[Milliemoo]

Life's pretty sweet :D but there's no getting away from everyday housekeeping.

One of the things that I think has taken the longest time for me since we arrived, is the trial and error of finding out what brands to buy of particular products.

It took me agggggeeeee to find a brand of loo roll that I liked :o So I thought it might be an idea to start a thread that lists what you think are the best brands to buy for a particular product. Obviously a lot is down to personal preference, but sometimes you can save people a lot of time and money eg: there is only one edible mayo available and that's Best Foods :nice1

So, to start:

* Curry Paste - Asian Gourmet
I use double the recommended amount, but that makes a fantastic curry, full of flavour

* Mayo - Best Foods
We buy the extra lite version and it's the ONLY one I will buy

* Fruit Juice - Charlie's / Farmers Market
The only fruit juice I could find in the supermarket that isn't made from concentrate is Charlie's. Not cheap unfortunately, but like everything else, stock up when on special. For the past few months I've been buying great juice from the farmers market, but the guy I buy from has packed up for the season...humpf

* Toilet Roll - Solvent Hypoallergenic
Unfortunately it's one of the most expensive brands, but I stock up when it's on special. IMHO the cheaper stuff is a false economy because it's so thin, one roll only lasts a couple of days! Plus, a lot of brands like to sent their paper... yak!

Milliemoo

[Moorf]

Ohh, good thread....

Agree with the juice, just Charlies for us

Mayo - only Best Foods will do, it's basically Hellmans...

Baked Beans - we love Oak brand baked beans and it's all we buy, hate Watties

Bread - our regular bread we use Mackenzie High Country range, fab selection.

Spices - www.spicetrader.co.nz - great range and fresh, usually find them in deli's more than supermarkets

[jubjub]

D'ya know I had a conversation like this a while back and we were swapping best/worst brand ideas....

Generally I wont buy Pams food items (thrown out too many for tasting ugh), apart from basic baking ingredients, but am happy enough with the kitchen roll & cleaning stuff.

Signature range stuff is generally OK, bit of trial and error, but not any major catastrophes.

Corn Flakes, only Skippy will do apparently!

Keri fruit juice is drinkable, so is McCoys, I agree Charlies is lovely, but not for our food budget!

Yogurt, we prefer Yoplait, find the meadowfresh stuff awfully sweet (and it also makes AJ puke!)

Bread, I love the Mackenzies range or the Quality Bakers Molenbergs, some of the cheaper brands are just too boring, and sometimes a bit sweet.... the stuff from our local bakers is good too, and its also cheaper than majority of the supermarket stuff.

Soup, recently tried the Watties extra special (thanks for tip Debs!) both the country chicken and the tomato are not too far away from UK heinz flavour (if thats your thing!)

Ma healons spice mixes are nice, we get them in PaknSave, the tandoori one is great for a marinade, and saves you having to measure out all your own stuff.

I'm not going to start the Sausage discussion.... oh go on, yes I will... I find Hellers fresh sausages perfectly eatable, along with Beehive bacon.

Hummus, I now prefer the La Bonne Cuisine stuff above Lisas, partly cos they do a low fat one!

Gonna stop now before you all nod off....

[gil]

Hmm, not a great fan or user of brand names, so Signature Range or Pams fill most of my trolley.
Exceptions:
La Bonne Cuisine garlic lovers hummus
Milo or Nesquick cereal (bear in mind we usually have about 10-12 packets of all types of cereal in the cupboard, but for chocolate cereal, it must be these!)
Best Lite mayo
Puhoi Valley natural yoghurt (best I've ever tasted anywhere, ever!)
Just Juice Orange and Mango or Tropical for my kids (and budget, although I tend to stock up at special offer time)
Listerine Toothpaste and Tooth Whitening Pre-brush Rinse (love the taste and effect!)
Lindauer Special Reserve (fave, fave bubbly that's not r-e-a-l champers)

Er that's about it really,

Gil

[willowshouse]

Deffo Oak Baked Beans .. Watties are quite disgusting IMO. Watties Spaghetti is OK though. Trident tinned tomatoes for me .. don't like any others. I also agree with the observation about 'Pams' stuff .. it is not exactly quality stuff.

