Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
Jul 21st 2019, 7:29 pm
#46
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Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
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Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
The garlic one of these is nice.
Jul 21st 2019, 8:26 pm
#47
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Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
Chinese, Japanese, South-east Asian, Arabian food is different in different parts of Canada, not just between the native countries and Canada!
Try travelling across this country and trying "ethnic" foods, you'll soon notice a difference.
The different recipes or alterations evolved to suit the local tastes .............. just what any restaurant does!
Try travelling across this country and trying "ethnic" foods, you'll soon notice a difference.
The different recipes or alterations evolved to suit the local tastes .............. just what any restaurant does!
Jul 21st 2019, 8:36 pm
#48
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Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
Jul 21st 2019, 9:00 pm
#49
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Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,773
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
And they do in the microwave. Not exactly according to the instructions which is just a way of heating the water, but mix it up in the water in a casserole dish and then heat. Perfect.
Either at one time the packet said to do that or I misread it but it works and it's my preferred method.
Either at one time the packet said to do that or I misread it but it works and it's my preferred method.
Jul 22nd 2019, 12:45 am
#50
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Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
Oh never tried making them with the microwave.
And they do in the microwave. Not exactly according to the instructions which is just a way of heating the water, but mix it up in the water in a casserole dish and then heat. Perfect.
Either at one time the packet said to do that or I misread it but it works and it's my preferred method.
Either at one time the packet said to do that or I misread it but it works and it's my preferred method.
Jul 22nd 2019, 2:07 am
#51
Joined: Feb 2006
Location: Red Deer, Alberta
Posts: 10,612
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
I just had this conversation with some Canadian friends. They thought the grab and go selection in stores these days is poor. So it may not be just UK vs Canada thing, but an overall decline of ready to go meals. Skip the dishes is super easy but I used it once. I got a salad and an appetizer from Boston Pizza and paid $35.. hmmm yeah that won't be happening again. I definitely make more meals at home these days. I like to cook so I don't mind but it's not always the most convenient. I feel like if spent more time looking for the good stuff and trying new things I would still find some, some soups in Safeway are decent.
Skip the Dishes is just a portal - you are actually ordering directly from the restaurant, although there is a delivery fee. but Boston Pizza would have charged you about that if you had gone in (they also deliver.. for a fee.. as do many others) 
This might be of interest - the alternative 'delivery' portals .. https://gastrofork.ca/2018/skip-the-...ervice-to-use/
Have you seen our 'Groceries' thread? You might find some inspiration there.. or can ask about stuff you want but can't find or aren't sure what it's like!
Groceries
This might be of interest - the alternative 'delivery' portals .. https://gastrofork.ca/2018/skip-the-...ervice-to-use/Have you seen our 'Groceries' thread? You might find some inspiration there.. or can ask about stuff you want but can't find or aren't sure what it's like!
Groceries
Jul 22nd 2019, 3:49 am
#52
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Joined: Feb 2013
Location: BC, Canada
Posts: 3,874
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
I make double the amount of mashed potatoes when we have them, then freeze the excess. When we next want mashed potatoes, I thaw the frozen batch in the microwave, add a little extra milk and margarine or butter, mash it well. Then I re-heat in the microwave.
Much cheaper and better tasting!
Did you know that some french fries that you buy in packets or get in restaurants are made from mashed potatoes that are then extruded through a machine in French fry format. Then they are deep fried.
I found that out when one restaurant would not let me have fries with bbq'd ribs because they could not guarantee that milk and butter had not been used in making the mashed potatoes.
That was quite the eye-opener.
The other is that a lot of French fries are dipped in flour before deep frying because it makes them brown faster and more evenly.
Disaster for anyone who is gluten-intolerant or has coeliac disease.
Much cheaper and better tasting!
Did you know that some french fries that you buy in packets or get in restaurants are made from mashed potatoes that are then extruded through a machine in French fry format. Then they are deep fried.
