SMALL ADVENTURES IN THE GROCERY AISLES

Grocery shopping is always a bit of an adventure on a road-trip.  First of all you have to find one, then you have to figure out where the bread and milk and carrots and cheese are located.  (We prefer not to shop at WalMart, which would probably make life easier.)  

In the 5th-Wheel we had a supply of freezer meals and a full-size refrigerator full of stuff to make meals out of...we could buy and store food pretty much exactly as we did when we had a stick house.  But it's different in the RoadTrek.

 
The kitchen is tiny and storage space is limited.  We didn't used to like to stop at grocery stores on travel days, because it was hard to find a place to park.  But now, with the B-Van, we can't carry too much extra food.  We have breakfast stuff and two or three emergency dinners "on board."  So we're stopping for groceries pretty often.  (Easy enough to do now though because it's not hard at all to find a parking place.) 

On this road trip, our adventure is learning to use the grocery store as our extra storage pantry -- and planning reasonably healthy easy-to-fix meals as we go. 

Here's a supermarket chain we've stopped at a few times on this trip.  We don't see this one in the Pacific Northwest. 

The name makes me laugh, but it isn't a bad place to shop.

(Photo courtesy of Google)

Here are a few interesting stores we've come across on other trips.

 HEB Supermarkets are pretty much the only stores you see in most of Texas. 

It is a good place to shop and prices seem pretty reasonable. 

The man who started this chain was named Herbert E. Butts, which proves, I guess, that success doesn't necessarily depend on one's name!

(Photo courtesy of Google)

We stumbled into this international gourmet grocery store in Rockford Illinois. 

Interesting because this area was pretty rundown, so it was quite a surprise to find a store that was on the upscale end. 

We didn't go looking for it, it was just the first (and only) store we found there. 

Sometimes you don't even have to go to a museum or visitor center to learn about the area where you are.

This little grocery store in The Dairy State -- Wisconsin -- displayed some area history.  The clerk said the  bottles were from area dairies, past and present. 

 

 

Comments

[Mr. RV Cover]

Rving is the name of the game for traveling. Unless you have big pockets. A popup, travel trailer, or more is the most fun. I wished we had started many years ago. You can start out with a used unit or a new less expensive camper, but do start. It is also great for kids. Family that plays together stays together.

[Pam]

Sallie, your beautiful B van is compact and convenient, that's a good thing when you travel like you two do. I would love to own one, I think we would travel more.
We shopped at a Piggly Wiggly in Dillard Ga, it was like going back in time, we loved it.

[Margot]

Wow - what do you do in such a small space? Having to grocery shop every few days (every day?) would get old after awhile. Although, as you've pointed out, it could be viewed as part of the adventure of the road trip. Since I love road trips so much I'd put up with the shopping.

[Joe Todd]

We were in a H.E.B. when we were in Georgetown Texas thought they had a pretty good selection

[Martha Z]

Road travel does bring out the creativity in the cook, ingredients that we know where to find at home may be hard to come by on the road.
At our cabin we are about 16 miles to small stores in either direction. Head north and the market caters to fishermen and locals. Head south and the market caters to international travelers headed for Yosemite and the loacals seem to have a preference for organic and vegetarian. I usually head south.

[Chatty Crone]

I remember that from Chicago - I miss the ethnic groups - not so many here in GA. sandie

[Karen]

WE have always loved to go to grocery stores on our trips, even before we RV'ed. The different things you find in grocery stores in different parts of the country are amazing, and can tell you a little bit about the people in the area. Oh, and Piggly Wiggly is all over the south.

[Dave Q, UK]

i wish i could do a road-trip one day. i bet everyday is an adventure. lovely post.

[michael]

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm glad to have found yours. My wife and I wonder about life in an RV and we will follow your vicariously for a bit and hopefully learn something.