Being a student entails making several sacrifices. It is indeed difficult to economise when the only super market within quick reach, more often than not, will display empty shelves, with only the 'finest' items left for purchase. Who has the time to go to the butcher's, the fruit grocer's, the bread-maker's, these days? How to cope with the stress of studying if not with over-priced chocolate chip cookies, smooth Greek-style yogurts and top brand cereal?
The best of us have mastered the art of shopping at ALDI's. I've only been there once, and, truly, I came out of there feeling like all my food dreams had died. A rapid, sudden and uncalled-for death, at that. I know, I know; I should not judge a book by its cover. And although the feeling of being inside a natural disaster relief shelter probably had something to do with my growing discomfort and increasing doubts about my culinary talents, I think food has too much of a special place in my heart for me to approve of ALDI. My wiser friends tell me that the philosophy of ALDI is simplicity: why have a thousand brands of tomato sauce? One will do! They have my full support on that one; we are, nowadays, too accustomed to having way too much choice. But...there's something about ALDI value that just can't seem to please me.
Granted, I cook a little more than your average student, and I depend on fresh fruit and veg slightly more as well, so I bring this 'problem' upon myself. Yet, when a whole chicken costs less than a pack of fair-trade bananas, you just know something isn't right. Especially when that chicken turns grey after being cooked... Also, call me crazy, but ravioli are not supposed to be as hard as the package they come in. It is also the allure of ALDI products that ticked me off; those boxes of cereal that look just like the brand ones, even better, and cost about a fraction of the original... Yes, I still get angry over false advertising.
In any case, when I go grocery shopping, I need to feel stimulated. ALDI made me feel as cold inside as the frozen food section (mind you, the most alluring aisle in the shop). Why the never-ending canned goods, the cheap fatty meats and Italian specialties made in Germany? I need something authentic and raw and fresh, to cook up stuff from scratch and feel proud of my inventions. Yes, I complained about my trip to ALDI for weeks.
My whining was, however, quite quickly put to silence when my good German friends, in the spirit of breaking down the pillars of stereotype, hosted an all-German dinner using ALDI ingredients. It was AWESOME. So I don't know, what do you say? Have I lost some useful and instructive dinner invitations these past three years?
The best of us have mastered the art of shopping at ALDI's. I've only been there once, and, truly, I came out of there feeling like all my food dreams had died. A rapid, sudden and uncalled-for death, at that. I know, I know; I should not judge a book by its cover. And although the feeling of being inside a natural disaster relief shelter probably had something to do with my growing discomfort and increasing doubts about my culinary talents, I think food has too much of a special place in my heart for me to approve of ALDI. My wiser friends tell me that the philosophy of ALDI is simplicity: why have a thousand brands of tomato sauce? One will do! They have my full support on that one; we are, nowadays, too accustomed to having way too much choice. But...there's something about ALDI value that just can't seem to please me.
Granted, I cook a little more than your average student, and I depend on fresh fruit and veg slightly more as well, so I bring this 'problem' upon myself. Yet, when a whole chicken costs less than a pack of fair-trade bananas, you just know something isn't right. Especially when that chicken turns grey after being cooked... Also, call me crazy, but ravioli are not supposed to be as hard as the package they come in. It is also the allure of ALDI products that ticked me off; those boxes of cereal that look just like the brand ones, even better, and cost about a fraction of the original... Yes, I still get angry over false advertising.
In any case, when I go grocery shopping, I need to feel stimulated. ALDI made me feel as cold inside as the frozen food section (mind you, the most alluring aisle in the shop). Why the never-ending canned goods, the cheap fatty meats and Italian specialties made in Germany? I need something authentic and raw and fresh, to cook up stuff from scratch and feel proud of my inventions. Yes, I complained about my trip to ALDI for weeks.
My whining was, however, quite quickly put to silence when my good German friends, in the spirit of breaking down the pillars of stereotype, hosted an all-German dinner using ALDI ingredients. It was AWESOME. So I don't know, what do you say? Have I lost some useful and instructive dinner invitations these past three years?
i'm sorry Fran. there shall be more alluring luxurious delicious ingestions soon :)
ReplyDelete