Share w/me Your Shopping Experience!

[SheenaGreena]

I love going to the grocery store I love it so much, that I thought I would share my grocery store experience with you. I'd also like to learn how other people shop and if you are as crazy as me (or my mother). Please answer the following questions and feel free to add in other info as you see fit

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Do you clip coupons?

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Do you make a list?

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

I go to: 2 Korean grocery stores, one japanese grocery store, one local major chain (stop n shop), and one major chinese grocery store.

Do you clip coupons?

I don't need to, because I have a card for my local store that, when scanned, saves me money on sale items -which is what I tend to buy.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

At the chinese store I tend to buy veggies, seafood, and sauces/condiments there (soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, wasabi, donkatsu sauce, eel bbq sauce, etc).When I go to the regular old grocery store, I get more produce and sometimes shop in the organic section. I go to the Korean grocery store for it's lovely array of panchan (side dishes), because I am a very lazy half Korean. I also buy kimchi there as well because well that takes WAY too long to make - we are talking one day to salt and a few days/weeks to ferment. At the japanese store I buy: onigiri, fish cakes, kamaboko, etc.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

I can't even remember the last time I purchased: beef, pork, or chicken although I eat alot of all 3. I usually buy alot of seafood like: mackerel, squid, cuttlefish, mussels, clams, belt fish, etc.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

not at all, I frequent the produce reject bin to see if I can find some slightly damaged goods. Once I bought about 10 red peppers for $2 and they were perfect. I roasted them all and sealed them in a jar with some olive oil.

Do you make a list?

all the time, but I never use it

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

I have one fridge and a small closet for storing non-perishables. I also have a tiny shelf near my sink where I store my veggies that can't/shouldn't be cold: tomatos, eggplants, peppers, garlic, etc.

I want to share with the world how much food storage space my mother has:

one "main" fridge in the kitchen that is packed to the gills w/leftovers, juice,

frozen food, and panchan.

One fridge in the basement that holds all the really old and sour kimchi and pickles sitting in soysauce mixtures. These pickles and kimchi can be up to

over a year old -I am not kidding btw. There are also jars of homemade

dwengjang and gochujang in it.

Next to the fridge in the basement is yet ANOTHER fridge. (mind you these 2

fridges are the size of normal fridges). It contains more soy sauce pickles and

dried seaweeds and various dried mushrooms/veggies/herbs.

In the basement is also a HUGE walk in pantry stuffed with ramen, canned

goods, more various dried korean herbs and vegetables, chinese herbs (which

have been sitting there for over 5 years). etc.

Wait, I'm not done yet....

Upstairs in the dining room (because there is no room) is a very large kimchi

refridgerator that holds recent kimchis in one side and meat and veggies in

the other side. These veggies keep for a really long time. I think the kimchi

fridge is supposed to simulate underground.

Then in the sunroom is a mini fridge that I used in my college dorm days. She

puts her soju, bakseju, and panchan in there because she eats in the sunroom

alot and thats where we do our korean bbq.

Oh yeah, there is another pantry upstairs that holds alot of american goods for

my sister and dad.

Okay last thing

Outside my mother has like 5 huge kimchi potter pots (the brown ones that you

bury underground). She likes to put her dwengjang and gochujang in the pots

and they keep really well for the entire year. In the winter, she puts her

soup and kimchi out on the backporch "because there is no room in the house"

Oh and under the sink she keeps her homemade soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil

and other cooking condiments

that was a lot of typing by the way.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I love the grocery store. I make a habit of going to the local groc store at around midnight (it's 24 hours) so I can look down all the aisles without alot of foot traffic.

[Domestic Goddess]

Ok, here's baring my soul (well the shopping one... LOL)

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes, I go to one store (Hanaro Mart) for canned goods, bottled drinks and veggies (and they deliver it to my doorstep for free!).

Another store (New World Mart) I go for our meats (hubby is American and is a voracious carnivore - so are my 2 sons). We buy a lot of chicken, sliced & ground pork and our favorite lean beef (which is so inexpensive, I am surprised at the prices).

Do you clip coupons?

No, but I do appreciate some stores here who just attach the coupons on the items itself and there's no need to clip them anymore.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Usually meat, veggies, canned goods, householde items like laundry soap, dishwashing liquid etc., bottled drinks, toiletries, etc. And oh, freshly baked bread (Hanaro Mart has an inhouse nakery).

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

More meat, I'm afraid.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Not at all, sometimes there are great buys in there and all you need to do is to cut away the soft mushy portion or none at all.

Do you make a list?

Yes, but sometimes I forget it or sometimes I see other things not in my list and my grocery cart is soon laden twice than what I intend to buy.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

We got one fridge (came with the furnished apartment) and about 3 3-level cupboards for our pantry.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Yes, I def. do. I can go grocery shopping almost everyday.

[SuzySushi]

Okay, I'll play!

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Absolutely. I've never found one market that has everything I want. There are 4 different supermarket chains within a 10-minute drive of here; I shop at 3 of them regularly. We also go to Costco about once a month, Sam's Club about once every two months, and to a Japanese supermarket (further away) once or twice a month. The Wal-Mart here has only a small grocery department, but I'm there about once a week, too. I also shop greenmarkets, Chinatown, and specialty stores (like the Indian market) when I'm in those neighborhoods.

