Choice is a great thing. Choice we understand is a fundamental privilege
many of us are lucky enough to enjoy in various aspects of our lives.
When it comes to grocery shopping in Britain I am sometimes frustrated
by the lack of choice and no doubt have been known to lose my temper in
my local Sainsbury’s when I find my favourite brand has been replaced
with some generic compromise, or worse, just removed. However, I have,
for the most part, come to terms with life in a smaller country and the
fact that at times material choices can be more limiting than in my
country of origin.
It dawned on me this summer just how much I had adapted to life in
Britain and the daily supermarket food choices. I had the pleasure of
spending time in the US in the beautiful state of Maine- vacationland,
home of blueberries, lobster and whoopee pies. In fact there is a
state-wide debate over whether the state food is blueberries or whoopee
pies- tough choice! Going to the grocery store became a popular event
(the air conditioning was heaven) although one that always took longer
than anticipated. The choices were bewildering!
While looking for 100% pure cranberry juice not from concentrate I became lost in a sea of juice and thought I would never exit aisle 7 alive. I remember as if it were yesterday the Ocean Spray label so familiar from childhood. This is a no brainer I thought, easy peasy lemon squeezy. Ahhh, but did you know that Ocean Spray produces a zillion varieties of cranberry juice - from concentrate, not from concentrate, cran-apple, cran-raspberry, cran-lemonade, cran-grape, cran-pomegranate… you get the gist.
What amazed me is that for nearly every product on my shopping list from
ice cream to Ziploc bags to cereal I was faced with the same task.
Really, I wonder is this choice necessary or even a good thing.
Later
in the summer I went to follow a favourite American recipe for cupcakes
(I can hear those of you that know my passion for cupcakes laughing)
and underwent the task of finding almond extract. This resulted in me
crossing State lines to New Hampshire! What happened to all my choices?!
While the UK may not stock an unimaginable variety of household, daily
consumables it comes into its own with speciality food shops catering to
a multitude of nationalities and tastes. Ditto for restaurants. Have
you ever tried to get a good curry in Maine? Yes, I am happy to have
escaped aisle 7 and be back in London even if I do miss blueberries,
lobster and whoopee pies!
Written by Nancy Dickinson
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