what to buy where

A few weeks ago at Book Club, Whole Foods came up.

"I love their yogurt-covered pretzels," I said. Sometimes I make a trip there just to buy them and nothing else."

Someone else added, "Have you tried their Grandma's Chicken Soup?  Really excellent."

So I think, Gee, wouldn't it be great to have a list of people's favorites at various common shopping stores?  Everyone agrees and I offer to coordinate the list.

Six weeks later, and with 21 contributors, I now have a list. Some items I would never have thought of buying, but now I will.

So in case you are looking to try some new foods, here's the list; I asterisked my favorites. I recognize that many (though not all) are NY-based establishments, but it seems most of my audience is as well. 

Kirkland Solid White Albacore Tuna (packed in water)*

Nature’s path granola with pumpkin seeds

Nuts, especially pine nuts and salted cashews

Prime strip steak (lyn)*

Leg of lamb and lamb chops

Large slab of salmon I then cut into individual portions and freeze for a quick dinner

Kirkland frozen stir fry vegetables

Frozen Shrimp Scampi*

Frozen spanakopita

Frozen Kirkland meatballs

Big bags of frozen strawberries or mixed berries for smoothies

Frozen precooked bacon (microwave at 80% for # of minutes to match # of slices)

Ling-ling potstickers (frozen dumplings)

Large bag containing 12 individual serving bags of edamame (frozen section)

Kind bars

K. Bell No-Show socks (9 pairs for $7.99!)

Box of individual mashed avocado servings (perfect for sandwiches)

Box of individual hummus servings

Large box of fig bars (delicious snack food)

Jar of Shredded parmesan or feta cheese 

Jar of Nutzo (7 nut and seed spread)

Kale salad, complete with dressing, etc. found in produce cooler (jean)

Sweet kale chopped salad kit - includes broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, chicory, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and poppyseed dressing - easy, delicious and healthy!

Kale and radicchio and pumpkin seeds ready made bagged salad

Double loaf package of Freihofer's bread

Demi baguette 6-pack (in bakery section). Great to have on hand. They freeze really well in zip locks, defrost slow in micro, in oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Crunchy and delicious , $4.99*

La Brea torta sandwich roll (12 pack for $6.49)*

Pecan and cranberry bread

Refrigerated Jar of crab (great quality, good for crab cakes)

Seaweed salad

Eggplant salad

Whitefish salad

NE chicken salad

Quinoa is a great deal

Chocolate covered raisins

Chocolate covered cranberries*

Dark covered dried mangos –delicious and kinda healthy

Amlactin cream

CeraVe cream

Neutrogena Bath Soap (prefer RainBath when they have it; 40 ounces)*

Shirts for men--good for casual Friday.  Love the blue check or the pink check shirts

Fresh fruit, especially the blueberries*

Bulk Kiwi (imported for Italy)

French green beans

Coffee pods (Nantucket Blend) (map)

Spinach dip and Stacy's Pita Chips--great appetizer for holidays (map)

Fresh prepared foods, which are super convenient and quite tasty, including

o   stuffed peppers
o   turkey roller sandwiches
o   margherita pizza (not available lately, but when it is, it's great)

Pumpkin pie, which is huge and amazing (not available year-round, but worth the wait!)

7 layer Mexican dip 

Grandma’s Chicken Soup*

Cream of Wild Mushroom soup

Yogurt covered pretzels (in bulk food section)*

Walnut, Goat Cheese and Cranberry Salad (2 for $6)*

Prepared Tuna Salad (the one with fuji apples and cranberries, but you can make it myself…it’s so good)*

Any of their hybrid tangerines*

Gorgeous fruit (overpriced but always beautiful)

Mango salsa

Tasty Bite Indian food (cheap and quick and acceptable for days when you have no energy to cook)

Package of Brioche rolls…think they are by Eli; also sell at Fairway; they freeze well*

Balsamic roasted vegetables in the prepared food section

Couscous with cranberries in prepared foods --good side dish for Spring/Summer

Beef kabobs from fresh meat department

Already seasoned stir fry mix of beef and vegetables from fresh meat department 

Wild caught salmon when on sale

Gouda cheese with truffles (my absolute favorite!)

Olives from olive bar

Broccoli Detox salad

Jerk chicken

365 Fragrance-free Shampoo & Conditioner

365 Fragrance-free Moisturizing Lotion

Steaz half and half tea, zero calories

Fresh Mozzarella cheese

Frozen shrimp

$10 dinner meals (an entree and 2 side dishes. You have to ask for it)

Cara Cara Oranges in early winter

Blenheim Apricots

Pesto sauce

Tortelloni

One Pound Bar of Dark Chocolate with Almonds. Great chocolate at a great price

Better N‘Peanut Butter

Carton of teeny (fingernail sized) peanut butter cups

Chicken broth

Pack of yellow sponges - the most absorbent ever. No artificial dyes.