Haven't tried that expensive loo roll but have tried heaps of others .. purex and kleenex included and what I don't like about them is the amount of 'dust ' they give off as well as the dodgy scents they put in some of them. I have now settled for good old 'kiwi' loo roll which is actually cheaper too. For tissues I now only buy Sorbent Thick and Large range .. try to get it on offer and stock up, some of the others are so thin you can see through them.

Washing up liquid is a bug bear of mine .. both palmolive and morning fresh are rubbish .. I did find one that I liked but can't remember the name and now can't find it in my local supermarket.

Soap powder is an interesting one -- I go for Surf currently .. and I'm afraid all the fabric conditioners smell dreadful except Comfort Pure which I can get only in one particular store (Foodtown)

How about cheese? We like 'Tasty' Cheddar Cheese but again stay away from the Pams one ..

I find Zafarelli (light blue packet) dried pasta better than San Remo (orange/red packet) too .. the San Remo Tagiatelle always cooks in a lump!

Pasta sauce has to be Bertolli Five Brothers .. Summer Vegetable is really nice and the kids don't notice the veggies! Again, get it on special 'cos I'm sure it's more expensive than Dolmio (which I can't abide).

My favourite sausage would have to be Honey Mustard Pork Sausage from Foodtown and second to that would be Lamb Hellers ones .. I struggle to enjoy any others including London Pride which most people recommend. Bacon is always Beehive Smoked Streaky - we don't buy back bacon any more.

Enough ramblings ...

My top tip for Christmas is .. don't buy a frozen turkey. We did last year and it was inedible. This year we are pushing the boat out to get a Black Rock one from Nosh in Glen Innes.

Happy munching,
Dawn

[Milliemoo]

Generally I wont buy Pams food items (thrown out too many for tasting ugh), apart from basic baking ingredients, but am happy enough with the kitchen roll & cleaning stuff.



Couldn't agree more :nice1

Milliemoo

[Milliemoo]

For tissues I now only buy Sorbent Thick and Large range .. try to get it on offer and stock up, some of the others are so thin you can see through them.


Me too :nice1




How about cheese? We like 'Tasty' Cheddar Cheese but again stay away from the Pams one ..

Dawn

I buy the Mainland Organic Cheddar. I don't know what they heck they do to the other cheeses here (esp Pams!), but most of them taste yak.

Milliemoo

[speckythecky]

I find Zafarelli (light blue packet) dried pasta better than San Remo (orange/red packet) too .. the San Remo Tagiatelle always cooks in a lump!

Try "washing" the pasta before boiling, it removes some of the excess starch and reduces the tendency to stick together. Same goes for rice.

Basically put into sieve and pour over boiling water, or put in pan of boiling water for a few seconds, stir, drain and then cook as per normal.

[Carol]

Either I am a skinflint - or the pressure of 3 kids on a tight budget has addled my brain.... but the ONLY stuff I buy at the supermarket is the stuff on special offer each week.

With the exception of.....
HP Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Nescafe Alta Rica
Harraways Scottish Oats
Anathoths Jam
Coke Zero
McVities Digestives
Best Foods Mayo (not the low fat one though!)


Truly - for everything else - we get what's cheap. Not a great deal of difference to us... Pams is OK - as is Signature Range and Basics stuff.

[willsken]

Either I am a skinflint - or the pressure of 3 kids on a tight budget has addled my brain.... but the ONLY stuff I buy at the supermarket is the stuff on special offer each week.

With the exception of.....
HP Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Nescafe Alta Rica
Best Foods Mayo (not the low fat one though!)
Nivia makeup wipes.....so much easier! :roll

Truly - for everything else - we get what's cheap. Not a great deal of difference to us... Pams is OK - as is Signature Range and Basics stuff.

Changed the list a little but same for me. I stick to the same as you Carol

[IanW99]

Either I am a skinflint - or the pressure of 3 kids on a tight budget has addled my brain.... but the ONLY stuff I buy at the supermarket is the stuff on special offer each week.

With the exception of.....
HP Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Nescafe Alta Rica
Harraways Scottish Oats
Anathoths Jam
Coke Zero
McVities Digestives
Best Foods Mayo (not the low fat one though!)


Truly - for everything else - we get what's cheap. Not a great deal of difference to us... Pams is OK - as is Signature Range and Basics stuff.

May I ask where you get the McVities Digestives from?

