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How much does it cost to stock the typical family refrigerator?
The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | August 6, 2017 | Jodi O'Connell, GoBankingRates.com

Posted on 08/06/2017 1:02:55 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Refrigerators were originally used to store just a few perishable essentials such as meat and milk. In fact, the first electric units of the 1920s were only slightly bigger than modern mini-fridges.

Nearly 100 years later, refrigerators are bigger than ever and used to store the bulk of the food consumed by a household.

Americans spend anywhere from $130 to just under $300 a week stocking up on food for a family of four, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But those numbers include dry goods that wouldn't be kept in the refrigerator and leave out fridge such staples as condiments that families don't typically buy every week.

Once in a while, you might have to fill a fridge from scratch. Take a tour and learn how much that can cost.

The door. Cost to stock: $44.50. Although the newest refrigerators have ample door bins designed for stowing milk and eggs, putting these items there will shorten shelf life and cost you more in the long run.

For best results, stock the door with a pound of butter ($4), two bottles of salad dressing ($5), a bottle of orange juice ($4), a bottle of apple juice ($4.50), extra virgin olive oil ($8), and a case of bottled water ($9). Remember such condiments as ketchup ($3), mustard ($1.50), pickle relish ($2.50), and barbecue sauce ($3) to give your meals zing....

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Food; Gardening
KEYWORDS: cooking; food; groceries; refrigeration
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To: bgill

Oh, how can you eat those hot dogs? Hebrew brand, maybe Nathan’s...


41 posted on 08/06/2017 11:22:50 AM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: exDemMom

No one knows these things anymore! Olive oil is a “pantry staple”—I do keep nut oils (sesame and walnut)in the fridge. They go rancid quickly. Seems to me the FReepers here should run a Home Economics camp for helpless millennials.


42 posted on 08/06/2017 11:26:06 AM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: Mamzelle

This ain’t New York City. Out here, our one and only grocery store doesn’t sale Hebrew or Nathan’s. If they did, I’d still buy the cheap brand. At best, they might have some Ball Park Franks and frankly, I can’t tell the difference in taste.


43 posted on 08/06/2017 11:34:32 AM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
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To: xp38
That's more like it. My first thought was, "These people put food in a refrigerator?"
44 posted on 08/06/2017 11:37:55 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: Georgia Girl 2

I went to Aldi’s for the first time about 3 weeks ago. Wow! What a difference in price compared to the regional grocery store where I normally shop and to some extent, from Walmart. It was thrilling (OK, I’m easy to please) to go through there and check out their selection.

That said - I’m picky about brands. I’m happy to buy a store brand, but I need to know what it tastes like. Example, I only like Philadelphia cream cheese. They had another brand, which my son was OK with, but I wasn’t going to take the chance. I’d be OK with basics such as canned corn, though.

Also, I don’t think I could do all of my shopping there - I think it’s one of those stores that you don’t know what they have until you go in. I don’t think I could get everything on my list there. Finally, as a vegetarian, there weren’t a lot of veg prepared foods. I’d have to shop elsewhere for them.

Still, it was fun to see what it was about. I do a major shop in the fall before the bad weather sets in and can absolutely see stopping at Aldi’s for a lot of what I need.


45 posted on 08/06/2017 11:46:13 AM PDT by radiohead
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To: radiohead
I have lists in my planner/journal if what I buy in different grocery stores. At Aldi--interesting cheap wines and very good European cookies and chocolate--then I check their aisle of non-food items because I've nabbed some nifty stuff there. Too suspicious of a lot of their food ... but I'm very brand loyal. Kerrygold butter, I make trips to sams every couple of months for cheap luxury goods-- smoked salmon, frozen shrimp and their rotisserie hens. I have a big freezer. Publix had walnut milk, good for heart, the smoked trout brand I like and their Bakery. Ingles in my small town has gotten a nice variety in my small town.

Marketing day for me involves a lot of driving.

46 posted on 08/06/2017 12:09:47 PM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: bgill

Never tried the Blue Apron thing, but maybe it will help a snowflake get acquainted with a stove. I hear you about being out in the middle of nowhere. I have a big freezer and do a lot of driving when I’m stocking up.


47 posted on 08/06/2017 12:22:44 PM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: Mamzelle

My recipe for a Hebrew hot dog—split it lengthwise and sear both sides on a cast iron skillet, using another skillet to weight it down. Toast a piece of ordinary Italian sliced loaf bread. French’s mustard, lots, some drained sauerkraut. (I love to cook)


48 posted on 08/06/2017 12:27:28 PM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: Georgia Girl 2

I’ll have to take a look at some of the other stuff.

They got overstocked in Texas one evening and Vitamin D milk was $1.69 a gallon. Good stuff.


49 posted on 08/06/2017 12:52:55 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ....)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

What I find most amazing is that somebody paid this retard to give bad advice.


50 posted on 08/06/2017 1:02:03 PM PDT by gnarledmaw (Hive minded liberals worship leaders, sovereign conservatives elect servants.)
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To: Adder

[I do admit to being a condiment junkie...one mustard just ain’t enuff...]

