Have you ever wondered what it means to “Have it All”. Well, lately I’ve been thinking what that means.

When I was in my 20’s I was definitely “having it all”. I had a job a month after university, shared an apartment with a room mate, did some travelling and was enjoying living in Toronto.

In my 30’s, I continued to “have it all”. I was busy having kids, lived in a lovely house, and still managed to travel.

In my 40’s I still had it all but “having” it all meant being more responsible with $$ seeing as the kids were growing and there were definitely more expenses.

I’ve always been budget conscious but I was now paying more attention to my grocery bill, the cost of clothing etc. As for the car I drove – it was always second hand. I loved the idea of buying second hand so much so that I even owned a consignment store for 3 years.

“Having it all” is possible at any age but I really do believe it means being mindful of how much you spend and knowing what your priorities are.

At this stage in my life, (early 50’s), I continue to have the desire to travel and I’ve also added home renovations to that list.

Seeing as I’m a food blogger, I entertain quite a bit. I love throwing small parties and having friends over for brunch or dinner. I  also love setting a nice table (see blog post here).

All of the above, requires more groceries which can add up. I try my best to create seasonal menus and cook/bake vs buying store bought dishes/desserts. Again, I’m aware that entertaining is an additional expense but it’s definitely important to me.
No question Food Basics knows what I mean by “having it all”  and offers their customers great value. I will continue to look at grocery prices so I can travel, entertain, renovate and save for a rainy day too!!

News alert: Beginning on June 3rd, Food Basics will be launching the I Want It All Event.
Here’s what you need to know:

Film a 5-15 second video answering the question: “If you won free groceries for an entire year, what would you do with the savings?” Upload the video to www.foodbasics.ca/videocontest for a chance to win one of three prizes of groceries for a year—$1,000 in Food Basics gift cards!

In-store teams will walk around with cameras to ask customers what “I want it all” means to them for additional chances to win

Share what having it all means to you on social media with the hashtags #iwantitall #foodbasics

Check out this video to learn more. Check out complete contest rules by clicking here.

Note: To be entered in the contest, videos must be uploaded to the web, sharing on social media won’t count as a contest entry.

Happy Grocery Shopping!

Website: www.foodbasics.ca

Disclosure: This is a sponsored blog post. 

At one my point in my life I was a Food Sales Rep. This meant I was visiting 12-15 grocery stores a day. However my fridge was ALWAYS missing something.

I really do have a love/hate relationships with Grocery Stores. Thankfully Loblaws has introduced a program called Click & Collect, so I can “love” grocery shopping more than hating it!

Here’s my experience using it:

1. I sat on my couch one night and ordered my groceries online using this website: https://shop.loblaws.ca/

After a few clicks, my online cart was full of things I needed…ie Kale, Almond Milk, frozen spinach, and other goodies!

2.  I then clicked on a convenient time for me to pick up my groceries. Sweet.

3. The next day, I drove to Loblaws (there’s 3 locations that are offering this program). When I drove thru the parking lot I saw these “Click & Collect” signs so I parked and followed the instructions. i.e I made a phone call where a friendly customer service rep reviewed my bill.

For more information about substitutions, pricing, etc. please click here: https://shop.loblaws.ca/faq

4) The friendly customer service rep came out with my groceries and put them in my car.

5) See me smiling from the comfort of my car? I was SO happy with the service and the fact that I didn’t have to leave my car!!

Things you should know;

a) There is an additional service fee depending on the time slot you choose. I must have picked a great time, as I only had to pay an additional $3 for the service.

b) You need to spend a minimum of $50

c) There’s 3 locations in Toronto that are offering the  “Click & Collect” program.

Loblaws: 17 Leslie Street, Toronto

Loblaws: 11 Redway, Toronto

Loblaws: 301 High Tech Road, Richmond Hill

Would I use the Click & Collect program again?  YES. YES. YES!!

Happy Clicking and Collecting!!

Disclosure: I was compensated to try the Click & Collect program however all opinions are my own

 

 

I seem to have been attending food shows for as long as I can remember. Its a great chance to discover new products and it’s a great way to notice food trends and meet others in the food industry too.

On Sunday, I attended the Canadian Health Food Expo with an empty stomach so I could enjoy a sample (or two..or three..or four…hee hee).

Here’s a look at a few of the new products I discovered:

The product is called POPCORNERS.…The New Shape of Popcorn. It’s actually triangular in shape!! (perfect for scooping).Why do I love it? let’s see…a) it tastes great b) its all natural, gluten free c) its kosher d) only 8 % fat per serving e) available in 3 flavors: butter, sea salt and kettle.

Now here’s an interesting beverage:

It’s called KIKI…and its maple sweet water. Interesting concept – that’s for sure. It’s 100% natural, no additives, no preservatives, and contains over 80 nutrients. What’s really cool is that a 473 ml bottle only has 55 calories. Now that’s sweet!! (sorry – I couldn’t resist)

Finally: A new veggie burger.

I’ve met the owner of Sol Cuisine at food shows for the last fifteen years.  Now there is an new addition to their line up: A mushroom rice burger – that is indeed very tasty. I’m always looking for new veggie burgers for the family and I certainly will be buying this new flavor.

As for Trends. Here’s what  I noticed:

-COCONUT water was EVERYWHERE.  I even saw coconut milk (not the canned stuff – this one was in a carton like normal milk)

-GLUTEN FREE products were EVERYWHERE

I had a lot of fun walking thru the aisles and of course, when I got home, the kids loved the samples!!

Happy Grocery Shopping!!!

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the new Longos near the Air Canada Centre. That’s right, a 45,000 square foot grocery store is right in the smack of downtown Toronto.

The first thing that you notice is that the place is buzzing with staff, with customers, with suppliers, with head office  “suits”, etc. The second thing you notice is that there is prepared foods EVERYWHERE.

If I worked near by, I would be buying my salad there everyday.

I would hang out by the fire, on the leather couches, enjoying free wi-fi and a coffee.

I would even consider having a beer or a glass of wine at the bar.

They have thought of everything!! I was so impressed.

Naturally I bought some beautiful kumquats and some other items so I could take advantage of the free parking if you purchase $30 0r more. Hey Longos…my pleasure to buy some groceries there. The produce was beautiful.

I will end this blog entry by saying “congratulations” to Longos for building a grocery store that will really appeal to the residents who live in condos nearby and to those office workers who work downtown.

Not to mention the fans who go to the ACC for hockey games or to concerts will also love Longos.

You won’t be disappointed.

Happy Grocery Shopping.