Today was a turning point for me - I got the right cut of meat and advice from a great butcher at the Union Square Whole Foods!  I went in for a pork tenderloin, and after asking me what I wanted to do with it (stuff it with apples!) he recommended a center cut pork roast better for serving 6 people. AND, before I could ask, he offered to butterfly it so I can stuff away! AND it was half the price of the tenderloins! I was blown away. Something simple like that makes my grocery shopping such a joy. A little knowledge and customer service does go a long way. I lost my Trader Joe’s receipt, so I’ll just give a gist and what my bank account said I withdrew. The farmer’s markets are great right now - lots of apples, squashes, and a lot less sweating carrying your booty home. Here are the totals for this week:

Trader Joe’s (cheeses, frozen peas, raisins, apple cider, tarragon) = $21.73

Union Square Greenmarket

Potatoes (Yukon and Red Bliss), Parsnips, Carrots - $6.75

Granny Smith Apples - $2.50

Bell Peppers - $5.00

Rosemary, Thyme - $3.00

* 2 Cornish Game Hens bought on sale - $8.50

Grand Total - $84.86/2ppl/10 meals = $4.24/person/meal

Yesterday was a busy day - I almost forgot I had Top Chef Taste of The Boroughs tickets, and then I needed to head down to do my weekly shopping. I’m going to do a separate post about the Top Chef event - lots of chefs, lots of food, lots of schmoozing - well I wasn’t, they were. Anyway, I did discover that Trader Joe’s is much more bearable around 2:15pm, rather than in the morning which is when I usually go. They were still out of a lot of stuff, but I got the bear minimum, plus some fondue - my weakness. I also went to Whole Foods for the first time in a few weeks, they had the crab I needed for the crab cakes, that’s how they got me. I’m also using shrimp I had in the freezer for the dish on Halloween, so I’ll add that amount here also. Here are the totals:

Union Square Greenmarket

2 pie pumpkins - $10

2 butternut squashes, 3lb Yukon Gold potatoes, 3 shallots - $6.00

3 bulbs of garlic, sage - $1.75

Fresh organic sourdough bread - $3.50

Frozen Shrimp - 1.5lb - $11.00

Total: $72.68/2ppl/10meals =

$3.64/person/meal

Super H Mart in Atlanta, complete with local gas-guzzling SUVs

As I mentioned yesterday, I had to make an emergency trip to my parent’s house in North Atlanta. So I left some of my farmer’s market produce and froze the meat I had bought in Brooklyn. So today I ventured out, in a car….. to collect what I’d needed here in ATL and get the other things my parents had on their list. I don’t have receipts to scan or a scanner this week, so you’ll have to take my word for it. My father has been raving about this new Korean market down the road, Super H Mart (pictured above w/SUVs included) where he finds tons of fresh veggies, great seafood, and lots of Korean food he has no idea what to do with. I found a cool cut of meat I’d never seen - shaved, super thin ribeye. I think I’m going to wrap it around my eggplants, see what happens. I also found my palm sugar which I need for my curried soup on Friday. The Whole Foods here is stunning, so well stocked, and people are super friendly. The prepared food guy asked how my Sunday was, and my initial response was, “Excuse me? I didn’t hear you correctly” - I was taken aback by an actual interest in the customers from the employees. I also had my heart set on having duck this week after I bought it in Union Square and had to freeze it, so I bought a whole duck for only $2.99/lb! And the butcher offered to cut it into pieces for me! I was practically floating through the store. I had to get a couple expensive dairy items, but my parents also have a very well stocked pantry and kitchen so I think things even out. So here’s my rough/combo total for this week’s groceries:

Union Square Greenmarket:

2 Red Bell Peppers, 3 eggplants - $6.30

Green Beans - $2.00

Broccoli Rabe, 2 bunches kale - $5.00

Bread - $4.75

2 Acorn, 1 butternut squash - $5.50

Shallots - $2.50

NY State Apples - $3.00

Super H Mart, Atlanta, Ga

King Oyster Mushrooms - $3.99

Shaved Beef Ribeye - $5.09

Palm Sugar - $1.49

Whole Foods, Atlanta, Ga (not Union Square where I have most of my disappointing grocery experiences)

Bananas - $.57

Turkish Figs - $4.69

Creme Fraiche - $3.89

Fontina - $8.28

Whole Duck - $14.86

Grand Total: $71.91/2ppl/10 meals = $3.60/person/meal - Unfortunately Johnathan won’t be enjoying my food until Thursday or Friday, and has to fend for himself back home, but my mom is helping me eat the other meals this week. Part of being prepared for us is being able to get Johnathan frozen Fresh Direct meals if I’m out of town….an expense we have to factor in occasionally, luckily my food is WAY better than theirs.

