Victoria grocery store and supermarket discussion
#41
Posted 04 June 2012 - 11:35 AM
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#42
Posted 04 June 2012 - 11:44 AM
As for Fairways, a friend of mine picked up some milk at one of their stores recently and it was three weeks past the expiry date. He's had some issues with their meat too.
Safeway seems extremely optimistic about expiry dates on their fresh chicken - usually 10 days or so. I used to buy chicken thinking "it's a few days before expiry, it should be good" only to open it the next day and be quite disappointed.
With food production becoming more and more commercialized and chemicalized, it's no wonder why it's hard to find fresh healthy food and why obesity is quickly becoming a big problem in Canada.
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#43
Posted 04 June 2012 - 11:45 AM
#44
Posted 04 June 2012 - 11:52 AM
I know that I used to grumble about the prices but now the selection is just awful, too. I was really looking for an item, so I left the Thrifty's at Fairfiel Plaza after I couldn't find it and drove over to the Fairways in Quadra Vilalge. WOW! Not only did they have what I wanted, but a few different brands of it, to boot!
I'm done with Thrifty's. From now on, it's Oxford, Fairways, Wal-Mart and Costco.
Me too. Overpriced by a lot!!! Now I know why Alex Campbell died so rich. Occasionally I use Thrifty's for home delivery but after yesterday...8 bags of groceries $292.00 and one bag only had 3 items. I know, I know it's my own fault. But I was sick.
We have company staying so I thought it would be prudent to order groceries.
#45
Posted 04 June 2012 - 11:54 AM
#46
Posted 04 June 2012 - 12:03 PM
#47
Posted 04 June 2012 - 12:04 PM
^Really? Even seafood? You're a braver man than me.
HAHA, no I'm not that crazy! No meats or prepared meats, either.
I seem to have met a lot of people that are moving into the area and I general counsel them as follows:
Oxford: staples and vegetables
Fairways: Asian staples and vegetables
Wal-Mart: staples, household goods
Costco: meat (big boxes of IQF chicken boobs and angus burgers), seafood, frozen veggies, household goods
Island Meat & Seafood or Slater's: jerky; and steak and seafood that I plan to use that night
Thrifty's or Safeway: When it's late and you're stuck
Market on Yates: only if you're a lottery winner
#48
Posted 04 June 2012 - 12:20 PM
#49
Posted 04 June 2012 - 12:39 PM
Costco: meat (big boxes of IQF chicken boobs and angus burgers), seafood, frozen veggies, household goods
It's been a while since I shopped at Costco. How's the value on frozen foods like chicken compared to local fresh products?
And I always thought the frozen stuff didn't taste quite as good, or is that less of a problem with IQF preperation?
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#50
Posted 04 June 2012 - 01:22 PM
-City of Victoria website, 2009
#51
Posted 04 June 2012 - 01:25 PM
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#52
Posted 04 June 2012 - 01:41 PM
It's been a while since I shopped at Costco. How's the value on frozen foods like chicken compared to local fresh products?
And I always thought the frozen stuff didn't taste quite as good, or is that less of a problem with IQF preperation?
It's usually between $25-32 (depending if it is on sale) for a 4kg box - so $7.50-8.00/kg? I usually use it in stirfries (along with a big bag of stirfry veg, courtesy Costco), so the flavour of the meat is generally hidden. It cooks up nice and moist, though.
I find IQF to be both more consistent and more convenient. In fact, there are studies out there that show that IQF goods - especially those frozen right after picking, netting, killing, etc. - taste superior to so-called fresh meats, fish and produce - mainly because they've not been sitting in a truck waiting to get here. Of course, with local products, it's not much of an issue - provided you can tell when it was picked, fished or killed.
I'm not the type of person who stops at the store on the way home to pick up ingredients for dinner, so this works really well for me.
#53
Posted 04 June 2012 - 02:03 PM
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#54
Posted 04 June 2012 - 02:25 PM
I might have to renew my Costco membership then and give it a try. There are other things I should look at buying in larger quantities too. I had a membership when I had a roommate but I just ended up buying their pre-made pasta dishes all the time and got fat.
I would also consider an apartment sized standing deep freezer and a vacuum packer. Tonnes on UsedVictoria.
I also find that they have great prices for cheese (try to buy the same large $30 chunk of Parmiggiano Reggiano - the best parmesan cheese in the world - at Thrifty's and I guarantee it will cost you more like $75), steaks (I like buying the side and then cutting the steaks to a thickness that I like and then freezing the rest), salad (clamshells that are $9 @ Thriftys' are $4) and large bags of nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.).
#55
Posted 04 June 2012 - 02:32 PM
I'm opening up a Consumers Distributing grocery franchise where you pick your produce and meat from a catalog and a clerk runs to the back and brings it all up to you wrapped up. My business model is dependent on people not opening up the packages until they get home.
Why not go with infomercials? The can't-see-it-until-you-own-it concept was born there.
#56
Posted 04 June 2012 - 02:34 PM
#57
Posted 04 June 2012 - 02:48 PM
It's been a while since I shopped at Costco. How's the value on frozen foods like chicken compared to local fresh products?
I don't think I've ever purchased frozen meat from Costco. Most of the meat is unfrozen, isn't it?
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#58
Posted 04 June 2012 - 02:55 PM
Always use fresh. Home cooked food is not something I nickel and dime on.
#59
Posted 04 June 2012 - 03:05 PM
I don't think I've ever purchased frozen meat from Costco. Most of the meat is unfrozen, isn't it?
Most of it is, yes. I like cooking with fresh when I am cooking the meat as the entree: a steak, a breast of chicken or a pork chop. Stirfries, stews, ragouts - it doesn't make a difference.
#60
Posted 04 June 2012 - 03:21 PM
Generally speaking Costco meats are very high quality but my most recent purchase required a trip back to the store for a refund.
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