Do you clip coupons?

Yes, for the few items I buy for which coupons are available. I also have "loyalty cards" for two supermarket chains.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Everything I need in small quantities. What I need in large quantities I get at Costco or Sam's Club.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

More produce. Also, I usually buy meat/poultry in quantity at Costco and repackage it; I buy most of my fish at the Japanese market because it's fresher.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Not ashamed, but I rarely find anything there I want/need.

Do you make a list?

Oh, yes. But I don't stick to it. unless I'm really in a hurry and need just an item or two, grocery-shopping is a family excursion and we go aisle-by-aisle.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

One refrigerator with a freezer on top. One pantry. We use the top of the fridge for food storage, too.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Absolutely!

[Lori in PA]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

I certainly do. I go to an Amish bent and dent store an hour away from me, Sam's Club (also an hour away), a regular grocery (Giant), sometimes to my little local grocery (Jane's), to Trader Joe's when I can get to one (about two hours away), and various little produce stands/markets in season.

Do you clip coupons?

Rarely -- we use few prepared foods and don't regularly get the newspaper.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

I cook from scratch for our family of 4-5. We rarely eat out, so I buy pretty much all we need except the herbs and veggies I grow in season. Oh, I'm not buying any beef now because we bought 1/4 of a steer recently.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

At the regular grocery, I buy more produce, but that's because I buy a lot of my meat at Sam's Club.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Our regular groceries don't really have one, but I certainly buy seconds at the produce markets if I can use them and buy discounted meat at Sam's -- I rush it home and prep it for the freezer right away. Oh, and the bent and dent store is like an enormous reject bin, I guess, and I do major shopping there.

Do you make a list?

Do I make a list??? I have Word documents for the three main stores I shop at, arranged by aisle, so I can just check off what I need.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

I have a fridge with a top freezer in the kitchen and a somewhat smaller one in the basement. I also have a small chest freezer in the basement.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I do like to shop most of the time. I enjoy the challenge of feeding my family well on a pretty tight budget.

[Gilb3rt]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

yes i go to 2 Asia shops, 1 Biologic shop, 1 supermarket , 2 bakers then 1-2 times a month i drive 2 other special Asia shops and a special butcher. i also get delivered vegetables, fish and meat everyday from farmhouses. oo almost forgot i have 2 of the best cheese shops..

Do you clip coupons?

Nope

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

nothing usually

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Mostly fish

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

i dont

Do you make a list?

yes

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

2 big ones and one regular little one

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Not always

[annecros]

Fun!

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yep, three major chains, two meat markets, a meat and seafood warehouse, and a Farmer's Market

Do you clip coupons?

Yes, but I invariably forget them at home. I also have discount cards for two of the major chains I shop

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Staples and non perishables - rice, beans, canned goods, dog food...

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Depends upon which door I am darkening.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Absolutely not! I love clearance and discontinued items as well.

Do you make a list?

Almost never. I just buy what looks good or what is on sale.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Two fridges, one large pantry, and lots of cabinet space for commonly used items that need to be handy in the kitchen.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I love it!

[petite tête de chou]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Oh yes. When I worked in Portland I went to at least five different stores, including Trader Joes for dried goods and cheap wine, Food Front for produce and organic goodies (waay expensive) and City Market (Viande Meats within) for oils, seafood, meat and specialty items. All shopping was done on foot with canvas bags and an occasional clove cigarette. Ah, the days when I smoked and ate organic, exclusively. Love the contrast!

I now live in a pretty rural community and shop at three stores. Trust me...I'm not finding smoked paprika, more than five different species of fish or...well, you catch my drift?

Do you clip coupons?

Rarely. My mother was big on this. Perhaps times have changed?

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

What I need. What I don't need but want. Y'know.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Depends on what you mean. By volume? Or? I really eat a lot of vegetables so I'll go with produce. Vegetables are my manna.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Lord no. Shame is for the uninformed.

Do you make a list?

Yes. I often include menu ideas for the week on the back of the list and adjust it according to what looks/smells/feels good.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

One 'fridge n- freezer and your basic 1950's cupboard space. A lovely home but the space for food and all stuff related is quite limited.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

It used to be one of my favorite activities. But that was when we had quite a bit more money, I worked in the city and had access to *incredible* foodstuffs. Now? It's sort of a sad ritual that must be accomplished. I compare it to having required reading for a class rather than reading what you truly, honestly desire to read. I've written about this on egullet before. Living where I want (less than 12,000, yet 11,500 too many for me ) requires sacrifices. No cool food shops and I don't (yet) own enough land to grow my own stuff- deck tomatoes barely count.

eta clarification.

Edited October 31, 2006 by petite tête de chou (log)

[Milagai]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Not usually. There's one near the house and I go

there. If I happen to need some very specific ingredient

I'll go to another more gourmet store.

And about once a month I stock up at the Indian store.

Do you clip coupons?

Nope. Can't find them when I need them

or the store brand may be cheaper anyway.

The grocery store scan card is good enough for me.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Things for the week - I go mostly around the perimeter

unless we need more cereal or something from the middle.

So, it's fruit and vegs, peanut butter, canned tomatoes

when tomatoes are not in season, canned beans,

pasta, dairy, tortillas, some frozen veg maybe.

