Grocery shopping!
With all the restaurant reviews I have published of late, you would think I never eat at home anymore.
You'd be wrong.
I don't do much cooking anymore -- my sister F seems to have taken over my mother's kitchen -- but it has become my job to do the grocery shopping. Yes, somehow it has become my responsibility to feed 8 people and two cats. Ostensibly I was just shoping for nyself and my daughters, but . . .
Well, not all the shopping. My mom buys a number of things in Costco, and my sister H picks up a few items in Trader Joe's, Target or CVS. But the bulk of our food supply comes from Shoprite.
H usually makes up the list and emails it to me. I shop with my tablet in my hand, checking the list as I make my way through the store.
My first stop is the deli kiosk. The kiosk is really just a computer screen. You place an order from the items offered, and when you come back to the deli counter your order is waiting for you in the refrigerator. Very helpful if you don't want to wait in a long line at the deli counter, but totally useless if you're the type who likes to watch them slice your cold cuts.
Next is the produce department. The "standing order" is to buy containers of fresh fruit that have been cut up by the store personnel. My dad likes to have fruit at the end of his meal, and these days we cater to those desires. I buy a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Russet potatoes, salad greens and bananas seem to make frequent appearances on my list.
I'll stop at the gourmet cheese display for some pecorino romano -- we always grate our own -- before heading to the bakery section. I usualy buy some freshly baked Italian bread, some sandwich rolls, muffins. . .but never bagels. Bagels aren't authentic unless purchased from a store with the word "bagel" in its name (and our bagel store gives wonderful discounts on Wednesdays, so we stock up then.)
I generally skip the fresh fish section, we're not big on fish. And unless there's an emergency I'd rather buy my health and beauty aids at CVS or Walgreen's. So next up is the butcher/meat department. Usual purchases include chicken breast tenders and lean ground turkey, occasionally some Angus beef hamburger patties. I might buy a steak if Becca is home, or maybe some lamb chops for my dad.
The bulk of my time is spent in the main section of the store. Long aisles, each with a few items I may need. Pasta, lots of pasta. Canned tomatoes/tomato sauce/tomato paste. Canned beans. Breakfast cereal. Soda, Snapple, bottled water. Pretzels, crackers, popcorn. Cooking oil, mustard, mayo.
Mallomars!
The frozen food and dairy sections of the store are last. Milk, yogurt (Jen eats a ton of Oikos strawberry banana), butter, cream cheese. Frozen veggies, Haagen Daz ice cream. A few Lean Cuisine meals in case of an emergency.
And then I push my very full shopping cart to the checkout counter. I show my card to get the store discounts -- you have to see how much I "save".
And that's not the end of it . . .I also shop in the King Kullen near Drew's house -- I go there because my bank has a branch inside the store, and I always wind up buying a few items for myself . . .
You'd be wrong.
I don't do much cooking anymore -- my sister F seems to have taken over my mother's kitchen -- but it has become my job to do the grocery shopping. Yes, somehow it has become my responsibility to feed 8 people and two cats. Ostensibly I was just shoping for nyself and my daughters, but . . .
Well, not all the shopping. My mom buys a number of things in Costco, and my sister H picks up a few items in Trader Joe's, Target or CVS. But the bulk of our food supply comes from Shoprite.
H usually makes up the list and emails it to me. I shop with my tablet in my hand, checking the list as I make my way through the store.
My first stop is the deli kiosk. The kiosk is really just a computer screen. You place an order from the items offered, and when you come back to the deli counter your order is waiting for you in the refrigerator. Very helpful if you don't want to wait in a long line at the deli counter, but totally useless if you're the type who likes to watch them slice your cold cuts.
Next is the produce department. The "standing order" is to buy containers of fresh fruit that have been cut up by the store personnel. My dad likes to have fruit at the end of his meal, and these days we cater to those desires. I buy a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Russet potatoes, salad greens and bananas seem to make frequent appearances on my list.
I'll stop at the gourmet cheese display for some pecorino romano -- we always grate our own -- before heading to the bakery section. I usualy buy some freshly baked Italian bread, some sandwich rolls, muffins. . .but never bagels. Bagels aren't authentic unless purchased from a store with the word "bagel" in its name (and our bagel store gives wonderful discounts on Wednesdays, so we stock up then.)
I generally skip the fresh fish section, we're not big on fish. And unless there's an emergency I'd rather buy my health and beauty aids at CVS or Walgreen's. So next up is the butcher/meat department. Usual purchases include chicken breast tenders and lean ground turkey, occasionally some Angus beef hamburger patties. I might buy a steak if Becca is home, or maybe some lamb chops for my dad.
The bulk of my time is spent in the main section of the store. Long aisles, each with a few items I may need. Pasta, lots of pasta. Canned tomatoes/tomato sauce/tomato paste. Canned beans. Breakfast cereal. Soda, Snapple, bottled water. Pretzels, crackers, popcorn. Cooking oil, mustard, mayo.
Mallomars!
The frozen food and dairy sections of the store are last. Milk, yogurt (Jen eats a ton of Oikos strawberry banana), butter, cream cheese. Frozen veggies, Haagen Daz ice cream. A few Lean Cuisine meals in case of an emergency.
And then I push my very full shopping cart to the checkout counter. I show my card to get the store discounts -- you have to see how much I "save".
And that's not the end of it . . .I also shop in the King Kullen near Drew's house -- I go there because my bank has a branch inside the store, and I always wind up buying a few items for myself . . .
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