Sunday, May 29, 2011

Market Price List - May 30 to June 3 2011



Our Market Price List for the week is up!

Market Price List - May 30 to June 3 2011


The Green Grocer delivers every Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Orders will be received by phone or email the day before delivery, until 5pm.


Guidelines for Ordering:

  • The Green Grocer posts a new Market Price List every weekend. Please ensure that you are referring to the current price list when ordering.
  • The lowest price indicated per item pertains to the minimum order you can place.
  • Due to the fluctuation of produce prices, items in Set Packages may be replaced with a similar variety without prior notice.
  • Cancellation of orders after 5pm will not entertained. All orders are considered sold and final after the cut-off.





Thursday, May 26, 2011

Doing the math on coffee spending



 


We have been recently doing the math on coffee spending, and, if you are like us who frequent coffee chains like Coffee Bean, Seattle's and Starbucks, you'll be surprised to know how much you actually spend on coffee.

A tall cup of brewed coffee is around ₱90.

   ₱90
x drink once a day
x around 3 times a week
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
   ₱270 a week on coffee




   ₱270 a week
x  4 weeks
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
   ₱1,080 a month on coffee



If you spend at least ₱1,000 a month on coffee for a tall cup, how much more for a grande, for special coffee drinks, multiplied over more cups in a day, over more days in a week?

This is actually why we at The Green Grocer have opted to sell our own coffee. We're finding that at  ₱400 a kilo of locally grown organic coffee, we have a full month's supply of caffeine to enjoy at home and take with us to work, with a little extra budget left for those nights when we do hit the cafe with friends.

But forget coffee chains; let's compare apples to apples:

How much is a pack of ground coffee sold at the supermarket?

Most packs weigh about 250 grams (1/4 of a kilo) and sold for at least ₱200.
For a kilo of good coffee, you still spend ₱800!

Reconsider your coffee spending. Should it cost so much to enjoy coffee? Or are you just buying at the wrong place?


--


The Green Grocer's locally-grown organic coffee is available in the following variants:

Medium Full City Roast
Ground Beans at ₱400 /kg.
Whole Beans at ₱380 /kg.

Dark French Roast
Ground Beans at ₱400 /kg.
Whole Beans at ₱380 /kg.


Email us to include coffee in your next delivery.




Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Decoding the Dates on Food Labels






Here's a very helpful article by Fruits & Veggies: More Matters on what to make of the use by dates found on food products. References may pertain to the US market, but general tips are still very locally applicable.

Get informed!

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TheBUZZ:
Food labeling makes the "use by" date confusing?


WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
With all of the dates posted on food products, it’s hard to know when they are no longer safe to eat.


WHAT WE KNOW
It is a question many of us try to answer every day, "How long is food edible after purchase and what do all of the dates posted on products really mean?" Most foods have three (3), and sometimes four (4), dates visible on them:


Sell By Date The last day a retailer can display a product for sale.
Use By Date The last day a product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor, and texture. Beyond this date, the product begins to deteriorate although it is still edible.
Expiration Date Means what it says - if you haven’t used a product by this date, toss it.
Closed or Coded Dates Packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.

So how can you tell if a food item has spoiled if no date is posted? Trust your nose and eyes. If it looks or smells funny, throw it out. If you see mold, it’s too old!

What about fruits and vegetables, which don’t usually have "sell by" dates? While each type and form of fruit of vegetable can vary, there are a few general rules:
Fresh Use within a few days.
Frozen Use within 6 months.
Canned Usually have an expiration date, but typically have a shelf-life of up to 2 years.
Dried Most last between 4 months and a year.
100% Juice Most are marked with expiration date.

HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?
According to the USDA, the only food products that are required by federal law to have dates are infant formula and some baby foods. All other foods may use what is known as open dating. Open dating is a date stamped on a product’s package to help the store determine how long to display the product for sale. It can also help the purchaser to know the time limit to purchase or use the product at its best quality. It is not a safety date. Open dating is found primarily on perishable foods such as meats, poultry, eggs and dairy products. There is not a uniform or universally-accepted system used for food dating in the United States.



OUR ADVICE
Great-tasting fruits and vegetables begin with proper storage at home. Just remember the FIFO rule: First In, First Out. Use whatever is oldest first and continually rotate your stock to ensure freshness and reduce waste. In general, you can use these storage rules for fruits and veggies:

Fresh Visit our Fruit & Veggie Database for storage information on specific fruits and vegetables.
Frozen Store at 0°F or less.
Canned Store at room temperature (about 75°F).
Dried Store in a cool, dark place. Some dried foods may be refrigerated (check the package).

To find out more information about labeling and storage recommendations for all foods visit the USDA’s website.





Sunday, May 22, 2011

Updated Delivery Fees



Due to the high cost of gasoline and toll fees, The Green Grocer is applying a P50 delivery fee for ALL orders regardless of the total billed amount, effective immediately.

Here are our updated order and delivery regulations:

  • Orders within Alabang require a ₱300 minimum order, and enjoy free delivery.
  • Deliveries to Paranaque, Makati & Taguig require a ₱500 minimum order, with a ₱50 delivery fee.
  • Meet-ups also apply a ₱50 delivery fee.
  • Orders may also be picked up at our base in Alabang on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
  • Orders are considered final and sold after the 5pm cut-off.




Saturday, May 21, 2011

The New Summer Fruit Package!





