what food item is most worth spending a bit more on?

Tea/tea bags.

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Cheese is well expensive these days, but the basic version of not-quite cheddar is pointless, has no flavour at all

Might as well go for a big brick of the nice mature cheddar - get some economy of scale going

I think (with exceptions of course), the more likely you are to eat something on its own or as the predominant ingredient, the more itā€™s worth spending a bit more money on. So I tend to make my own bread and buy decent ham as a ham sandwich wouldnā€™t be great otherwise. Likewise Iā€™ve switched to the slightly pricier butter - if youā€™re having buttered toast, the butter has to be good. However, Iā€™ll buy basics chopped tomatoes because theyā€™re going to be absorbed in all the other flavours, herbs and spices of whatever I cook.

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My theory on tinned tomatoes is that chopped tinned tomatoes = shite because they can use all the shit tomatoes without you noticing. Peeled plum tomatoes are better because you can see the tomatoes properly so they use better quality tomatoes.

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Frozen pizza

Sandwich fillers in general though I will happily defend cheapo own brand loafs.

Also tend to get the dearer fruit

Things that can fancy up other things are a good shout - smoked paprika is one of my faves, I crop-dust everything with it

Good barbecue sauce etc turns a freezer dinner intoā€¦ a nicer freezer dinner! I stock up when theyā€™re on offer obvs, Iā€™m not paying full-price for Reggae Reggae sauce

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Depends where itā€™s going.

  • on top of a focaccia or something - Maldon sea salt
  • into a spice mix or similar - just use ordinary table salt
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Fresh tomatoes too, I always buy the premium supermarket line. I eat tomatoes on their own quite often so I want them to be top notch.

Mayonnaise. Got to be brand name. Supermarket condiments are generally fine but they really drop the ball with the mayo.

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Beans.
the mega cheap ones are dreadful, the Heinz or Heinz-adjacent ones are a rip off, so I always go for somewhere in the middle - like the 50p a can ones, and dust em with paprika to jazz them up.

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Eggs 100%

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yknow whats a great loaf of bread is the sainsburys own multiseed farmhouse loaf, like a 3rd of the price of your hovis seed sensation. god love it.

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I used to like buying the double yokers from waitrose for a proper saturday morning treatā€¦

Branston or nothing.

Quite a lot of household and toiletry items I find are worth spending a little bit more on. Air freshener, scouring pads, plugins, softener, toothpaste, bin bags.

Then thereā€™s other stuff where itā€™s just not worth going for anything but the very cheapest version - wipes, cleaning sprays, shower gel, mouthwash, liquid soap, polish.

few people in this thread eating paper and toilet items

odd

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Tomatoes
Baby marrow
Cauliflower
Carrots
Peppers
Coriander
Leeks
Parsnips
Swedes
Parsely
Portobello mushrooms
Wild rocket
Fennel
Celery
Chives
Eggs
Limes
Butternut squash
Potatoes
Avocado
Vermicelli
Butter beans
Cheddar
Bread rolls
Creme fraiche
White balsemic vinegar
Cream
Coconut oil
Coconut milk
Tomato paste
Quinoa
Black beans
Tortillas

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Sausages
Soy Sauce
Ice Cream

Feta cheese.

I canā€™t tell if feta is just rubbish these days compared to when i had it growing up or it just tasted tangier and better because my tastebuds werenā€™t used to it?