https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:58:48 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356701 Tue, 02 Apr 2024 22:34:47 +0000 Irina 2356701@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Judy,&nbsp;</b>we tried a pick up grocery service during Covid. I don’t like it. I get bored sometimes doing mine, we go to at least 3 different stores once a week. I would not mind short runs to a single store once in a few days but usually don’t have time for it.&nbsp;<br /><div><b>Bella</b>, I don’t know where you live, your market looks amazing! Good for you!<br /></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356662 Tue, 02 Apr 2024 13:38:53 +0000 bella 2356662@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Our primary shopping destination is the open-air market (different from a farmer's market). They get set up in local neighborhoods once a week. Ours is on Saturday. This is where I buy the fresh produce: vegetables, fruits, fish (we buy and eat only fresh fish, we don't keep it in the freezer), cheese, and olives. I also buy snacks like dried fruit and nuts as well as spices and tea mixes at this market. This is truly the best shopping experience. Everything is super fresh and inviting, and the vendors are familiar and friendly. We only try to eat what is in season, and hopefully locally grown.</p> <p>A second run is to a moderately sized branch of a chain grocery store. This is where we pick up meat, eggs, dairy, pantry staples, cleaning products, and pretty much everything else. Every few weeks, I might also get these delivered. I started doing this during the pandemic and it stuck with me as well.<br />We have also two small, independent grocery stores that are within walking distance, and frequent them regularly, about twice a week for whatever we run out of or decide to cook at the last minute (extra milk, fresh bread, eggs, etc)<br />Groceries I regularly order online: Coffee, and cat litter.&nbsp;<br />Cat food is specialized for cats with kidney problems and is bought at the vet.&nbsp;</p> <p>We buy some specialty items in the summer when we go on vacation to the coast, like olive oil and honey.&nbsp;</p> <p>My mum makes and brings me jam and preserved tomatoes. :)&nbsp;</p> <p>We don't plan meals per se, but I will ask the family what they want to eat this week and they will throw around ideas. I will buy things based on their preferences and whatever is in season at the market.&nbsp;</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356605 Mon, 01 Apr 2024 23:26:01 +0000 judy 2356605@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>For all the people who hate grocery shopping, have you had the store shop for you?&nbsp; Seems to be very popular here.&nbsp; At one of the Whole Foods I go to in a kind of upscale neighboring town, there are more employees shopping for people at home than in person shoppers, at some times of day.&nbsp; While I don't love grocery shopping, I am picky about what I get and often get inspired by what is there as to what I want to cook.&nbsp;</p> <p>I go to WF once a week.&nbsp; I find their produce is very good (though in summer I do the farmers market) which is most of what I buy.&nbsp; I've gotten much more plant based than meat centric these days as I'm now living in a household that includes my 35 year old vegan son.&nbsp; I have a couple of other places, a little co op and a health food store I stop into each once a week, but I don't do all those stores in one day.&nbsp; Oh, and there is also an incredible Indian grocery in my town, supplied floor to ceiling with fascinating items.&nbsp; I love fresh curry leaves both to cook with and to put in tea.&nbsp; Last time I went in search of Asafoetida that I had seen someone cooking with on youtube.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;I have also been doing a Rancho Gordo order every few months or so for unusual varieties of beans. I cook a pot of beans every week.&nbsp; I love rice and beans.&nbsp; Or beans and polenta.&nbsp; Or beans on toast!&nbsp; Over the last few months I've become a big fan of making grain salads with quinoa mostly, but also buckwheat or rice.&nbsp; Adds a lovely heft to to greens and veggies.&nbsp; I don't often follow recipes, but take inspiration from them, and don't plan too much. I'm kind of a what can I make with what I have kind of cook.&nbsp; But appreciate that I can google how to do certain things!&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356554 Mon, 01 Apr 2024 17:44:52 +0000 Irina 2356554@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Staysfut,&nbsp;</b>impressive! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356538 Mon, 01 Apr 2024 15:33:58 +0000 April 2356538@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>This year, I resolve to become SF.