One yellow mustard and one ketchup in fridge.

2 yellow mustard, 3 ketchup, 4 relish, 2 spicy brown mustard in reserve.

Alas, I have but one jar of green olives already opened. I’d like to have 4 on backup, lol.


51 posted on 08/06/2017 1:08:15 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ....)
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To: Mariner

How very fortunate for you.


52 posted on 08/06/2017 1:10:48 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ....)
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To: radiohead

Their cream cheese is pretty good. I have bought it a few times. Here is a list of what I think are some of their best buys.
Sliced and bar cheese. $1.79
Half and half cream $1.79
Meat sauce (very tasty). .99
Winking Owl merlot $2.87 per bottle
Canned white meat chicken. $1.69
Canned chili with beans. $1.19
Canned mushrooms. .49
Mayonnaise. (Large jar) $1.89
Fresh chicken tortellini $1.99
Canned chicken soup comparable to progresso $1.19
1lb butter $2.99


53 posted on 08/06/2017 1:14:54 PM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: bgill

If you wait, the GB here is on sale for $1.99 lb every few weeks - sometimes $1.69.

Hot dogs can be had for 50 cents for 8 bun length but you have to wait for the deal - I usually get 8 packages or so and stock up.

Butter on some sales I’ve seen 4 sticks/1lb 3 for $5. That’s when I buy about 9-12.

Once in awhile, Sprouts will do green peppers 3 for $1 - often 2 for $1. The colors red, yellow orange are 98 cents now (well red is). Yellow and orange are about $1.25 ea.

Good price on the chicken breasts - sometimes legs will be 69cents a lb but I prefer those for BBQ when I can.


54 posted on 08/06/2017 1:17:18 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ....)
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To: discostu

I’ll have to see if I can find some Dubliner cheese. I’m sure the local Wegman’s carries it. They have everything.

Mr mm and ds are always looking for good things to spice up cooking.


55 posted on 08/06/2017 1:55:00 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
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To: Georgia Girl 2

That’s a lot of meat and dairy. I’m vegetarian, so no meat, and lactose intolerant, no real dairy; I can barely deal with the cream cheese and rarely eat other cheeses. Also, I don’t drink, so no Merlot. : )

I’m pretty limited to cans of corn or string beans. Maybe some canned mushrooms. Maybe. : ) I didn’t notice if they sold almond or soy milk. That would be nice if it’s at a good price. The fresh fruit and veg was priced well.

Thanks for the list, though, my son is Omni and would eat most of this stuff except the half and half; some things just squick us out.


56 posted on 08/06/2017 3:53:21 PM PDT by radiohead
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To: SaveFerris

We have one grocery store and it has empty shelves half the time. Visions of Venezuela. A couple towns over has the same grocery with better products and a Wallyworld. So, not much in the way of good sales. Still, I shop for the best buy and stock the freezer and pantry.


57 posted on 08/06/2017 4:59:32 PM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.")
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To: bgill; SkyPilot; Lera; Roman_War_Criminal; metmom; SVTCobra03

You’re in a food desert! /Mooch BamBam

Seriously, I hope you have at least 6 months.

Especially if Fat Boy pops one off - the stores WILL BE stripped like Venezuela in 24-48 hours. Max.

Maybe 6-8 hours.


58 posted on 08/06/2017 5:06:55 PM PDT by SaveFerris (Luke 17:28 ... as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold ....)
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To: SaveFerris

[[Now, milk prices at Texas Aldi’s were just awesome. $1.89 Vitamin D gallon and no sales tax. Awesome.]]

Aldi (at least in Central Florida ) is one of the best places to pick up eggs, butter , milk , and fresh produce .
A lb of butter at Aldi here is 2.99 and it’s 4.00 + anywhere else . They put it on sale for 2.69 and I buy extras and put it in the freezer . I buy a lot of produce there when I am not growing my own .


59 posted on 08/06/2017 5:43:50 PM PDT by Lera (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
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To: Lera; SaveFerris

Butter freezes fantastic.

I do a lot of my own pressure canning and have soup stock with meat in it pressure canned. Whenever I do a turkey for Thanksgiving, I get one of the biggest ones I can and have what we can eat for dinner and some leftovers and then make stock and pressure can the stock and meat.

Then any time I want, just pull a can off the shelf, add a few fresh veggies and voila, a pot of fresh soup.

I also have canned beef that I got on sale and chicken, although I don’t care for the taste of the chicken when it’s pressure canned. It changes somehow.

Also, grains are good for soup and store well. I use rice for turkey rice soup, and pearl barley for beef barley soup.

I store my grains in canning jars without processing because the jars are hermetically sealed. Nothing gets in or out and then I stick the nuts and grains in the freezer in the jars and they keep about forever also.

Nuts are a great deal just after Christmas. The local stores are often trying to get rid of them and sell them cheap but you have to keep an eye out for the sales cause thye go fast.


60 posted on 08/06/2017 7:16:00 PM PDT by metmom ( ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith..)
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