Challenge: Try living on Waitrose value for a week without going into debt

You know you're thriving as a 17 y/o girl, when you're watching a middle aged man documenting sub par food.

Ever start watching a video, and just think “why am I watching this”?

Nothing wrong with Tesco Value food! I was brought up on it and my doctor said that after my extra fingers and toes get removed I'll be as normal as everyone else ☺️

I lived off Tesco Basics (or equivalent) for about a year as a student and frankly it wasn't that bad at all. You learn what to avoid and what not to. For example: Basics pasta is fine, basics pasta sauce is like coloured water. The simplest frozen meals like macaroni cheese and spag bol are acceptable. Crisps and biscuits are absolutely fine, and cornflakes too as you found out Mike. TBH general rule of thumb is anything with preservatives in seems to be fine, but anything that's meant to resemble fresh vegetables or vegetable sauce/puree isn't so good. I should really go back to buying Basics range again on certain products, saves a bunch of money, I just don't do it any more because I'm lazy and it's easier to pick up something from the corner shop.

This might be the most british video in the world

Ive lived of supermarkets own brand for most of my life. It may be cheap and people look down on it loads but when you cant afford the expensive stuff you have to deal with it. Im now at uni and all my cupboards, including my flatmates, are all full of sainsbury basics and tescos own brand. It help us and its good stuff.

For years I led a privileged lifestyle where I only ever bought "the best" (meaning most expensive), including "premium" food. Then my life fell apart due to several disasters, and I ended up living out of Food Banks. On the very rare occasion that I could afford to actually _buy_ food, it was always Tesco Everyday Value stuff. IIRC the TEV creamed rice puddings were 15p a tin. That formed the bulk of my diet for a couple of years. Although my circumstances have now improved dramatically, living on a shoestring taught me a valuable lesson in consumerism. The idea that more expensive == better is just marketing propaganda. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. In reality there's very little correlation between retail price and quality, primarily because there's basically zero correlation between retail price and manufacturing cost. Capitalism encourages price gouging, or "as much as the market can bear", as the capitalist mantra goes. The practical upshot is that if you can overcome your indoctrinated prejudices against "cheap" goods, and actually try them, you'll often find that they're just as good - or sometimes even better - than supposed "premium" goods. A lot of the TEV stuff is pure junk, however. Although to be fair that's not really because they're part of the TEV range, but more because they're "convenience" items that represent extremely poor value for money, no matter what brand you go for. "Pot Noodles" are a prime example. You get almost no actual food (either in terms of calories or nutrients) for your money, and as you noted the flavour was utterly insipid. You'd be far better off buying the TEV spaghetti noodles (used to be 20p a packet, IIRC), and making up your own sauce from any condiments, bouillons and other bits you have lying around. No, it's not a proper Chinese egg noodle, but then neither is any of that convenience junk either, so what difference does it make? It's a fraction of the price per weight, provides far more calories, and might actually contain a few useful nutrients for a change. Job done. When you have to choose between feeding the electric meter or your stomach, you quickly stop caring about what is or is not "proper". I recall making "pizza" from loaf enders. It's amazing what garlic and tomato puree can do to Welsh Rarebit.

I can see this working out. Sure, this doesn't look like the best food in the world but it's likely a lot btter than some of the other one-week diets he's had.

17p a bottle whats it from the peckham spring lol

I do this every week at uni allow it

The tortilla chips are great, been buying them for years. Add a bit off cheese and spices etc and you have nachos which would be like £4 in a chain restraunt.

As a graphic design graduate, a lot of the money is saved on the packaging. That's why it's always white and a couple of colours in any value brand for supermarkets.

Tesco everyday value is not crap. I budget my money and it has been proven that the majority of the value products have had a better taste than the branded food. Also the majority of the food has less salt, and sugar.

I used to have tescos value range until my express store decided to only stock the more expensive brands. If your out of work like I was, the value range is literally a life saver.

This is the most British channel I’ve ever seen

Some "Value" stuff is actually more than okay IMHO. I buy the water because the water out of my tap tastes like arse (thanks to the piping network). The tortillas are quite okay too.

People will watch someone eat cheap food? Dang it, I could have made YEARS of content when I was younger.

Okay but I don’t understand why this video has been constantly on my recommended page for two weeks straight

Those corn flakes are awesome and safe for ceoliacs (the barley malt extract is at a safe level according to Ceoliac UK) for those that are fed up buying the over priced free from cereals!