In the Indian store it's: dals, basmati rice, frozen

parathas, spices, some specialized veggies (e.g. drumsticks)

that won't make it into a mainstream US grocery store

in my lifetime.....

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

No meat at all. All produce.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Absolutely not - I stop there first! I love finding good deals

there (e.g. 3 weeks ago I found perfectly good pomegranates

3 for $ 1.00!!)

Is there really anyone who would be ashamed of shopping

from the reject bin?

Do you make a list?

Yes.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

One big fridge, one small one in the family room, and 1 pantry.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Not really. It's a chore, but a necessity.

[nakji]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes, although they're mostly dry-goods shops and foreign food specialty shops. For produce or meat, I go to the market or pop out onto my street to see what's going by in baskets. My main shop is "Star-Mart", in the bottom of the building where I work. I can usually get my yogurt, coffee beans, breakfast pastries, and assorted chocolate fixes there. I also pick up rice, bacon, kimchi and other staples when I run out. They keep my entire office running on their plentiful supplies of ice-cold, canned Oranginas. When I want something specific from home, such as curry pastes or sour cream, I go to L's Place, or Western Canned Foods. They specialized in...well, western canned goods. Other luxuries, like muffins and individual bananas, I get at the Citimart in Hanoi Towers, which is a long-term residence for foreigners working at the NGOs and Embassies. Curiously enough, it's built over the site of the infamous Hoa Lo prison, better known as "The Hanoi Hilton". Every time I buy wholemeal bread there, I wonder about the juxtaposition of that.

Even more curiously, the modern-day Hilton has a great bakery that makes the only blueberry muffins in town.

Do you clip coupons?

It's possible they don't have those here. If they do, I've never seen them.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

It depends where I am. I don't buy produce at grocery stores, because they don't sell it. They don't sell meat there, either, only preserved pork and frozen shrimp. So I can get bacon or ham, but not chicken or fresh pork or beef. Sometimes I buy these from the street, but mostly for food safety reasons, I just don't buy them. If I eat meat, I eat it at a restaurant. Of course, I realize they're getting their meat from the street as well; but I also figure they're up at 6:30 and buying it, long before I ever crawl out of bed, when all the meat is manky and looks fly-ridden.

So I get yogurt, cheese, sauces, muesli, coffee, canned tomatoes, pasta, bacon, and cream if they have it.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

As I said, neither. Just dry goods and dairy are available at most shops in Hanoi.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

They don't exist, but I'm not afraid to bargain with the basket-ladies if I feel they're offering me wares beyond their prime. Exceptions being if they're offering me fruit ripe and meant to be eaten that day; such as custard apples or similar.

Do you make a list?

Yes, so I don't forget things.

How many refrigerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Just one small fridge and a shelf. I usually buy things the day I plan to prepare them. Produce doesn't last very long here, so it's no use trying to hold anything.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

It is a major past-time of mine. I'm beginning to have an index of the availability of all major ingredients available in shops throughout Hanoi. If a new teacher arrives and wants to know where the best bread is; where to find Bisto; or where to get Heinz Ketchup or Kewpie mayonnaise, they get sent to me.

Now if I could only master Vietnamese cooking, and cook using only the ingredients available on my street, like everyone around me does....

[MarketStEl]

I love going to the grocery store  I love it so much, that I thought I would share my grocery store experience with you.  I'd also like to learn how other people shop and if you are as crazy as me (or my mother).  Please answer the following questions and feel free to add in other info as you see fit

←

Gladly!

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes. As I do not own a car and generally do not want to take public transit for large grocery trips (though I did do so once, when I had a big cookout coming up and a Pathmark in Deep South Philly was running an incredible sale on ground beef; you should have seen me wrestling my shopping cart up the steps of the bus, and no, the driver wasn't about to run the lift for that), my supermarket loop consists of three stores. Font sizes are proportional to the fraction of my weekly grocery bill that gets left at each store:

Acme, at Passyunk and Reed;

Super Fresh, at 10th and South;

Whole Foods, across 10th Street from the Super Fresh.

I also regularly patronize the Reading Terminal Market and have been gradually increasing the percentage of total groceries I buy there (it's my primary produce source); I also shop the Italian Market semi-regularly. Occasionally I stop by the Hung Vuong Asian supermarket on Washington Avenue and a Save-a-Lot one block west of Hung Vuong. If I need a fresh ingredient for a dish I'm making that night, I may route my trip home from work via Upper Darby to stop in at the H-Mart on Terminal Square.

Do you clip coupons?

All the time! I clip far more coupons than I actually use, but I like to be prepared in case a product I use or might use goes on sale. I try to buy condiments and staples, like Hellman's mayonnaise and Jif peanut butter, this way all the time.

I also print online coupons from Smartsource.net.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

My typical grocery store run involves fruit juice, sports drinks, pantry staples (canned tomato products, pasta, condiments and sauces, canned soup, oils and vinegars and suchlike), breakfast meats for Sunday brunch, deli meats and cheese, blocks of cheese for snacking or cooking, pet food, paper goods and cleaning supplies. Not all of these are purchased on every weekly run.

I split my meat and poultry purchases between the supermarkets and the 9th Street ("Italian Market") merchants, with 9th Street getting the larger share. Of late I've also been buying meats from some of the RTM vendors. The RTM gets the lion's share of my produce purchases, with occasional forays onto 9th Street. Eggs I buy only on 9th Street, unless there's a really good special on them at the Acme (the Super Fresh almost never has a really good special on eggs).

