At thegreenlist.nl We love a bargain too. But cheap isn't always the most sustainable choice, of course. And so, we're always on the hunt for that golden combination of being price-conscious and sustainable. Within this category, we have another great grocery tip for you: Butlon. With this, you can order food and save it from being wasted. We did our online grocery shopping with them and are sharing our experience with you!
Online grocery shopping with a big discount
If you thegreenlist.nl If you've been following for a while, you'll be familiar with Foodello. With this online supermarket, you can order long-life food – think of everything for your pantry – with a hefty discount. This is because the sell-by date is approaching or has already passed. Butlon works on a similar principle, but feels a bit like a mix between Foodello and Too Good To Go. You can find not only non-perishable products there, but also fresh and chilled groceries. And another thing: the closer you are to the expiry date, or the further past it, the higher the discount becomes. You simply order online via the website or the app, so it works just as you're used to. And if you live near Almelo, you're in luck: you can also just pop into their physical supermarket there!
Best before date
Good to know: that ‘Use By’ date means 'best before'. So it's not a hard deadline at which food suddenly becomes bad. Many products are still perfectly fine to eat after that. It's actually quite strange that on the one hand we have food shortages and on the other hand we throw away food that is still perfectly good. That's exactly where Butlon comes in. They rescue groceries that would otherwise probably end up in the bin and offer them to you at a discount. This way you save money and help prevent waste, without actually having to make an effort. You can read more about the THT date in this article.
Shopping at Butlon
But how does that work in practice, ordering from Butlon? And is it actually a bit handy? We've tested that for you.
What you find there is surprisingly broad. They have a fruit and veg category. We definitely wanted to try that, so we ordered bananas, cucumbers (21%discount) and pepper mix (63%discount), among other things. From the freezer, we ordered 2.5 kilos of broccoli for the catering industry (27% discount). But vegetarian products and dairy, such as thirty eggs (-18%) and a large piece of extra-mature Gouda cheese for less than 7 euros, also ended up in our basket. We also stocked up well on bread toppings, which is always useful with a school-aged child at home. The discounts in this aisle range from 50 to 80%. So: three jars of Calvé extra crunchy peanut butter, two packs of De Ruijter caramel spread, and also two jars of Sandwich spread. Why so much? We can hear you thinking, but that's the concept; most purchases are in multiple packs at once. Tip: Butlon is therefore also very useful for companies that buy lunches for their staff!
We've also restocked the pantry straight away, because that's exactly the kind of category where Butlon really becomes interesting. Think Heinz pasta sauce, tomato ketchup, sriracha sauce, Yofresh mayo, black bean stir-fry sauce, three packs of tomato frito, and a large pack of couscous. Those are the sorts of things you always end up using, but now with a significant discount. That really adds up.
And we still held ourselves back. In the end, we were only truly tempted by one thing: a batch of truffle crisps. Naturally, we had to take four bags of those straight away. Unfortunately, we couldn't help ourselves.
What's fun and distinctive about Butlon is that they have a varied range of products: vegetables, fruit, frozen goods, long-life products, but also care and cleaning products.
Is Butlon worth a try?
Is Butlon a good tip? In our opinion: yes, especially if you shop a bit shrewdly. Butlon isn't a replacement for your entire supermarket shop; rather, it's a great supplement. Especially for your pantry, larger quantities, and products that are still good but might otherwise be thrown away. The trick is in how you use it. Check the quantities carefully, think ahead, and mainly buy things you use anyway. That way, it becomes not only cheaper but also significantly less wasteful.
And that's exactly what Butlon is focusing on. They sell products that are nearing their 'use by' date and therefore often disappear from the shelves of regular supermarkets, even though they are still perfectly fine. By selling them, you help combat food waste without losing out yourself. And honestly, it's also just fun. A bit of browsing, bagging unexpected deals, and filling your cupboards with products you can rely on for a while. As long as you keep that temptation of four bags of truffle crisps somewhat under control, that is.definitely take a look!
You might also find this interesting
- Also see: This is how to divide the fridge cleverly.
- Also see: cooking with leftovers!
- Also see: these vegetables can grow back on their own if you keep the butt!
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
