My Wife is a Stalker

[Bolas De Fraile]

Chester now has two quality food retailers Marks and Spencer has been their for yrs, Waitrose has just opened 2 doors away. Although I am not a supermarket fan along with Harrods and Selfridges they are the best.
Both reduce the food that is on its sell by date.
Last week Waitrose put 5 free range 13lbs turkeys out with a sell by date of the 27th, on the 26th 3 were left.
The stalker returned on the 27th to claim her victim who was reduced from £30 to £16 or about $24.
Do any of you do this, I dont think she ever pays the proper price for anything.
The victim

 

[Aunt Bea]

Since I stopped working I have more time than money so I seek out these types of deals.

Like the old saying "the rich get their ice in the summer the poor get theirs in the winter".

 

[DaveSoMD]

The one locally own store near me reduces meat and poultry the same way. I find some really good deals but during the week, not usually on weekends. It comes home and immediately gets repackaged and put in the freezer.

 

[Addie]

Alas! This is exactly what I am forced to do. I am on an extremely fixed income and depend on food stamps to eat. I receive a generous amount and make a big shopping at the beginning of the month. I save the rest for bargains and sales during the month. And if it is something that can go into the freezer, so much the better. My supermarket has those manager's special where they will 'sell by' the next day. They can be as much as $2 less a pound than the original price. Since I live alone, a large roast cut in half, can be quite a savings. I usually cut it into thirds though. One third for a roast, one for stew, chilli, etc. meat, and perhaps one for steaks. Depends on what kind of roast. I am always on the lookout for Porterhouse steaks, (the most expensive) as a 'Manager's Special'. They get rewrapped right away and go right into the freezer. I don't tell too many of my friends about the Porterhouse ones though. I get that, "You're on Food Stamps and can afford them?" They can be anywhere from $9.50 to $25.00 a pound. My store usually sell them for about $12.00 a pound. Way out of my range of affordability. I refuse to pay more than $5.00 a pound for any meat.

I have a question for our members. Do you pop your meats into the freezer in the store wrap and tray that you bring them home from the store, or do you rewrap them? I always rewrap mine after I have cut them down to a single serving. Even the smallest package of sausages is more than I can eat in one sitting.

So to answer your question, "Yes, I too am a stalker."

 

[pacanis]

I won't go back for something in hopes I will find it reduced and not sold out. Probably because the only stores I will by from on the sell by date aren't that close to me. No way will I buy any meats on the sell by date at the town grocer.
But if I am at one of the other stores and I run into a deal, what is labeled here as "manager's special", I will buy it. Usually it is a family pack of steaks that I will pack for the freezer.

 

[buckytom]

we often see "manager's special" marked on meats that are going to expire that day or the next, usually with $2 or more off per pound.

the only time i take advantage of it is when i'm food shopping and am unsure of what i'm making that night. then, i'll pounce on a nice standing rib roast, or veal chops, or pork roast at the reduced rate (after calling home to check with the warden to see if it's ok for dinner). if the item was on sale to begin with, it can be a real savings upwards of 60 or 70% off the original price.

otherwise, i've learned to pass up the deal if i'm not going to cook it that night. i've bought these manager's specials and ended up throwing them away as they went bad before i could get to cooking them. even buying it with the intent of freezing them right away hasn't worked all that well as they go can bad during the thawing process.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Depends on what it is. I often buy bread on sale that's a day or two old. It softens right up in the oven. Certain cuts of meat are also bargains right after a holiday. I have no problem buying beef or lamb if the expiration date is close. Poultry and fish I am usually a little wary of, though.

 

[CWS4322]

I'll buy lamb and beef that is marked down, never fish and never poultry.

 

[Addie]

I'll buy lamb and beef that is marked down, never fish and never poultry.

The worst day to buy fish is Monday. It has been sitting there since last week and the fleet hasn't unloaded their boats that came in over the weekend.

 

[Sprout]

I'll buy beef that's marked down. I really never pay full price for anything unless I buy it from Costco or it's a special splurge. I get my chicken from Costco, splurge on fish a couple times a month, and buy beef when I can get a good deal on it. I don't cook meat every day, though. In between we eat things like beans and rice, eggs, or I use cheese or nuts as the meal's protein.

