snorkmaiden

We used the Ribena Toothkind - approved by dentists and nothing like Kool-Aid thankfully.

My kids have a genetic problem that effects their teeth in particular. So we have to stay right away from fruit juice - the dentist said it was ok for us to use the Ribena Toothkind every now and then though so I wish we could get it here.

I had assumed the fruit and veg was of a lesser quality because it simply had further to travel to it's destination with the country being much bigger than the UK.

I'd like to check out the farmers markets but I doubt I could make them a regular part of shopping though, because I just don't have the time to add another trip to the list of things to do at the weekend. That was what I loved about Sainsbury's, it had everything I needed all in one place. I usually go to three different stores at the weekend now to get my weekly food shop.

Bob

I don't waste anything now...but as for farmers markets, there only open for a couple of months in the summer, so not really very useful year round...there is a greenstore near by, but that's well expensive, double the cost of the supermarket, so we do go get some bits and pieces there, like rice and flower which is cheaper as it isn't packaged....but it really isn't feasible in maine.

As for meat, there isn't any butchers...only thing we can get cheap is fish by the side of the road.

Bob

thing is, a lot of the fruit and veg in the UK gets shipped over from south africa as well as spain, so it can't be that bad an excuse for it over here...

AmerLisa

I agree, I miss Sainsbury's as well. Their fruit and veg was usually pretty good, especially the potatoes - hate the potatoes here, if you buy them in the supermarkets.

Ribena Toothkind hasn't got sugar, but it does have artificial sweetner....not an easy choice. What about just getting some fruit juice (Hansens is pretty good and has a pretty good variety) and watering it down a lot. I suppose they may not like it initially, but they'd get used to it eventually.

Another thing I've found here, which I really like, is a butcher shop. I was surprised to stumble across one. The meat isn't any more expensive....the taste a bit better than supermarkets.

I'm beginning to think I should own a farm and just raise everything myself.

Bob

pink ladies were great too, which they got from florida, so no idea why there so kack over here...

Ben

I can imagine it is very frustrating when things aren't made available. I have to say we are very lucky where we are. We may be living closer to each other but shops are more accessible. I can totally see where you are coming from just from the differences I saw in NJ. The farmers markets where we lived were only open during the summer months, where as here they are open all year round.

Bob

Yup, pick of the luck I guess, though it is very good in the summer, but then again, I don't blame them not opening in winter, just a spot nippy...and there isn't that much to sell in winter here, so what there is that is locally grown gets sold in the greenstores...Macintosh apples, now those are cheap, but that's about it.

NC Penguin

I'm referring to grocery stores which is pretty much where the majority of Americans and residents shop.

If you've read previous posts from me on the subject of food and food shopping, you'll discover that I shop at my local farmers market and also buy direct from farmers but I think much of the population does not get the same opportunity to buy produce this way. I have also participated in the Slow Food movement by buying a heritage turkey for last Thanksgiving.

Also, my Mum is an avid gardener and grows her own produce in the UK so I can easily distinguish mass produced produce against produce grown by an individual farmer/a co-operative and an individual.





NC Penguin

Shish kebab

I must say I don’t eat any healthier since moving the US. We would eat out a lot at first as it was cheep but then I missed a good home cooked meal and was sick of eating burgers and Mexican as I lived in San Diego. So I started to cook again. There is a lake of ingredients to make a good meal. My other half is not a great fan of UK food he thinks we over rate it and to be honest he eats a load of crap and I have had a hard time trying to convince him that some other things other than burgers are better for you. It has taken me a while but I think I am getting there. He has cut back on his salt.

