I give up.
20 years ago, the decisions were relatively easy. Cubs or Sox. Coke or Pepsi. McDonald’s or Burger King. Dominick’s or Jewel. Now, we Americans are spoiled for choices. I have to think about whether I like my burgers from five guys, meatheads, and a plethora of other upscale and downmarket chains. The soft drinks aisle is crammed with flavor-of-the-month concoctions and potions. And the simple act of figuring out which store to visit for said soft drinks aisle has become complicated.
In Highland Park and within a few mile radius, we now have nearly a dozen major options for procuring groceries. There is some kind of irony that Americans are busier than ever–and thus cooking less–yet an explosion of the grocery market has occurred. With more choice comes more consideration, with more consideration comes more confusion. I really, truly, do not know anymore where I should shop from week to week.
For the traditionalists, the two national chains continue to expand and innovate. Jewel, part of the SuperValu chain, has updated its Deerbrook and Highland Park locations. In Highland Park, they feature a Kosher meat and deli section, huge bakery, and large organic products selection. Dominick’s in Bannockburn, part of the Safeway chain, hasn’t stood still, either, with a huge wine selection, gelato stand, and guaranteed fresh, hot bread around 5 PM weekdays.
The big guys are far from the only options today. Sunset in Highland Park has also done a recent renovation, expanding their deli and bakery, adding organics, and offering made-to-order Asian stir-fry meals. If the traffic flow was a little better — too much of a social scene at times — I would be there more often. In Northbrook, Garden Fresh Market has the area’s longest deli counter — if you can’t find it there, you won’t find it anywhere. Meanwhile, onetime niche grocer Whole Foods has expanded into more “everyday” products with their 365 line, and their new Northbrook store features an in-house Asian grill, boutique cheeses and desserts, and two huge rows of hot bar items. If you really want to see crazy, get to Whole Foods new location in Lincoln Park — the 2nd largest in the chain. It has a complete food court with tacos made-to-order, roasted meats, and a 50′s diner.
Other options are somewhat more specialized, either focusing on convenience or preparation. The Target in Highland Park recently converted nearly 20% of their floor space to groceries, now offering fresh fruit and veg, more frozen items, and even wine. Trader Joe’s in Northbrook is also a specialized option, now with even more prepared meals and ready-to-heat options than ever before. And in Lake Forest, The Fresh Market has just opened, offering great meat and fish, bulk foods, and other speciality items.
Other niche markets include La Union and Isaac & Moishe’s in Highwood, both great options for Hispanic cooking. Both have great ready-to-eat meals, and the ingredients for some mighty tasty Mexican Food. Poeta’s in Highwood also is a great purveyor when you need something authentically Italian.
I’m exhausted just thinking about these supermarket options, much less running around in search of the perfect ingredients for tonight’s dinner. Even that chore is more complicated than it seems — it will take me a whole other story to talk about speciality bakeries and Italian markets. All this food talk is making me hungry, which leads to the now-eternal question — where should I go shopping?