Coconut oil - at $5.99, its the best value for cold-pressed organic oil out there

Thai shrimp dumplings, frozen  

Pad Thai, frozen

Mushroom Ravioli with Sauce – frozen

My sons like the frozen Taquitos & the Turkey Sausage Breakfast Burrito

Frozen Pizza at TJ that is imported from Italy

Frozen shrimp dumplings from TJ

Frozen faltbread

Frozen croissants

Frozen key lime pie

Endamame hummus which is fantastic

Dried nuts

Quinoa

Trader Joe’s fig and olive crackers

Vegetable flax tortilla chips

Hawaiian style sea salt potato chips

Seaweed

Ice Cream (its surprisingly good)

Canned Boneless Alaskan Salmon (use like canned tuna)

Bran Cereal

County bread in package from TJ (ruth)

Chocolat croissants

Joe-Joe's cookies, which are like Oreos, are so good

Lacey's cookies

Pumpkin Butter---so good on toast, pancakes, mixed in yogurt

Savory Crisps, 34…can likely get them at WF or Fairway*

FreshDirect Marinated Roasted Half  Chicken 

Fruits and vegetables with a 4-star rating 

Deals on fresh  meats and poultry 

FreshDirect blueberry pie (summer) 

FreshDirect chicken and dumpling soup 

FreshDirect New England clam chowder 

FreshDirect brioche rolls (great for burgers) 

FreshDirect naturally hardwood smoked bacon 

Blue Marble Organic Ice Cream (green tea) 

Good Pop All-Natural Frozen Pops in flavor called Coldbrew Coffee 

FreshDirect Prepped to Cook Vegetables (chopped organic onions, chopped organic celery, etc.) 

Grown On Long Island vegetables (summer) 

Egg salad/chicken salad/tuna salad/turkey salad with cranberries & walnuts (5 ounce sizes) 

Branzino! 

Their wine recommendations - their Rosés this summer were amazing. They still have them so hurry! 

Morningstar Farms Veggie Patties - you can get them elsewhere too

Pitted Moroccan Oil Cured Olives - these are amazing in everything

Meal kits which are fresh foods prepped/chopped for quick and easy cooking

Marinated meats

Fresh veggies in a bag

Fiji brand water 

Mama Maria's stuffed Shells-great if you have to feed a hockey team! 

Haagen Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream (large containers for big parties/holidays) 

Clothes: Lacoste pique cotton polo shirts for men 

Opera cake  (can buy a half for $9.50, good for three pieces)*

Prosciutto and mozzarella sub, with tomato and arugula, $10.99…good for 2 sandwiches; tons of prosciutto*

Olive oil gelato (sounds awful; tastes great), plus any of their homemade sorbets*

The $6.95 lunch special that runs til 5pm so good for dinner…pasta, salmon, veggies, and a drink*

Plain rotisserie chicken, excellent *

Prima Donna cheese*

Istara cheese*

Salted mozzarella*

Stuffed branzino (in fish section)*

Prime strip steak (buy on sale, excellent)*

Spicy chicken sausage at butcher

Taramousalata

Their sushi sandwich (one is tuna and one is salmon, $10 and excellent)…at the sushi section next to the deli*

Olives (serve yourself, across from sushi) I like the pitted mix)*

On the second floor at 74^th st. (organic area) has a product called Ginger Juice ( by Ginger People). It is real, organic ginger pressed into juice - comes in bottles - and fabulous to add to lemon tea, or any dish requiring ginger

Sundried tomatoes (serve yourself across from sushi*

Artichokes (serve yourself across from sushi)

Pickles (serve yourself across from sushi)*

Fairway brand pasta sauces

Fairway brand (unfiltered extra virgin)

Fairway premier balsamic vinegar of Modena

Fairway’s popped popcorn

French baguettes from Fairway

Smoked salmon (nova) in package from Fairway

Package of Brioche rolls…think they are by Eli; also sell at WF; they freeze well *

Eli’s health loaf bread

Prima Donna aged Gouda

Fairway brand roast turkey

Prepared foods — orzo with goat cheese*

Deli: Israeli salad

Fairway Italian roast coffee beans (only $7.99)

Skinny pop

Amy’s Palak Paneer, frozen

Yasso frozen greek yogurt bars, chocolate chip mint

Amy's Thai Coconut Soup (I add bite size chicken breast pieces for a very easy meal)

Branzino (fresh fish department) is good and very well price

Organic milk (inexpensive and good at $3.79)

Spinach and cheddar quiche

Prepared cucumber soup

Seltzer

Pesto

Prepared kale with tofu*

Sauteed Brussel sprouts 

Beet salad 

Ham off the bone

Chocolate croissants

7-layer cakes by (Schmidt?)*

Prosciutto 

Cheese, cheese, cheese

White fish salad

Citarella's homemade balsamic dressing…to the right when you walk in*

Lemon squares *

Marinated pork tenderloin*

Ottomanelli Brothers (York and 81st)

·      Stuffed pork tenderloin with apricot and fig (not always available; excellent..just add olive oil and cook for 20-30 minutes*

Eddie’s Market (corner of 80th and First)

Fresh Fruit Salad $3.99/lb*

Corner Cafe and Bakery (91st and Third)

Prepared food - Salmon with Mustard/or Oriental Sauce…can’t remember the exact name of the sauce; ask for extra on the side* (91st and Third)

Prepared mashed potatoes are amazing*

Babeth's Feast (81st and Third)

Eggplant Parm ($12.99, feeds 3 and is excellent

Frozen french beans

Sundried tomatoes

Potato dauphine

Mia Bella Online

Traditional Balsamic; here’s their website; $40/bottle; I always buy two for the price of one…it’s a thick balsamic, great for salads, vegetables, etc.  http://miabella.co*

This one’s crazy but I decided to try on a lark their gluten free spinach and cheese ravioli and it was delicious. La Pasta is the brand. (anna)

Staples bright white laser paper, 28 pound, 98 US bright $14.59…buy the ream if you use a lot*