Pork Ribs - what I was charged for vs. Chuck Roast - what I actually bought

I had to cool down a bit before writing this post. And partly because this ever present problem with Whole Foods (in Union Square) is partly my fault. I have one meat dish this week for our friend from over seas who requested a real American roast (pot that is). I knew this was going to put a dent in my budget, but I also wanted to rise to the challenge. At my last stop, Whole Foods (WF) I only needed a couple small things, and one big roast. I had a short conversation with the butcher, and they did not have a French trimmed rib roast (I’ve never been able to find anything special or specific at the meat or fish counter - although they now carry Ostrich eggs for $39.99) he recommended the chuck roast and said 4lbs was enough for 4 people. He wrapped it up, and I went on my merry way. Not until I was unpacking and rearranging the fridge did I notice that he charged me for PORK SPARE RIBS!!! They were $6.99/lb as opposed to the chuck which was $4.99/lb. After a conversation about the meat, he did not even charge me for the right animal! I was livid, especially after my encounter with the fish monger. I do have grace for human mistakes - but there seems to be a pattern at this store. I should have checked before I left - but I used to have a higher standard for WF. I also had to tell the check out chick which mushrooms were which and that I had scallions not leeks. Good help must be hard to find - if you’re a butcher or fishmonger, apply to manage the Union Square Whole Foods counter, and save the good name of your profession.

That aside, Trader Joe’s was well stocked, and I bought all my cheese and milk products there, as well as some yummy sourdough. I don’t expect a huge selection from them, but what I do get is usually a great price. Although, this week, WF had cheaper low sodium chicken broth - their 365 brand. The farmers market was unusually busy with chefs and sous chefs for a Monday. Large orders were being carted around and really large totals were being called out. I found all my herbs and the squashes are beginning to appear. I love when the farmers start lining their tents with pumpkins, gourds, and funny shaped squashes. I think I chose some pricey dishes this week, but because of my wonderful husband, I’m getting back money from WF for their mess up. Here are the totals:

The Chuck Roast that was charged as ribs was supposed to be $17.71, not $24.67. So the WF total is actually $38.11.

The totals for the farmers market are:

4 Leeks - $3.00

2 LG Heirloom Tomatoes - $2.50

3lb Beets - $3.00

3lb Butternut Squash - $2.40

Thyme, Parsley, Rosemary, Sage - $4.50

Grand Total $113.16 / 2ppl/10meals a week= $5.65/person/meal!!!

The Who Farm Bus

Today’s shopping trip was a bit less dramatic than last week, but something did make me realize I’d become immune to the oddities of NYC living. As I was walking with my 15lb bag from Trader Joe’s to the Farmer’s Market, I spotted a man, reading a book on the steps of Union Square - then I looked closer - he had a large desert-type lizard on his shoulder, also enjoying the warm summer air. I giggled, and kept moving. Then I thought, you can’t make this stuff up when you live in urban environments. No where else, except in a large city do you find a normal lookin’ guy sunning himself with his lizard, literally. After making a pass through the Green Market, I saw this double bus promoting an organic farming project. After looking at their site, they apparently bought this weird bus from Jerry of Ben & Jerry’s (now, it makes sense, right?). They will be traveling cross country - it’s quite a sight to see - if you’re on their list of stops, check it out.

