Affordable Groceries In Finland Anyone?

[African Girl]

Where do you do your grocery shopping in Finland and have you managed to do it on a budget/cheaply?

I know that I am not the first to say this, but I think everybody would agree that the prices for groceries, and especially meat, in Finland is starting to feel unreasonable at best!
I have seen many Finns buying meat products and fish for 30-40 euros per kg, without blinking an eye. Is there any hope, or should I join the queue and get excited about paying 20 euros/kg for stewing beef?

Times are tough economically at the moment for many, people are losing jobs, almost impossible to get a job in the first place, and then those such as students have to get by with 300 euros/month. Does anybody have any advice when it comes to buying groceries in Finland?

[Honest]

If you have enough time but not much money then the best possible way to save money is not to buy from one shop. You have to make list of things you need regularly, then go to all main shops and note down the prices of all those things. sit and compare later at home. But keep an eye all the time because prices are changing.

Somethings can be much cheaper in oriental shops.

[Upphew]

Watching sell-by dates and red stickers can give you nice 30-50% discount too.

[harryc]

marinated chicken legs

You'd be best to stay away from marinated products

1. The cooks that have chosen the recipe and ingredients have been formerly auto mechanics in the Gobi desert. Basically they are HORRIBLE - over-garlicked, over-salted - whatever.

2. There is a better than even chance that the meat has been marinated to prolong its 'eat before' date - that is a very well known 'secret' from the back room of the meat wholesalers and distributors. One tip-off to this is that almost always the marinated stuff is the cheapest. If it was prime material there wouldn't be any sense to that - the extra processing stage would cost - but maybe they make it up with selling the glop at 6-8€/kg.

Basically make a written note (diary) of the lowest prices and their location - follow the sales - remember - no one gives anything away - so if you find pork fillet at 6€ a kilo - you know that someone will have it at that price sooner or later. Revolve your menu according to who has what's 'on sale.' You can even find Beef Tenderloin once in a while at 15€ a kilo.

As for the 30-40€ a kilo deal - I, too, am amazed at people filling up their carts with the stuff. Go to K-Mankka (old Vexi) or even the new Vexi - and watch all the money being spent. Even Lidl tries ShokkiHinta with 35€ a kilo! It's clear taxes are not as progressive as they should be.

[African Girl]

If people are paying 30-40 euros per kilo for meat or fish then they clearly don't CARE what meat or fish costs. That's luxury spending. Probably people in the snobby market halls or in the Stockmann deli. Expecting to spend that much for dinner is not a typical Finnish attitude, in my experience.

Actually, tummansininen, this seems to be more common than people realize! My Finnish husband used to work at the meat counter in various K- and S- markets in Espoo & Helsinki (as well as a cashier, occassionally) and he was shocked at what people were buying! They didn't seem to care about the prices, and even avoided items that were actually on sale, and picked the expensive items!

Chicken and pork are unbelievably inexpensive in Finland. Just my perspective, but both are less than half the cost of Australia.

Very interesting to hear that it's cheaper than in Australia. Definitely NOT cheaper at all from where I was born and raised (South Africa). Perhaps I am stingy but I can't get around paying 15 euros/kg for some marinated chicken fillets. And I think the typical Finnish marinade is not only disgusting, but then sells at the "meat price per kg".

Thanks for your tips, though, everyone!

[Pursuivant]

Back in the day I'd take the ferry to Tallinn, filling the car up would cover the ferry ticket. But that was then, Tallinn is about as overpriced... So its Lidl and you just have braai in your dreams

[African Girl]

You're right, tummansininen, buying from the counter does cost a lot more, and interesting to see how many Finns still prefer to do that

I think that LIDL often has good deals when it comes to chicken pieces/legs. I've also found that mince is one of the cheapest meat products here, usually in the order, from least to most expensive, of chicken - pork - beef mince.

One thing I've noticed is that the vegetables and fruits I buy here, and especially the "cheaper" ones, have no taste at all. For example, I've been buying tomatoes from LIDL and they just don't seem to taste like anything!
I guess you can't ask for affordability and flavor!

Pursuivant, unfortunately you're right, although Finns imagine they like to "grilli" I think they may be kidding themselves! Nothing like a good braai (barbeque)

[harryc]

harryc I don't disagree with what you said. Of course, the pH level of the marinade slows down bacteria growth and food spoilage. But obviously, the choices for someone on a very tight budget are not the same as those able to buy organic and free-range everythings.

I didn't mean to then buy organic etc. Just keep one's eye out for 'UNmarinated - fillets can be gotten for about 8€/kg. As for washing off, I've found that the salt and garlic really does get down deep - the other glop comes off - but overall the taste is BAD. I had some success with some Lidl chicken wings recently where the gop really was on the surface - so much so that one could see the real chicken showing in much of the package.

Counter

One has to find good shops that really care what's showing in the plastic packages. One reason people go to the counter is they can more easily point out better looking stuff. The pricing is out of the world usually.

As for mince meat - it's really hard to find ANY mince meat that doesn't have all kinds of cartilage, gristle included - and almost impossible to get without the silverskin (kalvo).

Fruit and vegetables

Never mind Lidl - K and S don't have any better tomatoes and you pay a LOT more - and just forget about 'Suomalainen' tomatoes - they are JUST as tasteless. The trick is to find good producers of the cherry and plum tomatoes - remember the brands - Lidl has good ones and also 'less good' ones. K-S have but €€€€€€. Then, too, leave them for a day or two or three to let them ripen a bit more. DO NOT PUT IN FRIDGE - you will reduce flavor by a LOT!

As for other vegetables - I really haven't found any taste difference corresponding with price - and that's over decades of buying. If the look and feel is good - they are as good as you can get up here in the North. Heino has a good HEVI department and decent pricing but you need a friend with a card.

[Rip]

Regarding S/K/Lidl:
(Stockmann groceries department is good for selective shopping for ten days during the year (the same days you'll get those nice yellow bags with your shoppings)

With Lidl it would be useful to learn to right time to go shopping in your local one (if you have one). They are more likely to have empty shelves, then on the other hand if you shop at the right time the quality of vegetables and fruit can be better than in your local alphabet supermarket. Prices are usually competitive compared to the main alternatives.

K-group. At least in my experience the general price level is on most cases higher than is S. They have more discount offers though. If you can get the free Plussa credit card, do that for discounts. Probably the cash card (that you have to pay for) is worth while in the long term too. Usually the smaller the store, more expensive it is.

S-group. You should join the local Copeartive. Its a good (though very small) investment even if you never shopped there and gives some discount (and occasional other benefits) if you do. Plus a free bank service if you can manage with Finnish. Prices are usually somewhat lower than in K-group. Again, smaller the store, more expensive it is (= try to avoid Alepa)

General: I think the marinated meat products are cheaper also because the marinade is mostly water which is as cheap ingredient as one can have. If you look at the offers beef is occasionally available in the 10-15€ range (pork and chicken are clearly cheaper options). Fresh fish is, excluding Norwegian salmon and muikku (sometimes flounder) is often hard to find below 30 €/kg (pike and herring are bit questionable considering the chemicals in the environment). With fruit and vegetables it pays off to remember the prices and compare. Things are naturally (lot) cheaper when they are in season than outside it. Somethings (like broccoli) I usually buy frozen.

Tomatoes: Well, you can choose the best looking ones and (as they usually are pale and hard) let them at least ripe home at room temperature - that is the best you can do easily.

(With cucumbers I prefer the taste of the local ones to Spanish, with tomatoes it is mostly a case preferring to support the local economy)

If I wanted to have the cheapest reasonably healthy food here I expect I'd be using lot frozen fish with some basic vegetables (varying somewhat with season) plus what ever fruit is in season and on offer (and eat porridge every morning).

[onkko]

S-group. You should join the local Copeartive.

Regardless of where you are i would say join HOK-elanto, 30e instead of 100e and they pay about 10% divident for that per year. Other things are similar. Of course you should check if percentage back/your amount of shopping is better in your local osuuskauppa.
Regards got 70e back and same percentages when i switched from local.

[Rip]

S-group. You should join the local Copeartive.

Regardless of where you are i would say join HOK-elanto, 30e instead of 100e and they pay about 10% divident for that per year. Other things are similar. Of course you should check if percentage back/your amount of shopping is better in your local osuuskauppa.
Regards got 70e back and same percentages when i switched from local.

Well, if you start thinking it that way, then the best option would probably be to collect the whole set (they have made bit difficult). Regarding individual Osuuskauppas HOK-Elanto isn't particularly good (their bonus limits aren't the best available either - although that would make a difference in practice mostly to families with kids)

http://www.miljonaariksi.com/blog/useam ... a-sijoitus
http://yle.fi/uutiset/s-ryhman_osuuskau ... ti/6337205

[onkko]

Regarding individual Osuuskauppas HOK-Elanto isn't particularly good (their bonus limits aren't the best available either - although that would make a difference in practice mostly to families with kids)

How long it takes to earn 70e if you take in account that my 100e didnt have any divident in 2 years and in same time hok got "plenty" for 30e (about 10% so 3e, better than 0) and i buy about 200-300e/month.
koillismaa vs hok-elanto.

[Rip]

Yours was a poor one. There are others (the first list) that have paid better percentage for 100 € than H-E pays for 30.

[onkko]

Yours was a poor one. There are others (the first list) that have paid better percentage for 100 € than H-E pays for 30.

Thats why i said "check it". But for 70e it takes long time regardless of osuuskauppa if you dont talk about family.

[cors187]

Its a job in itself to hunt for discounts.
Bu these things are suited to pram pushing mums who can do something productive and save a few euro for the family holidays.
Its a noble cause.
I noticed tomatoes are on the rise,damn it