Meanwhile, I watched this while eating a slice of cheesecake for breakfast. I'm only commenting about it because cheesecake for breakfast is awesome.

no no no no no no you put the lid over the pot noodle to sorta steam the noodles and keep the heat In then you take it of when you eat it

You should do a second take on this video, Tesco value isn't around anymore, ms Molly, Stockwell and growers is their basic lines more. Would be interesting to see your thoughts on that

Was anyone else amazed at how well his pizza cutter cut that pizza?

I knew a girl that worked in a flour mill for a big brand and said they also did Tesco value. Literally the same thing in a different packet.

Most value items are almost the same as normal products. It'd a marketing strategy to have multiple tiers of the same product, even if the product itself is almost identical

Tesco value antidepressants.

I love the way he looked at the camera when said “sorry, cola.....”

Get on that "essential" Tesco everyday value vodka, gin and rum

Could you possibly give us a total of what you spent on food you ate each day, I'm interested in what each day cost you.

Between 1990-99 My mum shopped at Kwik Save so I had a lot of no frills food items Bread, beans, crips, butter and more

Ahah everyone taking the piss but I have no choice to live if value products because it’s all my family can afford. Moral of the story think about what you say because some people have no other options

The fact he didn't put the lid back on the cup noodle after pouring the hot water bothered the shit out of me

Who cooks a Frozen pizza without rearranging the pepperoni?! gotta spread them out!

Prince William undercover

Extend that one week to four years and you've got my time at the university 😂😂😂

Tesco Value crisps are really good.

My Mum would buy Value stuff mixed in with regular brand items when she did the shopping. My Dad however wouldn't go near the Value stuff if he did it. He would buy all branded stuff even if it was the most basic of items. They split up in the end..... I never asked the actual reason why but i wonder if the dispute over Value brand products played a part in it.

A little tip for your pot noodles, especially the ones with the foil lids, keep the lid on after adding the hot water so that it sweats more. 😊

i cant believe how much healthier he looks here than he does now these days his skin has gone grey and he has rings round his eyes the poor sod lol

I made a guttural scream when you pulled that pot noodle lid all the way off.

You should go through how much each day cost you considering this is value food.

17p for a bottle of water, a size that big in america would be 3-4 DOLLARS!!!

It kind of seems like you failed to actually show how you can cook decent meals with Tesco value over just buying value ready meals.

Actually, as far as i know, the tesco value products are mostly normal midranged products with different packaging made by companies. Like as you have said at the cereal it tastes exactly the same as the other one, because it is the same. Here where i live it is written on the package that it is distributed by tesco and made by XYZ company. So if you search the same product (Cereal, noodles, crisps energy drinks etc) 99% you can find the same product with higher price in more fancy packaging.

The thing with ''value'' products, seem to be, for things say lemonade were you don't necessarily compare it to a particular brand, you just think, does it taste like lemonade, they are fine. However things like coke, Oreos, certain cereals, were you always buy a particular brand, so will comparing to an exact brand, it's not as good. Also the milk, just buy normal milk, no one buys that shit lol

Is no one else disturbed by the fact he didn't spread the pepperoni out evenly on that pizza before cooking It?!?! 🤤

The clear lemonade is freaking me out.

I always buy the Tesco value assorted crisps, I think there excellent.

Challenge - Live on M&S foods for a week and See how much money You have spent after the week

Congrads Mike for getting over 1 million views on this upload!

Dude my family lives off this every month.

Who has just a pot noodle for lunch I’d be so hungry

Im sure you will enjoy this quite a bit. Its saves on the non branding but the food is perfectly fine. I buy some of these even now.

I have no idea why I'm entertained by this but I AM INTRIGUED

Really enjoyed this! Think it's a great idea for a video. Definitely subbed to you! I always buy their 17p water! I used to buy their £1.50 laundry detergent, but they stopped selling it. At my store, at least.

Mike - a plastic bottle costs literally about 2 US cents to produce. 1 plastic bottle is made from a tiny drop of oil, it is a thin film easily stretched out.

They aren't that bad and most of the time are healthier than original brand foods

As a nursing student with a 4 year old...I legitimately buy half my shopping either Tesco/Asda value stuff or Aldi and im not even mad at most the stuff you can get 😂

I miss those prices :(

Don't you dare badmouth Tremors 2! I'll have you know Tremors 2 is an underrated gem of a sequel and is in fact my favourite of the series. Tremors 3 to 5 on the other hand...

