Today again I had to shop for groceries in Manhattan during lunch. While there is a huge selection of imported less perishable goods -- from Italian prosciutto, to cheeses from every corner of the world, basic things like fresh meat and fish are a challenge to buy. Why? They are not very fresh. These are very perishable items that simply don't have good turn over. One would assume this is due to high prices, but I think in reality it is due to lack of freshness. The store will resist discarding it to the last. And consumers won't buy it in the future because in their mind the store has proved itself not trustworthy when it comes to these items. So the turnover is even less, and meat is even less fresh. It is a vicious cycle.

So where do you go looking for something better? Try a truly Japanese grocery. They do appreciate freshness in food, and surprisingly, are often cheaper than Korean Groceries.

My grocery shopping for today:

$3.88 Yaki soba (fresh noodle with yaki sause) -- you prepare it in a flying pan with a bit of water.
$0.99 Tofu
$5.88 some thinly sliced pork (it looked better than any other store in the area).
$2.38 (impulse purchase) Tiny 150gram jar of Kimchi from Korea (I've decided to give it a try because I love good kimchi but yet to find one in store). So thinking that maybe this expensive one will be good.
I'll toss the noodles with the sause, some vegetable, some tofu, and a little meat. There are at least 2 family meals and some leftovers in this.
$1.58 Green tea, unsweetened. It was an impulse purchase, and afternoon treat.

So in total $14.71 for groceries

And my lunch at a nearby Japanese noodle shop:

Spicy pork broth noodles: $8.66 (7.95 + tax)


Other expenses:
$2.82 Almond croissant in the morning
$20 KVS availability tool -- we are trying to find a low milage award to Asia this summer.
$10 Living Social deal -- Time Out New York for Kids 2 year subscription
$2 doorman tip

I'll try to buy some fruit or berries (if anything looks good) for the baby on my way home and than update the post.