I also visit DiBruno Bros. about once a month for specialty cheese purchases, including Parmigiano-Reggiano and Romano (not always Locatelli).

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

I'd say it's about half-and-half, when you toss in frozen vegetables on the produce side. Absent those, I'd say my meat-to-produce purchase ratio is about 60/40.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Not at all--but there's rarely a reject bin on the floor of the two supermarkets I usually shop. The Save-a-Lot takes the place of the reject bin.

Do you make a list?

Always. And I always end up buying things off-list. It's sort of like the Federal budget.

How many refrigerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

I live in an apartment! I only have room for one refrigerator/freezer. The two leftmost cabinets of the six overhead serve as my pantry, supplemented by storage space in the bottom of what used to be our microwave cart (there's enough kitchen counter space in my kitchen for the microwave to live there instead).

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Clemens Family Markets (RIP) used to run radio ads that began, "Okay, all of you out there who actually love shopping for food raise your hand." I raised my hand every time. I find it both a sensory delight and a fiscal challenge: As the former maintenance man in my building put it, "I view grocery shopping as a game of me vs. the supermarket -- Who is going to walk out with more of my money?" If he saved 40% or more on his total bill, he treated himself to a drink afterwards. I haven't gotten to that point, but I shoot for the same goal.

[mukki]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Definitely. Trader Joe's for dairy (milk, butter, cream, sour cream, creme fraiche), eggs, bacon, some frozen goodies (bon bons, Tarte D'Alsace), and some condiments. Gelson's, which is down the street, when I don't want to drive very far; sometimes I walk there. Albertson's on the rare occasion to stock up on basics like sugar, vinegar, gelatin. 99 Ranch when making dumplings. Mitsuwa for Japanese groceries and "English" bread for toast. India Sweets & Spices for spices. Every once in a while, Gonzalez Northgate for Mexican goods. HK Market for Korean BBQ meats. Mother's Market for bulk organic flour, eco-friendly goods and raw milk.

Do you clip coupons?

No.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Well, I guess I covered that above. I usually get produce at a farm stand (there's one I like in San Juan Capistrano that has a wide variety and everything is organic).

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

More produce, overall.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

I don't recall seeing any reject bins in the stores I frequent.

Do you make a list?

Sometimes.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

One side-by-side refrigerator.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Probably not... I get frustrated driving to different stores for the basics, but I suppose I do it to myself. I have to get my dairy here, I don't like to buy veggies there, I'd prefer to buy organic flour here... why isn't there more humanely-raised meat available?

[oneidaone]

I love going to the grocery store   I love it so much, that I thought I would share my grocery store experience with you.  I'd also like to learn how other people shop and if you are as crazy as me (or my mother).  Please answer the following questions and feel free to add in other info as you see fit

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Do you clip coupons?

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Do you make a list?

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

I go to:  2 Korean grocery stores, one japanese grocery store, one local major chain (stop n shop), and one major chinese grocery store.

Do you clip coupons?

I don't need to, because I have a card for my local store that, when scanned, saves me money on sale items -which is what I tend to buy.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

At the chinese store I tend to buy veggies, seafood, and sauces/condiments there (soy sauce, vinegar, mustard, wasabi, donkatsu sauce, eel bbq sauce, etc).When I go to the regular old grocery store, I get more produce and sometimes shop in the organic section. I go to the Korean grocery store for it's lovely array of panchan (side dishes), because I am a very lazy half Korean.  I also buy kimchi there as well because well that takes WAY too long to make - we are talking one day to salt and a few days/weeks to ferment.  At the japanese store I buy: onigiri, fish cakes, kamaboko, etc.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

I can't even remember the last time I purchased: beef, pork, or chicken although I eat alot of all 3.  I usually buy alot of seafood like: mackerel, squid, cuttlefish, mussels, clams, belt fish, etc.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

not at all, I frequent the produce reject bin to see if I can find some slightly damaged goods.  Once I bought about 10 red peppers for $2 and they were perfect.  I roasted them all and sealed them in a jar with some olive oil.

Do you make a list?

all the time, but I never use it

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

I have one fridge and a small closet for storing non-perishables.  I also have a tiny shelf near my sink where I store my veggies that can't/shouldn't be cold: tomatos, eggplants, peppers, garlic, etc.

    I want to share with the world how much food storage space my mother has:

    one "main" fridge in the kitchen that is packed to the gills w/leftovers, juice,    

    frozen food, and panchan. 

    One fridge in the basement that holds all the really old and sour kimchi and  pickles sitting in soysauce mixtures.  These pickles and kimchi can be up to

    over a year old -I am not kidding btw.  There are also jars of homemade

    dwengjang and gochujang in it.

    Next to the fridge in the basement is yet ANOTHER fridge.  (mind you these 2

    fridges are the size of normal fridges).  It contains more soy sauce pickles and

    dried seaweeds and various dried mushrooms/veggies/herbs.

    In the basement is also a HUGE walk in pantry stuffed with ramen, canned

    goods, more various dried korean herbs and vegetables, chinese herbs (which

    have been sitting there for over 5 years). etc.

    Wait, I'm not done yet....