Finally, a sane "week on"! Normal, if inexpensive, food!

The onion rings are designed to be crushed and stirred into the pot noodle for flavour.

Could you please do a living on aldi for a week or living on Lidl on a week? :)

"Time for another 'Week On', and I bet you can't guess what I'm going to be eating this week..." Actual food in proper portion sizes? Unlike other weeks like living on a single MRE ration kit a day (despite how they're supposed to be for a single meal), or some of those other terrible "diet" weeks where you make us all worry about your well-being by the end of it...

A Waitrose everyday value item costs the exact amount that you payed in total each day

I’m worried... what happened to vegetables???

I love how he gave us a backstory on Tesco value

59p for 12 pieces of packaging, somewhat sullied by crisps

You know what's cheaper than bottled water? Tap water 🙂

Fun Fact: My Stepfather used to pick up the Tesco value Water from the Water Spring? Bottling Factory, were they are produced. They also produce the Highland Spring Water.

Who else up late watching food videos?

I'm not sure why the noodles didn't taste of much to you; I like spicy food and found that they pack a decent kick. Tesco Value noodle pots shit all over Pot Noodle. Pot Noodle is tasteless and also inconveniently impacted into a solid block; Tesco Value ones are really nicely flavoured and come out better due to not being processed into a lump. Plus Pot Noodle is an utter rip off.

Less than a dollar Canadian for a box of cereal? Sorcery. Hoping his tesco value week includes more canned fruit and veg from now on though, I don't get how you can eat corn flakes, pot noodles, pizza, and crisps and call that a good day of eating.

All cereals are fortified, kellogs, nestle all of them. You have to keep UHT milk in the fridge once its open and treat like fresh milk.

Haha what I like best about this video is he’s like Gordon Ramsay reviewing all the food

"Nothing is nice that is described as salty and warm" One word Chips

0:23 "Fairly recently" Tesco rebranded it "everyday value" in Apr 12, so nearly 6 years before this video.

The tinned potatoes, cerial bars, water, and biscuits are quite good. I recall the bread being 3p back in the day. I lived on tesco value for quite a while, not the junk side but the fairly healthy side. I'm 5ft1 and my weight was struggling to get above 7 stone, I had low B12 levels and awful IBS the entire time. The lack of variation in my diet and high sugar was playing havoc with my system. Looking forward to watching how you get on.

Tesco. Such a great shop. 10/10 would recommend On a separate note, Mr Tesco if you’re reading this give me a raise.

I personally don’t mind Tesco Value stuff, living on a budget😂😂

First time coming across you and you seem so chill and laid back not like all up in people's faces like other youtubers I like it !!

I felt in love with Tesco Value Sparkling water, 17p. Not only super cheap but also really nice to drink! Great video!

Not even gunna watch this but will give a thumbs up for attempting this deadly challenge

*smash cuts to Mike crying on the toilet

Love the tesco value sparkling water then I add summer fruits cordial tastes like fizzy Ribena

9:17 when your at a party and you have eaten loads but are still hungry and you see some food

I love it when people show their cats on youtube videos :D your cat is so cute and funny especially that wink hahahaha xD

How is this so interesting??

Ahhhhhhhhhhh ... Tesco... Empty shelves one week after an imaginary snow storm ....LoL

Why are so many people annoyed in the comments? He's giving his honest opinion. I was raised on a pretty tight budget and not once did i feel like he was mocking the poor

When i was a kid and my parents didn't have a lot of money we lived on the red stripe value at Tesco. Obviously it isn't the best quality but its cheap and cheerful.

Man that stuff was cheap. Around here even the Wal-Mart branded stuff is at least 50% more expensive than that.

Yum water and corn flakes

Mate your going to end up in hospital i used to study chemistry as a student years ago and half of the chemicals in this cheap stuff is very nasty, however that being said i love videos its great that you go out your way to do this, i don't know how you feel but i lived on tesco own brand for a couple of months when i lost my job years ago and i felt really unwell

I've been seeing your videos on my recommended for a while now, and decided to give it a go and I must say - excellent video bro!

This is my WORST NIGHTMARE

This is the whitest video I’ve seen today

5:45 your Alton towers merch in the background 😍 my two favourite coasters right there!

Alot of the time I grab supermarket brand food over normal stuff. I am particularly fond of Morrison's Onion rings :)