How much does it cost to stock the typical family refrigerator?

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | August 6, 2017 | Jodi O'Connell, GoBankingRates.com

[Mamzelle]

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

[Mamzelle]

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.

[bgill]

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.

[Billthedrill]

That's more like it. My first thought was, "These people put food in a refrigerator?"

[radiohead]

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.

[Mamzelle]

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.

[Mamzelle]

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.

[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)

[SaveFerris]

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.

[gnarledmaw]

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

[SaveFerris]

[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.

[SaveFerris]

How very fortunate for you.

[Georgia Girl 2]

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

[SaveFerris]

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.

[metmom]

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.

[radiohead]

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.

[bgill]

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.

[SaveFerris]

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.

[Lera]

[[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 .

[metmom]

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.