tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post1905398038990218863..comments2023-05-08T09:59:56.004-04:00Comments on Pleasing My Palate: Whole Foods vs Urban Organic — Big Weekend Show-down!Michael Hankohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-54061805700204676632011-01-21T07:54:19.038-05:002011-01-21T07:54:19.038-05:00Thanks, Atomic. I don't know what we'd do...Thanks, Atomic. I don't know what we'd do if we had a big family like yours to feed.....organic would become more of a luxury, I suppose. We're lucky — 2 skinny guys and 2 6-pound dogs don't consume such a huge amount!Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-24402656297029650132011-01-21T06:37:15.607-05:002011-01-21T06:37:15.607-05:00I find it hard to buy fresh orgaic and when I do f...I find it hard to buy fresh orgaic and when I do find it it's often waaaaay out of our budget. I hope to grow our own this year.<br /><br />Good luck with your shopping.Atomic Mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00550539152627115160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-69243150465738004242011-01-19T08:02:08.076-05:002011-01-19T08:02:08.076-05:00Whole Foods a block away! See what I mean, you luc...Whole Foods a block away! See what I mean, you lucky city boy? Good job on your WF run and on getting rid of UO. I'll bet that feels good (or will, if the cancellation goes smoothly ;-)<br /><br />I can't wait for spring to come and kick away these winter blues. In just a couple of months, our asparagus will be coming up, and from there it will be a glorious spring and summer of fresh veggie goodness!Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06259643525929127826noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-66784918074883841572011-01-19T02:30:44.617-05:002011-01-19T02:30:44.617-05:00Michael,
Love that you can go into WF with a budg...Michael,<br /><br />Love that you can go into WF with a budget like that. WOW!!! I have often thought of getting a delivery service myself but LOVE to go into grocery stores! My problem is usually spending more because I see things I just absolutely can't live without. <br />I also don't eat alot of things out of season. I mean come on, strawberries and watermelon in January? I can wait until it's actually strawberry season for the best strawberries around.<br />Love the blog by the way.Tonihttp://yahoo.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-49922483820464551952011-01-18T21:08:04.641-05:002011-01-18T21:08:04.641-05:00@Debbie: Thanks for the inside scoop on red peppe...@Debbie: Thanks for the inside scoop on red peppers. I thought it might have something to do with the ripeness, but that can't be the WHOLE story.<br /><br />I think I will definitely be treating myself to blueberries soon with my baked bananas. . .how else am I going to get through another week with a high temperature in the low 20s? I'll either spring for the tiny box at Whole Foods or raid pikojiko's freezer.......Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-65400980679556857522011-01-18T21:04:19.381-05:002011-01-18T21:04:19.381-05:00That IS a ridiculous price for broccoli. Didn'...That IS a ridiculous price for broccoli. Didn't broccoli used to be a mundane, everyday vegetable? Now, apparently, it's become an exotic delicacy.<br /><br />@Marjie: do tell us more about the restaurant supply house. Are you in the restaurant business, or can anyone shop there?<br /><br />@pikojiko: I can't even imagine how luxurious it would feel to have 30+ pints of hand-picked blueberries in my freezer! Your freezer must be the size of our living room.Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-3010865426116496332011-01-18T17:51:06.269-05:002011-01-18T17:51:06.269-05:00I'm glad that your experiment was a success! I...I'm glad that your experiment was a success! I also can't bring myself to buy expensive fruit and veggies - at the moment I've been wanting broccoli really badly, but it is sitting at around $8-$10 kg! Crazy!Kiraphhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14665422207130651690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-73637442080459127292011-01-18T17:00:52.924-05:002011-01-18T17:00:52.924-05:00There is no Whole Foods here, and the prices of or...There is no Whole Foods here, and the prices of organic produce from my farmer or from the grocery store are just stupid! I can get some fresh produce from my restaurant supply house, which helps, and I eat a lot of frozen veggies in the winter, because I have trouble walking much distance. Whine, whine, whine. Anyway, I'm glad that you have saved money with your Whole Foods experiment; that always feels good!Marjiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14950085029835332900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-89959634431073450082011-01-18T14:17:35.880-05:002011-01-18T14:17:35.880-05:00I guess I balk at that price(again-crap!