Neena Strichart
Publisher
I never really thought much about grocery shopping. It was just something that I did on a regular basis. Through the years my hubby Steve took over the bulk of the big grocery store shopping, and I was assigned the pleasant task of spending our dollars happily at Trader Joe’s. Yummmmmm— Trader Joe’s; I love that place. The prices are right, the small store size allows for a quicker trip than the BIG grocery stores, the food choices are interesting and unique, and, best of all, the prices are quite reasonable.
Although my heart still remains with Trader Joe’s I am becoming quite a fan of Fresh and Easy (F&E). When I learned last year that they were planning a fall opening in Signal Hill, I did some practice shopping at the location over on Spring Street near Millikan High School. After a trip or two I knew I’d be hooked once they came to town. Boy, was I right! After a year of one, two or three stops a week at my neighborhood F&E, I have found that the convenience has allowed for a lot more home cooking in the Strichart household. Without the excuse of being out of milk, eggs, gluten-free pasta, etc. to assure another night of dining out, I am actually enjoying spending more time in the kitchen.
My favorite items at F&E (in no particular order) are as follows: Summer Peach ice cream, gluten-free frozen waffles, 99-cent produce packs, seaweed snacks, anything and everything from the huge variety of gluten-free items, Heinz cream of tomato soup (pull tab, NOT concentrated and can be found on the international shelves) and the cleaned and bagged whole radishes. The little pudding and gelatin cups are pretty tasty too.
Now that F&E has recently opened at 33rd Street and Atlantic Avenue, just barely out of Signal Hill and into Long Beach, I’m sure that a lot of our readers in California Heights and Bixby Knolls are enjoying this new type of shopping experience— check yourself out and bag your own groceries. Easy in and easy out for sure— but don’t forget your reusable bags!