I found that out when one restaurant would not let me have fries with bbq'd ribs because they could not guarantee that milk and butter had not been used in making the mashed potatoes.
That was quite the eye-opener.
The other is that a lot of French fries are dipped in flour before deep frying because it makes them brown faster and more evenly.
Disaster for anyone who is gluten-intolerant or has coeliac disease.
Jul 22nd 2019, 4:16 am
#53
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Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
Went to Superstore for first time in a quite a long time, their bakery really is sub-par, small selection, and not very good. I recall in past years they had a better bakery area, or maybe its just this store. The live sea food was 90% dead, you would think they would clean the tanks up and not shrimp and fish sit in them dead.
Jul 22nd 2019, 4:34 am
#54
Stand-up Philosopher
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: Regina Saskatchewan
Posts: 16,344
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
That's gross; haven't seen that one in a Superstore before. The Vancouver stores have quite a few more live choices than ours on the prairies, but still the only things I bought live there were oysters and clams.
Jul 22nd 2019, 4:54 am
#55
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Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
I am sure if you could find a proper sea food type place selling life it might be better, but I don't eat sea food, but when I had aquarium I would need to buy clams, shrimp and some other sea food and T&T had the most selection and way cheaper compared to a pet store for say clams.
Jul 22nd 2019, 11:48 am
#56
Oscar nominated
Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 50,773
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
Whenever I've ordered, the tip option defaults (I think) to 15% and you have the option to change it. Whether you change it or leave it you can see that whatever amount you select is included in the total cost that is debited from your bank card. For that not to be noticed suggests that someone isn't paying much attention to how much they're paying.
But the real give-away is the comment displayed (in the cart or whatever they are calling it) that they always pass the tip on to the delivery person.
Jul 27th 2019, 3:48 am
#57
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Location: BC, Canada
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Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
I had the thought last night that another reason why ready to go meals are so different here vs the UK is that the "shop every day" or "drop in the supermarket and pick up dinner on you way home" has not been part of the North American culture, like it was in the UK.
I can remember my mother shopping every day, or dropping by the butcher on her way home for work ........... his shop was very close to the bus stop. I did the same thing when I lived in a flat, except that we used the little general store that was in a converted house across the street from our flat.
As soon as we came to North America in 1967, it was big shop-in once a week, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. Stock the fridge, maybe add something to the freezer, but do it all in one go, and never go near any store during the week.
I think this might have something to do with the culture that developed over the 100+ years ............. married women were not expected (and did not expect) to work outside the home in either the US or Canada, but that didn't mean they stayed home or had time to shop, or maybe were not even near any store. They were participating in PTAs at their children's schools, golfing, lunching .............. much more social than the UK wife who tended to stay near home. The wives would do a big shop on one day of the week, cook from scratch until TV dinners came in the 50s ...... and the habit has carried over.
I can remember my mother shopping every day, or dropping by the butcher on her way home for work ........... his shop was very close to the bus stop. I did the same thing when I lived in a flat, except that we used the little general store that was in a converted house across the street from our flat.
As soon as we came to North America in 1967, it was big shop-in once a week, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. Stock the fridge, maybe add something to the freezer, but do it all in one go, and never go near any store during the week.
I think this might have something to do with the culture that developed over the 100+ years ............. married women were not expected (and did not expect) to work outside the home in either the US or Canada, but that didn't mean they stayed home or had time to shop, or maybe were not even near any store. They were participating in PTAs at their children's schools, golfing, lunching .............. much more social than the UK wife who tended to stay near home. The wives would do a big shop on one day of the week, cook from scratch until TV dinners came in the 50s ...... and the habit has carried over.
Jul 27th 2019, 3:54 am
#58
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 0
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
It's one of the reason Fresh & Easy failed in the US, as you say frequent shopping trips just isn't something most do. People tend to shop once a week for groceries and that is it, going everyday just isn't appealing and well takes time, I could not imagine spending an hour a day with the getting to/from and shopping in a grocery store, once a week is enough.
