In terms of where I shop for my food and drink, I rarely tend to shake things up.
If there isn’t anything wrong with the food and drink purchased at my go-to stores, then don’t bother changing the routine – a mindset I have carried since fleeing the nest.
The larger supermarket chains provide familiarity when it comes to brands, and it is relatively simple to compare and contrast the prices of products.
And when it comes to local independents, you can curb your hunger knowing you’re doing good by supporting local.
But recently I have gained a real interest in finding out more about cuisines from across the globe.
What are the easiest ways to do this? Well, one tip shared with me by a friend of mine is to visit stores specialising in different cuisines, whether it be Polish, Turkish, German, Thai, and more.
After spying Aberdeen’s Authentic Romanian Shop, on George Street, on my Too Good To Go app, I put two and two together and thought it was the perfect opportunity to not only stop by and have a snoop at the items on offer, but also save some from being put to waste.
What I got my hands on…
All of my mystery bag experiences to date have been so varied.
My first, from JG Ross on St Swithin Street, contained as many as seven baked goods from a yum yum and doughring to a packet of butteries, muffins and softies.
The second, from Red Robin Records on Correction Wynd, boasted two mouth-watering toasted ciabattas featuring bacon, cranberry sauce and camembert.
This time around, I found eight products inside – a new record.
Yes, I had little to no idea what some of them were, so I did my research to find out more.
The ones I did recognise were the dairy items, which included a bottle of milk and two slabs of butter.
After shifting them into the fridge, my eyes were drawn to the snacks. There were two packets that read “Meteoritzi, gourmet burger”, and another that read “Toortitzi, rosii busuioc oregano”.
I discovered the Meteoritzi packets contain crunchy pretzels. Right up my street, so I tucked into them later in the evening and they provided exactly what they promised – an explosion of tastes.
As for the Toortitzi packet, according to Google, it is a thin dough snack that is browned in the oven and boasts a crunchy texture.
The final items I spotted were two packets of Lafesta, in Cappuccino Chocolate flavour. Being a lover of coffee and chocolate, I certainly wasn’t complaining.
The items:
- 1x bottle of milk
- 2x Rama butter
- 1x Toortitzi, rosii busuioc oregano
- 2x Meteoritzi, gourmet burger: £0.99 (each)
- 2x Lafesta Cappuccino Chocolate: £0.24 (each)
Although I was unable to get confirmed prices for some of the items, I did discover the Meteoritzi packets were 99p each, while the Lafesta packets were 24p each.
With this equating to £2.46, and the entire bag costing £3.59, it’s clear the contents were a steal and I not only saved the products from being discarded but some pennies, too.
Was it worth it?
There’s a section for everything at Authentic Romanian Shop, whether it be for dairy, fresh fruit and vegetables, meats, canned goods or home bakes.
Ever since I downloaded the Too Good To Go app, I am yet to use it without spying the business’ name on the list of venues offering mystery bags. I applaud the team for that.
Was it worth it? The short answer is yes.
And a point I must close on is that the members of staff were so attentive throughout my visit. It was a lovely establishment.