    Upstairs in the dining room (because there is no room) is a very large kimchi

    refridgerator that holds recent kimchis in one side and meat and veggies in

    the other side.  These veggies keep for a really long time.  I think the kimchi

    fridge is supposed to simulate underground.

    Then in the sunroom is a mini fridge that I used in my college dorm days.  She

    puts her soju, bakseju, and panchan in there because she eats in the sunroom

   alot and thats where we do our korean bbq.

   Oh yeah, there is another pantry upstairs that holds alot of american goods for

   my sister and dad.

   Okay last thing

    Outside my mother has like 5 huge kimchi potter pots (the brown ones that you

   bury underground).  She likes to put her dwengjang and gochujang in the pots

    and they keep really well for the entire year.  In the winter, she puts her

    soup and kimchi out on the backporch "because there is no room in the house"

    Oh and under the sink she keeps her homemade soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil

    and other cooking condiments

that was a lot of typing by the way.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I love the grocery store.  I make a habit of going to the local groc store at around midnight (it's 24 hours) so I can look down all the aisles without alot of foot traffic.

←

Whoops, I didn't mean to repeat your whole post! Too early here, all this rain has softened my

brain functions! So I'll be short for now, my husband goes weekly to the HFBF Market on

Saturdays at Kapiolani Community College. There he buys almost everything he can from our

local HI farmers including beef from the North Shore for us and our dogs. I am lazy and go to

the nearby Safeway on a very regular basis and sometimes to the Foodland in Kailua if I happen

to be there because they have a very different selection of things although they're more expensive.

Our Safeway is under renovation and they are calling it "Organic Lifestyle" and has become very

dark with the new "lighting" which isn't very well lit! They are putting in wooden floors of all things.

I got to Costco every now and then for things like vodka, Kahlua, Grand Marnier and bourbon. If

things like the big packages of blueberries are from the U.S. and not Chile or somewhere similar

I buy that sort of thing there. Do I buy from the "bargain bin" YES! Actually I do, I have often bought steaks, and stew meat for us and the dogs when it's like $2.00 off or so and appears to

be fine and still within a good time of the date stamped, ground lamb is a good buy too like then.

I buy lots of yogurt and have actually fallen into the trend of many on our side here that call ahead

to see if the delivery came then fly down there to get it before it sells out! Really, this is true for

some reason the Windward side loves yogurt (Stoneyfield Farm, Mountain High) and we clamor

for the delivery! Safeway never orders enough. Of course it's somewhat of a social activity too as

you always see someone you know there and stop to chat and the checkers are all like old friends

by now so it's fun to shop. In fact as today is Halloween I've a big list of staple type things and

will go on down and check out the costumes, they always have some great ones (the Safeway

employees). Well this is longer than I thought and probably not really full all answers to questions

your excellent post posed, and yes, I actually do like to grocery shop! A hui hou

P.S. I have one frige/freezer combo and a tiny 'dorm' type fridge in the garage where we keep

bottled water and beer.

Boy, I didn't realize my answer would be all blue and part of the original post, I really

need to read up on my posting skills! Or do them later in the day!

Edited October 31, 2006 by oneidaone (log)

[dvs]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

i go to trader joe's and a combo of either safeway / nob hill foods / albertson's

Do you clip coupons?

nope, club card

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

at tj's i buy bananas, grapes, baby apples, romaine, brussle sprouts, cauliflour, broccoli, preped foods, chicken, steak, pork, coffee, cereal, yogurt, milk, eggs & vino.

at the other stores, i buy beer, bread, onions, garlic, waffles, ice cream, juice and bunny cookies & crackers.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

i split it up

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

i would if there was one.

Do you make a list?

every week i make my list on a postit and them stick it to the cart as i'm shopping (don't know why everyone doesn't do this)

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

since we moved, i have a narrower than normal fridge which sucks and makes me have to be very careful to not buy too much and we have a big pantry in our garage.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

i doubt it, but i generally like to do the task...

[MarketStEl]

Following myself up because, while I understand that clipping coupons is time-consuming, I get the impression that some folks here think that with the club card, they're doing all the saving they can:

Do you clip coupons?

All the time!  I clip far more coupons than I actually use, but I like to be prepared in case a product I use or might use goes on sale.  I try to buy condiments and staples, like Hellman's mayonnaise and Jif peanut butter, this way all the time.

I also print online coupons from Smartsource.net.

←

And I have the frequent-shopper club card for both Acme and Super Fresh. I tack the coupons on top of the store specials.

[birder53]

Let me preface this by saying we shop for two adults, no kids and rarely dine out.

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes. Wegmans, Pathmark, A&P and BJ's. We hit the local farm stores when we need produce in a hurry. Wegmans is about 15 miles from home, the farm store is 4 miles away. Nothing is within walking distance, so we try to make sure we hit the stores that are near each other to make the most out of each shopping trip.

Do you clip coupons?

Yes. We also have the club cards for the various chain stores we patronize.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

We tend to eat meat or fish on the weekends. The rest of the week our menu is based upon yogurt, fresh fruit, pasta, peanut butter and jelly. Wegmans is our primary stop for produce, dairy, meat, fish and bread. Pathmark carries the size and variety of frozen vegetables that we use almost daily. The local A&P is where we get seltzer because they have the best price. ( I don't care for the water here.) Paper goods are bought in bulk from BJ's which is also where we buy vitamins.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Produce

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

None of the store have these anymore. But I wouldn't hesitate if there was something worth picking up.