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356530 Mon, 01 Apr 2024 13:39:28 +0000 Staysfit 2356530@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina,&nbsp;<div>DH and I eat a no salt added, whole food plant based diet at home. &nbsp;We purchase a weekly farm share for organic produce and mushrooms, 7-8 months of the year. &nbsp;In the winter we order potatoes, squash, onions and garlic from the farm as needed, but they don’t have any green veggies. &nbsp; The rest of the year, we get our green veggies from the local grocery store. I don’t mind using organic frozen produce items off season. &nbsp;The only canned goods I buy are tomatoes and tomato sauces when I cannot get fresh tomatoes for salsa or sauce. &nbsp;Our main sources of protein are beans, tofu and tempeh. &nbsp;We don’t buy any fake meats like impossible burgers, etc. &nbsp;I buy dry beans and prepare them using a stove top pressure cooker. &nbsp;I have learned to make sourdough bread, and grind my own grain in a flour mill. &nbsp;My favorites are einkorn and spelt. &nbsp;I make one or two loaves per week and use the discard for pizza dough or breadsticks. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We plan a menu once a week, and then do one major grocery store trip to only one place. &nbsp;We have a large pantry storage area and try to stock up on staples when they are on sale. &nbsp;We do not a Costco, or other big box store near us. &nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>We cook 2/3 of our menu on Saturday and Sunday. &nbsp;We have a staple of WFPB recipes that do not take too long but we love. I almost always have beans soaking. &nbsp;We usually make a stew and or soup, a bean dish and a tofu/tempeh dish in casserole form, and also a green salad which we top with beans, tempeh, quinoa, nuts, etc. I usually make a salad with mixed grains, beans and greens. &nbsp;I make all our beans in a pressure cooker. &nbsp;We don’t mind reheating and eating leftovers on weeknights and for work lunches. We typically have to make a second green salad or a tray or roasted veggies part way through the week. &nbsp;I also might make a vegan pizza or some other fresh dish like a tofu scramble with lots of veggies on a weeknight, if there’s time. &nbsp;I keep a supply of homemade hummus as a spread for the bread and it’s good for a snack.</div><div><br /></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356364 Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:57:46 +0000 Irina 2356364@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Angie</b>, wow, that’s intense I do bring food from my travels, too but mostly as gifts.&nbsp;<div><b>Star</b>, I want to be a vegan and maybe will become the day I find fake cheese I like and a substitute for cottage cheese that I eat daily.&nbsp;<br /></div><div>Hope you like IKEA meatless meatballs. I highly recommend their gluten free cakes, too.&nbsp;</div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356316 Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:20:54 +0000 Star (Lise) 2356316@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina, I went too look in Ikea today at the vegetable balls.&nbsp; I had no idea they sold food.&nbsp; I will be trying them soon, thanks for that.&nbsp; I am almost vegan.&nbsp; I still eat natural Bulgarian yoghurt sometimes.&nbsp; Living here it is crazy not to :).&nbsp; Otherwise nearly everyday I cook a vegetarian 'Hotchpotch' for my hubs and myself.&nbsp; It is a pot full of either lentils or beans and whatever fresh vegetables I have.&nbsp; Could be cabbage, or spinach.&nbsp; &nbsp;Always onions and chilli, sometimes curry.&nbsp; Peppers and carrots.&nbsp; Always tomato passata based - 100% tomato sauce.&nbsp; Then I switch up either potatoes or noodles or rice or whole grain wheat.&nbsp; Sometimes Spaghetti and Tomato Sauce for a change or a Lentil/Noodle dish I have invented.&nbsp; We mostly always eat the same basic ingredients but I am a creative cook so the dishes always seem different.&nbsp; I struggle to digest tofu unfortunately but my DH has it sometimes.&nbsp; Nearly all my shopping is done at Lidl, the German supermarket.&nbsp; We do not have much choice in our small seaside town.&nbsp; I am happy with what they offer mostly.&nbsp; Seasonal vegetables and fruit are a thing here, so currently there is a street vendor selling the largest freshest lettuce, radishes and spring onions so complementing with this Spring food now.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356241 Wed, 27 Mar 2024 17:34:53 +0000 Angie 2356241@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Fun thread! Thanks,<b> Irina</b> :)&nbsp;Like you, I live in the city and walk most places. Lots of fab places to grocery shop. Lived in Seattle for 20 years. Mind blowing to us.