Well, I'm just a humble Westerner, so we don't have a lot of the bigger
tores that you guys have out east, but let me throw out a few other
suggestions as well.
Don't forget about dried beans, mushrooms, specialty grains in the
international section (or in the produce section), canned beans in the
canned goods section, refried beans also in with the international foods,
rice and soy milk in tetra paks or the dairy aisle, vegetarian spring rolls
and bean burritos in the freezer section (along with the french fries, hash
browns and perogies - potato and onion, of course). Also real sorbets or
gelatos in the ice cream section. Lucerne also carries a soy ice cream,
but I find it too sweet.
<<Watch out for the
PC vegetable appetizers - they contain demi glace. Be sure to check out
their dry soups in a cup products, too.>>
I don't get President's Choice in the grocery stores I go to, but I am not
familiar with "demi glace", what is that?
<<Mom-n-pop health food stores - I've found that the big chains of HFS aren't
interested in carrying veggie products, just vitamins and body building
products. I just visited a HFS in a very small town near Branford Ontario
that carries TVP, many yeasts, veggie mixes, all kinds products. They
offered to order anything I wanted - much more helpful than the big chains.>>
A person could walk into a "health food store" and starve to death, because
they don't carry any real food! Look for stores that specialize in bulk
spices, nuts or grains, they tend to be more substantial. Also look for
ethnic grocery stores. I am blessed to live in a very diverse neighborhood
with a high percentage of East Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc.
close by, and we have a number of more "international" grocery stores.
There are some great veg and soy products in these stores. Also a lot of
fresh herbs to cook with. As well as living in this multicultural
neighborhood, I work on the edge of Calgary's Chinatown, and there is a
vegetarian food store about a block away that has all kinds of tvp, soy and
mushroom products.
<<I have ordered products from Dixie, but by the time you add on shipping,
duties, and GST, it doesn't really make it worth it.>>
They are not supposed to add GST onto food items. You have the right to
object if they do. I have only been charged GST once, and that was when it
was shipped by UPS during the postal strike. I thought about complaining
but didn't have the time to argue it.
Don't forget about fresh vegetable and farmers markets, too. I don't know
if you have much of this kind of thing out east or if you are too far from
the fields, but we have a number of good farmers markets here. We also
have a "market" that recently opened up here (owned by some of the Flames
hockey players) that has a wider variety of produce than most groceries and
which carries some of the things I haven't been able to find anywhere else
(veggie gelatin, veggie pate, veggie bologna, vegan-rella, etc.)
Looking forward to hearing from other Canadians!
Pam.
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