Grocery Shopping In [Houston, Texas]

Another favorite gone, what’s next, Whataburger?

Where do I get fresh okra other than the overpriced product at MY HEB?

I picked up some very nice okra at an HEB other than yours yesterday.

I like the shorter pods as I find them more tender, (i.e. less “fibrous”), than the larger ones and they had a good selection. They were about $2.50/lb I think, but good quality. I’ll slice them lengthwise and fry them up this evening to go along with… something.

For $0.78, I have enough for two good sized side dishes and a few to eat while I finish cooking, (“la récompense du chef”).

1 Like

HEB = Have Every Bug

Always gotta be first!

1 Like

Are they going to have an HEB brand as well? Find out where they’re located so I can avoid them and not have to look at them.

So the fam and I stopped in to BBQ Inn yesterday and thence to what used to be Canino’s.

BBQ Inn is the same as always. Well, not literally always. Just for the last seventy years or so.

But what used to be Canino’s is different. The main building, (and what used to be Canino’s proper), is still operating but only using about half of the space. I think it’s called Lenny’s or something. The back area of independent vendors is much the same as always.

But let’s talk about the other building. Maybe I had missed it all these years, but there was another huge aisle of vendors mirroring the back section of the other building only “more so” if that’s possible.

Was that always there? I always thought that the other building just housed a few gardening type things, (plants and dirt and fertilizer). I had never walked through it to see what was behind it. The vendors looked well established and I think I had just missed that whole section all of these years! Man I feel foolish. I mean it’s not like there’s a lot that is vastly different but there’s a yerberia, and lots of dried beans and peppers and smiling faces.

I don’t think it’s new, but if it is, kudos. I thought they were planning to gentrify the site with coffee shops and organic honey bars and whatnot, but if this was their plan all along, then I’m in. Definitely a destination for out of town HOs to plan to visit. I loved it.

P.S. I didn’t buy a darned thing.

1 Like

HEB named the Best Grocery Store in America.

Told ya’!

2 Likes

How can that be since they are only in Texas and one in Mexico apparently? They are so targeted to southwest appetites that I’m sure the concept would not go over in Minnesota.

1 Like

FTA:

The study credits H-E-B’s jump to the top to “sustained focus and excellence on assortment, relevance and private brand,” which is consistent with its findings that some regional grocers are starting to be competitive with the leading non-traditional retailers.

1 Like

I don’t know… substitute lutefisk for carnitas and BOOM!, there you are!

4 Likes

Randall’s is closing five outlying stores: Clear Lake, Kingwood, The Woodlands, and two in Spring.

Not too surprising, unfortunately.

LINK

That leaves 13 stores.

These aren’t the first. I’m watching closely as I have a couple of prescriptions ot another one, probably need to transfer.

2 Likes

I would do that ASAP, you don’t want to be without meds. I know when Hurricane Alicia hit in 1983 we laid in a supply, wait they weren’t RXs.

Subsequent storms found me under threat of testing so there was none of that, for the record I passed four in twenty-three years.

We went to the Randall’s a few years ago on Voss near Woodway and you could drive an M1 Abrams main battle tank down the aisles firing the 120mm cannon without fear of hitting an employee or customer since there weren’t any.

Which begs the question, how many did you succumb to?

One pre-employment and four accidents one of which the manager ruled I didn’t require a test.

Accidents at work were an auto test at the manager’s discretion. One was my fault but the others due to negligence including a 65 inch tv and a computer dropped on my head. Do it not doobs, let me hear it.

I would have gone to my private doctor if I had any concerns but I got hurt on company time so let them pay for it.

1 Like

I popped in to Sprouts last weekend because I needed 1/2 and 1/2 and coffee filters and was over at Spec’s in the same lot.

They had the cream, but I never found filters. In looking for them, I was in the paper products and one point and was astounded by the prices for the odd selection of toilet papers and such. I guess they are recycled ocean waste or something, but woo, like $8-10 for six rolls.

There doesn’t seem to be much traffic either. I don’t really know how they stay up and running on bulk food product sales, which seems to be the draw to this concept.

I’m kind of in love with the new Aldi in the area, but the produce has been disappointingly past its prime when I’ve dropped in.

1 Like

Yeah, it’s hit or miss. You can’t expect to get everything there, but more often than not, it’s good and when it’s good, it’s usually very inexpensive. I like the canned goods, plastic baggies, cheeses, dairy, etc., etc., etc.

If you hate grocery shopping and want to make one stop a week, I strongly suggest HEB at off-hours.

Me? I like going several places and choosing the best of each. But I like to cook, so I don’t mind shopping for the best quality and values. It’s a hobby, I guess.

2 Likes

BTW, I 'm pretty sure the filters are on the aisle with the bulk coffees.

2 Likes

HEB has announced limited hours beginning yesterday, 8-8.

1 Like

Foodtown will be open to seniors (65 and older only) from 7-8 am for the foreseeable future.

That seems pretty smart.

2 Likes

Dollar General has joined this. Some people have been pretty horrible I hear. My health care professional friends reporting patients stealing gloves and other items from examining rooms. Depressing to see these behaviors.

2 Likes