Pet Peeves: Aka Things That Make You Go "Gah!"

[supposebly]

27 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

I'm going to eat something with 20+ grams of sugar it's not going to be something pretending to be healthy.

Most of what's sold as yogurt is pretty terrible. Often, it barely deserves the name.

That's why I make my own. There are tons of yogurt makers that help so you don't have to watch it during the heating and cooling process. All you need is milk and a starter. After that, a bit of yogurt and milk. High quality yogurt for the price of milk.

[theredhead77]

2 hours ago, PRgal said:

What about plain?  That's my go-to and I typically eat it with berries or other fruit.  

2 hours ago, supposebly said:

Most of what's sold as yogurt is pretty terrible. Often, it barely deserves the name.

That's why I make my own. There are tons of yogurt makers that help so you don't have to watch it during the heating and cooling process. All you need is milk and a starter. After that, a bit of yogurt and milk. High quality yogurt for the price of milk.

I'm not a super fan of the texture. My Instant Pot makes yogurt but it's not a priority for me. I'll buy plain to add to a smoothie on occasion but I'd rather eat something else. Unless it's frozen yogurt which is basically ice cream with DIY toppings.

[Cloud9Shopper]

I have never gotten the hype of Greek yogurt. The texture just always makes me cringe and feel like I don’t want to eat. I didn’t mind the Chobani flips, but I’m trying to fix up my diet anyway and yogurt doesn’t really fit the bill. (I wanted to try keto but don’t know if I’ll go all in on it because it’s an expensive way to eat and some of the ingredients for keto meals aren’t really available where I live. Our only “specialty” store is Wegmans.) 

[Yeah No]

10 hours ago, supposebly said:

I recommend making yogurt. It's quite easy

I don't think it's for me.  Do you sweeten it with anything?  I've been wanting to try buying large plain yogurt and flavoring it myself with real fruit, but more than just the fruit itself.  I've tried flavoring it before with sugar free syrups and fruit and somehow it just doesn't do it for me.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I have never gotten the hype of Greek yogurt. The texture just always makes me cringe and feel like I don’t want to eat. I didn’t mind the Chobani flips, but I’m trying to fix up my diet anyway and yogurt doesn’t really fit the bill. (I wanted to try keto but don’t know if I’ll go all in on it because it’s an expensive way to eat and some of the ingredients for keto meals aren’t really available where I live. Our only “specialty” store is Wegmans.) 

I'm with you.  It's like something that came out of a caulking gun.  I prefer the old fashioned 1970s Dannon which no one but me and a few other crazy old people seem to remember anymore.  It was thick and could even have a few lumps in it that came out when you stirred it up  The closest thing I've found to it was at a Middle Eastern gourmet shop a few years ago but sadly they recently closed.  

Back in the day Columbo was also good but that went away a long time ago now.  And Stonyfield used to be better.

Pet peeve:  That everyone on this board seems to have a Wegman's near them except me. 

[Browncoat]

I don’t have a Wegman’s near me, either.  Or a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s for that matter.

[Annber03]

Same.. We also don't have a Costco where I live - I've never been to one of those stores, either. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

7 hours ago, Yeah No said:

That everyone on this board seems to have a Wegman's near them except me. 

Au contraire mon.

[Yeah No]

3 hours ago, Browncoat said:

I don’t have a Wegman’s near me, either.  Or a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s for that matter.

It's good to hear I'm not alone, however you win the pity party since I have both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's near me.

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

Same.. We also don't have a Costco where I live - I've never been to one of those stores, either. 

Sorry you REALLY win the pity party!!

[JTMacc99]

1 hour ago, Annber03 said:

Same.. We also don't have a Costco where I live - I've never been to one of those stores, either. 