-$4.95) be...I guess I balk at that price(again-crap!-$4.95) because I am used to the farm stands or U-pick farms. When it's in season and I can't/won't grow it myself, I'll buy a lot and freeze it. I still have 30 or more pints of frozen blueberries in the freezer that I didn't pay more than $35 for-and we've probably eaten about 1/3 of what was originally picked. Living in NYC has some great advantages- I'd love to see a live opera- but you certainly pay for it in other ways!pikojikohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07315470247956655024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-10428833264589389492011-01-18T09:15:46.653-05:002011-01-18T09:15:46.653-05:00Red bell peppers cost more than green mostly becau...Red bell peppers cost more than green mostly because the market will bear it. They are all the same exact plant, but green is the least ripe which means they can be picked earlier and last longest on the shelves, and thus be priced lower. But the huge difference in price in grocery stores of any kind is just crazy. <br /><br />Here our growing season is pretty much year-round so we always have fresh local veggies at the farmstands, which are everywhere along the roadsides. The one I go to most often sells bell peppers in groups of 5-6 for about $3.50. Green or red. Constrast that to the "cheap" grocery store which sells the green peppers for 79¢ to $1.29 each, depending on time of year and I guess where they trucked them in from. I don't even know what the red peppers sell for because I never buy them in a store.<br /><br />I'm so glad your UO v. WF scientific kitchen experiment turned out well. Factor in a bonus dollar amount for the stress saved and treat yourself to some expensive produce once in a while too. Blueberries in the middle of NYC winter will be worth it.Debbie Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03601675304884019607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-14314113802820514342011-01-18T07:47:35.965-05:002011-01-18T07:47:35.965-05:00Hi Liara. I'll bet the sliced carrots were a d...Hi Liara. I'll bet the sliced carrots were a delightful variation. Go ahead and make the sausage thing — even if you have to (get to?) eat it all yourself!<br /><br />You know, I've never put blueberries in with my baked bananas, but that sounds yummy. I guess when the berries are in season, it's hot out, and I'm not baking my fruit. But I think I'll have to make an exception to try this out. Especially if they're on sale.<br /><br />By the way, everyone, that was $4.99 for a SMALL container, not the standard pint-sized containers, but the little flat ones. I think it contained about 20 berries.Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-85902033484902584022011-01-18T07:39:47.523-05:002011-01-18T07:39:47.523-05:00$4.99 is about what our blueberries are here as we...$4.99 is about what our blueberries are here as well, unless the grocery store is having a sale. Then you might get them for $2.99. I do love them in your baked banana dish. It really is delicious. And I tried your pasta bake too, but some how misread the directions and used sliced carrots. I was so excited though, because it was an easy way to sneak some vegetables into the mouths of very picky eaters (and I'm not just talking about the kids here!). I'm dying to try the sausage/saurkraut dish, but I'm afraid I might end up having to eat the whole thing by myself.Liarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00521992049156412091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-27592988001117148672011-01-18T06:28:47.832-05:002011-01-18T06:28:47.832-05:00The price of the berries I can understand. After ...The price of the berries I can understand. After all, they're completely out of season in January in NY. I normally buy berries only when the local ones come out in early summer. They're even more of a treat that way, because I've been waiting months for their arrival.<br /><br />But I have never been able to understand why red peppers (and yellow and orange) cost 3 times what the green ones do. Anyone out there have an explanation?Michael Hankohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00578621509967600184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2516910192396621134.post-88653431336448047572011-01-18T06:11:34.267-05:002011-01-18T06:11:34.267-05:00I'm jealous that you have something like Whole...I'm jealous that you have something like Whole Foods so close to you. Once the growing season is over here, my garden and all the local produce places close up for the winter. Of course, I can get fresh at the grocery(20 minute drive) but it's not the same. Holy Crap, though! $4.99 for blueberries!?! Gold plated? Special magical blueberries? $5.95 for bell peppers?!?pikojikohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07315470247956655024noreply@blogger.com