Tony the Tiger where art thou?

Why must I only be surrounded by exclusively organic, overpriced, vegan-elite grocery stores?

Grocery shopping is hard when it's done on foot. I wouldn't mind hauling bags back if the products purchased were worth the trek. Whole Foods constantly tests my patience. Every time I take a chance on an item that is affordable, I wind up disappointed. Said item this time was a can of [vegetarian] chili. I opened it up this afternoon and it smelled like Ragu. It tasted like vomit. Waste of a $1.50. Also, apples should not cost $2.99 a pound! I don't care how free of pesticides it is.

Trader Joes is considerably better, but also farther. Still, it's frustrating to walk up and down aisles hoping in vain for some good old processed food. Or at least food with some kind of brand association. I'm tired of "Puffins" and "Fiber Bran." Ugh. Kashi is getting more and more appealing. Can't a girl get some Frosted Flakes? Cheerios?

I shouldn't be complaining. Millions of people in the world starve everyday. There are people in my neighborhood who are desperately homeless.

Come to think of it, there are some really delicious items at both WF and TJs that are worth the value.

Whole Foods:
-The Black Bean Adobe Soup is hearty and filling. You get about 5 servings in a container for $6.
-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (aka Pepitas). I love pumpkins so its no surprise that this nutty snack makes the list. I think a 4oz pack is around $5

Trader Joes:
-Morningstar Buffalo Chik'n Nuggets - Tastes just like chicken, but is actually soy based. Normally I find fake meats very unsavory. But if you bake these nuggets on a cookie sheet they come out really crispy and tender with a little bit of spice/tang. A 10.5 oz box (about 18 nuggets) is $3.99
-Wide variety of breads that are very reasonably priced ($2.99 or less), including artisan breads
-Wide variety of hummus (prices range but the last one I bought was about $2.00 and lasted for a week)
-The fruits are cheaper than WF AND organic. An apple tote bag (about 10 apples) was $3
-Pad Thai in a carton is $1.99 and great for lunch
-Lettuce and veggie trays are all moderately priced

So I guess it's not so bad, except there are some basic staples that have been omitted because they're ridiculously expensive.

Oh wells. Enough of my food rant. Off to bed.