 

[Sprout]

Btw, your thread title reminded me of my early days of dating DH. I knew he worked at Costco, but didn't know exactly what he did. One day he said something about his "stalker box." My brain didn't put 2 and 2 together and I thought he was joking around so I asked what supplies one needs to stalk. He stated matter-of-factly that all he really needed for stalking was a few pens, a big roll of tape and a couple box knives.

Of course he said "stocker," but I heard "stalker." It became a joke and after I always teased him that I needed to buy him some binoculars so he'd have a proper "stalker box."

 

[Katie H]

I, too, am a stalker. I have been doing this for as long as I can remember and I'm sure it was borne of necessity. Raising 8 children, 5 of whom were boys, made it absolutely necessary to stretch our grocery dollars to the screaming level.

Even though I've shopped for two for the last 18 years, I still adhere to my stalking ways. It allows me to splurge on other tasty delights like fresh salmon, etc.

Yes, I repackage everything, not just the discounted purchases. Mostly to portion for cooking-for-two meals. I rewrap in Press 'n Seal and then vacuum seal with my FoodSaver. And I do the repackaging immediately after returning home from the store. I label and date and put into the freezer. I have a small wipe-off board on the freezer door where I keep track of what goes in and erase as I use things. Been doing this for quite a few years and I am pleased to report that very little gets lost in the shuffle.

Yes, "Hello. My name is Katie and I'm a stalker."

 

[LPBeier]

Katie, we could be twins! Right down to the white board and the portioning.

I IQF meats, individually wrap them and put them in freezer bags, labelling with date and quantity. I also precook some things such as chicken thighs, Italian sausages, chops, etc., IQF and bag them for DH's dinners.

Part of this came from my mother and part from being a caterer but it works. That's my story and I am sticking to it!

 

[pacanis]

The worst day to buy fish is Monday. It has been sitting there since last week and the fleet hasn't unloaded their boats that came in over the weekend.

The last time there was a fleet of boats on my shores was the War of 1812

 

[SherryDAmore]

I have a question for our members. Do you pop your meats into the freezer in the store wrap and tray that you bring them home from the store, or do you rewrap them? I always rewrap mine after I have cut them down to a single serving. Even the smallest package of sausages is more than I can eat in one sitting. "

I always rewrap anything I bring home to freeze. I now have a FoodSaver, and use that exclusively, but before I got one, I use "Wrappits" and then the Ziplock bags, with as much air sqeezed out as possible - sometimes I would use a straw and suck the air out. It worked for short time storage only, but it worked.

Just freezing them in the butcher pkg. will allow ice crystals to form.

 

[CWS4322]

I always rewrap as well. Which reminds me, I have some meat that I need to rewrap...my parents toss the "store" packages in the freezer--drives me crazy! If I buy frozen "bulk" packages, I break the pieces apart with a cleaver (or a splitting wedge [kitchen use only] and hammer...).

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I am a stalker. I don't even look at the sales until I have checked the day old bins. Re-wrap and use the Foodsaver. Larger packages are split into meals for two. Large roasts are cooked whole and individual meals done from there.

I only shop Costco meats for Salmon and Pork butt in large quantities. The pork for tamales, divided for two families.

 

[JoAnn L.]

I, too, am a stalker. I have been doing this for as long as I can remember and I'm sure it was borne of necessity. Raising 8 children, 5 of whom were boys, made it absolutely necessary to stretch our grocery dollars to the screaming level.

Even though I've shopped for two for the last 18 years, I still adhere to my stalking ways. It allows me to splurge on other tasty delights like fresh salmon, etc.

Yes, I repackage everything, not just the discounted purchases. Mostly to portion for cooking-for-two meals. I rewrap in Press 'n Seal and then vacuum seal with my FoodSaver. And I do the repackaging immediately after returning home from the store. I label and date and put into the freezer. I have a small wipe-off board on the freezer door where I keep track of what goes in and erase as I use things. Been doing this for quite a few years and I am pleased to report that very little gets lost in the shuffle.

Yes, "Hello. My name is Katie and I'm a stalker."

I love your idea of using a wipe-off board on the freezer door. Thanks for sharing.