Grocery shopping

I think my sister Mary is embarrassed to go grocery shopping with me when I am in the States. She says I am like a kid in a candy store, as I slowly go up and down the aisles, somewhat envious of all the foods she has at her local supermarket which are difficult for me to find in Germany (plus I am always trying to bag my own groceries as one does here). The funny thing is, most of the products I probably wouldn't touch if they were available in Germany. I try to stay away from foods like Fritos and Co. and since I am now vegetarian, my favorite Barbeque is out of the question. For years I would gorge on Oreos each time I returned, but since finding them here, I have dropped them into my shopping basket only once or twice as a gift for my kids. The list of goodies my boys are only able to enjoy during a stay in the States is shrinking too, as Mountain Dew, Jelly Beans and Swiss Miss have all entered the market here. At the risk of sounding like we eat nothing but junk foods, my family and I are somewhat lax about our diets for the few weeks we are visiting the States. It is telling however, that the American foods most poplular in Germany are generally the ones with very little nutritious value, and as I see the grocery store shelves in the States stocked with more and more prepared foods, I wonder how healthy these products really are?

Ofcourse one can find many foods and beverages packed with vitamins and minerals in American supermarkets. Sometimes I think too packed. Who knew we needed calcium in orange juice? Cereals and other foods have been fortified since I was a kid, but are these "functional foods" really good for us? Even the choice of milk is almost a lifestyle statement in the US -- I get a headache just trying to find the "normal" variety in the dairy section.

Oh dear, got off on a bit of a rant there. I'm very big on moderate eating and a healthy diet, and I tend to get quite adamant about it.

But back to the subject at hand. As the world gets smaller and smaller (not literally, but you know what I mean), some items that were once only available in Germany are now easily found in the US also. Imagine my surprise when I found that our special present from here -- the haselnut chocolate spread Nutella -- is now routinely stocked in Stateside stores. And one of my sisters-in-law just loves the German-brand muesli she gets at her favorite market in Northern Virginia. But what stunned us most was the first time we saw the German discount chain Aldi in New York; I only wonder if it has the same cult status it enjoys here. It is true, though, what goes around comes around -- last weekend at a gourmet store in Wiesbaden, I spied the "Swiss" cereal I loved as a child, marketed as an American specialty.

Nonetheless, we are still on the lookout for string cheese, Rice Krispies and Lucky Charms, so if anyone discovers them in the Rhein-Main area, please do tell!