Same here.  Drive times (assuming no traffic, lol) to the nearest:

• Costco 48 minutes
• Wegman's 41 minutes
• Whole Foods 47 minutes
• Trader Joe's 44 minutes

[theredhead77]

4 minutes ago, JTMacc99 said:

Same here.  Drive times (assuming no traffic, lol) to the nearest:

• Costco 48 minutes
• Wegman's 41 minutes
• Whole Foods 47 minutes
• Trader Joe's 44 minutes

I'm sorry for your loss.

As much as I hate this state, I drive past a Costco to get on the freeway to drive to Trader Joe's, and pass a Whole Paycheck Foods on the road to TJs. Don't know what Wegman's is though, beyond a grocery store.

[GHScorpiosRule]

13 minutes ago, JTMacc99 said:

Same here.  Drive times (assuming no traffic, lol) to the nearest:

• Costco 48 minutes
• Wegman's 41 minutes
• Whole Foods 47 minutes
• Trader Joe's 44 minutes

For me:

• Costco-10 minutes
• Wegman's-30 minutes
• Whole Foods-10 minutes
• Trader Joe's-2 minutes
• Shopping Outlets: 15 minutes
• American sized Indian Grocery Store: 15 minutes!

As for yogurt? I love me my Dannon Fit & Light!

[JTMacc99]

4 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

I'm sorry for your loss.

We also had a run down shopping center knocked down and beautifully redesigned to move the CVS to be a stand alone store on the property, and to add a brand new supermarket (and needed) as the anchor store.  After the CVS was up and running and the strip of smaller shops was under construction, the supermarket chain pulled out of the deal.

So now we've got a nice CVS, a nice big parking lot, a strip mall with a nice new urgent care on the end and a dozen or more empty shops, and an open space where a supermarket SHOULD BE. I makes me sad whenever I drive by.

2 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Shopping Outlets: 15 minutes

However, I do have a massive outlet mall about 15 minutes from me. Like we have people from other countries taking the bus up from NYC to visit this place as part of their trip to the states.

[PRgal]

I've been inside a Costco ONCE.  It scared me and I seriously have Costco-phobia.  My main grocery stores are a local chain (they have two stores and a butcher shop) called Fresh City Farms, Whole Foods and Loblaws (which IMHO has the frozen sockeye burgers...their own storebrand, PC (President's Choice).  Maybe it's just the name, but I'm not a fan of their OTHER storebrand, no name (yes, it's in small letters)).  

Edited August 10, 2022 by PRgal

[theredhead77]

I LOVE Costco but I go during the week in the middle of the day, or super early on a Sunday. I'm at the stage of my life where all my leisure clothing comes from their clothing department. I pick up Adidas leggings for under $20. The same ones are $50+ at department stores.

[Yeah No]

31 minutes ago, JTMacc99 said:

Same here.  Drive times (assuming no traffic, lol) to the nearest:

• Costco 48 minutes
• Wegman's 41 minutes
• Whole Foods 47 minutes
• Trader Joe's 44 minutes

For me with no traffic as follows:

• Costco 15 minutes
• Whole Foods 5 minutes
• Trader Joe's 20 minutes
• Aldi 10 minutes
• Small Target 10 minutes
• Big Target 20 minutes
• Small Wally World Walmart 5 minutes
• Super Wally World 20 minutes

I hear they're planning to open CT's first Wegman's in Norwalk, which is about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes away from me.  A little far but I'll at least be able to go there once in a while.

[ABay]

It's 2 hours to the nearest Wegman's from here. I'm moving back to WNY when I retire just to be close to one.

[Mondrianyone]

I'll throw my hat into this ring, just for the pity points:

• Costco 3 hours 14 minutes    
• Wegman's 3 hours 14 minutes    
• Whole Foods 1 hour 29 minutes      
• Trader Joe's 1 hour 30 minutes    

I've never been to a Costco or a Wegman's, and I seriously challenge the times Google Maps gives for WF and TJ's--the few times we've gone there, it's taken a lot longer than an hour and a half. My husband accuses me of being a food hoarder, but it beats going grocery shopping more than once a month or so. My sad dream is to have everything delivered, but nobody delivers to where we live.

