Grocery Inflation Part 2: Whole Foods

 Whole Foods has been the worst for grocery inflation because they don't update the prices on their shelves. They just charge you more. First I got charged $1.99 for my $1.79 tofu. This week, I went back to get 3 liters of olive oil before the quarter ended and my credit card quit giving me 5% on groceries. My $19.99 olive oil rang up as $21.99.

I had happened to take a picture of the shelf of the olive oil so I had the price. So I decided to complain. First I was going to complain to NYC to get them arrested, but there was a line on the form that said "did you try resolving this with the company first?" So I emailed Whole Foods.

Whole Foods ended up refunding me the entire $21.99. Which was a lot more than I would have expected ($2 would have been fair!) but they didn't say "and we will tell the manager to make the prices on the shelves right" so I still don't want to risk shopping there any time soon. But because I have so much olive oil, their plants aren't as good as they were in mid-March, and I got a rosemary at Trader Joe's, and their tofu isn't cheaper anymore, I don't think I need to shop there.

Grocery Inflation!

 Over the years, I have occasionally taken pictures of my receipts and they pop up in my Timehop and I see that most of my prices I used to pay are still similar. Which is surprising. But I have noticed that some things really are more expensive lately. Oil, eggs, and mayonnaise (which is made of oil and eggs) are way up. Meat is generally way up.

And I just saw this peanut butter sale in Bravo's ad next week!

Peanut butter used to be frequently on sale for $2 or $2.49 for a 15-16 oz jar. And now it's 12 oz for that price. The other way inflation gets you. Bags of frozen vegetables are 14 oz instead of 16 at C-Town and Bravo now too.

Here is next week's C-Town ad:

I bought a jar of peanut butter at Trader Joe's recently and remembered why I never liked or buy that. I started adding a spoon to instant ramen and that's really good, but you can't use it in its normal way.

The plan for the Key Foods site

 Housing! From New York Yimby:

The proposed 75-foot-tall development will yield 93,259 square feet, with 92,098 square feet designated for residential space and 1,160 square feet for commercial space. The building will have 134 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 687 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar, a 35-foot-long rear yard, and 67 enclosed parking spaces on the first floor. There will also be 15 bicycle parking spaces on the first floor and 52 bicycle parking spaces in the cellar.

 With only 1,160 square feet for commercial space, that isn't going to be a Key Food again.

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.

Trader Joe's in Williamsburg is opening December 10!

 I guess I will buy capers and nuts and buttermilk and gorgonzola more often.

Trader Joe's Williamsburg outpost will officially open Friday, Dec. 10, the store announced Thursday. https://t.co/TfEsO0UJhZ

— Brooklyn Paper (@brooklynpaper) December 3, 2021

Key Food's Clearance Sale

 Last night I went and it was packed and way more cleared out than I expected. I got 2 jars of peanut butter and 3 bags of dried cannellini beans (all the rest).

Today I needed to break a $20 to do laundry, so I went back. I didn't end up breaking the $20 there, but I did get gorgonzola, 2 cans of tomato juice, a jar of hot horseradish, a tube of anchovy paste (which I've never bought before), a bag of Starbucks coffee beans (which I've never bought before, but people have given me both a French press and a coffee grinder within about the last 6 weeks, so I am going to try something new). I also got sun-dried tomatoes, which I'm not sure if I even like much or if they were a good price. I ended spending $25 after they took the 30% off. Oh, I got dark soy sauce too. I've wanted dark soy sauce for a while, though I don't know why.

Maybe tomorrow they will have different sales (since it's Friday) or they'll increase from 30%. Nobody is buying their oil or pasta at all.

Key Food is closing!

 I saw a story on Instagram about it. The whole store is 30% off now.

I haven't been there since this sign went up. A few years ago, there was a plan to build housing there (and on its big parking lot). That plan didn't involve shutting down the store at all, so I don't know if that is still a plan.

Bill found me that link. He also found this scene from the movie Going In Style shot in Key Food.

I've been shopping more than I've been eating

 I went to Pennsylvania for over a week, which disrupted my habits. I only spent about 20 minutes in a Giant Eagle during that whole trip, so there isn't much to say about it. I did come back with a lot of frozen banana peppers my brother grew and some Tabascos my mother grew.

When I got back, I noticed Bravo renovated its entrance. I haven't bought anything there yet.

I got flour and onions at Brooklyn Harvest Market. Mushrooms and sweet potatoes at Key Food. I did eat the mushrooms (with a lot of polenta and some asparagus I found on sale at Mr. Piña.)

