Well done if you recognised the names of members of the Apthorp family. They were potato merchants in London, but when the original business was bought out by Ross foods in 1968. John started his own company selling frozen foods. He took the initials of the family members, plus A for Apthorp and came up with BEJAM. At the time, less than 1% of British households owned a freezer - but as more women went back to work, and wanted food which was on hand, and easy to prepare when they got home, freezer ownership grew. The company began selling freezers as well as the foodstuffs, and then microwaves...and then. after 20 years in business. was bought out by Iceland.
I have mixed feelings about this shop
plus points
- on a Tuesday I get OAP discount, and 10% is worth having [especially on pricematched items like milk and butter]
- they were the first UK company to go palm-oil free
- their bags of prepared frozen veg are very convenient when my I'mnot getting produce from the Raised Bed
- for quick and easy party food and BBQ items they are excellent
minus points
- if I'm not careful I can 'overbuy' on the "3 for £5" offers
- there are a lot of orange UPF products which I am trying to avoid [I notice many now have 'air fryer cooking instructions' printed on them
- in the Food Warehouse, the nonfrozen items are often noticeably more expensive than in Aldi or Sainsburys, and it is tempting to buy in the FW rather than drive to the other end of the complex for just 2 or 3 items.
The staff on Tuesday were helpful, as were staff in The Range and Sainsburys. They all seemed very busy, restocking shelves quickly as customers were filling their trolleys. I wasn't buying a lot, just a few specific items, and needed to find them quickly without going up and down all the aisles. I have decided to be Relentlessly Cheerful in shops over the next couple of weeks. There are quite a few Grumblers and Grinches around at the minute, and a smile or cheerful greeting can defuse possible difficult situations.
We've eaten up the frozen stuff I'd bought in for Julian's visit [including the large chicken we ate Saturday night, Aunt Bessie's Yorkshires and the Emergency Loaf] but I need to stock up again before Christmas Day.
Do you have regular frozen goods on your shopping list?
Mine would be a bag of frozen peas, a pack of unbaked croissants, an emergency bread product, some frozen fruits, a pack of butter, and pack of bacon, a pack of sausages,and some pukka pies [proper oven bake ones,not the microwave abominations] and some icecream/
I reckon those things will provide meals if unexpected guests turn up.
What are your ideal freezer 'constants'?
I've never been to Iceland or Iceland!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to the country, they say it is expensive to visit, but very beautiful. Is it true that Iceland is greener than Greenland, but Greenland is icier than Iceland?
DeleteBlueberries from Aldi to have a few on my porridge. I defrost enough for 3 days at a time in the fridge. Green beans, broad beans, and frozen peas.
ReplyDeleteI freeze portions of cheese, meat and fish because the larger packs are more economical. I look out for offers and reduced price packs without sauces or coatings. Fish, not fish fingers.
The half price leg of lamb was cut up and some of it was frozen. It made three Sunday roasts and some diced lamb for the two of us. There is a beef joint on offer this week which will make two good pot roasts and diced beef for casserole.
I freeze eggs, lightly beaten, in little square pots, in case our hens stop laying in winter. Enough for a bit of home baking and some scrambled egg.
Portioning and freezing is good. I've never tried freezing eggs like that
DeleteBejams!!! Wow, that word evokes images of shopping with Grandpa and Grandma in Hornchurch town centre as a young child!!! Interesting to hear how it got its name!
ReplyDeleteThat place sounds interesting!
I'm afraid our freezer is utter chaos with no rhyme or reason to it!! Things go in it to die. I saw a meme which I'll send vua Whatsapp to you as it feels dangerously on the nose for me.
However, I do like to have frozen corn or peas and some sort of fish product! It has lots of homegrown fruit and veg in that I really should use! Kezzie xx
My carefully written contents list has gone awol. I must make time to rewrite it...
ReplyDeleteBrussels sprouts from my local Aldi. They're grown on the local farm where my son works and they're so tasty! I like your freezer staples. I would add a roll of puff pastry and some pizza dough!if you have an Original Factory Shop near you, they do prisoner's discount - 10% on the first Wednesday of the month. I got some great thermal tops last week. They're really effective!
ReplyDeleteI just love autocorrect. I'm not sure I'd qualify for prisoners discount!! And I'm pretty certain Bob doesn't have a criminal record (we got rid of Des O Connors greatest hits)
DeletePs anyone else's blogger reading list reverting back to 8 years ago? Yours was the only recent one that appeared. Can't find the rest on my list. How odd.
ReplyDeleteYes, my reading list has gone mad today too
DeleteGosh I haven't heard the name Bejams for years. I have only shopped at Iceland twice in the last five years or so, but I did use them a lot when the boys were small, falling for the £1 a meal ready meals thinking I was saving money. My go to frozen products are mixed vegetables, peas, spinach, some sort of dessert, either vegan Magnums, Cornetto's or ice-cream and occasionally fish fingers. I seem to have totally different foods in my 'packed to the rafters' freezer drawers at the moment due to sharing out the contents of Mum's freezer with my brother and Alan. I did enjoy the McCain's pre-baked jacket potatoes.
ReplyDelete"inherited" freezer contents are always a challenge!
DeleteAfter three days of on/off power, I have sadly had to throw away much of the food in my freezer. I remember the name Bejams!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry about your freezer contents, but so grateful you could be safe with your daughter ❤️🙏👍
DeleteI remember Bejam very well, my Mum shopped there a lot.
ReplyDeleteI’m not able to publish comments on my very elderly I Pad anymore, until I get a new one I have to laboriously tap out comments using my phone - telling you this by way of an apology, I’m still reading my favourite blogs but not commenting much 😀 x
Alison in Wales x
I'm glad it's just the I pad that is unwell, and you are ok!
DeleteWe tried frozen baked potatoes and I'm now a fan. Packets of diced onion, garlic and shallots are an extravance but very handy for small quantities. Always have spinach in freezer and spare slices of bread.
ReplyDeleteI keep considering diced onions. They do seem convenient
DeleteMy freezer musts are bread, cheese, milk, sausage and ice-cream. I've never heard of Bejam's but Iceland seem to be everywhere. When is Rosie mouse coming back into stock, Jacob is getting lonely on his shelf here in Belper. Xx
ReplyDeleteThe mice have taken a back seat recently. I must get some more into the shop
DeleteI regularly buy frozen vegetables and fruit, which work out cheaper than those that have travelled far to our community, except of course during the local growing season. I also buy frozen fish and other seafood, as we are just so far from the oceans. It is possible to buy fresh, flown in, but at a price. I just enjoy the frozen and try to forget about the lovely displays of fresh seafood in the stores in England and Europe!
ReplyDeleteI usually buy my fish frozen
Delete