I had great luck at the Farmer’s Market, as well as Trader Joe’s. The tomatoes were perfect, and the corn was still really sweet. I also found another baker that charges $1 less for an artisnal loaf of bread. I bought my prosciutto and salmon from TJ’s as well as the dairy. The price difference between those sorts of items there and at Whole Foods is pretty large. The only “fresh” things I purchased at WF was the Taleggio cheese, which I’ve never tried - so why not now? I also noticed that both stores had some pretty bare shelves I assume from the weekend. I also splurged on an authentic New Mexican Red Chili sauce at WF, which I think will be well worth it. But overall, I was very happy and excited with my purchases today. Here’s the break down.

Green Market Totals:

4 Ears of Jersey Corn, 6 Ripe Tomatoes, Green Onions, Cilantro, Parsley, Basil, Jalapenos, White Nectarines: $12

Fresh Artisnal Bread: $3.75

Grand Total: $94.11/week/2people/10 meals (plus whatever else I can come up with)

Total of $4.70/person/meal!!

Miller Farm in Clinton, MD

Many large retail stores use secret shoppers to review their stores, staff, and customer service. The store I used to work at used this service - they make sure the staff are doing their jobs well, and you can be reviewed at any point, without knowing it until the results come back to your boss. I think it’s time for Whole Foods Union Square to use this service. Over the past few weeks, every time I go into this location I’m less and less impressed. Now it’s hit a new low. Sure, it was great to be able to wander the aisles and not have to compete for the salad tongs. But first, the fishmonger could not get my order right. NIce man, no English. It took me 4 tries to get half a pound of Tilapia when I had asked for 1 pound, and had received 3 other tries before I even got that close to my order. I also asked for half a pound of the cleaned squid - I was handed a pound package of shrimp in shell. I gave up and walked away after 15 minutes with less fish than I needed. I was also not impressed with the mussels that have been on special, which basically inspired my seafood craving. We’ll see how many are usable. At checkout, the cashier and her friend, who I assume worked there, although by the conversation they were having I wasn’t sure. The friend then loudly commented that my fish choices were going to make her vomit, and left. THEN, the remaining cashier takes my arugala bag and asked ME if it was the same prices as the spinach - am I supposed to know the price of all their produce? But, to my benefit she ended up charging me less, as did the cashier the other night who charged me for garlic when I bought mushrooms, which saved ME money. So, the results this week are only slightly skewed. After consistently shopping this store for several weeks, I’ve sadly come to realize this store, not necessarily Whole Foods in general, does not value my hard earned money. Down the street at Trader Joe’s people were helpful, and the cashier chatted, as they usually do, and packed my purchase in the bag I had brought-what service! They have been a company I’ve shopped around the country and have consistent staffs, food, and customer service. BRAVO! Other notes from this shopping trip: I bought frozen shrimp from Trader Joe’s since I’m doing 2 meals this week with shrimp and needed quite a bit. All the other fish I bought was fresh. I also bought an artisnal loaf of bread from TJ’s rather than my usual Green Market bread to save money for the fish as well. I also bought a cheaper cut of beef from TJ’s for the steak tacos since they’re going be wrapped up with a bunch of other goodness anyway. Lastly, I caved and bought the 2 for $6 strawberries at Whole Foods - there’s going to be a great dessert this week! Johnathan and I also stopped at the Miller Family Market while on a day trip to the DC area. Great seasonal produce, grown right where the store sits, and lots of busy shoppers and great peach pie! Here are the receipts and totals for this week - let’s see how we go!

Union Square Green Market

Big bunches of Basil, Parsley, and Cilantro - $5

Red Leaf Lettuce - $2

Miller Family Market

Onions - $2

Zucchini - $.62

Ripe Tomatoes -$2

Potatoes - $3.06

Total Groceries for 2ppl: $101.25

10 meals - $5.06/person/meal

That’s less than last week!