On Monday, I got my Covid booster then walked to Western Beef where I got a 2 pound jar of giardiniera and a 5 lb bag of carrots. I refrained from buying another 6 lb can of tomatoes.

Tuesday (yesterday), I went to Food Bazaar and got a pound of frozen squid ($5), 4 cans of coconut milk ($3), a frozen spinach and frozen peppers & onions (each $2.5 for 2 lbs).

Last night I cooked some of the peppers and onions and made bulgur wheat I've had for a while. I didn't realize how long I have had it but the bag said to use by 2018. Well, I used it.

Coming up, I need to eat a lot of pasta and my various rices and some cheese. Plus those carrots.

I don't have anyone to cook for anymore so I don't know what to make.

Whole Foods Update

 I previously wrote a guide to shopping at Whole Foods because it's cheap for some things. Later, I bought a big basil plant. Here is an updated guide.

I went to Whole Foods today because Chase Freedom's 5% back on groceries quarter ends next week and I wanted to buy 3 liters of olive oil. I got both extra firm and silken tofu because it's $1.79 for organic (they don't have non-organic). Tofu is at minimum $2.50 everywhere else. I got frozen spinach for $1.79 because it's usually $2 elsewhere. Food Bazaar was supposed to have 2 lbs for $2.50 this week but they were out of everything. I also got arborio rice for $3. I don't know if that is a good price.

The other stuff is from Mr. Piña, which I should write about more often. The pineapple was $1.49, the zucchini was $0.50, the peppers were 2/$1 and the bag of lemons, which contains 3, was $1.

Where's the tea?

 I'm out of tea bags. I make a pitcher of iced tea every night before I go to sleep and go through 4-6 bags a day. Dollar Tree tea isn't good enough, but store brands are good enough and name brands are good enough. Since I am specifically looking for that, I might as well write about what else is on sale everywhere this week.

Bravo: Canned clams are $1.99. I like when they are $1.69 though. Heinz bbq sauce is $2 but they don't carry the kind I want (Carolina). A blue cheese wheel is $6/lb, but I needed that last week and I still have gorgonzola after overpaying for it. No tea.

Brooklyn Harvest Market: What is wide meat?

Herbal teas are on sale ($3 for 20 bags) but I bought that for $2.50 earlier this week.

C-Town: This is the same stuff as Bravo.

Food Bazaar: Beans are $1/lb but I have been stocking up too much already. A dozen large eggs are $1.

Green Corner: Lemons are 7/$2. I could make limoncello but my roommate started drinking my spirytus and I think he's probably now dead. Lipton tea is on sale for $4 for 100 but that doesn't seem good enough.

Key Food: A cauliflower is $2. Mushrooms are 3/$5 for 8 oz. Heinz bbq sauce is also on sale here but they don't have Carolina either. Pepsi is 3/$4 for 2 liter bottles. I may just get some Super Pepsi for my caffeine to get me through the weekend. McCain frozen french fries are 2/$5 and I kinda want them. This ad says buttermilk is $1.69 but I don't believe it. A 15 pack of Natty Light is $10. Tetley tea is $3.49.. maybe I can do that.

Oh.

Ozzie's: Luigi Vitelli pasta is 88¢. Cauliflower is $2 here too. This circular seems too short. It probably has a lot of the same stuff as Key Food.

Western Beef: Everything is cheaper somewhere else.

So I guess I will go to Key Food (or Ozzie's?) for Tetley tea.

UPDATE: I went to Ozzie's for tea and Natty Ice. I almost got Bromley's for $3.29 but I decided to spend 20¢ more to see if Tetley's is great.

Strange Bacon in Prospect Lefferts Gardens

 I was visiting Lewis on Saturday and I wanted to go to the Associated on Flatbush because I always like it there. He doesn't and he prefers Lincoln Market, but we went.

The only interesting thing I found was a pack of the Whole Foods store brand (365) bacon for $1.67. That is very cheap. And it is also not Whole Foods.

We both got a pack. I also got onions and rice. He got stuff for nachos, but not cheese or sour cream, so I ended up having to go to Lincoln Market myself later. That place is expensive.

This price of mussels is a disgrace! My blog is a scam.

 I just tweeted about potato salad, which led to linking to my blog, so I came here. And what do I see?

That is a scam! 2 pounds of mussels should be about $3.

Here's the tweet:

I made one of the top 3 best potato salads I've made in my life this weekend. I covered the potatoes with tapenade, some chopped up hot cherry peppers, and more capers (besides what was in the tapenade). Pungent potato salad!

— Mike Cherepko (@mikecherepko) July 19, 2021