Pre-Packaged Food

I love visiting grocery stores in other countries.  I find it so interesting to see what products they carry, what is popular, what is expensive, cheap and the differences from what I am used to.

In Dublin, it’s really popular for stores to sell pre-packaged food.  Not in a “TV Dinner” or “Frozen Meal” sort of way, but in a “Here are all the veggies you need to make a ratatouille” sort of way.  Brian and I are fascinated by it.  We often discuss if it’s a good deal, or if it would be better to just buy everything separately.  It’s an ongoing conversation as the packets are very reasonably priced and we haven’t come to a conclusion.

Roasting Veggies & Root Veggie Packets for €3

There are all sorts of options for these pre-packaged foods.  They have a half Broccoli/half Cauliflower pack, genius, right?  All sorts of Stir Fry options, Asian, Classic, Thai – and if you don’t need a whole stir-fry kit, maybe you just need ½ baby corn, ½ Chinese peas – we’ve bought this one several times to complete a stir fry with other leftover veggies we had already.  Veggies cut small for mashing, veggies cut for a soup or stew mix, they thought of it.  Need a tin pan full of chopped veggies to go with your Irish Beef for the night?  They have it.

Stir Fry Packets for €3

It goes even beyond just veggie packets – need a quick dinner for 4?  Done. For €10 you get your protein, veggie and starch. 

Dinner for 4

At our local grocery store, they have brown bags that come with a recipe and all the ingredients you need to make the dish.  Last one I saw was a quiche, in a bag.

It’s so easy, and you’re still using fresh ingredients.  We’re a fan.

Here are a few grocery store shots I dug up from previous travel.

In Japan they ate and drank products that were Aloe flavored.  It was good.  One of my favorites was an Aloe-White Grape Juice.  Wouldn’t you just feel better when you are sunburned after eating Aloe Yogurt for breakfast?

Aloe Yogurt

In Argentina, I was grossed out by the packaging of Mayonnaise….well, I am grossed out by mayo anyway, but when it comes in a bag, it just seems worse.

Mayo in a bag