Do you make a list?

Yes. I might pick up something not on the list, but without the list I'm certain to forget something. If we don't take our time when we make the list and check our current stash, we end up making additional purchases during the week and not necessarily at the best prices.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Two refrigerators and lots of panty space. One fridge is in the garage and used for keeping softdrinks, seltzer and champagne chilled.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Trips to Wegmans are always fun. The other shopping stops are really a drag. It's fun to check out new markets in the area or on vacation, but weekly shopping is still a chore.

[Miriam Kresh]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Open-air market for produce unless it's raining or I'm not feeling well; it's about a 20-minute walk away. Freshly-ground coffee and spices in a small specialty store, also in the shuk. Greengrocer's if I get a sudden craving for some fruit or asparagus or something, and don't want to wait for it till next time I get to the shuk. A butcher's, for meat & ready-roasted chicken, occasionally. One of the local small grocery stores for milk, pitta, eggs, sometimes other dairy foods. I dislike buying at the local supermarket, as prices are high there, but do so about once a week anyway. They deliver, and the big discount supermarkets don't. That's important to me, as I can't shlep heavy groceries home and up the stairs to my apartment. We don't serve dessert often, but I will sometimes bring something home from one of the fine bakeries around town.

Do you clip coupons?

No.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

As I mentioned, milk, eggs, fresh pitta. In addition, various cheeses; yeast. Perishables with short shelf lives and high turnovers. Staples like sugar, a few canned and bottled foods like sweet corn, tomato paste, olives, frozen chicken and turkey, and non-food items such as cleaning materials, I buy at the super. No prepared, frozen meals or frozen pizzas (feh!) or the like.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Produce.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Nah.

Do you make a list?

Yes, and I use it. The difficulty is sticking to it.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

One full-sized fridge in the kitchen, and my mother's old full-sized fridge on a porch. In the second fridge are mostly cold drinks and wine; it gets the overflow of Shabbat and holiday cooking as well. In the freezer I sometimes have fresh frozen fruit for making wine. Inadequate pantry space in my old-fashioned kitchen: I stash a lot of stuff in boxes under the kitchen table. In addition, I set up bins to hold dried herbs and spices, seaweeds, and winemaking equipment in the kitchen. Another cabinet outside the kitchen holds mostly herbal medicines and essential oils, but also mason jars full of dried nettles, bottles of vodka for tincturing, and some of my cookbooks.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I like to hit the big supermarkets and shop in a leisurely way, knowing that someone else will carry it home for me. And the shuk is always a pleasure.

[Kouign Aman]

Past & future

Present (lifestyle change dictated by presence of a munchkin)

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Oh my YES. Trader Joes, and the farmer's market(s), and the grocery, and Costco, and anything else interesting seen in my path

Grocery & Costco weekly, regularly but infrequently Trader J's

Do you clip coupons?

No. No.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Baking supplies mostly, milk & cookies

Baking supplies, produce

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Produce.- both categories

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Heavens no. Im more likely to brag about it.

But now, I rarely do, as I rarely have time to both shop and rescue "use right now" produce on the same day.

Do you make a list?

No -in the past. I foresee lists for the next 16+ years at least.

Yes, and add to it freely during transit of the shop.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

One small

Two large

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I did. I used grocery shopping as a way to unwind after a tough day at work. One of the first things I do when traveling is to locate a grocery or market. Most of my souvenirs come from there.

Now, not really because it is always on the munchkin's schedule. The munchkin is both being trained and growing toward school age, so I foresee enjoying it again in the not too distant future.

[misstenacity]

I love going to the grocery store   I love it so much, that I thought I would share my grocery store experience with you.  I'd also like to learn how other people shop and if you are as crazy as me (or my mother).  Please answer the following questions and feel free to add in other info as you see fit

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Do you clip coupons?

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Do you make a list?

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

1. Yes. I'd say I purchase from a "food store" about 3-4 times per week, whether its several in one day or spread out....

a) Big chain supermarket (Smith's, otherwise known as Kroger) for many pantry things like baking items, etc. (But these visits are actually becoming rarer....)

b) big local Asian market for cheap produce, natto, "asian staples", and occasional strange canned drinks

c) Costco for salad greens, boxed "egg beaters", and half & half

d) Vitamin Cottage for bulk staples like oat bran, raisins, and Mori-Nu Lite tofu.

e) Trader Joe's for greek yogurt, frozen veggies and other goodies.

2. Mostly no, but when one leaps out at me I'll use it. I don't go looking for them. My mom was a coupon queen, using double-day and sometimes having the store give her money to take groceries home.

3. Salad greens, red bell peppers, egg beaters (generic), coffee, half & half, yogurt, eggplant, limes/lemons, other produce, boxed tofu, frozen veggies, butter, chocolate, pudding mixes (guilty pleasure...), salsas, eggs, and on and on....

4. More produce, certainly. In weight probably a 10-1 ratio. I eat a lot of salad. A LOT.

5. Not at all, but I usually don't find great stuff in there. Vitamin Cottage often has nearly expired yogurt & dairy for cheap, so I'll go for that....