*I forgot to add that if you've ever seen that old New Yorker cartoon of the codgers sitting on the porch of the Maine/New Hampshire general store and telling the hapless driver, "You can't get theah from heah," that was truth.

Edited August 10, 2022 by Mondrianyone

[annzeepark914]

Every November I send a check to Costco for membership fees. But I never think to go there, & it's less than 10 minutes away. I think the bigness of the store + long lines at checkout keep me away. I joined years ago so I could buy Bruschetta, a jar of fresh-tasting, chopped tomatoes in oil & garlic. Loved that stuff! It's not sold there any more. I'm spoiled: I only go to Wegmans every two weeks as I have a Harris Teeter close by & I love their sliced bakery bread & Campari tomatoes (the only store bought tomatoes with taste these days, IMNSHO).

[JTMacc99]

49 minutes ago, Mondrianyone said:

I'll throw my hat into this ring, just for the pity points:

• Costco 3 hours 14 minutes    
• Wegman's 3 hours 14 minutes    
• Whole Foods 1 hour 29 minutes      
• Trader Joe's 1 hour 30 minutes 

Yeah, but you don't need a Costco when you can just go out your back door and shoot a moose for meat.

[supposebly]

12 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I have never gotten the hype of Greek yogurt.

"Greek" is just yogurt. Everything else that is sold as yogurt is just not. If there is sugar, or stabilizer or anything else in there, it's not yogurt. I remember moving to Canada and finding that in North America, yogurt is some kind of sweetened stuff with sugar and corn starch and all kinds of stabilizers that is just not yogurt.

You can make "Greek yogurt" and depending on your starter, type of milk, length of "ripening", the texture and taste will be different. But there are so many brands that there should be something that appeals.

Generally, it's better with higher fat milk, I think. Think a little lower fat than sour cream.

But this whole Greek yogurt thing is just that, yogurt. Yogurt like Kefir is fermented milk of some kind. Nothing else. Nothing particularly Greek about it.

Ok, I'm sloooowly coming down from my soap box.

[SuprSuprElevated]

What is the appeal of Wegman's?  What does it compare to?

[peacheslatour]

5 minutes ago, SuprSuprElevated said:

What is the appeal of Wegman's?  What does it compare to?

I just have a QFC (Kroger) a Safeway and Costco. I have only been in Costco once and like others here, it freaked me out. My husband goes about every six weeks for stuff like paper goods, cat litter, cereal and laundry detergent. He also like their shoes.

[Browncoat]

It's at least a three-hour drive for me to get to Costco, Whole Foods, Wegmans or Trader Joe's.  We have Kroger, Food Lion, Aldi, Earth Fare, and Fresh Market, although Fresh Market is about 45 minutes from my house. 

[Mondrianyone]

2 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

Yeah, but you don't need a Costco when you can just go out your back door and shoot a moose for meat.

We've had them wander up to the house a few times. The biggest challenge was keeping the dogs quiet. They hate dogs. The back of our house is all windows, and the prospect of an enraged moose crashing into our living room is beyond terrifying.

But the first one we shoot, you're invited over for grilled Bullwinkleburgers. I have to tell you not to hold your breath for that, though. Moose are much too cute to shoot.

[PRgal]

2 hours ago, supposebly said:

"Greek" is just yogurt. Everything else that is sold as yogurt is just not. If there is sugar, or stabilizer or anything else in there, it's not yogurt. I remember moving to Canada and finding that in North America, yogurt is some kind of sweetened stuff with sugar and corn starch and all kinds of stabilizers that is just not yogurt.

You can make "Greek yogurt" and depending on your starter, type of milk, length of "ripening", the texture and taste will be different. But there are so many brands that there should be something that appeals.

Generally, it's better with higher fat milk, I think. Think a little lower fat than sour cream.

But this whole Greek yogurt thing is just that, yogurt. Yogurt like Kefir is fermented milk of some kind. Nothing else. Nothing particularly Greek about it.