Interesting comments about Pams, for some items found them to be very good especially their 100% beef burgers. So maybe we need to be a bit more specific about the actual items that are good / bad?

Also agree with the Oak baked beans :yes

Ian

[Carol]

May I ask where you get the McVities Digestives from?

Ian


Woolworths in Tawa Ian.

They are about $2 a packet....
but don't tell everyone - there are always so many packets of them its like having my own personal supply! I reckon the kiwis don't like em (or don't know what they are) ha ha too bad. ;)
lol

[Familyofmonkeys]

We get:

Heinz Ketchup (watties is strange tasting),
Puhoi Valley for Camambert and Brie (they are only reasonable price veggie ones we have found),
De Winkel yoghurt (strangely most yoghurt here has geletine in it)
Oak or Homebrand beans,
Keri fruit juices....in our budget,
Barkers pickles & chutneys,
Best Foods Mayo,
McVities Digestives (in foodtown and countdown)
Bean Supreme Veggie Sausages...

We try and but signature range or home brand wherever we can, unless we don't like it and are prepared to pay more for item.

[IanW99]

Woolworths in Tawa Ian.

They are about $2 a packet....
but don't tell everyone - there are always so many packets of them its like having my own personal supply! I reckon the kiwis don't like em (or don't know what they are) ha ha too bad. ;)
lol

Thanks, there will be a few less tomorrow :D

Ian

[willsken]

Woolworths in Tawa Ian.

They are about $2 a packet....
but don't tell everyone - there are always so many packets of them its like having my own personal supply! I reckon the kiwis don't like em (or don't know what they are) ha ha too bad. ;)
lol

I looked tonight in our Woolworth's... no luck. :(

[IanW99]

I looked tonight in our Woolworth's... no luck. :(

They didn't have them in any of the Woolworth's that I had looked in either, but never checked the Tawa one, will try tomorrow.. :yes if no-one beats me to them?

Ian

[Carol]

if no-one beats me to them?

Ian



;):nice1

[Oregonkiwi]

yogurt - I have an Easiyo yogurt maker and buy the Easiyo sachets to make yogurt at home. It takes about 1 minute to mix up and then it does its thing overnight. I like it because the plain base is only milk solids and cultures - no gelatin, sugar etc. You can get flavored or sweetened bases, I prefer the plain one and then add whatever I want to it. The reduced fat one is fine but the Greek style is yummiest.

[IanW99]

They didn't have them in any of the Woolworth's that I had looked in either, but never checked the Tawa one, will try tomorrow.. :yes if no-one beats me to them?

Ian

D-oh! someone beat me to them :uhoh

Ian

[Carol]

I had a feeling that was going to happen......

It wasn't me - honest guv!
lol

[Familyofmonkeys]

yogurt - I have an Easiyo yogurt maker and buy the Easiyo sachets to make yogurt at home. It takes about 1 minute to mix up and then it does its thing overnight. I like it because the plain base is only milk solids and cultures - no gelatin, sugar etc. You can get flavored or sweetened bases, I prefer the plain one and then add whatever I want to it. The reduced fat one is fine but the Greek style is yummiest.

I keep pointing those out to the bloke when we go shopping. They used to sell the in Lakeland in Stratford....and he still keeps saying NO :( I don't have that many kitchen gadgets...honest:D

[Oregonkiwi]

Cyclops brand "organic European style yoghurt" is good too, OH decided he should eat yogurt and started buying that brand - I guess fancy coffee-flavoured yogurt is better than my homemade stuff. The label says it has guar and carageenan, if you're looking for one without gelatin.

[Familyofmonkeys]

Cyclops brand "organic European style yoghurt" is good too, OH decided he should eat yogurt and started buying that brand - I guess fancy coffee-flavoured yogurt is better than my homemade stuff. The label says it has guar and carageenan, if you're looking for one without gelatin.

coffee flavoured yoghurt sounds nice....will keep my eyes out for it :)

[Carol]

D-oh! someone beat me to them :uhoh

Ian



They have restocked recently Ian!!!

[IanW99]

They have restocked recently Ian!!!

Thanks, I've actually got two packets in the cupboard at the moment :nice1

I noticed that they also appear to be selling milk chocolate ones as well now, but they were out of stock when we were there.

