Supermarket Stop Suggestions Please?

[lmountford]

Hi,
We will be making a supermarket stop on our way to Villas at Wilderness Lodge after a nine hour flight from the UK I am hoping to arrange breakfast and the odd snack in our studio for myself, DH and DD 6 We will have a small fridge and a microwave. I am not sure if there will be a toaster?

I have a 30 minute time constraint, I am really not familiar with US brands and after a flight of that length my brains will be sludge. Can anyone please recommend any items I should pick up and perhaps what brands are good?

I am thinking along the lines of cereal, bread, butter, cheese , ham, milk, fruit,still mineral water, orange juice, coke, wine ! beer!! I promise we are not alcoholics but my hardworking DH is looking forward to relaxing on the balcony with a cold one . My DD will also want chips ( we call these crisps and we call what I believe you call fries chips ) .

Does this sound sensible , have I missed anything ?
Thanks from across the pond

 

[LSchrow]

a foam cooler (or bring a collapsible ~ the mini-fridge won't fit all the items you have listed ). you might want to buy dry ice packs or the plastic ice cubes/packs that you can freeze & use.

pop-tarts
microwave popcorn
condiments for sandwiches (catsup ~ hunts or heinz, mayo ~ hellmans, mustard ~ many diff tastes, but everyone seems to like guldens)

spreadable butter (much easier on toast )
juices boxes (more pricey, but easier to store)

we bring coffee packets/tea, sweet n low from home

hth

 

[canwegosoon]

Hi,
We will be making a supermarket stop on our way to Villas at Wilderness Lodge after a nine hour flight from the UK I am hoping to arrange breakfast and the odd snack in our studio for myself, DH and DD 6 We will have a small fridge and a microwave. I am not sure if there will be a toaster?

I have a 30 minute time constraint, I am really not familiar with US brands and after a flight of that length my brains will be sludge. Can anyone please recommend any items I should pick up and perhaps what brands are good?

I am thinking along the lines of cereal, bread, butter, cheese , ham, milk, fruit,still mineral water, orange juice, coke, wine ! beer!! I promise we are not alcoholics but my hardworking DH is looking forward to relaxing on the balcony with a cold one . My DD will also want chips ( we call these crisps and we call what I believe you call fries chips ) .

Does this sound sensible , have I missed anything ?
Thanks from across the pond

Ceral: many brands: But I really like anything with cranberry (US only thing but kind of like a tart raisin (as in sour...not the other "tart" )and nuts. or poss instant oatmeal.
Bread: Again so many choices, but I have always liked Pepperiage Farm or Freihofers (but I forget the brands in FL)
Butter: Land o' Lakes or store brand (also sold in whipped tub, and in 4 sticks and 2 sticks)
Cheese: At the deli there is a lot of choices(American, swiss, provolone, etc), but in the dairy section you want cheese food, not processessed cheese read closely. The Semi soft cheeses might be in a different area altogether. In the Deli seciton you can not go wrong with Land o lakes, or boars head, or kelly gold swiss cheese
Ham: You need to know if you want boiled or baked from the deli section or again in the refrigiated section DAK sliced ham is good.
Milk:Tons to choose from
Fruit: we love watermellon esp. cold. Bananas, or white/red grapes are always avail, and seem to hold ok.
Mineral Water: in soda isle: Polar
OJ: Tropicanna (I like no pulp with calcium)
Coke: Coke or Pepsi avail in many sizes 2L standard for room, but cans are good to Albertsons (brand)also has good soda in cans that are usually reasonable and don't take up a ton of room in fridge.
Beer:you could probably find a beer from home at a FL market (Becks or BASS ALE)
Here is a link to Albertsons weekly flyer for reference http://www.albertsons.com/shared/plan/default.asp
Are you using Quicksilver transportation? I forget which store they go to, but email gregory and he will tell you. I think that the Albertsons on Orange Blossom is the only one that will pre-shop for you if you fax them a list. I would send them a non-perishables list, and then just pick up meat/dairy/beer.
Here is the Winn Dixie Flyer http://www.winndixie.com/locations/Return.asp?City=ORLANDO&State=FL&Service=0
At least this way you might get to see brands
For DH Crisp craving: I like Cape Cod Chips (firmer, crunchier) or any kettle potato chip, finally PRINGLES are in a can...and seem to hold better than bag chips.
Bagles are also great for breakfast (like a little loaf of dense bread) good toasted or untoasted.
There are also all sorts of "flat breads" like WASA...in our store they are near the bread isle.
ALso you might want to consider egg beaters. you could have a great breakfast with bagel, ham(or canadian bacon,leaner), and some eggs in a microwave or stove top.(you would have to be renting a DVC unit to do this though...which you are...so you have a microwave/ toaster/ coffee pot.
Speaking of coffeepot you could also use it to make instant oatmeal in cups or bowls. Just run the water through.