&nbsp;</p> <p>I differ to most of you.<b> I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE GROCERY SHOPPING!!!</b> I like it more than shopping for my wardrobe. The main reason I do not travel with a carry-on, is because I fill my checked baggage with groceries. I LOVE grocery shopping around the world!!! It's definitely is a priority when we vacation.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;I LOVE COOKING!!! Maybe as much as putting together my daily outfits I could change careers and make it all about cooking. But no formal training. I think about changing sometimes, though....Maybe when I retire from fashion and style!&nbsp;</p> <p>I do all the cooking and grocery shopping. It's a production at the Cox Castle, and an absolute delight! Nothing simple about it. I don't drink alcohol or coffee so hubs buys the booze and special coffee and makes alcoholic beverages or espressos.&nbsp;</p> <p>I grocery shop EVERYWHERE (except Costco), and am very fussy about it. All high-low, like my wardrobe and our home decor. This is time consuming because certain things have to come from certain places. I only buy bread from the French bakery a few blocks away. Asian ingredients come from Asian grocery stores. Cheese, chicken, and fish come from certain places only too. And doggie food is specialized. And the list goes on! I don't eat mammals - going on 28 years now - so I don't buy and cook that.</p> <p>Everything from scratch, love leftovers!!!, always creative with leftovers, and big on ZERO food waste. It's our thing.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sorry for the novel. Tried to keep it short, but passion took over.... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356198 Wed, 27 Mar 2024 02:51:18 +0000 Irina 2356198@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>AndiB,&nbsp;</b>thank for a good idea! I only asked my DH to grill veggies for a particular dish I would cook or for dinner that day. I should experiment with keeping grilled veggies for later use.&nbsp;<br /><div><b>Rachylou, </b>looks like you are very busy and stressed. Take a good care of yourself.&nbsp;<b></b><br /></div><div><b>Cat2</b>, I find fascinating how well meal planning works for folks. Although I’m a planner, I usually have one or two dishes in mind when shopping for groceries. Sometimes I see something I want to try in stores. I wing in for the rest of the week :)<br /></div><div><br /></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356156 Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:26:33 +0000 cat2 2356156@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>What a fun thread. We started meal planning for a week at a time with the pandemic, and have stuck to it. We are phasing in the Mediterranean Diet, which has meant more whole foods and less egg and cheese than we had been consuming before. I do the planning and shopping and my husband assembles most of it. I shop a local farmstand, and an independent market run by an Italian family that has a wall of pasta, and then once a month or so, we stock up on basics somewhere: Trader Joe’s, a big supermarket, or by ordering a box from Eden Foods (beans and Japanese ingredients), Divina Foods (Mediterranean ingredients), or Stonewall (condiments and candles). We keep a pantry of staples and freeze leftovers and a lot of bits and pieces to use in subsequent meals, like extra lemon juice, Parmesan rinds, etc. We also learned during the pandemic that the artisan bread we love can be sliced and frozen, so we don’t waste any of it. We cook through the planned meals and then spend a few days cooking through the random bits and pieces. With meal planning we waste a lot less than we used to. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits/page/2#post-2356093 Mon, 25 Mar 2024 21:13:47 +0000 rachylou 2356093@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like cooking and I like ‘Grocery Outlet Bargain Market’ ‘cuz it’s a challenge - you buy what they have and get creative. However, my colleague convinced me to try Instacart and yeah it costs, but it has been a big big timesaver. I’m running on about four hours sleep today; I have so much to do! Don’t even talk to me about the weeds being ignored in the garden… dang, lol </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2356070 Mon, 25 Mar 2024 18:05:17 +0000 AndiB 2356070@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>in the minority here, I really like grocery shopping!&nbsp; I mostly go to Kroger for "outside aisle" shopping - fruit, veg, cheese, yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese.&nbsp; Some middle aisle forays for grains (farrow, quinoa, WW orzo mostly these days, brown rice).