6. I keep a revolving list on my PDA, editing as I go. I am often getting the same staples so those are in my head. The list is usually for things I have just run out of and unusual ingredients.

7. 1 side-by-side refridgerator/freezer, which is of course not big enough, so I also have an upright freezer in the laundry room. Both are always just a bit too full....

8. YES. I love it, adore it.... I wander in the aisles fondling things, eventually buying what I need plus just a bit more. Grocery shopping to me is relaxation and fun.

Thanks for the survey!

[edited because I forgot one of the questions!]

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

Edited October 31, 2006 by misstenacity (log)

[Marlene]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes, usually, I end up at Sobeys, Brunos and Whole Foods on the same day!

Do you clip coupons?

No.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Mostly produce and staples. I buy meat mostly at the butcher.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

I buy a lot of meat but not at grocery stores, other than Whole Foods.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

I don't think I've ever bought anything from this. I do buy day old bread for breadcrumbs

Do you make a list?

I always make a list. It never matters. I usually forget something on it, and I end up with a bunch of stuff that was never on the list to begin with.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

2 Full fridges, with freezers.2 small fridges. One upright freezer and one small upright freezer that holds mostly stocks.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I do. In fact, I'll shop almost every day for whatever I'm making that night.

[shellfishfiend]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes. I go to Kroger, Brookshire's (these is where I get my seafood) and a Japanese market.

Do you clip coupons?

Yes. I also watch the sale circulars and use loyalty cards. I love to save money on things I would buy anyway.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

I buy everything, with the exception of the asian products I get at the Japanese market.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

I buy more produce than meat. However, if you count seafood, it would be neck and neck.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

No, although I don't often see anything in the bin I would use. However, I am a fan of meat market specials (meats that are on their last sale by day), marked down breads and pastries.

Do you make a list?

Yes. that is part of the fun for me. I arrange it in the order the food is arranged in the store. This also lets me keep track of what items I have coupons for.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

I have one decent sized frig, one chest style deepfreeze, and a woefully small and poorly built pantry.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I love to grocery shop. It is such a sense of accomplishment to bring home food. I love to search out and find the new items. I also love the sense of bringing home raw ingredients with thoughts of what I will do with them already in my head.

[mizducky]

Grocery shopping! One of my favorite activities!

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes, I do. I usually only hit one or two at most in one shopping expedition, but I rotate through a list of favorites for these expeditions, including:

--A couple different Food-4-Less stores (the only mainstream supermarket I hit on a regular basis, and the ones I frequent carry lots of ingredients catering to the local ethnic communities);

--The local 99 Ranch store (Asian, specializing in Chinese ingredients)

--Vien Dong/World Foods Market (Asian, specializing in Vietnamese ingredients)

--North Park Produce (mainly Middle Eastern with some Mexican ingredients)

--Vine Ripe Market (mainly Middle Eastern)

--Pancho Villa Market (Mexican)

--Windmill Farms (independent natural foods market with large produce section)

--Trader Joe's (mostly the Hillcrest branch; occasionally others)

--Ocean Beach People's Organic Co-op

I will also drop into other ethnic/indie food shops or weekly farmer's markets just out of curiosity or for a change of pace. And once in a very blue moon, I will use Von's home delivery service--it's nice to have a strapping young man haul my groceries upstairs for me, but frustrating to turn over my food selections to a (too often incompetent) stranger.

Do you clip coupons?

Very seldom, as coupons tend to be for items I don't use

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Fresh meat/poultry/seafood; some frozen meat products (like IQF boneless/skinless chicken thighs, etc); lowfat luncheon meats and cheeses, lots of fresh produce; grains and dried legumes; wholegrain breads, especially pitas, flatbreads, and crispbreads; lots of Asian ingredients, especially bottled sauces, spices, dried mushrooms and sea vegetables, tofu, konnyaku, etc.; herbal teas and powdered no-sugar beverage mixes.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Definitely lots more produce.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Hell no! That's some of the funnest shopping! (Not to mention the best bargains.)

Do you make a list?

I usually have a mental list, which often fails--either through forgetfulness, or impulse purchases, or both. If I'm making a specific recipe or cooking for a special event, then I will type up and print out a list.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Just one fridge and one pantry, which I share with my roommate.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

I totally adore grocery shopping, especially in ethnic markets, as can be attested by how long it takes me to work my way around a market and get the hell out again (I seldom take less than an hour). It's an opportunity for me to play amateur cross-culture field sociologist, learning about other cultures through their foods and shopping habits; it's also a goldmine for new cooking ideas, as I ponder new-to-me and fascinating ingredients, and what I might use them for.

[purplewiz]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Over time, yes, but I do my weekly (more or less) grocery shopping at Safeway. I do a little fill in weekly at Super Target because they have WAY better prices (like about half of what Safeway charges) on a couple of our staples, and I'm there anyway because I'm shopping for things Safeway doesn't carry and it's more or less across the road from them.

I hit places like King Sooper and Whole Foods only when I need stuff that only they carry.

Do you clip coupons?

Yes, and I use them. They pay for the newspaper subscriptions and then some. I do have the discount cards from all the stores I shop at, and nothing makes me happier than using a coupon on top of the card sale price. I try to take the store for at least 25% of the bill between the two every week.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Uh, food.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

I buy both, since those two items make up the bulk of what we eat. I don't buy much in the way of prepared meals or things like pasta. Most of the rest of the stuff is things like spices and frozen green chiles and the like.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Heavens, no. I'm always in search of scratch and dent meat because if we're not going to eat it tonight or tomorrow night, it's going into the freezer. That gives it a lengthened shelf life.

