Re: Groceries
 

The Keg stopped doing them a long time ago. Their surf and turf has been rubbish ever since. :thumbdown:

Re: Groceries
 

These things?

http://www.i-mockery.com/halloween/g...ics/alien2.jpg

Re: Groceries
 

Have you tried costco?

https://www.costco.ca/seafood.html

Re: Groceries
 

:ohmy:
That looks amazing-
Prices astronomical for some things- I dont really 'get' caviar - it has never appealed even if it wasnt so stupidly expensive.. the rest of that stuff- now that is a different matter, I would quite happily work my way down the page! :thumbup:

Re: Groceries
 

When I was a hotel porter I scored a couple of big trays of goodies after a party on the convention floor, and there was some caviar in there. I took them around to all the staff; front desk, smoke shop, shoe-shine etc, and then back into the switchboard room. I told our dear switchboard operator, Ada Digney, "Take some napkins and take a bunch, there's lots." She took some, then spotted the caviar.... "Oh Boy! Blueberries!" and before I could say anything popped one into her mouth. She spit the works all over her switchboard and shouted "Those blueberries are ROTTEN!"

Re: Groceries
 

:lol:

I saw that there was a kelp caviar on the costco list - If they added a brussel sprout flavouring then I would have a very effective weapon for my enemies -I get that seaweed is healthy and all that but just leave it for the seals and sea otters :cool:

Re: Groceries
 

I figured that you'd jump at the Lobster?

https://www.costco.ca/OceanPrime-–...100232672.html

.

Re: Groceries
 

I have to say it does look nice I would agree-it's just that we had amazing lobster when we went on holiday to Anegada- I have never had a lobster with so much meat on it, they were cooked in old oil drums which had been cleaned out and used as simple ovens on the beach-very simple but incredibly memorable. I'm sure that coastal lobster from around these shores, particularly the Maritimes is probably great as well. I do love of seafood and was particularly impressed by that Costco website
I do see live lobster and crab in Superstore, I'm just too soft to contemplate even humanely killing a live animal. Hypocritical I know!
It sounds as if I live a champagne lifestyle… I don't, I am trying to think what to make with chicken breast tonight which isn't boring-I have a few ideas… An Italian slant I reckon..

Re: Groceries
 

Not such a big fan of north Atlantic lobster but I agree with you that Caribbean lobster is wonderful. When we were kids we used go diving for them in the Florida keys at Christmas and Easter.

Re: Groceries
 

Which one are you?
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/i...v5OqPueHaydepw
https://media3.giphy.com/media/xTeVh...S3uw/200_s.gif

Re: Groceries
 

more like

https://s18.postimg.org/hov1vbr6h/ca...season_jpg.jpg

Re: Groceries
 

More like...

Oink and his mate Kev .. (family in the background..fortunately they allowed topless bathing)

Re: Groceries
 

I did my main monthly grocery shop at Walmart yesterday (after comparing prices with GT, No Frills etc) and while looking (in vain) for Oyster sauce, saw they had a wide variety (surprised me) of Patak & Sharwoods curry sauces & pastes & chutney as well as all the VH stuff & a couple of other (more expensive) brands unfamiliar to me.

Also saw that they had Marmite (which I wasn't looking for at all), in the baking aisle, next to instant yeast...

The cheapo cans of coconut milk were hidden on the very bottom of the shelves below the Taco kits & accoutrements, in another part of the store.

There's a very weird logic to the store layout, which I haven't yet managed to work out!

All in all, a goodish haul: 78$ for ~ a month's supply of food (I'll probably need to top-up on veg, & milk/cheese), plus a couple of non-food items.

Re: Groceries
 

$78 for one month for two people?

Excluding the top-up's that is amazing. Does your grocery bill include any meat, chicken, fish?

So a huge guess on my part that with top-up's that $78 comes in around $100? If that is correct, then you are BE's star award grocery shopper in my books, especially when its down to Walmart with price matching

Re: Groceries
 

For 1 person, plus another 1 (sometimes 2 or 3) who comes for dinner at weekends.

That 78$ included a whole chicken, bacon, a lot of veg & lentils & beans; fruit, yoghurt, butter, cheese & eggs. There were a few other bits and pieces too which aren't monthly purchases, so actual food was ~63$.

I already have some chicken, fish, & Italian sausages in the freezer. I eat very little meat, only buy it when it's on offer, & cook everything from scratch, including bread (which I also eat very little of).

The chicken for example, will stretch to around 8 different meals for me, not counting soup/sauces from the stock I'll make with the carcass.

While I'm always quite careful about my food budget, I wasn't being *particularly* thrifty yesterday. Also, from participation in this thread for quite a while now, I realise that grocery prices here are generally a LOT lower than elsewhere - probably because we have 5 stores (the 3 cheapest in the same parking lot!), & a wholesaler open to the public on the same short stretch of road.

Re: Groceries
 

shirtback @ post #1175, thanks for filling in the details & I still say a BE award goes to you for being an amazing 'thrifty shopper'

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I learnt just about everything I know about thrifty shopping (& cooking) from mother & grandmother :).

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Sobeys had some really nice Pork joints a couple of weeks ago that included great crackling. A ridiculous $1.44 lb. We bought a couple. For $10 they make a great roast for 4 and plenty left for sandwiches, curries whatever.

