What's cheap to eat ?
People sometimes ask what food is cheap and what is expensive in France. Here's what I think.
Meat and poultry - Chicken is very expensive compared to Britain. Turkey is a little cheaper. Lamb is very dear. Beef quite expensive. Pork's the best value.
Starch - Pasta and rice are cheap. Potatoes are surprisingly expensive. Baguettes are cheap. Other kinds of bread are at prices more like in Britain.
Cheese - You can get nice Camemberts and Bries for not much money, but if you want Cheddar (boo) it's expensive.
Cereals - I think they're expensive, but they're expensive in Britain, too.
Fruit - When there's a glut it's cheap. Otherwise, no. I think apples are surprisingly dear and bananas surprisingly cheap. (Ours come from Cameroon). Orange juice is dear at the moment, so I am trying to wean the kids off it ! Incidentally the French cook with dessert apples. I don't miss Bramleys, though I'd love a nice deep tarte made with Cox's Orange Pippins, but I've never seen them here.
Vegetables and salads - When there's a glut it's a bargain. Cucumbers just now are about 40p each. Big, blousy batavia lettuce about the same price. Tomatoes can be pricey and carrots are dearer than in Britain, I think.
Meat and poultry - Chicken is very expensive compared to Britain. Turkey is a little cheaper. Lamb is very dear. Beef quite expensive. Pork's the best value.
Starch - Pasta and rice are cheap. Potatoes are surprisingly expensive. Baguettes are cheap. Other kinds of bread are at prices more like in Britain.
Cheese - You can get nice Camemberts and Bries for not much money, but if you want Cheddar (boo) it's expensive.
Cereals - I think they're expensive, but they're expensive in Britain, too.
Fruit - When there's a glut it's cheap. Otherwise, no. I think apples are surprisingly dear and bananas surprisingly cheap. (Ours come from Cameroon). Orange juice is dear at the moment, so I am trying to wean the kids off it ! Incidentally the French cook with dessert apples. I don't miss Bramleys, though I'd love a nice deep tarte made with Cox's Orange Pippins, but I've never seen them here.
Vegetables and salads - When there's a glut it's a bargain. Cucumbers just now are about 40p each. Big, blousy batavia lettuce about the same price. Tomatoes can be pricey and carrots are dearer than in Britain, I think.
Comments
The real loss is baked beans. In Britain baked beans on toast is a great meal that costs next to nothing. Here baked beans are about a quid a tin. And you can only get Heinz.
I trained them out of it and got them onto Asda healthy eating (less sugar and salt).
It was not easy. But it was necessary.