Fruit and veg at local shops and small markets

Right then,

I notice expats moan about German supermarkets. Well I think they are arent too bad. I dont remember being overly impressed with British style supermakrets when back home either. But then I am a man whio likes to buy his stuff then go. I don't need to see fiftenn types of cereal on the shelves when I buy the same stuff every week.

The last month or so I have shopped less in the supermarket (Aldi in my case) for fresh food and have concentrated more on buying direct from the Tante Emma Laden (small markets and local shops). I have found them to be exceedingly friendly when they meet someone who comes in and likes to try new veg and fruit using his somewhat schoolboy German (!). They are exceptionally kind when you have a couple of lids in tow. Often give out banaas or whatever.

The food in my opinion is far tastier and better quality when bought from these places. Local shops in Germany are quite friendly as long as you don't covet the precious things there.

That says it all.

If you are the type of hunt-for-specific-items-on-list shopper, then you probably won't understand why other people care about having of variety items.

Great if you are a housewife or househusband and you have the time to do that, not so good if you work 50+ hours per week.

How long did it take you to discover this, Jeremy?! The precise reason that supermarkets in Germany are mostly pretty small is that Germans prefer to shop in their local shops and markets where, as you say, the quality is high, service is good and the price is right.

Admittedly if one works fifty hours a week then the opportunities to visit these shops are limited. But it needn't be a slower process; you can be in and out of a bakers, greengrocers or butchers within a couple of minutes. In fact, since you don't have to hunt through aisles of products and then queue up behind some old geriatric, it could well be quicker.

i would love to go to the local grocers, but they follow their own opening hours. example, in the street of my new residence you can shop at Aldi, a family-owned Edeka and Plus. of course only the family-owned place has an excellent source of fresh veggies and fruits.

the family-owned Edeka has been around for umpteen years, is horribly laid out and terribly cramped and, ta-da, they close at 6.30 p.m.! the earliest i ever get home is 6.45 p.m., usualy is half an hour later. they've since bought the "Hello Kitty" shop next door and renovated it into a small Feinkost, cheese shop and mini-bakery, so their market now has more space, but ta-da, they still close at 6.30 p.m.!

every morning when i walk by to go to work, they're out there preparing the veggies & yes, they always greet me with a friendly hello, but i HAVE to do most of my shopping elsewhere (except on the weekend). even then, they close at 1.30 p.m.!

yes, I have a terrific little Tante Emma Laden on my street, but it's mostly closed when I need to do my shopping. But I do try to go whenever I can. If I didn't work I'd shop there all the time.