Last week Superstore had the big Ham joints for $1.29 lb. They're about $10 each, quite a big bone, but they provide plenty for two x4 dinners and sandwiches, salads.

This week, Superstore beat Sobeys price for the same Pork. $1.29 lb. We also got a couple of Inside Rounds @ $2.77 lb that will do nicely in the slow cooker.

When you can buy good meat for daft prices like that, the saving pays for the occasional Beef Tenderloin - also bought when down to around $7 or $8 lb.

Re: Groceries
 

That's epic. I spent $105 last night and that's aimed at 2 weeks food. Quite a bit of frozen stuff though.

I do like Freshco when it shows you're savings at the bottom. Last time I shopped there I was 35% off list price.

Re: Groceries
 

Supermarkets are good social and cultural barometers. So three main reasons I absolutely detest shopping in a supermarket in Canada. Firstly, I hate all the other shoppers, secondly the food is terrible quality and the lack choice is absurd and thirdly they don't sell booze in them. And fourthly the check-out people seem to far too earnest and friendly, its unnerving. :thumbdown:

Re: Groceries
 

You forgot portion size of NA foodstuffs.

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Supermarkets here sell booze. Just saying...

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Self-checkout. Shop later. Minimises the 'other people' factor.

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I remember the feeling of liberation that came with driving into Montreal from the west on Easter Sunday afternoon and buying 6 cold beer at the corner store, cheaper than at the liquor store at home, too. It's hard not to think of that as being enlightened.
Edit: I also remember seeing the Red Army Chorus in Safeway here in the 80's, and they were excited about the bounty of produce ("Look, Boris, bananas!") and they'd probably been in some good stores. I think they got army wages and saved by making sandwiches etc in their hotel rooms. Couple of KGB minders at the door to make sure no shoplifting or truancy.

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Or get HID's mum to do it. ;)

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I would rather shop as if everyday was Christmas Eve :ohmy:

Re: Groceries
 

I believe that I may have gotten a good deal today

At one of my favourite stores in Ajax, was an 'in store special' on the 'Kraft special reserve cheese' 250g block (one year old sharp & creamy) for $1.99 each. I purchased 5 blocks.

Will likely go back tomorrow on the way to FIL to get more

Cracker Barrel Cheese - Special Réserve - Kraft Canada

At Walmart on the mark down produce cart was a bag of 6 large peppers - 3 Red + 3 yellow, total lot $1. No blemishes, damage or soft ones

7 lbs potato $1, all good, no bad or soft ones


.

Re: Groceries
 

That you did. :nod:

That cheese is great (despite what the snobs say about plastic) and it's normally $5.99 I think. I'm very happy to see it $4.49 but every now and then it's something daft like $3.88.

I was practically squealing with excitement when I saw it for that and bought 7 blocks. The last 7 there.

At $1.99 I'd likely faint.

Re: Groceries
 

Bristol @ post#1188

Thanks

sorted, I shall go back tomorrow & get some more

Re: Groceries
 

V
Is a very unplasticky mass cheese offering. Where do I find this 1.99 offering

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Send N2O to get some for you.

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Bats can get her own. When I left the store this morning I counted 36 bars/blocks of that $1.99 cheese still on the shelf at Sals on Harwood Rd in Ajax.

Bats has a PM from me of my top supersaver stores in Pickering & Ajax

There are four/five , all have flyers that can be found on the http://flyers.smartcanucks.ca website

Sals on Harwood Road in Ajax

Ajax market (next to McDonalds) on Bayly, west of Harwood Rd in Ajax

Blue sky on Pickering Parkway in Pickering

No Frills (across the street from the Ajax market on Bayly) where I do all my price matching, as does Blue Sky

Walmart across the street from Blue Sky is where they have a really good produce markdown shelf

.

Re: Groceries
 

:( None of that cheese at my No Frills. I did get a pork loin for $1.77/lb though! :p Makes 3 little roasts.

Re: Groceries
 

went back to the Ajax store to get 5 more blocks of that Kraft special cheese - so now have 10 blocks in the second fridge

The other in store special was 3 x Dr Oetker 450g frozen pizza for $5... bought the $5 special. Each pizza cost $1.66

Bob's bacon $0.99/375g pack, bought 5 of those. There was at least 100 packs in the store freezer. Sorted through to get the leanest

Expensive week for groceries, but spread across several weeks will work out to be a real cost effective spend

Re: Groceries
 

Freeze it, it'll keep for 6 months.

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Thanks for the tip :thumbsup:

Re: Groceries
 

Fantastic. $2.99 is fairly common around these parts but never less than that and mostly just a weekend thing.
Not sure of the make but something along those lines appears occasionally. They are usually very fatty but if you can cope with the wastage and the difficulty in prising the pieces apart they are better value than Maple Leaf's full price.
Fortunately ML's price is often reduced to around the $3 to $3.50 and for the ease of prising apart and guarantee of two-thirds meat I think that's worth it.

.......................

Walmart this week has chicken legs 'back on':lol: for $1.47lb and Boneless Pork Loin for $1.77lb. I bought a $12 log which has been cut into 5 for roasting. That's $2.40 to feed four each time - albeit not large servings. But then it's not supposed to be :nod: and we'll have extra veggies.

Re: Groceries
 

:thumbsup:

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I make 3 out of that, I like cold pork sandwiches.

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I must confess that after I'd cut it into five, I decided to Ziploc two together for that very reason. :nod: