Eat in for under R170: Best grocery specials at South Africa’s supermarkets

With the SA Weather service issuing storm warnings for this week, it might be a good idea to stock up on a few meal kits in advance. There are some superb specials at South Africa’s supermarkets this week.

We’ve rounded up all the best deals so that you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. Take a peek at these specials before you go the Uber Eats route.

Checkers

Cape Malay chicken curry – R169.99

Checkers has new mouth-watering meal kits every week. The Cape Malay chicken curry with herbed yoghurt and mini naans is simply divine. It’s only R169.99 for two servings, and is ready in under 45 minutes.

If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, the sweet potato and lentil rogan josh curry with rotis sell for only R129.99. Alternatively, add the tagliatelle carbonara, or Greek lamb chops with roasted tomatoes and butter beats to your trolley.

All meal kits come complete with a recipe card. Alternatively, either scan the QR code on the box, or watch the instructional step-by-step videos on their website.

Also read: The ten best breakfast places in Johannesburg

Woolworths

Baby Marrow and Butternut Lasagne – under R110 for 2 servings

Woollies has baby marrow and butter lasagne on special this week for only R52.99 per 300g portion. Made with Woolworth’s tried and trusted recipe, and consists of fresh pasta, roasted baby marrow and butternut with napoletana sauce and a toasted ciabatta crumb.

Serve with a side salad, or alternatively pair it up with or creamed spinach and honey cinnamon butternut, or filled gem squash halves.

Also read: The six best lunch places in Johannesburg

Pick ‘n Pay

Seafood delight for under R170.00

You simply cannot go wrong with Pick ‘n Pay’s amazing specials: R59.99 for braai snoek and R69.99 for half shell mussels. Simply add a garlic and parsley willed baguette, or the cheese and onion spread baguette, for only R14.99 each.

Alternatively, vacuum-packed rump steaks sell for only R109.99 per kilogram, or prime rib beef roast on the bone for R149.99 per kilo.

Roast potato recipe

As a side, toss some potatoes, yoghurt and hummus in your trolley for the perfect roasted potatoes. Simply whisk a tub of hummus with plain yoghurt with olive oil.

Season according to taste and toss through 1.5 kg roasted baby potatoes. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds or fresh parsley and voila! A meal fit for a king.

Spar

Beef stew for under R100.00

You’ll find some amazing specials at Spar this week. Bulk bone-in beef cubes sell for R59.99 per kilo, while 4kg packet potatoes is marked down to R35.99. Take advantage of the deal and turn that into a beef stew for the ages.

And with Game of Thrones season eight returning to our screens on 14 April, what better way to celebrate than with a beef and barley stew recipe fit for a Stark?

“Maybe they don’t have sheep and cattle, Bran thought. He commanded the serving men to bring them mutton chops and a slice off the aurochs and fill their trenchers with beef-and-barley stew. They seemed to like that well…”

Bran Stark, A Clash of Kings

Recipe: Beef-and-barley stew

Ingredients

• Kilogram beef cubes
• 500g button mushrooms cleaned and quartered
• 2 cups fresh spinach chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• two teaspoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
• 1 large onion diced
• one large carrot diced
• 1 stalk celery diced
• one cup pinot noir
• 3 1/2 cups beef stock
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup quick cooking barley
• 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley chopped 45ml

Method

• Pat the beef cubes dry with a paper towel and season with salt.
• Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear the beef cubes on all sides, working in batches so as to not overcrowd. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef and set aside.
• Heat the remaining tablespoons of olive oil and add the onion, carrot and celery to the Dutch oven. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, spinach, garlic and herbs and cook for another minute. Return the beef to the pot and add the wine, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt and stir to combine.
• Two cooking methods: Preheat the oven to 240 degrees C. Cover the Dutch oven and cook on the lowest rack for 40 minutes, or bring to a boil on the stove top, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for an hour.
• While the stew is cooking, add the barley to the water in a medium pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain.
• Add the barley to the stew and continue to cook for at least 10 more minutes, preferably up to an hour. The longer the stew cooks the more tender the beef and flavorful the stew will be. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve the stew garnished with fresh parsley.