Shopping for Grocery preferences.
By suspenseful
@suspenseful (40193)
Canada
November 29, 2008 11:14am CST
In February, we may no longer use the car. I do not drive, it will cost too much for me to maintain the car, and my husband may no longer have a license because of his stroke. So I have two choices, three = I can go with one of my friends, go with my daughter-in=law on Saturday to Sobey's, or I can buy a cart and go there during the week.
I remember when I was young, my parents did not drive, my dad had a bad heart, and so we either got the bus or we took a shopping trolley to the shopping center. We had those small stores and we would get meat at one store, bread at the bakers, fish at another, and go to the green grocer's but now we just have those shopping centers like Safeway, Superstore, Loblaw's and I suppose in the States Walmart also allows you do buy produce, not like here in Canada (at least not in Manitoba)
I watch Rachel Ray and how the people in New York can go to the market and pick out fresh fruit, veggies, and salad stuff and I wish we could do it up here in Winnipeg, but we do not have that great a growing season and we have to drive out to the country to get fresh produce when it is in season.
So do you prefer to go to a main grocers like Safeway and get your food for the week or do you prefer to go to a green grocer's, baker, and meat shop just like your grandparents and parents if you are in the 60 and over age bracket?
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9 responses
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
1 Dec 08
I miss those mom and pop stores when I was little we had one about a block away was nice.
Now we just have to go to one of the main grocery stores but we also have freash produce in them all the time . Guess you have to go with some one else
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
6 Dec 08
I wonder if with the economy, they will come back. We used to walk to the strip when I was young and there was no Safeway, etc. you went to each store= just like that picture I see when we go to the Olive Garden and the women are picking out the vegetables.
@LittleMel (8742)
• Canada
29 Nov 08
I don't go to WalMart here often so I don't remember what they sell in terms of grocery. I'm only 34 but I was raised eating more vegetables and seafood so I tend to go towards greens and fresh. Only because of our budget I agree to settle on whatever we can afford. Hubby certainly likes meat market, they do have great selection and some are at good prices.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
1 Dec 08
I wish that sold produce at Walmart here in Winnipeg. We shop at Superstore, and the groceries are quite reasonable, but I really do not care for the kitchen stuff. Sort of like Home Outfitters and Zellers where we can get the Rachel Ray cookware. We do not have much green markets here as we have only a short growing season and it is not that practical. That is why I missed living on the coast so much. Even though it rained a lot, and I got depressed, we had a longer growing season and could get more vegetables and especially local salad stuff during the year.
@timou87 (1638)
• Singapore
30 Nov 08
I live in Singapore, where everything is really rather convenient, so the decision really lies between getting your produce at the locl wet market, where everything is fresh, or going to the supermarket, where the selection tends to be wider and the food pre packaged and frozen or chilled. When I was younger I would go to the wet market with my mother, and it was really quite amazing the selection of food you can find there, and the best part is, everything is really fresh and your meals will taste great. But I guess there are some things that you will only be able to find at the supermarket. Take for example, fish. Your can only find salmon and cod at supermarkets, and so, I would go there if I am preparing a meal involving food that I cannot find at the wet market.
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@Lindalinda (4111)
• Canada
29 Nov 08
If you buy one of those granny carts you can go shopping more often or even take the bus with it. I would go with the daughter-in-law to get the big items such as bulky stuff and 10pound bags of potatoes and toilet paper and paper towels in quantity. Sometimes it is also nice to go along with friends just to look around.
Myself I don't have a car any more and I take my little granny cart to the super market two or three times a week. I also live in an area where we still have a butcher, bakeries, deli and oriental green grocers. So I get stuff at different places.
This morning I went to my favourte bakery. They had an open house with little tidbits, samples of their cakes and breads and a veggie tray, dips and savory snacks. Also in the winter they have an ensemble coming in from 11 to 1 on a Saturday to play live music. I love their whole grain bread and flax seed bread which is handcrafted and organic made by the master baker. They chrge $2.50 per loaf, much cheaper than the supermarket. I hope these little neighbourhood gems stay in business.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
1 Dec 08
I am thinking of taking one of them along with me during the times when the weather is warm or no snow on the ground as I am a fast walker. In the winter, someone will have to drive me. I wish we had a market place near our house, instead of the Superstore. My daughter-in-law goes to Sobey's but that is farther away, and I rather like it because I am sort of a snob in that I like high quality stuff, rather than the regular stuff we get at Superstore. But we have to pay for it. I am also thinking of baking bread, but my husband only likes that enriched white bread.
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
29 Nov 08
This isn't a great idea for winter perhaps but because you are still able to do the shopping I suggest you get yourself a scooter and you can get around without asking anyone for anything. I know a fellow here and he's all over the place on his scooter and he even bundles up and goes for groceries some days in the winter. They're a great rig those scooters. It used to be only 80 and 90 year olds were getting them but when the gas took a horrible hike people in their fifties were buying them. In fact I own one too.
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@ladynetz (968)
• Canada
30 Nov 08
I live in Canada too, and have no problems to get everywhere with the bus.
Or, if you can afford, once a week order a cab.
Or,there are even places that you can place your order over the phone, or inetrnet what you need, and they'll bring it to your door (usually big cities).
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
29 Nov 08
We always lived in the country so had to have a car to go to town to buy groceries. I lived with my grandmother and she didn't drive so either my granddad took us or my aunt did. The folks raised their own beef, pork and chickens. We did't have a freezer so grandma rented a locker at the butcher shop. As for vegetables she pretty grew all of what we used. I don't remember any small shop like you suggested. If there were any we never went to them. Yes Most of The Wal-marts here in the states do have produce. The one nearest us is buying local produce to resell. Those open air market do look like they would be fun to shop for groceries. There is a corner near Wal-marts that some one has a stall and sells produce. we do stop there to get some when we are out to get groceries.
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@whittby (3072)
• United States
29 Nov 08
I suppose there are small shops around here somewhere. Even Trader Joes's is smaller than the big guys. I don't know where they all are if they are here.
I prefer to go to WalMart or Smith's (Kroger chain) and do it all at once if I can possibly do that.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
29 Nov 08
I would really prefer it all under one roof but I think you might get better quality if the shops are separate. It's strange to me to read that you can't get fresh produce anywhere, we in the STates are so spoiled. In the summer, I always shop at the local farm and buy their stuff. This summer I'll be growing a lot of my own!
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