I do use my common sense, though - fuzzy blue-green meat is not a bargain.

Do you make a list?

I keep multiple running lists, sorted by store. One of the few household rules we have is that if it's not on the list, I don't know about it. I actually do keep a pretty good list in my head of what we need, but I have been known to forget important things, so we're both in the habit of writing it down.

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

One side by side fridge/freezer, one chest freezer out in the garage, one food pantry in the kitchen, and one pantry/closet in the laundry room that I use more for things like paper towels and dishwasher soap than actual food.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Depends on my mood. Sometimes I get a real kick out of it, sometimes it's just one more thing I have to do.

Marcia.

[C. sapidus]

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Yes. Mrs. Crab goes to Costco and/or Sam’s, we go to the farmer’s markets together, and I shop at various international markets.

Do you clip coupons?

No, but I used to dutifully make a pile of coupons that I never remembered to use. We use discount cards at the grocery store and look for specials.

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Mrs. Crab gets the bulk items – meat, paper goods, Jamaican beef patties, etc. We get produce and bread from the farmer’s market. I pick up produce and specialty items at the Asian or Latino markets, and fill in anything missing at the regular grocery store.

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

More produce, probably somewhere between 3:2 and 2:1 (two produce drawers, one meat drawer). If we find a great deal on meat, we stock up in the freezer.

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Nah. Don’t usually see things I need, though.

Do you make a list?

Absolutely, I plan meals for the week and make a shopping list. Produce is flexible, depending on what looks good in the store. I also keep a mental list of ingredients needed to make certain things. For example, today I saw pomelos and bought one to make the pomelo salad from Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet. I have wanted to make that for a while.

How many refrigerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

We have a regular refrigerator and a dorm fridge in the kitchen, and a freezer downstairs. Our pantry space will expand when we renovate our house.

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

Probably not, but shopping has become more interesting as I learn about new ingredients. I get a particular kick out of finding unusual ingredients in our little Asian market.

[maggiethecat]

Shopping with Mom

Grocery shopping is endlessly fascinating, in each and every permutation. If you've missed it on Daily Gullet, enjoy Dave the Cook's take.

[IlCuoco]

I love going to the grocery store   I love it so much, that I thought I would share my grocery store experience with you.  I'd also like to learn how other people shop and if you are as crazy as me (or my mother).  Please answer the following questions and feel free to add in other info as you see fit

Do you go to several different grocery stores?

Do you clip coupons?

What do you usually buy at the grocery store?

Do you tend to buy more meat or more produce?

Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin?"

Do you make a list?

How many refridgerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do?

w

Ahh, market day, the best day of the week. I do love grocery shopping, you never know what you'll find or see. Walking through the food shop is pure inspiration (and yes, my girlfriend mocks me constantly for my love of groceries).

On to your questions:

1) Do you go to several different grocery stores

-Oh yes. Over in Utrecht, I hit the good butcher on Friday (he's in the town where I work) and on Saturday I hit the Utrecht market - I have a good fruit guy and they're some good olives and other med specialties followed by a trip to the Italian speciality shop, the coffee and tea place, the good fruit stand near the park, the other Italian grocery store, the bakery for my bread and then the Albert Hein for bulk items, paper products, etc. Almost forgot the Asian grocery store near my house (gotta get my bok choi fix)

I sometimes also go to the butcher that specializes in game and I hit the wine store once per fortnight or so and the good beer shop once per month (need my Young's Oatmeal Stout).

I'm trying to get a card for the ISPC and the Hanos without success, lord knows if I get them, they'll be on the list.

Back in Cambridge (MA) the route was: New Deal, a couple of farmer's markets (in season) then Whole Foods or Wilson Farms, Formaggios, Capone's, Wine and Cheese Cask and either Dears or Savenors with the odd side trip to some other places.

2) Do you clip coupons?

-Nah, no patience

3) What do you usually buy at the Grocery Store

-Over here, just staples (flour, paper goods, OJ and milk, etc), back home, a bit more as Whole Foods had some good stuff

4) Do you tend to buy more meat or produce

-About even actually. When I have the time I prefer to buy meat all at once and produce throughout the week but it nets out to about even (ok, a BIT more meat)...

5) Are you too ashamed to make purchases from the "reject bin"

-Over here it's not an issue and most of the stuff I buy is never there so...

6) Do you make a list?

-Generally no, but if I'm shopping for specifics (a new recipe, a dinner party, etc) then yes. Also, if it's important I get one specific thing (i.e. not just some fruit that looks good but bananas) I'll usually write it down as well.

7) How many refrigerators and pantries do you have for food storage?

-One fridge that is large by Euro standards and small by US ones with full size freezer underneath. Pantry is two large cabinets, wine goes in the wine fridge along with some of the beer.

I really want to buy a second (big) fridge and a deep freezer but we shall see.

8) Do you enjoy grocery shopping as much as I do

-I love it. Seriously. I can spend hours and hours just gathering raw materials (and then the next day in the kitchen). It is one of my favorite activities full stop.

Edited November 2, 2006 by IlCuoco (log)