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A company called Glass Gardens owns and operates nine ShopRite supermarkets.
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Editor's note: ShopRite's Can Can Sale can be a challenge, to put it mildly. Today, I also discuss inflexible "shock" prices at Fairway Market in Paramus; a quick meal of fresh fish, brown rice and Chinese broccoli; and ways to cut down on your salt intake.
--HACKENSACK, N.J.
EDITOR
A Bergen County woman who complained about how ShopRite is conducting its Can Can Sale was told by a store owner that if she didn't like it, she should shop elsewhere.
The woman said she went to the Paramus ShopRite for Tetley Tea and swordfish, two items featured in the Can Can sales flier, but was told the store didn't have any.
She also wanted to use a Super Coupon from the flier for 10 cans of Progresso Soup for $10.88. She bought less and was told she must buy all 10 cans to get the discount.
She pointed out there was no mention of that on the coupon.
She called consumer affairs, and a Bergen County official visited the Paramus store twice, eventually imposing a fine.
A new sales flier with the Super Coupon specified that 10 cans of Progresso Soup must be purchased to get the lower price of about $1.09 each.
On one of her visits, she was told by Irv Glass of Glass Gardens Inc. that if she didn't like the policies of the Paramus ShopRite, she should go elsewhere.
Irv and Terry Glass of Glass Gardens own and operate nine ShopRites, including stores in Paramus, Rochelle Park and Englewood.
The company Web site has this to say:
"SERVICE: To provide a level of customer-driven service that exceeds the customer’s expectations and helps to take the worry out of shopping."
'Shock' prices at Fairway
Fairway Market sometimes seems desperate to lure shoppers to its odd location in the Fashion Center, which is one of the poorest performing malls in Paramus.
At least that's how I interpret recent sales fliers heralding "shock" prices. I received two fliers with my local newspaper, one for Jan. 6-12, 2012, and another for Jan. 13-19.
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On Thursday, the last day of the first "shock price" week, I went to Fairway for freshly ground coffee and other items.
I bought a 5-pound box of clementines from Spain for $5.99, but today, in the second week of the sale, the price was lowered to $4.99. A also picked up Fuji apples for 75 cents a pound.
I took three 1-pound containers of Campari tomatoes to the check-out counter and asked if I could have the "shock" price of $5 for the trio, but was told I couldn't get that until today.
On Thursday, the price was two 1-pound containers for $5, more than I would pay at Costco Wholesale, where I spend most of my food dollars.
One "shock" price I saw in the store was $6.99 for a pound of Colombia Supremo coffee beans, so I bought two bags, and asked for a Turkish grind.
Fairway is the only supermarket I know with coffees from around the world that are roasted and custom-ground in the store -- the only reason I continue to go there.
I also picked up another item I see nowhere else, Spanish Pajero Fig Cake with almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts at $9.99 a pound. My wedge cost $6.99.
Quick dinner
My wife picked up about 2.2 pounds of fresh, wild-caught haddock fillets from Iceland at Costco Wholesale on Wednesday ($7.99 a pound).
We had a bottle of Goya Salsa Verde, a mildly spicy Mexican sauce that is handy for preparing a one-pot entree, plus organic brown rice from Costco and fresh Chinese broccoli from H Mart.
The brown rice went into an electric rice cooker along with Organic Sprouted Bean Trio (lentil, adzuki and mung beans), also from Costco.
I cut up the fish and placed it on top of the green salsa, which I had poured into a large skillet. Covered, the fillets took about 10 to 15 minutes to cook through on a medium flame, plumping up and turning white.
I blanched the leafy broccoli, along with thick, cut up stems, in boiling water for about 5 minutes, drained the water and added a little extra-virgin olive oil, salt and no-salt seasoning.
We spooned the fish and sauce over the steamed brown rice and beans, and served the bright-green, al dente broccoli on the side. Wonderful.
No-salt zone
You need salt with potassium iodide for complete physical and mental development, but there are a few places you can cut down on sodium when preparing home-cooked meals.
There is really no need to salt water for boiling pasta, because there is plenty of sodium in bottled sauces and the grated cheese you'll eat with it. And pasta boils just as well in a minimum amount of water as it does in gallons of the stuff.
When we cooked the haddock fillets, I used no-salt seasoning, knowing the green salsa had plenty of sodium in it. Fresh lemon juice also is considered a salt substitute.
I once bought jars of roasted and salted almonds from Costco, but now I buy a 3-pound bag of Kirkland Signature raw and unsalted almonds ($9.49), and roast them in the oven at 275 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes, then dust them with plenty of cinnamon.
My take on your concerns: You have way too much time on your hands.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alan, your comment made me laugh.
DeleteTrue, I am retired and have too much time on my hands, but see plenty of men my age at all of the food stores I visit, including ShopRite, Costco and so forth.
This year, I've started volunteering three days a week at a nearby hospital, up from two days. It's good exercise, but so is food shopping.
Lately, I've been parking in the back of the lot when I go food shopping to add steps.
Cheers.
Oh, by the way, I've started a new blog that incorporates "Do You Really Know What You're Eating?" and two others I was writing by 2017 called "The Sasson Report"
DeleteHere is the link: http://thesassonreport.blogspot.com/