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Original poster

North American Supermarkets are horrific

180 replies

DaddyCool · 18/04/2007 15:57

We've been complaining about the supermarkets around here (Canada) for months. I'm sick of buying sandwich meat and produce and it being rotten two days later. I was looking carrots last night but couldn't bring myself to buying them. I was able to bend them a full 180 degrees.

so anyway, we were watching old reruns of "Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares" last night on BBC Canada. There was a scene of the in Tescos and we were drooling at the mouth.

I mean, Tesco's is considered crap in the UK but its superior to these pits.

the selection of meat, cheese, real dairy products, organic, alcohol....

OP posts:
WendyWeber · 18/04/2007 20:19

The cereal aisle in the supermarket whose name I can't remember was about half a mile long - it was literally the full length of a very long store - you can't beat US cereals for variety (and all "part of this nutritious breakfast", as long as you make sure to have the juice and the milk with it )

CrocOShite · 18/04/2007 20:20

Now, DSs love a crappy sugar filled cereal when they can get their hands on one but even they wre horrified by the lurid puffs of fluff.

sunchowder · 18/04/2007 20:22

As soon as I see American, I always feel that I need to do proper representation, you know? We do have lovely produce here in Florida, we get wonderful cheeses for England and Ireland, we even have a british section at our Publix. Bread and Sausage are hopeless, however, they do not compare to what you can get in England. I was very impressed in the UK at how many of the packaged foods were very clean in chemicals compared to the US. I make a lot of from scratch to avoid them.

TheDog · 18/04/2007 20:23

so sunny californian healthfood freak types are really htne just like us?
do a lot of more discernign folk make their own bread then

NotQuiteCockney · 18/04/2007 20:25

I'd bet California is like some parts of Canada: there are lots of huge scary cankles people, and lots of scary skinny super-fit rock climbing hiking biking people, and not many between.

I do honestly like the tapioca in pudding pots, though. And all the other weirdo puddings (caramel, mmmmm)

WendyWeber · 18/04/2007 20:27

cankles, NQC???

I believe CA is good for fresh orange juice (Florida also, sunny )

CrocOShite · 18/04/2007 20:29

Cankles are where the calf just continues straight on down to the foot. No separate calf and ankle.

sunchowder · 18/04/2007 20:29

Yes, lots of folks make their own bread and you can find bread without Corn Syrup and preservatives at the local health food store. The flour here and the water is just different to the UK, nothing like good HOVIS bread.

Corn syrup is in so many things, I don't know how they get away with it. Most of the packaged foods and lots of frozen type ready meals are all full of it and chemicals. We do have a few clean varieties though, Celentano and Bertolli have some lovely quick frozen meals that don't have an ingredients lists that is two feet long.

You just have to know which stores to go to and I also source a lot of my mustards and other ingredients at Stonewall Kitchen, Williams and Sonoma, etc. Lots of gourmet shops around and I don't consider them to be that pricey.

Original poster
DaddyCool · 18/04/2007 20:32

i feel as if i have a full right to moan about anything here as i'm canadian myself.

there are some good food things though.... i got handed a monstrosity through my mini-van window called a "chocolate peanut butter blast" the other night (2.99 - bargain). it was the size of my head. it made me smile like this

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 18/04/2007 20:40

CrocOShite has identified cankles. It's normally something you see on the very obese.

NotQuiteCockney · 18/04/2007 20:41

Hey, I'm Canadian, I'm happy to moan about Canadian stuff. Actually, I think North Americans are better qualified to moan about North American stuff, because if it bugs us, it must be really bad.

christie1 · 18/04/2007 20:57

I read this thread but what is funny is every comment on this thread, is what I hear my canadian friends complain about here in the UK, the sausages taste crap, the bread is too dry, the chicken still has feathers on it, the hotdogs taste funny, the meat goes bad too quickly, too much packaging and on and on and on. My austrialian friends do the same. It's a cultural thing, we get used to one thing and hate to change. I tell people if you spend all your time complaining about what the UK doesn't have that is the same as canada, you miss the experience of living somewhere else. Daddycool, glad you tried canada, go where your heart takes you, I love the UK but will go back probably next fall because that is where family is and the kids need to be near extended family.

NotQuiteCockney · 18/04/2007 21:00

Oh, Christie, we've had giant 'expats talk about what you like here/don't like here' threads. I do mostly like English food, and the bits I miss are French food (from Montreal), not Canadian food.

But then, I've nearly gone native, I'm married to a Brit, I've been here for nearly 11 years now. I still don't drink tea, and I don't listen to the Archers, so I've not totally lost the plot.

Original poster
DaddyCool · 18/04/2007 21:02

bang on NQC.

oh btw NQC, i was thinking of you last night (what?)

you mentioned awhile back the inaccessible countryside. you're absolutely right! it's crap isn't it!?

i went to a place called presquille (fresh water beaches down on lake ontario) on the weekend. 2 out of the three roads were shut off for no apparent reason and the beach that was open had a big sign listing all the things you can't do. One of them being kite flying. they might as well post a big sign saying "no enjoyment of any kind permitted on this beach"

also, easter weekend, bugger all to do because everything is still shut up and to enjoy the countryside, you have to own it!

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NotQuiteCockney · 18/04/2007 21:04

Yeah, I always explain to Brits about the lack of footpaths. I was completely to find out about footpaths when I came over here, they are so cool and make the countryside so much more fun.

I do like the trails in the parks in Canada, wide, gravelled, well-maintained. And the fact that a National Park is more than just some lines on the map with limited planning permission inside them!

But still, yeah, lack of footpaths etc really blows in Canada (and the US, too, I'd bet?)

TheDog · 18/04/2007 21:04

oi dc get yer male folk back

oliveoil · 18/04/2007 21:06

I was amazed at eggs that came in a tube that you just squirted into a pan

like how difficult is it to crack an egg?

Original poster
DaddyCool · 18/04/2007 21:07

seriously OO? i've never seen that!

OP posts:
Original poster
DaddyCool · 18/04/2007 21:09

is the TheDog the fish? how many names does that crazy trout have?

i gave up on happydaddy. he's a big wussy-arse pansey-boy.

OP posts:
oliveoil · 18/04/2007 21:09

this was in Hawaii

open, squirt = omlette

odd very very odd

and what's with the cookie dough things that people just eat without cooking?

freako

are you coming back dc?

Original poster
DaddyCool · 18/04/2007 21:13

yup.

i like the cookie dough thing

OP posts:
oliveoil · 18/04/2007 21:13
Original poster
DaddyCool · 18/04/2007 21:15

oh c'mon as if i was on that list in first place! lol

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 18/04/2007 21:28

Cookie dough is good.

Does nobody else like the puddings? I really miss the puddings.

Oh, and rootbeer in cans, just small amounts.

oliveoil · 18/04/2007 21:29

yes you are

you are very witty

and I still remember when you posted a pic of yourself taking the piss of Gravity's thread

is it still around?