Shopping RIght

 Many home chefs don't know how to take advantage of their grocery stores. They may not know how to shop in a discount store or take advantage of a more expensive grocery and what it has to offer. It's time to shop right.

I found this out recently when a friend complaind about Lidl. She said the food was not good quality. That surprised me because I've had nothing but hits from the store. Her mistake was buying their fresh meat, namely chicken. She should have bought from either a chicken farm or a store known for its' meats. For any kind of meat, whether its' steak or chicken she should have headed to stores like Acme, Stop and Shop or Shop Rite simply because they have butchers there. Whatever you buy will always be fresh and better tasting. Lidl is excellent for freshly baked goods like their breads, pretzels and focaccios along with their frozen foods. Thir pizzas are from Italy and taste better than Blaze's or local pizzerias. Other Lidl must buys are their frozen veggies and dinners like their frozen risottos. These re extremely flavorful and easy to store and cook. Another Lidl plus is their good variety of fruits and vegetables. Their seedless purple grapes are wonderful, sweet and delicious. The same can be said to their competition Aldi, They have good and well priced veggies and fruits along with very inexpensive instant dinners like packaged flavored spaetzles and risotto. Their soda, like Lidl's is not only delicious and better tasting than Coke but also much less in price.

What happens if you want to still shop at the bigger supermarkets? You can. Yes, will get better quality meats and fish along with fresh deli food like salads and rotisserie chicken but a bit more in price. You'll also have a wide range of baked goods like Acme 's and Stop and Shop's where their array of freshly baked goods are better than local, privately owned bakeries. However they can be expensive regarding many items. The best bet is to bargain hunt. I'm a huge fan of their lunch meat ends which are always price below two dollars. These are usually hidden in a corner of their hero section.. The turkey one is especially delicious and cheap  $1.45 for a half pound of cubed ends. Buy their jar of in house Signature gravy for $2.45 for a quick hot lunch or supper I've also bought their lunch meat ends ham which is perfect for salads. As with any large grocery store, take advantage of their coupons, and their apps. Acme gives you points toward major discounts and you can save as much as $20 on an order. Another tip is always buy the inhouse brands. They'e just as good as the national and usually taste much better too.This also applies to their toothpaste, mouthwash and some beauty products too as far as with cost.

It does take some savvy and hunting but you can do well both in the better and more cost effecient supermarkets. Use these tips to get the most for your dollar. You'll  do well and also have tasty food and drink.

Your Thanksgiving Plan

It's hard to believe but Thanksgiving is a little ore than a week away. This is the crown jewel of holiday dinners and it has to be done right. Alleviate the pressure and fear by charting out the meal. If you have a plan, then everything, from prepping to cooking to serving will be that much easier.

One of the first must do is write out a guest list. After each name list allergies, dietary restrictions and likes, and dislikes. If a few guests have gluten allergies then think abut making two kinds of stuffing along with having gluten free rolls and desserts.Also think about your vegan and vegetarian friends and family. Do you want to get tofurkey which is a soy loaf usually filled with bread stuffing? Or would your guests prefer no fuss and subsist on just salads and sides?This is a good time to call and ask and write down what they want. Another point to consider is the variety of tastes.If guests want a fresh cranberry jelly instead of a canned one, then think about making a homemade one. Another point to ponder is a sit-down dinner or a buffet where people can pick out where they want to sit.If you feel that cooking an entire meal is too overwhelming , then there are two routes to consider. A pot luck Thanksgiving where everyone brings a dish, while you tackle the main dish or having it catered. Many stores such as Stop &Shop and Shop Rite will cook everything from the bird and the sides. They'll also throw in rolls and pie too. Popeye's and Boston Market can also cook up  entire Thanksgiving meals too. Popeye's will give you a deep fried Southern version while Boston Market has more traditional fare.

Thanksgiving dishes and how they're made are always polarizing. Half the table may want a rich gravy made with roux, while the other half like it just au jus. with a thin gravy. Then there are
 the yam controversy. Do you  make them as a kind of dessert loaded with brown sugar and mini marshmallows or do you just roast them in tin foil. Do you make two types to satisfy everyone or just stick ith one? The best bet is just sticking with what the majority of guests want.Sve the second recipe for Christ mas or New Year's. Thanksgiving is not the day to try out new recipes either. if you do want to experiment try it out this Sunday.That way you can see if it's a hit or a miss and if it's easy or hard.This is also time to hit the stores, from department to the grocery.Get new table linens if the old ones are worn or raggedy. Polish the silverware and dust off the china. Also make sure all your kitchen appliances are up to snuff too.Replace anything that may not work just right. . Sharpen knives. Make sure you have enough essentials such as gravy ladles and serving forks.Now is the time to buy extras like plastic cups and glasses if you're having a big crowd. check to make sure you have enough plates and also make sure none of them are cracked.If that's the case, then think about getting a new set. Target and K-Mart have very pretty sets at good prices.