This is really difficult - posting my grocery receipts - it’s very… well…exposing. I have not looked this closely at my grocery bills or prices of what I’m buying since I was a student (all of 2 years ago). This is a great excercise! It requires more time standing in front of the meat case, choosing the cheapest per pound of chicken that is still antibiotic free while getting colder by the minute and fielding glares and bumps from other busy shoppers around me. It was also hard not to get sucked into the Kettle Chips or Honest Tea sale at Whole Foods; I did however buy the organic grapes that went down to $1.99/lb which I’m currently enjoying for a healthy snack. So, I’m going to share a couple observations, starting first with Whole Foods. After reading the NYTimes article about them cutting prices, I went in with a higher expectation of lower prices and much more scrutiny. My trip to the Union Square store was not as their banner outside stated “Shop Like You Deserve It!”. Weren’t they trying to get past the Whole Paycheck nickname? Sure I deserve good food, but at what cost? Anyway, I rummaged and stood idly often, trying to collect my thoughts and only buy what I had on my list - you have to admit that they display everything so nice - you always think you need some exotic mushrooms and some weird fish you have no idea what to do with. I went back to the egg case twice, and realized I could get the 1/2 dozen free range eggs $.20 cheaper if I bought this other brand. The Whole Foods brand I must say is substantially cheaper in general. The coffee was $2.00 cheaper per pound than what I was ordering from Fresh Direct. Unfortunately/Fortunately I came to the infamous, aromatic cheese case. I love parm - I think that’s why Jamie Oliver and I are secretly best friends, but $16.99/lb - yikes! I decided to check out Trader Joe’s the next day and see what they had.

Today, I wandered the Union Square Green Market. I still had my list, and I was stickin’ to it! As you can see, I hand wrote the market receipt. If you go to a farmers market, especially if you’re just starting, like yours truly, take a whole tour first, look at what’s in season - which will be most of whats out- and LOOK AT PRICES! I thought everyone was selling the Jersey Corn for 2/$1.00 - alas I was taken! I found someone else who had 3/$1.00. Herbs are also something that vary by as much as $1.00 between sellers. Something I’ve started buying is a fresh artisnal, organic, sliced bread that costs $4.75. However while looking at other local organic breads sold at Whole Foods, I had sticker shock - $5.69! So, this Green Market bread is something we never waste, makes amazing sandwiches and toast, and supports a great local bakery - Bread Alone.

Next, I ventured into the always tumultuous Trader Joe’s. Even at 11am on a Monday the tell tale guy with a sign marking the end of the line was posted around the store. I pressed on, and beelined to where I knew my last items lived. Their Parm was $12.99/lb - so much better in the grand scheme of Parm. I also succumbed to the freezer case and picked up some lemon sorbet for $1.99 - a great treat after long summer days. Something that I had to also get this week, which always puts a kink in my budget is olive oil. Trader Joe’s is definitely the better choice, although with much fewer selections than Whole Foods. So there went $7.99 for oil, which I hopefully won’t have to buy again for a while.

This is week 1 of shopping - the more stuff you can get at the Farmer’s Market that’s in season the better. However I do hope to get my costs down each week, and figure out this balance of food, fun, and health.

Union Square Green Market

1 bunch of Scallions - $2.00

8 ears Jersey corn -$4.00

5lb ripe tomatoes - $7.00

1 head of lettuce - $1.50

Organic bread - $4.75

Grand Total: $106.86/2ppl

10 meals/week

= 5.35/person/meal!!

Cutting your food budget and eating better may sound like oxymorons. When you can, read this NY Times article about Whole Foods cutting prices, and staying competitive in the grocery market - supposedly. I do concede and admit that the Whole Paycheck nickname could prove to be true. However, if you’re choosy and only buy what you need, it could work for you! Yes, ShopRite, Publix, Kroger Safeway, etc. will have lower prices ON SOME ITEMS - for me, the farmers market, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s are in a 2 block radius where I can save my time by shopping these stores. Last time I was down south, Publix was a great competitor and has beefed up its store brand - although my parents that live in Atlanta, still frequent Whole Foods if they’re looking for the best of something.

Another obstacle to shopping the Costco’s and Wal Marts for groceries for young urbanites is the space and transportation issue. Most apartments in NYC dont have a pantry to fill with pounds of rice, beans, canned goods, and 24 rolls of paper towels. What would happen to our food bills if we only bought what we needed, and our fridges didnt smell of rotting veggies we bought in bulk? Another excercise I challenge everyone to do is try to go a week without throwing out food that’s gone bad i.e. eat it before it goes off- you could come up with some pretty special recipes being creative with what you have rather than making a supplemental trip to the grocery store for new produce, etc.