When I was single, I lived in neighborhoods which were beginning to gentrify. My jobs were in more upscale areas, and I often went to the grocery store in the upscale area near my office. Other times, I shopped in a grocery store of the same chain, but in my neighborhood – which was still primarily a poor area of town.
Over time I began to notice something interesting. Although both stores had the advertised specials and many of the same foods, there was a noticeable difference in some of the items they chose to carry in large quantities and the extra sale items. Unfortunately, in the cases of the gentrifying neighborhoods, extra sales were often on junk food while in pricier areas more exotic fruits, vegetables and leaner cuts of meat were more often on sale.
I learned a lot from noticing these differences in the grocery stores. Not just about how the stores chose to do business, but I also got to know other customers, workers and learned about some foods I might have passed by in the tiny corner in which they were placed in the more upscale store. In the gentrifying store, these same items were available in large, inexpensive quantities and there were many helpful people to teach me how to choose and prepare the items so I could enjoy them.
Over the years, we have learned one of the best places to go when you are on vacation – particularly in another region or country- is the local grocery store. You and your children can learn a lot by being observant as you walk around the aisles. Here are some of my favorites: