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The people are pretty laid back and friendly, even if you'll always be "from away".
I don't find this the case, but then on MDI 70% of the population is from away, and in Ellsworth, its the fastest growing place in Maine, so lots of people are constantly moving in.
I've never had any discrimination about being "from away" anywhere in Maine, except on this forum.
When I moved here four years ago(Ellsworth), we priced the three groceries on the same identical items and tallied our 10 day grocery bill.
At Shaw it was $250.
At IGA, it was $230
At Hannaford it $225
At Walmart it was $175.
Of course no one should buy any meat at Walmart, but then as Vegetarians we don't buy meat so it doesn't matter. And though I don't care much for Walmart's treatment of its workers, a $75 difference was astounding. We still often buy things at the local IGA in southwest Harbor, and the Hannaford in Bar harbor, in between trips for the large bill to Walmart in Ellsworth.
I turned 55 this year, IGA gives a senior discount every Tuesday to everyone 55 and older. So I have gotten into the routine of grocery shopping on Tuesdays. Some weeks I skip it, because we just do not need anything.
I find bread goes from $1.50 to as high as $3.00
Eggs span from $1.00 to $3.00 [I only buy eggs in winter, in summer I sell eggs]
They rotate each week with brand names and which bacon will be the lowest price but I can usually find it at $2.00 but then other brands go as high as $4.50/pound.
I like the Arby's junior Roast Beef sandwich, value fries and value drink. [one time they let me inspect the roast beef they used before it went into the oven] I go into the city and get this maybe twice a month,
I was getting this 'meal' for $2.57 but, they bumped their prices last year. Now I pay for around $3.50, things are always changing. It is not a bad quick meal.
You know...
You'd think that beef would be cheap in Texas, but seems like it's not. We're lucky to get ground beef (80/20 chuck) for $4/lb.
Steaks...well, depends on what kind you buy. My SO is partial to ribeye, and that's been running around $18-$21/lb.
I get the Eggland's Best high omega eggs. They're "middle of the road" in price for around here, and cost about $2.50/dozen.
Oh now bacon...there's something I've been buying a ton of lately.
The kind I usually get is about $5.67 for a 12 oz pack, but it's "HEB Natural" uncured bacon. My SO gets the "budget" kind from HEB which is 2/$7 for a normal 12 oz pack.
Just yesterday, I bought some that was $7.99/lb but started off with SUCH thick pork belly. It's almost beyond bacon.
I don't buy bread, chips, dips, or cereal, nor do I eat fast food.
I usually buy almond coconut milk which is usually around $3 for a half gallon carton.
I'd sure love to know if good fresh salmon can be had for a "reasonable" price in Maine.
... I'd sure love to know if good fresh salmon can be had for a "reasonable" price in Maine.
-T.
The place for that is Washington or Alaska. When we lived in Washington we ate a lot of fresh King Salmon.
Here there is some land-locked salmon that can be caught, but it is smaller and not very impressive.
There has been huge efforts to open the Penobscot River to migratory fish. So in theory there may be a return of migratory salmon. But so far efforts to restock them have not gotten much steam.
I checked some prices in Hannaford's today and the cheapest eggs I saw were $1.69 for large white. I think all the other varieties were $2.00 or more. If I get my eggs at my friend's farm, she charges $3.00 dz. If I get them at the farmer's market, and organic, they are $5.00 dozen. If I get them at a farm type store, which we have in S. Portland, they are $5.95 for organic and a dollar less for non organic. I try to only buy ground beef raised without antibiotics- actually try to buy all meat and poultry with no antibiotics, so I pay a premium. They come in pressurized type bags and range from $5.99 lb. to $8.59 lb (from Colorado).
... I get my eggs at my friend's farm,
... I get them at the farmer's market, and organic,
... I get them at a farm type store, which we have in S. Portland,
... try to buy all meat and poultry with no antibiotics,
... (from Colorado).