&nbsp; We don't eat red meat at home (my husband doesn't eat it at all, I occasionally indulge when eating out).&nbsp; We get our chicken (we eat A LOT of chicken) at a neighborhood butcher shop, noticeably better than super market chicken, even the organic. Fish from the Fish monger a half mile from our home.&nbsp; When the weather is nice enough, my husband on Sunday grills a ton of protein and I roast sheet pans of vegetables in the oven (broccoli, cauliflower, colored peppers and onions, asparagus, CABBAGE! Brussels sprouts, others)&nbsp; Then we eat on that all weak, making different meals from the protein, veggies and grains.&nbsp; We are in Ann Arbor MI, and live an old neighborhood adjacent to town, and the fish market, another fancy shop (honestly don't go there much, SPENDY!) and a coop all within walking distance.&nbsp; I have to drive to Kroger but it is between my office and my home, so easy enough to do.&nbsp; </p> <p>I DO have a Costco membership, only for about a year now, and I go maybe quarterly.&nbsp; There are some things I really like about Costco, and mostly get produce. I take a container of veggies to work every day for snacking, so I can get my vegetables in, and a big tub of tomatoes (wild wonders, love!), little cukes, little peppers, sugar snap peas are great for that.&nbsp; I'll make my way through a lot of veggies in 7 days.&nbsp; And berries also good at Costco. They have a surprisingly large selection of organic too.&nbsp; Husband does occasional Trader Joe treks.&nbsp; &nbsp;While I love the idea of European style stopping (daily or close) I still work full time (husband retires this summer, maybe he'll take over shopping!) and convenience trumps experience, at least for now.&nbsp; Luckily, once I am retired, we are close enough to do almost all the shopping within walking distance.<br />&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2356004 Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:08:50 +0000 Irina 2356004@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>Suz,&nbsp;</b>thanks!</p> <p><b>April</b>, we love Indian food and I tried many times with help from friends. But Indian cuisine is probably the most challenging. I gave up and we buy takeout from the Indian restaurant in our neighborhood. Our 18 months old grandson’s favorite dish is butter chicken :)<br /><b>Dee</b>, I’m a big soup fan, too but only cook a few types, had to give up some of our favorites when we went vegetarian.&nbsp;</p> <div><b>Helena</b>, thank you. I don’t have any family or friends in Moscow but it is very upsetting to see such a tragedy.&nbsp;<br /></div><div><b>JAileen</b>, rhubarb pie is now one of my favorites, too.&nbsp;<br /></div></p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2356003 Sun, 24 Mar 2024 23:54:35 +0000 JAileen 2356003@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina, I had never tasted rhubarb until I was an adult because my mother didn’t like it. &nbsp;When we bought our house, our next door neighbor gave us a rhubarb plant. &nbsp;I had no idea how to use it, when to pick it, or anything. &nbsp;Since then, we’ve all become huge fans. &nbsp;My husband always requests a rhubarb pie instead of a cake for his birthday. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355998 Sun, 24 Mar 2024 21:06:44 +0000 Helena 2355998@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina, thinking of you and hoping your friends and family in Russia are ok x </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355996 Sun, 24 Mar 2024 20:56:59 +0000 Dee 2355996@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I do all the cooking and grocery shopping, my husband is in charge of clean-up. I live in suburbia and have multiple grocery stores within a 5 minute drive for me. There’s also lots of Asian grocery stores and a fab organic grocery nearby too.<br />I usually shop twice a week- I frequent the discount/bag-your-own stores first for all the sales using the Flipp app, then hunt for any deals at the more fancier stores.&nbsp;<br />I’m not really good at meal planning either, I kind of wing it with a lot of my meals. We eat mostly chicken, seafood or vegetarian type meals. I’m also a big soup maker. Hate wasting food too, always a challenge to not do this.<br />We usually do take-out twice a week to give me a break. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355964 Sun, 24 Mar 2024 13:29:28 +0000 April 2355964@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina - thought of you immediately when I heard the terrible news. :(</p> <p>Here's how we do things.