I have to agree with woodsy the quality of fruit and veg is so bad in CA for being grown a 100 miles down the road. May be they keep the over ripe for us as they have to send they less so ripe further away. I used to work within the food and retail industry and I know a lot of the quality is to do with temperature control. I have noticed a lot of the fridges run too cold and I am not sure they adjust them depending on the cooler weather. So you take it home to your slightly warmer fridge and it starts to wilt. Humidity does have a big factor on food rotting. When they water the salad and greens most of it is for show they don’t need to be watered as it caused it to wilt. How well does your local supermarket rotate the stock? The next time you are in have a good luck underneath and check the quality and that will give you an idea of quality control. In the UK we have better quality as we are more strict with temp control and rotation as there is a lot of completion at home so it has to be good and a lot of the produce is imported from Europe in the winter months to keep the cost down a bit as they can produce more due to there warmer climate. I hope this will help answer some query’s out there.

I think I will invest in a bread maker as I hate the bread here it is so sweet. I am lucky with my daughter she will not drink fruit juice at all so I don’t have the struggle of looking for a sugar free drink. My Doc said it is good that she is not interested and to just keep giving her plenty of water. No rotten teeth too young.
Happy mothers day for tomorrow to all you mums out there

woodsey

I am 33 and can cook very well, problem is things I used to make at home, just don't taste the same, I make a mean italian meatballs with tomato and basil sauce, can't find any passata that isn't loaded with salt, chicken breasts are so full of water they turn to mush, my chicken balti has to be simmered for about 90 minutes just to get rid of the water in the chicken...
As for cheap eating out, my local mexican (which is fabulous, not a Taco Bell type place, uses all fresh ingredients etc) is so cheap its not true, can buy enough food for five people for less than $20, maybe its because of where we live, there are so many restaurants its not true so the competition keeps the prices lower but I know when we go out, I would struggle to buy the same ingredients to cook the same food at home as we pay in the restaurant...

Ben

There is definitely something about eating out being cheaper and connected to where you live. Here on long island it isn't that cheap to eat out for a family of five. For us, it is a treat and I can get fruit and veg at good prices if I stick with produce that is in season.

when we went to Conn. we went out for breakfast. also when we drove down to Florida we stopped in SC for breakfast. As a comparison to these and how much we would pay here on long island for a family of 5 - here we don't get any change from $50 (includes tip) for breakfast, Conn. it was $40 and SC it was under $20 but we gave the waitress the full $20 so she actually got a much bigger tip percentage wise compared to the other two! In Orlando, Florida it was the same price we pay on Long Island.

I can certainly see why some people feel it is a heck of a lot cheaper to eat out than it is to stay in. It has nothing to do with whether you can cook or not, it comes down to basic economics. I know if we lived in SC we would be eating out all the time!!! Thank goodness we don't because my expanding waistline couldn't take anymore

snowbunny

Most produce like that is produced under contract with a given farmer, or is bid for as is the case with the cut flower market. The buyers for American-destined produce may feel that Americans won't pay top dollar for produce so they may well go for second-rate or Grade B product.

It's a hungry world out there and there are plenty of countries who need feeding. Have you ever checked the cost of produce in Japan?
:scared:

Bob

yup, but you seen the size of those apples and peaches?
Not to mention cubed water melon...

snowbunny

Right -- I checked with a friend who's lived in the US for three years (in Iowa) and now lives near London. He's worked at Tescos and is a foodie. He instantly said that Pink Lady apples are grown in Australia and that the only apple grown in England is (his words) genetically modified small and yuck.

Anyway -- he said bollocks to having inferior fruit/veg here. His complaints were: the milk is watered down so he looked for Jersey milk here; the bread is too soft so he looked for crusty bread; and the tea bags are too weak.

I did ask him if he'd tried putting an American teabag into an espresso maker. I wonder what the result would be. The teabag would certainly take the hint

Please note that living in a college town in Iowa is probably going to provide better quality stuff; however he has travelled all over the US and into Canada so.

snowbunny

There's an idea for a restaurant: a Japanese fruit bar. Instead of sushi, the lovely staff will take gorgeous and delicious produce, cut it up into bite-sized pieces, and serve it artistically arranged