Ok, I'm sloooowly coming down from my soap box.

It's a little thicker and if you look at nutritionals, has more protein.  I buy Organic Meadow and their 2% Greek yogurt has 19 g of protein per serving (3/4 cup) while their 2% regular has 7 g at the same serving size.  

[emma675]

I love kefir. I always forget to buy it when I go to Natural Grocer's here.

I have Tom Thumb, Kroger, Walmart, and Albertsons within 10 minutes of me. No Wegmans, Harris Teeter, or Wawa here, though. I've never seen any of those in Texas. 

Target is about 15 minutes away and the closest Costco is about 30 minutes away. Trader Joe's is about 15 minutes plus 30 minutes hunting for a parking spot because they decided to put it in a strip mall with no parking. 

[rcc]

51 minutes ago, Mondrianyone said:

We've had them wander up to the house a few times. The biggest challenge was keeping the dogs quiet. They hate dogs. The back of our house is all windows, and the prospect of an enraged moose crashing into our living room is beyond terrifying.

But the first one we shoot, you're invited over for grilled Bullwinkleburgers. I have to tell you not to hold your breath for that, though. Moose are much too cute to shoot.

Moose are cute! Don't know about that. Maybe a baby moose. But when they start to cross the road in front of you, then stand there, they are not so cute. Infuriating is more like it.

[theredhead77]

My grave-stone is going to say "she just wanted to pet the friend".

The content provider doesn't allow embedding but this is a video to a giant moose taking a stroll down the median in AK. It's HUGE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNfetnUwOUo

[isalicat]

19 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

I quit eating most yogurt after looking at the sugar count. I don't do fake sugars so "light" or "reduced sugar" versions aren't an option. I'm no health nut but if I'm going to eat something with 20+ grams of sugar it's not going to be something pretending to be healthy.

Try Siggi's (Icelandic yogurt - extremely creamy, all natural, only 8 grams of sugar for 11 total carb grams) - really delicious! My every Sunday morning treat!

[supposebly]

1 hour ago, PRgal said:

It's a little thicker and if you look at nutritionals, has more protein.

The protein content of yogurt has to do with how much the whey was strained from the yogurt. If you make it yourself, you keep all the nutrients including the ones from the whey. If you buy high protein yogurt, the whey was strained and probably thrown out, giving more concentrated yogurt with the protein of dairy, however with less of the nutritional content of whey (B vitamins, protein, calcium, carbo hydrates).

Some explanation here:

https://saladinajar.com/yogurt/protein-homemade-yogurt/

Things to do with whey if strained.

https://saladinajar.com/yogurt/18-ways-to-use-whey-a-by-product-of-greek-yogurt/

[oliviabenson]

5 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

For me:

• Costco-10 minutes
• Wegman's-30 minutes
• Whole Foods-10 minutes
• Trader Joe's-2 minutes
• Shopping Outlets: 15 minutes
• American sized Indian Grocery Store: 15 minutes!

As for yogurt? I love me my Dannon Fit & Light!

2 minutes to TJ! OMG I’d die from happiness. Mine is 90 minutes by 2 buses. I rarely go. 😢

[isalicat]

16 hours ago, Cloud9Shopper said:

I have never gotten the hype of Greek yogurt. The texture just always makes me cringe and feel like I don’t want to eat. I didn’t mind the Chobani flips, but I’m trying to fix up my diet anyway and yogurt doesn’t really fit the bill. (I wanted to try keto but don’t know if I’ll go all in on it because it’s an expensive way to eat and some of the ingredients for keto meals aren’t really available where I live. Our only “specialty” store is Wegmans.) 