</p> <p>1. We mail-order things that can't be found locally, e.g., I make tortillas from scratch, which requires a specific brand of canned salsa verde that is not available in our town. Once a week I place an order with Misfits Market. Bodie's dog food comes from Farmer's Dog and hogs a fair amount of freezer space. Frozen smoked fish from my pal Richard Penniman at Stonington Seafood ("fish smoker to the royal family.") Frozen meat from Walden Local for Mr. A, because I won't buy any meat from factory farms.&nbsp;</p> <p>2. I go to Trader Joe's every couple weeks.</p> <p>3. I went once to Costco with my FIL and vowed never again.&nbsp;</p> <p>4. We have a local chain grocery and a local mom and pop grocery, both of which we frequent often.</p> <p>5. As a special treat, I sometimes go to the next town over which has an excellent small Asian grocery right across the street from an excellent-if-tiny Italian grocery/deli. That town also has abundant Indian and Latin markets, but I have not ventured to them yet. Must go to the Latin markets with my Venezuelan sister-in-law but I don't have a current guide for the Indian shop.</p> <p>6. We have a nearby organic co-op which we sometimes go to.&nbsp;</p> <p>7. Our local farmer's market opens on April 20 and we will be there every week for sure. We grow our own herbs and tomatoes in summer.</p> <p>My word, that is a whole lot of grocery-procurement for two people! I tend to cook in abundance and put the extra into the basement freezer. That is LMA's favorite part of coming home, I think - going to the basement and helping himself from the shelf labeled HOMEMADES.</p> <p>Yes, I am the sort of person who labels the freezer shelves.</p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355948 Sun, 24 Mar 2024 02:50:38 +0000 Suz 2355948@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It is tragic news indeed, Irina, and I hope everyone you love is safe.&nbsp;</p> <p>I have enjoyed reading all the different habits and routines people have! It's so dependent on where we live, it seems.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355940 Sat, 23 Mar 2024 23:44:10 +0000 Irina 2355940@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>RunCarla,&nbsp;</b>we buy from a farmer market June to October here. For the last two years our kids gifted us a subscription, once a month delivery of vegetables from a farm from November to April. Nice!&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355938 Sat, 23 Mar 2024 23:39:02 +0000 Irina 2355938@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>ChristelJ, </b>moving a small place after living in big cities comes as a shock, too. Happened to my kids when they had live in a family cottage before buying a place in Toronto. Made them appreciate accessibility even more.&nbsp;<br /><div><b>JAileen,&nbsp;</b>embarrassing but true, I didn’t know what rhubarb was and what to do with it until my DIL baked us a pie. Yours looks delicious.&nbsp;<br /></div><div><b>Anchie</b>, wow, your grandma could do all these things while blind! Unbelievable! I grew up with my grandma, too and remember her baking fondly.&nbsp;<br /></div><div><b>Kate</b>, I agree it’s such a privilege to have all the great grocery choices in a walking distance. I see inside a car once a week most of the time when we do a grocery run. My DH’s work has always been outside of a city core and he has to drive but I don’t drive.&nbsp;<br /></div><div><b>Zaeobi</b>, what an awesome variety you have! HK is one of the places you would love to visit!<br /></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355937 Sat, 23 Mar 2024 23:32:33 +0000 Carla 2355937@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I’m the primary cook and DH BBQ’s. DS#1 is a great cook, and will contribute a meal or two each month. &nbsp;We are a family of 4 adults. &nbsp;We eat a sit down dinner as a family 5 days a week, and a family breakfast/brunch most weekends. &nbsp;We dine out once a month or when travelling, though we frequent coffee/pastry shops 2-3 times a week either in the course of a walk or a drive in the country.</p> <p>-grocery store - weekly&nbsp;<br />-pharmacy - twice a month on seniors day (20% off) specialty British items and a favourite ice cream<br />-health food store for unusual bulk items (steel cut oats, nuts) - twice a month<br />-specialty cheese store - 4 times a year (have to drive 30 minutes)<br />-farm market - weekly for produce once open (May to December)<br />-garden for fresh veg and herbs in summer&nbsp;</p> <p> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355930 Sat, 23 Mar 2024 22:37:04 +0000 Zaeobi 2355930@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We are incredibly lucky* here in HK, that we have a shopping mall directly underneath our apartment complex, with two different grocery shops &amp; a bunch of smaller fruits etc shops under direct cover. There's also a Japanese department store across the road. </p> <p>I've noticed this has enabled MrZ to essentially grocery shop a few times each week, since he doesn't even have to be out in the elements to easily replenish key items (eggs, bananas etc) right after work. </p> <p>This used to stress me out, because I like planning out a shopping list &amp; going grocery shopping once a week, as my parents do. I take my shopping trolley (&amp; now a flexible woven tote I picked up on my travels) to stock up on fruits &amp; vegetables in one grocery shop, dairy products &amp; household goods in the other (we are pescatarian but don't buy seafood ourselves). Japanese products we grab from across the road occasionally (I like their innovative bath stuff &amp; MrZ likes their hot sauces lol). </p> <p>I then head out further afield once a month to pick up spices &amp; ingredients needed for South Asian cooking (some you can find in the local grocery shops, but for a much smaller quantity &amp; heftier pricetag). Plus I like being able to tell the shopkeeper what I'm planning to cook &amp; they know which ingredients to bring me. Whereas Chinese markets, trying to explain the difference between parsley &amp; coriander nets me blank stares. LOL it's a struggle sometimes! </p> <p>I now go with the flow a bit more when it comes to grocery shopping - since MrZ likes to do it more spontaneously, he cooks us 'quick' meals (stir fries etc) during the week, whereas I do big batch curries at the weekend (I freeze for months on end without spoiling, because the spices naturally preserve the curry). My mother-in-law is always picking up stuff from the wet market &amp; cannot fathom us being 'fully' vegetarian, so we usually bring home fish dishes from hers (also lives walking distance from us). </p> <p>Anyway, all that to say I'm sure I'll miss the walking lifestyle &amp; convenience of Hong Kong once I'm gone. Not looking forward to having to drive just to get my groceries (&amp; having to navigate huge grocery stores again, lol). </p> <p>* Or you could see us 'unlucky' in HK, depending on how much you value your peace &amp; quiet </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355889 Sat, 23 Mar 2024 05:16:37 +0000 Kate 2355889@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My husband does a big shop once a week at one of our local grocery chains where the usual haul includes household cleaners, paper products, vitamin drinks, cereal and the like. Catfood and litter, a significant part of the grocery bill for our tribe of four, we order from Chewy. Then I shop a couple of times a week from a trio of stores: an organic market for fruit &amp; veg; Trader Joe’s for things like salmon, kefir, buttermilk, bagels, and flowers, and our local historic market, Eastern Market for fresh pasta, seafood, flowers, and anything I can’t find anywhere else. Currently looking for a coffee source, since our beloved Ethiopian cafe, where we also bought our beans, unexpectedly closed. We are so lucky that all of these places are within walking distance, since it’s been 24 years since we last owned a car. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355854 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 23:20:00 +0000 Irina 2355854@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Wrote a big reply and lost it was destructed following the tragic news from Russia.&nbsp;<br />Will rewrite tomorrow, sorry.&nbsp; </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355840 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 20:05:21 +0000 anchie 2355840@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I also find this interesting. I have no idea what Costco is :)<br /> I don’t like grocery shopping, and I especially hate going to huge busy supermarkets where you have to go with car, i find it huge waste of time and stressful. I prefer local supermarkets where I can go on foot with my little shopping trolley. I do it Saturday mornings and I buy ingredients for weekend meals because I cook only over the weekends. Groceries are closed here on Sundays.<br /> My husband is retired and he shops and cooks on weekdays. He combines local supermarkets with big ones because he doesn’t mind driving and this shops are less crowded on weekdays than on Saturdays. He is not very good with meal planning and he shops just for day or two ahead. I also have very nice commissary shop at work with favorite groceries from all over the world and I stop by on my way home almost daily - it has some items that we like and can’t buy anywhere else but since I am using public transport I buy only what I can carry in my bag so I have to be strategic with my shopping. This shop is not open on weekends.