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Old 06-04-2013, 03:41 AM
 
Location: Tricity, PL
61,151 posts, read 85,977,665 times
Reputation: 130838

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Quote:
Originally Posted by calel View Post
I've never stepped into an Aldi in the US, but I've been in Aldi and Lidl in Europe and they look just like that... Like a very small warehouse store with few choices and no frills to keep the costs down.
The exterior looks the same everywhere - a signature look, easy to recognize, except they are located in a business building or a shopping strip - but that is not very common. The interior looks identical everywhere too, though.
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Old 06-04-2013, 06:55 AM
 
6 posts, read 28,780 times
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To report from Aldi corporate email: They took my email as a suggestion of putting one in Austin, but didn't answer if there were plans to build there. I can only hope and assume they will build there.
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Old 06-04-2013, 07:17 AM
 
3,836 posts, read 5,732,225 times
Reputation: 2556
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamacatnv View Post
Such as????? I find the overall quality of produce to be dismal, selection to be lacking, the shelf life short and the price to be high.
I've been to Central Market, HEB & Plus, Wal-Mart, Target, Randalls & Sprouts. Not one of these places carries bean sprouts, neither does Whole Foods but I've only been in one WF, I won't shop there. I have found that Costco has the best prices and the best quality of produce but there is still a shelf life issue.
Carrying bean sprouts is the single metric of whether a store has good produce?
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Old 06-04-2013, 07:36 AM
 
Location: The People's Republic of Austin
5,184 posts, read 7,240,558 times
Reputation: 2575
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamacatnv View Post
Such as????? I find the overall quality of produce to be dismal, selection to be lacking, the shelf life short and the price to be high.
I've been to Central Market, HEB & Plus, Wal-Mart, Target, Randalls & Sprouts. Not one of these places carries bean sprouts, neither does Whole Foods but I've only been in one WF, I won't shop there. I have found that Costco has the best prices and the best quality of produce but there is still a shelf life issue.
#1. If you think the produce "selection to be lacking" at Central Market, then I have to conclude you have never been to one. There isn't a store in the US with a bigger selection of produce.

#2. Unless you are feeding a fraternity, anyone will have shelf life issues with Costco produce.

You should try Johnson's Backyard Gardens - at all of the farmer's markets in the area, or Boggy Creek or Springdale Farms, both in East Austin and open Wed and Sat., if you want great quality.
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Old 06-04-2013, 08:47 AM
 
Location: Cedar Park/NW Austin
1,306 posts, read 3,106,083 times
Reputation: 879
Quote:
Originally Posted by scm53 View Post
#1. If you think the produce "selection to be lacking" at Central Market, then I have to conclude you have never been to one. There isn't a store in the US with a bigger selection of produce.

Right? I think Central Market has an amazing produce section. It's better than the monster Whole Foods in my opinion. I've never noticed a "shelf life" issue, whatever that means... I imagine Central Market has a pretty fast turnover rate in the produce dept, as busy as they are. My HEB Plus has a pretty good produce section (better than Randall's and regular HEBs and infinitely better than Target/Wal-Mart) and the veggies/fruits last about the same.

Most produce should only last about a week when picked ripe... If they went much longer (other than the traditional long storage ones like root veggies, squash, and apples), I'd start wondering about the amount of preservatives being used on it.
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Old 06-04-2013, 09:04 AM
 
1,059 posts, read 2,212,748 times
Reputation: 1395
Quote:
Originally Posted by Komeht View Post
Carrying bean sprouts is the single metric of whether a store has good produce?
Quote:
Originally Posted by scm53 View Post
#1. If you think the produce "selection to be lacking" at Central Market, then I have to conclude you have never been to one. There isn't a store in the US with a bigger selection of produce.

#2. Unless you are feeding a fraternity, anyone will have shelf life issues with Costco produce.

You should try Johnson's Backyard Gardens - at all of the farmer's markets in the area, or Boggy Creek or Springdale Farms, both in East Austin and open Wed and Sat., if you want great quality.
Quote:
Originally Posted by calel View Post
Right? I think Central Market has an amazing produce section. It's better than the monster Whole Foods in my opinion. I've never noticed a "shelf life" issue, whatever that means... I imagine Central Market has a pretty fast turnover rate in the produce dept, as busy as they are. My HEB Plus has a pretty good produce section (better than Randall's and regular HEBs and infinitely better than Target/Wal-Mart) and the veggies/fruits last about the same.

Most produce should only last about a week when picked ripe... If they went much longer (other than the traditional long storage ones like root veggies, squash, and apples), I'd start wondering about the amount of preservatives being used on it.
The bean sprout issue has become kind of a joke since we moved here. I'm from the West coast and I think I just take fresh, plentiful and inexpensive for granted. The inability to find bean sprouts when I am used to them being everywhere has become a challenge in our shopping endeavors.

