-
-
I like Balducci's best of all the local stores but it is expensive. I also go to Shoppers for good prices. Balducci's hamburgers are really good and I also like the chicken kabobs (in the meat department), put them on the grill and make some rice and you have a delicious meal. The hamburger buns in the bakery section are also good.
-
-
I don't think there is an easy answer to this one. With 7 years experience living in DC, I still need to hit 2 or 3 stores if I'm shopping for a typical dinner party. Of course, it depends on what I'm making. But I shop for quality, and I'm very particular about some things. I shop at places that are along my work drive route (Rt 50 at beltway). For a dinner party, I usually start out at Shoppers (most convenient location on Rt 1 at Potomac Yards, or Falls Church). For the freshest shellfish and some fish, it's the asian supermarket at Yorktown shopping center (gallows road at 50) -- I know buy much of my herbs and some fruits there too -- it's quite good). For hors d'oeuvre-y kinds of things when I don't want to make it, then it's Whole Foods, because they are consistent with their cheeses and prepared spreads, etc.
I have to say that dinner parties, large and small, are not as fun as it's hard to be spontaneous. I have to plan my shopping 1 or 2 days in advance if I want the best ingredients, and last minute main course substitutions are getting more frequent.
I won't go beyond the beltway to Wegman's -- just far and and I hate suburban traffic.
›1 Reply-
re: MartinDC
I agree with MartinDC completely. I end up visiting several grocery stores in one week to get everything I need. I'm the kind of person who likes to create varied meals and expose my family to new tastes. I have my own garden out back, so that helps during the summer months, but finding good produce is tough. I usually have to go to Whole paycheck to get swiss chard, broccoli rabe or some of the other kinds of greens I like to cook with. Wegmans is good, but from where I live forget it. I shop at Trader Joes (for convenience items that are tasty and don't break the bank - try their organic microwave brown rice sometime). For general groceries (toilet paper, baby formula, etc) I go to Giant and for specialty meats, fish or seafood I go to Whole Paycheck. My bills are astronimical and my husband keeps telling me to do tuna fish sandwiches every once and a while, but I love cooking and seeing how my family loves what I put on the table. It's worth the effort to me, even though I haven't found one grocery store to meet my needs.
-
-