<br /> My parents were opposite when I was growing up in former Yugoslavia. They did huge monthly shopping in bulk. Meat was portioned and put in freezer. Vegetables were grown in our huge garden, we had a milkman bringing fresh milk daily and my father was buying hot bread from bakery every morning. Both of my parents were working, and my grandmother was maintaining garden and cooking. She also made homemade pasta and canned leftover vegetables all while being completely blind. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355830 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 18:29:14 +0000 JAileen 2355830@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>My husband retired in 2019, and I gave him my most hated chores - vacuuming and grocery shopping. &nbsp;So I’ve done very little shopping the past few years. &nbsp;He’s very methodical, though, going every four days. &nbsp;He goes to the neighborhood store that is in walking distance, but it’s too far to carry a bunch of bags of groceries, so he drives. &nbsp;There is a Costco in town, but we don’t go, since there are just the two of us. &nbsp;</p> <p> <div><br /></div><div>We plan our meals together, and eat most of our meals at home.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We’re not vegetarians but do eat a lot of vegetables. &nbsp;In the summer we have a big vegetable garden and grow tomatoes, squash, eggplant, beans, peas, rhubarb and herbs. &nbsp;We also have a few peach and apple trees, and raspberries. &nbsp;Last year we put in some blackberries. &nbsp;Just this morning we bought seed starter mix to start our tomatoes. &nbsp;Last year we had 18 tomato plants and this year I want a few more. &nbsp;In summer I love a tomato salad.</div><div><br /></div><div>We’re in a bean club and get a box of interesting beans every quarter. &nbsp;<a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.ranchogordo.com">https://www.ranchogordo.com</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>Unbelievable fact: &nbsp;In my last year of college I shared an apartment with a couple of other women. &nbsp;Our weekly food budget for three meals a day was $10 each.</p> <p> <div><div>Pictured: rhubarb pie I made for my husband’s birthday last year, with our homegrown rhubarb.</div></p> <p> </div></div> </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355816 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 16:28:29 +0000 MsMary 2355816@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>We have been getting Blue Apron meal boxes for 10 years now and love it. We generally eat leftovers from dinner for our lunches. To fill in, we go to Trader Joe's once a week or so, and I also do an online order with the local supermarket and they bring it out to me in the parking lot. That was something that started in the pandemic and I love it SO MUCH! I never set foot in the supermarket any more and it's great. We do a Costco run a few times a year but mostly for non-food items. Oh, and since the pandemic I do all our baking so that's been fun. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355813 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 15:07:30 +0000 ChristelJ 2355813@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irina, it's so worth it to drive to get fish, croissants and so on. Our home is in a small town with very limited food options, so I shop once a week at home and I drive to the big city once a month to Trader Joe's for staples like olive oil and cheese, and to Whole foods or Natural Grocers for fish, good bread, etc. We don't shop at Costco or Walmart but my friends do. I don't cook meat and find that limited choices in my town make me more creative.</p> <p>I do most of the cooking, and DH is helping me chop sometimes. He can make grilled meat but since I don't eat it he is learning to roast vegetables! </p> <p>Currently we are staying for months in a big city with lots of options for food, and it is fun but expensive and overwhelming. I must stick to my list and put blinders on when I go out! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/grocery-shopping---choices-and-habits#post-2355806 Fri, 22 Mar 2024 14:01:49 +0000 Irina 2355806@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p><b>LJP</b>, well life in suburbs is like that everywhere. One of the reasons we never moved and stayed in our&nbsp;small house</p> <p> downtown for more than 20 years that outside of the city one need to drive everywhere. I agree that food prices are way up. In our family I find as we age, we eat less and buy less food but we spend probably more due to inflation.<br /><b>Bijou</b>, I seriously envy you and others who were smart enough to marry a guy who can cook! If my DH goes grocery shopping by himself, he has a list from me and then text me questions with photos from a grocery stores! </p>