My Last Key Food Visits and My First Trader Joe's (Williamsburg) Trip

 Yesterday I went to the new Trader Joe's. I went on an empty stomach, so I was surprised I barely bought anything. Partly because I'm going to Pittsburgh soon so I didn't want to stock up, but I also just didn't think anything was a good deal anymore. Whole Foods has better frozen vegetables for the most part. I ended up getting frozen Brussels sprouts, a bag of walnuts, hot honey sauce (it has vinegar in it too, and was under $3), and dried thyme.

Then I went to Key Food. Most aisles were blocked off. There were some cans of soup. There were still a bunch of frozen turkeys. Everything was 50% off, but there was nothing left I wanted. I guess I am done forever.

I did go to Key Food last weekend for some 50% off things, but I got ripped off. Some of the pastas were $2, and I'd ordinarily spend $1, so that was fine but not a bargain. I saw a can of coconut milk for $2, and figured $1 is fine. But when I wasn't looking, it rang up as $6! So I got a $3 can of coconut milk which is outrageous.

Guide to Shopping at Whole Foods

Last month a dimwitted anti-housing activist popped up in my mentions on Twitter to imply that I'm rich and talked about Whole Foods.

So I decided to write about how to shop at Whole Foods to get the good deals, which it has. On about 4 things.

Olive Oil

You can buy a 3 liter can of the store brand olive oil for $19.99. That's less than $7 a liter, and it's a better quality than Filippo Berio or those other brands (except Colavita). Trader Joe's has a fine store brand too, but this is cheaper. It also lasts a long time, which is ideal since there's not a good reason to go to Whole Foods all that often.

Fresh Herbs

No, not fresh like other stores sell fresh, which are always too expensive. Buy a whole dang plant for $2. That's cheaper than the little plastic containers of fresh herbs. It's cheaper than a jar of dried herbs. Use what you want and try your luck planting the rest.

I bought this parsley last fall. I should use it more often. It is still alive.

The basil is from this week. I hope it starts to thrive. The rosemary is hanging on from last fall. Thyme has 2 green shoots but it otherwise not doing great.

Anyway, fresh herb plants.

Frozen Vegetables

Frozen peas are $1.79/lb and Brussels sprouts were about $1.50. That's cheaper than Krasdale/Urban Meadow frozen vegetables. And look how small they are.

Canned Tomatoes

You can get the store brand canned tomatoes for $1.39 for 28 oz. You can occasionally find canned tomatoes at other places for less than that, but they're quite often over $2 and Whole Foods has them consistently at this price. Also, they are good. Luigi Vitelli isn't good.

Trader Joe's on the Lower East Side

I went there tonight. I wanted to get 3 things: a jar of capers, a bag of peanuts, and gorgonzola. I got 10 things. I also got 2 bags of orzo for $0.99/each, a box of water crackers, a bag of frozen brussels sprouts, a quart of buttermilk, a 2 lb bag of sweet potatoes, and a can of cannellini beans. I spent $17.42.

It was my first time at this store. It's pretty new. It's in the basement of a new building, so I didn't have cell phone service. I dislike that, but New York's zoning code forces retail into basements. The store was vast! Too vast! I had to walk all over the place. There's an almost empty corridor from the frozen section to the regular groceries. Once I made it to the nut area, I would definitely not walk back for something I might have forgotten early.

It was pretty empty and the line was short at 9:15, and it's right over the Williamsburg Bridge, so I'll go back. I just thought it was too big.

Times I went to Key Food this week, put items in my basket, put them all back, and left with nothing

First time: I put Kerrygold butter in my basket because it was $3 for 8 oz, which is a good price. I had 2 or 4, but I wanted to check the Tuttorosso canned tomatoes that were $0.88 for 28 oz. Some guy was stocking the shelves there, so I gave up and put my butter back and left.

Second time: I put brussels sprouts ($1.99/lb) and Vintage diet tonic water ($0.67) in my basket. I found the tomatoes, and had to move a heavy stack of them to see the price. But they only had crushed and puree and I don't want those. Then I went to check the butter, but there was no sign that it was still on sale. Technically it should be, but I didn't want to deal with accidentally paying an extra $3/lb so I put everything back and left.

I'm rich now. I didn't spend so much money this week.