Jo Rourke, a Manchester mother of three, has shared what she describes as her best-ever bargain: an £83.10 food haul from Gail's bakery that she purchased for just £1.73 using the Too Good To Go app and money-off vouchers.
Record-breaking Too Good To Go bag
Rourke, who runs the Thi S MumCooks Facebook page, regularly uses the Too Good To Go app, which allows users to buy surplus food nearing its sell-by or use-by date from cafes, restaurants, and supermarkets. This time, she picked up a bag from Gail's bakery that she said 'weighs a tonne' and contained a variety of items including salads, pastries, and a sourdough loaf.
In a video posted to her page, Rourke said: 'I've never in my life seen such a good Too Good To Go bag... that is just insane and I paid just £1.73.' She added that in over five years of running her page, she has 'never had a haul like this before'.
Contents and value breakdown
The bag included: roasted sweet potato salad, harissa chicken pomegranate freekeh & garlic yoghurt salad, summer vegetables and chard aubergine salad, raspberry and almond overnight oats (2), brown butter financiers, blueberry yoghurt pots, a sourdough loaf, cheese and herb scones, 2 babka muffins, a blueberry muffin, a cheese twist, and a cinnamon croissant.
Rourke calculated that the same items would have cost £83.10 if bought at full price in store. For example, the sourdough loaf was priced at £4.90, and the harissa chicken salad at £9.50. The Too Good To Go bag itself was priced at £7.50, but she used vouchers to reduce the cost to just £1.73.
Tips for savvy shopping
Rourke encourages other families to use the Too Good To Go app to save money on food. She regularly shares money-saving tips and bargains on her Facebook page, helping others navigate rising food costs. 'This bag of food would have cost £83.10 if bought full price in the shop,' she said. 'I don't think I will ever see a bag as good as this again.'