Actually going keto (or even better go Paleolithic/keto) is not expensive at all if you can cook for yourself (don't rely on prepared meals or delivery or whatever). If you have a local farmer's market you can get all your fresh fruits and vegies (and you are going to rely on salad and low keto vegies like broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower - make cauliflower rice to sub for pasta and regular rice, or buy cauliflower rice at Trader Joe's its cheap!, and you want berries and melons as your fruits - no bananas!!), and then go with eggs, chicken, fish and pork as they come on sale and start experimenting with grilling and baking and broiling. I'm on a fixed income, eat really, really well and have been doing a Paleo/keto diet for 15 years now. I don't buy beef unless its on sale and then I really stretch it (an untrimmed tri tip roast of 2 lbs. is like 8 meals for me). Remember fresh food, freshly prepared - nothing white except cauliflower (no flour, sugar, rice, potatoes, wheat or any other grain). Drink lots of water! (put a slice of lemon or lime in if you need flavoring). You can do it! Pet peeve: people thinking keto eating is all bacon, beef and cheese.

[oliviabenson]

At least an Aldi opened about an hour away. But there is no bathroom!

Prices are pretty decent and they have a ton of dips/cheese like TJ. 

[isalicat]

3 minutes ago, oliviabenson said:

At least an Aldi opened about an hour away. But there is no bathroom!

Prices are pretty decent and they have a ton of dips/cheese like TJ. 

An Aldi opened locally hereabouts three years ago and I went in twice. The produce was cheap and truly awful, all the meat was cheap and looked like pure gristle, and the store was freezing cold (this was not winter!). Plus they had several aisles full of the most gross non-food garbage products I have ever seen. Everything in the store looked like it had been rejected from some other store and shipped over...:(

[GHScorpiosRule]

Oh yeah. Aldi one minute away. And another Aldi just opened up, replacing Shopper's. Haven't been to that one yet, which is about 5-10 minutes, depending upon traffic; 15, if I get a red light at every traffic light.

And the Target is about 10 minutes.

While the Trader Joe's is just a two minute drive, parking can take up to 5 minutes, the lot is so crowded.

[theredhead77]

3 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

While the Trader Joe's is just a two minute drive, parking can take up to 5 minutes, the lot is so crowded.

Is it even a real Trader Joe's if the lot doesn't suck?

Years ago I lived in a master planned city and there was a huge strip mall with a Ralph's (Kroger), a bunch of stores and fast-casual places (think Chipotle) and at the far end was a Trader Joe's. Since this center was new and in a HCOL neighborhood the parking lot was amazing! Huge, wide spaces, big lanes, etc... but obviously, since the parking lot was amazing, the Trader Joe's was fake. So every time I went to TJs I was going to the "fake" Trader Joe's.

[GHScorpiosRule]

8 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

Is it even a real Trader Joe's if the lot doesn't suck?

Years ago I lived in a master planned city and there was a huge strip mall with a Ralph's (Kroger), a bunch of stores and fast-casual places (think Chipotle) and at the far end was a Trader Joe's. Since this center was new and in a HCOL neighborhood the parking lot was amazing! Huge, wide spaces, big lanes, etc... but obviously, since the parking lot was amazing, the Trader Joe's was fake. So every time I went to TJs I was going to the "fake" Trader Joe's.

Then mine must be the REAL Thang!😜😝

[SuprSuprElevated]

1 hour ago, rcc said:

But when they start to cross the road in front of you, then stand there, they are not so cute. Infuriating is more like it.

Yeah, apparently the asphalt awareness chromosome hasn't evolved into their DNA yet.

[EtheltoTillie]

Aldi owns Trader Joes.

No one is posting walking distances to markets.

In NYC I walk to shop:  West Side Market (a local chain) 1 block.

Key Food:  A discount chain:  3 Blocks

Whole Foods: 3 longer blocks in a different direction (and I don't go there 'cause it's too big and who needs to walk further to be annoyed). 

The first 2 have fast checkout lines and Whole Foods has long lines.

Edited August 10, 2022 by EtheltoTillie

[SuprSuprElevated]

11 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

No one is posting walking distances to markets.