Instead of bingeing on unhealthy sweets, have a fruit instead!

Introducing The Green Grocer's Summer Fruit Package: now including our sweet pineapples.

Pre-pay for four weeks, and get additional discount on these lovely oh-so-sweet delights!





The Green Grocer Salad Package







Get on the healthy eating wagon with The Green Grocer's Salad Package!

Take a step further by putting salad on the menu every week. Pre-pay the Salad Package for four weeks at a discounted price, pick your delivery day, and eat your way to wholeness.

The Green Grocer Essentials Package





The Green Grocer now offers a weekly set delivery of your kitchen's essentials!

For those who don't want to have to worry about calling us every week, pre-pay for four weeks at a discounted price, pick your delivery day, and expect the freshest of essentials at your door.





Friday, May 20, 2011

Gone for the Weekend!





Before the rainy season starts, The Green Grocer is going to make one final attempt at getting some sun and sea this weekend.

On that note, please be advised that there will be no deliveries this Monday, May 23rd.

We will be happy to accommodate BF and Paranaque deliveries on our Makati & Taguig deliveries on Wednesday and Friday.

While we're away, feel free to email us your orders so that we can schedule them into the route ahead of time. Deliveries will be full on those days, so BF & Paranaque orders will be plugged in on a first-order, first-served basis.

Thanks everyone! Will try to post an interesting recipe before we go.

Meanwhile, eat your veggies!





Tuesday, May 17, 2011

The Wonder Potion?





I recently received an excited call from my mom sharing how she had a meeting with her (much) older brother and was so shocked to see how incredibly younger he looked.  The wrinkles on his face had drastically lessened, had lost quite a bit of weight, and was exhibiting great health and well-being (despite his post-angioplasty condition).

And so my mom harrasses him to tell her his secret. Did he find the fountain of youth through a new diet? Expensive medication? Belo?

My uncle, now past the age of 60, finally reveals the magic potion he has been taking for a few months, and my mom after their meeting immediately goes to purchase the ingredients for the concoction. She shares the brew with my aunts, who, days later, are raving about the effects. It REALLY works, they say. It smells funky, but it works. In one household, it has reportedly relieved migraines, revitalized the weak and feeble, caused grown men to crawl their way to the throne (I kid, but what I'm officially told is that it cleans the colon ;) and known to release the most bombastic of flatulences (this time I'm not kidding) -- all in a matter of days.

Which led skeptic me to ask, so... WHAT IS IT?

My friends, please know that I have personally not experienced the magic behind this drink yet. But YES, I am buying the ingredients! :D

The Wonder Potion 
Loosely coined by The Green Grocer
A concoction of all-natural ingredients including
ginger, garlic, lemon, vinegar and honey

Wanna test out this magic brew with me this week?* 

Call The Green Grocer at (+63 2) 552-2574 or sms (+63 918) 959-4220
and I will be happy to put together a package of the ingredients for you. :)


*Juicer required.





Sunday, May 15, 2011

Market Price List - May 16 to 20



Our Market Price List for the week is up!




The Green Grocer delivers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Order cut-off is at 5pm, the day before your preferred delivery.




Saturday, May 14, 2011

Mangoes with Cottage Cheese





The gorgeous Patty Laurel shared with us a quick and healthy dessert she made with the guimaras mangoes she bought from The Green Grocer:


Mangoes with Cottage Cheese


Cut your chilled ripe guimaras mangoes into cubes,
add cottage cheese, and serve in a pretty martini glass.

Try this in your next gathering with friends. It's a great alternative to that calorie-rich cheesecake you're always second-guessing to eat.

For variation, you can also use grapes and pomelo--or a mixture of all!


--

The Green Grocer guimaras mangoes are available at P85 /kg.
There are about 3 mangoes to a kilo. Order now, for a 3kg 
minimum purchase. 





Monday, May 9, 2011

Market Price List of the Week - Revised



Ah, rain.

Just when we were rejoicing of your arrival, you go and shoot up the produce prices. Tsk.




Don't worry, guys. We will bring back favorable rates when this weather improves.




Sunday, May 8, 2011

Market Price List - May 9 to 13 2011



This week's Market Price List is up!

Market Price List - May 9 to 13, 2011

The Green Grocer delivers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Order cut-off is at 5pm, the day before your preferred delivery.




Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Ginger Lemongrass Tea



A friend of The Green Grocer's recently shared with us a recipe of ginger tea (salabat), with a slight twist. Despite the hot weather, it was such a lovely drink (being quite the tea lover), that we sought permission to share the recipe with you all.


Ginger Lemongrass Tea

1.5 cups water
8-10 pcs. calamansi, juiced
2-3 slices of ginger
1-2 stalks of lemongrass, pounded
coconut sugar to taste

In a small pot, simmer the water with calamansi juice, ginger, lemongrass stalk for 5-10 minutes (the longer, the more potent).

Remove from heat and add coconut sugar to taste. If too potent, add more hot water. Enjoy hot.

--

Though the recipe calls for it hot, I wonder how it will taste blended with crushed ice? Sounds very refreshing! Will try it this week and let you all know ;)




Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Market Price List - May 2 to 6, 2011



Strangely enough, we couldn't access our own site the past few days. Here it is finally, guys!

Market Price List - May 2 to 6, 2011

The Green Grocer delivers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Order cut-off is at 5pm, the day before your preferred delivery.