I've been to Central Market several times, I am not impressed. Lets talk basics, or at least in my world, basics. Apples, pit fruits, squashes (zucchini, yellow, calabaza and pattypan), leafy greens (romaine, spring mix & spinach) strawberries & blueberries. The majority of these come from somewhere in West. By the time they hit the shelves, even at CM they are battered, bruised and on their last leg. I'm used to produce that will last at least a week and here I find I now buy less, more often. I now buy produce on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Part of it is that I am used to a different variety of produce than what I find here in TX (makes perfect sense, the west is 2000 miles away). Central Market carries a lot of the "brands" of produce I am used to seeing in West Coast markets, the shelf life of produce purchased that has been on a truck for days vs a few hours is significant and just not something I had ever considered. The cost to truck all that produce affects the price, again, just not something I was expecting. It makes perfect sense, I had just not considered it.

When we go out to eat, veggies consist of either a frozen mix or green beans cooked to mush. I understand I am just used to something very different and I need to explore different produce options that are more readily available and fresh here in TX.

I miss good salad bars, lots of fresh selections and the ability to find all the makings for what is in my opinion a good stir fry.
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Old 06-04-2013, 09:51 AM
 
2,627 posts, read 6,547,987 times
Reputation: 1230
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamacatnv View Post
I miss good salad bars, lots of fresh selections and the ability to find all the makings for what is in my opinion a good stir fry.
Maybe you need to try the Farmers Markets around Austin. There is a pretty good list at the link below. And I agree with others, for Central Texas, Central Market is about as good as it gets. CA has a lot going for it in regards to fresh produce including the mild weather.

Farmers Markets
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Old 06-04-2013, 09:55 AM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,189,088 times
Reputation: 24737
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamacatnv View Post
The bean sprout issue has become kind of a joke since we moved here. I'm from the West coast and I think I just take fresh, plentiful and inexpensive for granted. The inability to find bean sprouts when I am used to them being everywhere has become a challenge in our shopping endeavors.

I've been to Central Market several times, I am not impressed. Lets talk basics, or at least in my world, basics. Apples, pit fruits, squashes (zucchini, yellow, calabaza and pattypan), leafy greens (romaine, spring mix & spinach) strawberries & blueberries. The majority of these come from somewhere in West. By the time they hit the shelves, even at CM they are battered, bruised and on their last leg. I'm used to produce that will last at least a week and here I find I now buy less, more often. I now buy produce on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Part of it is that I am used to a different variety of produce than what I find here in TX (makes perfect sense, the west is 2000 miles away). Central Market carries a lot of the "brands" of produce I am used to seeing in West Coast markets, the shelf life of produce purchased that has been on a truck for days vs a few hours is significant and just not something I had ever considered. The cost to truck all that produce affects the price, again, just not something I was expecting. It makes perfect sense, I had just not considered it.

When we go out to eat, veggies consist of either a frozen mix or green beans cooked to mush. I understand I am just used to something very different and I need to explore different produce options that are more readily available and fresh here in TX.

I miss good salad bars, lots of fresh selections and the ability to find all the makings for what is in my opinion a good stir fry.
Did you read my response regarding sprouts and follow the link? You may find upon visiting the West Coast that they're not plentiful there any longer, either, due to the health threat issues.

Here's more information on this problem.

Obviously, cooking them helps, but many companies have decided the liability risk is not worth it, apparently, and are not carrying them any longer.

Also, where the heck are you going out to eat? I never have that problem.
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Old 06-04-2013, 10:00 AM
 
Location: Austin, Texas, USA
1,299 posts, read 2,761,655 times
Reputation: 1216
Quote:
Originally Posted by mamacatnv View Post
The bean sprout issue has become kind of a joke since we moved here. I'm from the West coast and I think I just take fresh, plentiful and inexpensive for granted. The inability to find bean sprouts when I am used to them being everywhere has become a challenge in our shopping endeavors.
I am confused about your bean sprout issue. I literally just bought bean sprouts at Sprouts on S. Lamar yesterday, as I do every couple weeks, for chicken pho, one of our fam-favorite dishes. Maybe try there next time?
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Old 06-04-2013, 10:11 AM
 
1,059 posts, read 2,212,748 times
Reputation: 1395
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady View Post
Did you read my response regarding sprouts and follow the link? You may find upon visiting the West Coast that they're not plentiful there any longer, either, due to the health threat issues.

Here's more information on this problem.

Obviously, cooking them helps, but many companies have decided the liability risk is not worth it, apparently, and are not carrying them any longer.

Also, where the heck are you going out to eat? I never have that problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MtnLion512 View Post
I am confused about your bean sprout issue. I literally just bought bean sprouts at Sprouts on S. Lamar yesterday, as I do every couple weeks, for chicken pho, one of our fam-favorite dishes. Maybe try there next time?
I'm on my way! Seriously, I check every store, every produce section every single time I am in the store and not once in 15 months have I found a bean sprout. I know they exist, some of the Chinese restaurants have them, they have to be coming from somewhere but seriously, I was at the Sprouts behind Costco on Sunday, no sprouts.

TexasHorseLady, I am aware that there have been issues. I have a friend in Germany and they have been banned due to salmonella I believe. Also bean sprouts have a very very short shelf life and are pretty fragile to ship. We were in N. Nevada 2 weeks ago and there were bean sprouts in the stores. My DH joked that we should bring some home here to TX, but again, the shelf life is a real issue.

We will be checking out the farmers markets, thanks for all the links!
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