I had the thought last night that another reason why ready to go meals are so different here vs the UK is that the "shop every day" or "drop in the supermarket and pick up dinner on you way home" has not been part of the North American culture, like it was in the UK.
I can remember my mother shopping every day, or dropping by the butcher on her way home for work ........... his shop was very close to the bus stop. I did the same thing when I lived in a flat, except that we used the little general store that was in a converted house across the street from our flat.
As soon as we came to North America in 1967, it was big shop-in once a week, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. Stock the fridge, maybe add something to the freezer, but do it all in one go, and never go near any store during the week.
I think this might have something to do with the culture that developed over the 100+ years ............. married women were not expected (and did not expect) to work outside the home in either the US or Canada, but that didn't mean they stayed home or had time to shop, or maybe were not even near any store. They were participating in PTAs at their children's schools, golfing, lunching .............. much more social than the UK wife who tended to stay near home. The wives would do a big shop on one day of the week, cook from scratch until TV dinners came in the 50s ...... and the habit has carried over.
I can remember my mother shopping every day, or dropping by the butcher on her way home for work ........... his shop was very close to the bus stop. I did the same thing when I lived in a flat, except that we used the little general store that was in a converted house across the street from our flat.
As soon as we came to North America in 1967, it was big shop-in once a week, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. Stock the fridge, maybe add something to the freezer, but do it all in one go, and never go near any store during the week.
I think this might have something to do with the culture that developed over the 100+ years ............. married women were not expected (and did not expect) to work outside the home in either the US or Canada, but that didn't mean they stayed home or had time to shop, or maybe were not even near any store. They were participating in PTAs at their children's schools, golfing, lunching .............. much more social than the UK wife who tended to stay near home. The wives would do a big shop on one day of the week, cook from scratch until TV dinners came in the 50s ...... and the habit has carried over.
Jul 27th 2019, 5:14 am
#59
Still alive
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 28,994
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
I had the thought last night that another reason why ready to go meals are so different here vs the UK is that the "shop every day" or "drop in the supermarket and pick up dinner on you way home" has not been part of the North American culture, like it was in the UK.
I can remember my mother shopping every day, or dropping by the butcher on her way home for work ........... his shop was very close to the bus stop. I did the same thing when I lived in a flat, except that we used the little general store that was in a converted house across the street from our flat.
As soon as we came to North America in 1967, it was big shop-in once a week, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. Stock the fridge, maybe add something to the freezer, but do it all in one go, and never go near any store during the week.
I think this might have something to do with the culture that developed over the 100+ years ............. married women were not expected (and did not expect) to work outside the home in either the US or Canada, but that didn't mean they stayed home or had time to shop, or maybe were not even near any store. They were participating in PTAs at their children's schools, golfing, lunching .............. much more social than the UK wife who tended to stay near home. The wives would do a big shop on one day of the week, cook from scratch until TV dinners came in the 50s ...... and the habit has carried over.
I can remember my mother shopping every day, or dropping by the butcher on her way home for work ........... his shop was very close to the bus stop. I did the same thing when I lived in a flat, except that we used the little general store that was in a converted house across the street from our flat.
As soon as we came to North America in 1967, it was big shop-in once a week, either Friday evening or Saturday morning. Stock the fridge, maybe add something to the freezer, but do it all in one go, and never go near any store during the week.
I think this might have something to do with the culture that developed over the 100+ years ............. married women were not expected (and did not expect) to work outside the home in either the US or Canada, but that didn't mean they stayed home or had time to shop, or maybe were not even near any store. They were participating in PTAs at their children's schools, golfing, lunching .............. much more social than the UK wife who tended to stay near home. The wives would do a big shop on one day of the week, cook from scratch until TV dinners came in the 50s ...... and the habit has carried over.
Jul 27th 2019, 6:48 am
#60
.
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,185
Re: Am I the only that thinks Canadian supermarket food is crap?
Canada is rubbish