best to buy small quantities as needed now as they won’t keep well after being cut.

]]> http://www.askmumnow.com/around-the-house/healthy-living/seasonal-fruit-and-vegetables-february/feed/ 0 Seasonal fruits and vegetables http://www.askmumnow.com/around-the-house/healthy-living/seasonal-fruits-and-vegetables/ http://www.askmumnow.com/around-the-house/healthy-living/seasonal-fruits-and-vegetables/#comments Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:04:28 +0000 admin http://www.askmumnow.com/?p=2643 There is always a wonderfully colourful array of fruit and veg as you enter the supermarket. So how do you choose what to buy for your dinner from this range?

Personal or family tastes are the obvious starting point.

Cost and freshness are important factors too.

So how do you buy your family’s favourite fruit and vegetables without overspending your grocery budget?

The key thing to remember is that when there is a good supply of fruit or veg, the price will be lower.  The plentiful supply coincides with the high growth season and good weather.  Have you noticed that after a period of rain or stormy weather, the price of veg will skyrocket?

To avoid paying high prices, it’s worth learning and remembering what is fresh in what season.

You won’t get that information from the supermarket shelves as fruit and vegetables are imported from other countries when they are out of season in New Zealand.  Often imported fruit and veg are not so flavoursome as those locally grown so if its flavour you want (and you can’t grow your own) check for the country of origin.

Here are some guidelines for New Zealand.

January

February

]]> http://www.askmumnow.com/around-the-house/healthy-living/seasonal-fruits-and-vegetables/feed/ 0 Shopping list http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/shopping-list/ http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/shopping-list/#comments Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:24:42 +0000 admin http://www.askmumnow.com/?p=2581 Keep a magnetic pad on the fridge door and write down things you’ve run out of.

Not only will you remember what you need to buy but with a list in hand you’ll be better able to resist the tempation to buy a whole of of items you don’t actually need.

]]> http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/shopping-list/feed/ 0 Supermarket shopping list http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/supermarket-shopping-list/ http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/supermarket-shopping-list/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 02:36:34 +0000 admin http://www.askmumnow.com/?p=1120 Always take a shopping list to the supermarket.  This way you will remember to buy everything you need and will help to reduce the temptation to spend up on unnecessary items and keep your budget under control.

]]> http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/supermarket-shopping-list/feed/ 0 To encourage your child to eat their lunch http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/to-encourage-your-child-to-eat-their-lunch/ http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/to-encourage-your-child-to-eat-their-lunch/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 20:47:46 +0000 admin http://www.askmumnow.com/?p=1817 To encourage your child to eat their lunch at school, involve them in making up their lunch box – from shopping through to packing each item.  You may have to start the packing process before dinner the night before to avoid delays in the morning.

]]> http://www.askmumnow.com/tip-of-the-day/to-encourage-your-child-to-eat-their-lunch/feed/ 0