Thanksgiving prep is a home chef must have.Set a plan and stick with it. It'll make for smoother cooking and serving. That's a holiday in itself.

Happiness Is A Hot Instant Meal

There;s nothing like coming home to a hot, steaming pot pie or lasagna. Unfortunately these take a lot of time and effort to make, not to mention having all the ingredients at hand. Luckily this is the modern age where we can cook wholesome meals in just minutes. They're still the same as what our moms and grannies made - but quicker. Much quicker.

A good dinner (or even lunch) here in the States is pot pies. This American classic was one of the first TV dinners back in the Fifties and it's still going strong. Pot pies are wonderful because they has everything, They're basically meat, veggies and even bread all rolled into one crusty, yummy, juicy pie. Serve them with a salad and it's a full meal. Some fast food chains such as Boston Market offer a delicious, homestyle version that's the size of a small pizza.Another instant favorite is pizza itself. A lot of brands such as Red Baron and California Kitchen offer individual ones that you can buy in your freezer section. Nowadays they have so many different toppings, from the exotic artichoke to the much loved pepperoni, Again add some salad to instant pizza and even a glass of red wine and you've got a great meal to come home to.

Comfort food can be made in a sec these days too. There are plenty of instant baked macs out there. One of my favorites is Stop and Shop's house brand.It's a perfect blend of tiny elbow macaroni with a creamy cheddar sauce. The cheese is thick and it evenly coats every piece of pasta perfectly. I just love it and for me it's the best dinner after a tough day. Potato pancakes, another soothing comfort food are easy to make now thanks to so many brands offering instant versions. Gone are the days of grating potatoes and onions and then mixing them with eggs to form the perfect round. These are just pop into the frying pan or microwave and then serve with sour cream or applesauce.

Happiness is coming home to a hot meal. More happiness is making it in just minutes. Nowadays it's easy thanks to all the great instant dinners out there. It's nice to have homemade things if you have the time. However the frozen stuff can offer the same sort of comfort without all the fuss and bother.

Shelling Peapod

I have heard about this new service Peapod,It's a food delivery Stop and Shop that you order on the Internet. Then it;s delivered to your door. A friend of the family uses it even thought she lives in Manhattan. She receives even fresh fruit and vegetables too along with Stop and Shop's excellent array of fine baked goods.

I like this idea very much. One , as we all know, I'm a big Stop and Shop fan. I love their stuff , from the veggies to the meats to their organic brand Nature's Own. They have a wide variety of national brands too and there's always an array of stuff to choose from. I love the idea of food being delivered to my door. This is nothing new. My great aunt used to have this done back in her day. My schedule now is so hectic. I don't have time to head over to my local stores , whether they be the A&P or Stop and Shop. My schedule just doesn't allow it now. There's something infinitely practical about having groceries delivered when you're too busy to do the actual shopping.

Soon I will try Peapod. It just makes sense to me to do this. I have to devote all my time to the house and family.Going shopping will take away from that and force me to work well into the evening. That I can't do. The time I spend away from the house is too valuable. That's why I'll try Peapod.

The Rise Of The Mega Food Store

Americans love everything big. Houses. Portions. Even our kids and animals. It's no surprise that our supermarkets are huge warehouses , selling everything under the sun. here you can buy lobster, fresh baked bread, cleaning supplies and birthday cards. There's every kind of meat, cookie, veggie and fruit all under one enormous roof.



Yesterday my Mom and I visited a local Super Stop and Shop. I remember when these were smaller grocery stores, they still had a good meat and deli section along with an excellent selection of national brands. The new super kind surpasses it. We were agog with the vast of array of well priced cupcakes (24 for $14.99. That's like a little over a buck and a half each- excellent buy) and the variety of freshly made breads. They even have that rare loaf, the marble rye. Stop and Shop's deli counter looked like one block in length.Amazing. The store had long aisles full of any variety, generic and national brand. We only bought a few needed things, but promised to go back for a proper shop.



The rise of the mega grocery store isn't new. It's been happening here for the last ten to fifteen years. it probably has something to do with Costco, the company who has everything under the sun in a huge warehouse like building. the smaller chains couldn't compete with this (although you do need a paid membership to belong to one) and decided to enlarge. it seems we're the benefactors. Now chains like the A&P and Shop Rite along with Stop and Shop all have mega stores. These are great for suburban shoppers like myself who don't live within walking distance of a store. I can buy a week to two week sworth of food and supplies at these mammoth groceries. In the meantime I can pick up some fresh baked cookies, bread and fresh cut cold cuts for my dinner or lunch. They also have fried chicken , meatl oaf, grilled veggies and an array of salad s in case I want to o some entertaining.



The Mega food store is as much a prt of Americna life these days as voting or a bad economy. We love everyhing supersized things - including our supermarkets.