You buy from a local farm, you buy from a local Farmer's Market, you buy from a local 'farm-type store', but your meat comes from Colorado?
May I ask why you do not buy local organic meat?
I know a few vendors who are in Farmer's Markets in the Portland area, some of them are in the market up here where I sell our farm produce. I am curious.
This meat from Colorado is a fairly new purchase for me. I was buying Pineland Farms (Maine), no antibiotics, non-organic, ground round (85/15) for years. But late last year I wasn't liking how finely it was being ground and this organic one from Colorado was next to it on the shelf at Hannafords. Sometimes, they are the same price, sometimes a dollar or so more and now more like $2.50 more per pound. But, it is good and I only get it about once every 2 weeks. The Farm Stand Store in SoPo has a butcher, and I once bought a chicken there, for soup, and it was $20.00. My soup was very delicious, but to this day, it blows my mind that I spent $20.00 on a chicken for soup. So, I am not yet ready, nor could I afford to be, to make the leap to their prices for every day. Maybe I am a reverse snob, but one Saturday I was there and this couple came in for their weekly shopping. I say that because the butcher gave them a great greeting. They proceeded to order, with money being no object, and it just made me feel funny. I don't like how food has become such a reflection of class. I want a society where everyone can eat well. At Thanksgiving I get the no antibiotic turkey (Nature's Place, Hannafords), but I would like to buy a locally grown, all natural turkey. When I inquire as to the price, we are getting close to $100.00. I know you get what you pay for, but it is a hurdle- both mentally and fiscally. Regarding the farmer's market, I don't get there as often as I would like, but still and all I like to buy local.
This meat from Colorado is a fairly new purchase for me. I was buying Pineland Farms (Maine), no antibiotics, non-organic, ground round (85/15) for years. But late last year I wasn't liking how finely it was being ground and this organic one from Colorado was next to it on the shelf at Hannafords. Sometimes, they are the same price, sometimes a dollar or so more and now more like $2.50 more per pound. But, it is good and I only get it about once every 2 weeks. The Farm Stand Store in SoPo has a butcher, and I once bought a chicken there, for soup, and it was $20.00. My soup was very delicious, but to this day, it blows my mind that I spent $20.00 on a chicken for soup. So, I am not yet ready, nor could I afford to be, to make the leap to their prices for every day. Maybe I am a reverse snob, but one Saturday I was there and this couple came in for their weekly shopping. I say that because the butcher gave them a great greeting. They proceeded to order, with money being no object, and it just made me feel funny. I don't like how food has become such a reflection of class. I want a society where everyone can eat well. At Thanksgiving I get the no antibiotic turkey (Nature's Place, Hannafords), but I would like to buy a locally grown, all natural turkey. When I inquire as to the price, we are getting close to $100.00. I know you get what you pay for, but it is a hurdle- both mentally and fiscally. Regarding the farmer's market, I don't get there as often as I would like, but still and all I like to buy local.
Thanks a lot for the responses. Looks like some things are about the same, other things higher. Looks like I'll have to save back more if I want a good eggs/bacon breakfast though.
I'd definitely, without a doubt, start buying almost exclusively from local farmers and butchers. I don't do it here mostly, ironically, because this is such a "cow" town that constantly smells like manure every other day, anywhere you go, that I wouldn't feel safe or sanitary eating local here, in spite of the reality that the reason it smells like manure 98% of the day is due to hundreds of open range pastures in every direction for miles. And yet, beef prices aren't cheap here.
I'd love some farm fresh eggs so I'll have to research neighboring farmer's markets once we get settled in.
Right now, I'm craving lobster rolls. Never had one before...but saw a couple of pics online and it looks soooooo delicious. Nice to know I can get it there way cheaper.
Oh I know what I meant to ask - how are Mainahs (?) with crawfish? Mudbugs? They're like french fries down south and even out in the desert. Do you guys grow/breed/eat them in Maine?
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