1. Trader Joe's - 6 hours
2. Whole Foods - 5.5 hours
3. Costco - 5.5 - 6 hours
4. Closest bullsh*t, overpriced regional grocery chain - 10 minutes
5. Closest soul-sucking Walmart - 40 minutes
6. Closest not quite as soul-sucking as Walmart, but close -  Meijer store - 3.5 hours

Edited August 10, 2022 by SuprSuprElevated

[Bastet]

6 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

I LOVE Costco but I go during the week in the middle of the day,

Same here.  They have great products at great prices and treat their employees well, so I love it, but I won't set foot in there evenings or weekends!

13 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

No one is posting walking distances to markets.

I have two very small markets a couple of blocks in either direction from me, but because their stock is so limited, I - unless I just need one or two things, and they carry them - go to the large independent market that's about a 20-minute walk away.  But I drive if it's too hot or too cold for me to want to walk, or if I'm getting a lot.

The closest Trader Joe's is a little less than two miles away, but I really only go in around Christmas to pick up treats.  If I wanted frozen food, I'd go there, as they have much better offerings than most stores, but their selection of fresh meat, produce, cheese, etc. is so small compared to my local market that it would make no sense for me to shop there. 

The closest Whole Foods is about three miles away, but I hardly ever shop there, either; basically, only if I can't find something anyplace else (e.g. one time when my cat was sick, they were the only store that had chicken livers in stock!).

[theredhead77]

45 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

No one is posting walking distances to markets.

I can technically walk to a Publix but I buy too much to carry home. I could walk to the "food mart" (think "liquor store" in CA w/o the liquor) that is on the corner but those are the places you walk to when you're drunk and want a snack, not a place to grocery shop.

[EtheltoTillie]

11 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

I can technically walk to a Publix but I buy too much to carry home. I could walk to the "food mart" (think "liquor store" in CA w/o the liquor) that is on the corner but those are the places you walk to when you're drunk and want a snack, not a place to grocery shop.

Well, in NYC we don't buy too much in any one trip--otherwise we go to delivery.  Or we get out the old-lady shopping cart. 

Edited August 10, 2022 by EtheltoTillie

[oliviabenson]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Aldi owns Trader Joes.

No one is posting walking distances to markets.

In NYC I walk to shop:  West Side Market (a local chain) 1 block.

Key Food:  A discount chain:  3 Blocks

Whole Foods: 3 longer blocks in a different direction (and I don't go there 'cause it's too big and who needs to walk further to be annoyed). 

The first 2 have fast checkout lines and Whole Foods has long lines.

Aldi and TJ are owned by different companies. 

[EtheltoTillie]

27 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

I can technically walk to a Publix but I buy too much to carry home. I could walk to the "food mart" (think "liquor store" in CA w/o the liquor) that is on the corner but those are the places you walk to when you're drunk and want a snack, not a place to grocery shop.

Ah, in NYC that's called a bodega (or a deli).  In other locations known as a convenience store.  I have one half a block from my apartment.  I should have mentioned in my earlier inventory, as it is truly convenient. 

Pet lovers in this thread might enjoy the bodega cats sub on Reddit.  Bodegas must have a cat.  One cat was stolen last week, and it made all the papers.  A good Samaritan brokered his return. 

Edited August 10, 2022 by EtheltoTillie

[oliviabenson]

https://www.businessinsider.com/albrecht-family-aldi-fortune-heirs-net-worth-secretive-lifestyle-photos-2019-3#albrecht-helped-turn-trader-joes-into-a-chain-with-stores-across-the-us-it-has-since-become-a-low-cost-grocery-staple-with-nearly-500-stores-23
 

pretty interesting read

[peacheslatour]

18 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Well, in NYC we don't buy too much in any one trip--otherwise we go to delivery.  Or we get out the old-lady shopping cart. 

In the Seattle neighborhood where my son lives, there are stores withing walking distance all over the place. He usually brings his backpack if he needs to pick up a lot of things.

[EtheltoTillie]

That Aldi's story is crazy stuff.  A bit like Succession.