Ian

[Familyofmonkeys]

OH finally let me get an Easiyo yoghurt maker at Christmas and am finding it really fab. Works out cheaper than buying cartons of yoghurt and they seem to do a fair selection of different flavours/styles too.

[shakyle2906]

Bacon is always Beehive Smoked Streaky - we don't buy back bacon any more


I second the Beehive make, but not the streaky -yummy!!!!!!!


Enough ramblings ...

My top tip for Christmas is .. don't buy a frozen turkey. We did last year and it was inedible. This year we are pushing the boat out to get a Black Rock one from Nosh in Glen Innes.


Second this too - had one and it was disgusting!!



Sharon

[Carol]

Thanks, I've actually got two packets in the cupboard at the moment :nice1

I noticed that they also appear to be selling milk chocolate ones as well now, but they were out of stock when we were there.

Ian


They have them now....got them today too!
:nice1:yes:D

[missy+mrmagoo]

Home brand nappies!!:nice1
Yes they might be really cheap but they are fantastic.
We thought they would be like the Tesco value (plasticky and yucky, with about as much absorbancy as a plastic bag, tried them once and threw the rest of the pack away) but they're IMHO better than the Huggies and soooooo much cheaper.:raebanana

[jenny]

when i was in new zealand at christmas i was told that watties is made by heinz - does anyone know whether this is correct

[Mels]

OH finally let me get an Easiyo yoghurt maker at Christmas and am finding it really fab. Works out cheaper than buying cartons of yoghurt and they seem to do a fair selection of different flavours/styles too.

I have one of these from 'Lakeland'. It's so easy to make even the kids make it on their own.
The flavour that vanishes in this houshold is Mango closly followed by 'custard' flavour.

Hopefully I'll be able to bring it back 'home' soon!!!!:laugh

[IanW99]

when i was in new zealand at christmas i was told that watties is made by heinz - does anyone know whether this is correct

I guess you could say that:-


In 1992 H.J Heinz Company became the new owners of Wattie's, in the their largest acquisition outside the US. Wattie's reported directly to its US parent company and was deliberately not made a subsidiary of Heinz' Australian operation. From 1994 the Australian and New Zealand businesses were overseen by one Heinz Area Director, and the combined business was renamed Heinz-Wattie.

By 1992 Wattie's was exporting 20% of its production and held New Zealand's number one brand in a range of product categories. It was aiming to establish a much stronger presence in Australia and Asia and moved its head office from Hastings to Auckland.

In actual fact the company is "Heinz Wattie's Limited"

Ian

[kanatakiwi]

OH finally let me get an Easiyo yoghurt maker at Christmas and am finding it really fab. Works out cheaper than buying cartons of yoghurt and they seem to do a fair selection of different flavours/styles too.

yes and although they dont tell you, you can save some of the yoghurt from one batch to make the next batch. (use powdered milk to make, along with about one cup of the oirignal yoghurt. (kind of like sourdough starter) I do that about 4 times before I use another Easiyo packet. saves even more money.

[Carol]

In actual fact the company is "Heinz Wattie's Limited"

Ian


We never ever buy Watties Tomato Ketchup - it is GROSS - more like "Clove-Overdose Sauce"
Always buy Heinz - its completely different.

Even though they are made by the same people - they are two entirely different products. And I suspect the same applies to other stuff like their baked beans etc.

[IanW99]

We never ever buy Watties Tomato Ketchup - it is GROSS - more like "Clove-Overdose Sauce"
Always buy Heinz - its completely different.

Even though they are made by the same people - they are two entirely different products. And I suspect the same applies to other stuff like their baked beans etc.

How true, it was interesting to note that most people from the UK prefer Oak baked beans and in fact they are also made by Heinz Watties which I didn't know before.

Ian

[KerryS]

The Oak baked beans are much closer to the UK Heinz baked beans. The Wattie baked beans (which have packaging like UK Heinz) are very different in taste. They also have way too much sauce to bean ratio for my liking.

Watties Sauce is vile - very runny and tastes nothing like Heinz Ketchup. I have to buy both as my Kiwi boyfriend insists on the Watties and thinks Heinz Ketchup is too thick and tomatoey!

I use the Hansells yoghurt powder in my Easiyo maker. It's cheaper than the Easiyo brand, and there is very little difference in the taste. I also use a portion of the old batch to make the new, saves even more money.