Some of your fellow UK'er might also be able to help pick similar brands that you are used to on the UK board

 

[canwegosoon]

Also the DVC fridges are a fairly decent size...I fit a lot in it. I think you will be fine(just don't try to cool all of your soda and beer...cool what you need for a day or 2.

 

[lmountford]

Many thanks for all the great advice. We are travelling with Quicksilver and their representative, Gregory, tells me the driver usually stops at Publix so it looks like I can't do the fax ahead thing with Albertson's. Has anyone used Publix? What sort of size are they usually? Are the queues ( lines) at the checkout bad? I'm just frightened 30 mins isnt long enough but I don't want to request longer as my DH and Dd will be desperate to get to VWL.
Thx again

 

[canwegosoon]

Are you a DVC member, because you can also do a Grocery Order for VWL...BUT there is no Beer on that list. I tried to copy the list to post but I can't. If you have questions you can PM me

 

[Feralpeg]

Many thanks for all the great advice. We are travelling with Quicksilver and their representative, Gregory, tells me the driver usually stops at Publix so it looks like I can't do the fax ahead thing with Albertson's. Has anyone used Publix? What sort of size are they usually? Are the queues ( lines) at the checkout bad? I'm just frightened 30 mins isnt long enough but I don't want to request longer as my DH and Dd will be desperate to get to VWL.
Thx again

I do all my shopping at Publix. They are very nice, large supermarkets. Unless something odd is going on, the checkout lines are usually not bad at all.

 

[cmrules]

Publix is one of the nicest grocery stores in the south. I miss it greatly from when we lived in Atlanta. The breads from the bakery are very fresh and delicious. I love the sourdough. You shouldn't have any trouble getting through their lines. I recommend Boars Head meats in the deli. They are a little more $ than the store brand, but much better quality.

 

[StormalongKay]

You WILL have a toaster whether you have reserved a studio, 1BR or 2BR. If you don't see one when you arrive, call housekeeping and one will be brought up to you.

I think your choices as listed are good. Best to do breakfasts in the room. Sometimes I also purchase a kid favorite for the occasional lunch or dinner (like hot dogs or macaroni and cheese - microwave friendly) just in case.

My best advice is to take a written list! I think you will find the Publix to be a little larger than most grocery stores in the UK and it will keep you on track!

Have a magical trip!

 

[tink2dw]

You might ask when you arrive at the store if they have someone who can help you find items. Most stores do. That way you can send hubby for beer and son for soda's and you and the store person can find your other items.

 

[Taja]

Public is a very nice store for a grocery shop. The stores I've been in are a bit smaller than most of our grocery stores (we have a very agressive grocery business), but pretty good size by most standards! Since you have more than one person, take a list and divide and conquer, if at all possible! Be sure to synchronize your watches and arrange a meeting place after about 20 minutes. You probably won't need 10 minutes to check out, but it's better to be safe!

If you use the service deli counter, it will take most of your time. This is where they have the pre-cooked meats for sandwiches, cheese and prepared salads. Most stores also have an area with rotisserie chicken and other prepared hot foods, so you might pick up things for a quick dinner and stash your leftovers for another day. It's usually near the bakery area. Have a list, know the amount you want of each item and be ready to move fast!

Check the websites for Albertson's, netgrocer.com, etc., to get an idea of the brands and choices available. Not every store carries everything, but it will give you some ideas! I'm not sure if Publix has a website. If they do, find out which store will be used for the grocery stop by QuickSilver, and see if you can find a store map on the website. It won't be perfect (a lot of enticing things on the endcaps!), but it will help with the basics.

And if you can't find an item quickly, nab a store employee and ask them to point you in the right direction! They're probably familiar with car service grocery stops and understand the need for speed!

For bread and rolls, I tend to prefer the store bakery, as it is fresher and has fewer preservatives. However, Orowheat/Northridge (brand name depends on the part of the country), Pepperidge Farm and a few others are very good with less preservatives than some of the brands. If you are concerned about specific ingredients (i.e., sodium, sugar, carbs, serving size, calories), give the nutrition label a quick once-over. Anything else and you'll have to ready the ingredients list carefully, which will take time.

There are more brands and types of cereal than you can shake a stick at (does any actually do that?) and many of them contain a lot of sugar. That's a good one to research in advance! Otherwise, your DD will have her heart set on a certain package, only to have it denied when you discover it is mostly sugar! An alternative to one type of cereal is the variety packs, which contain 8 or 10 individual serving boxes in a cello pack. They are available in sugared and less-sugared groupings. Both Kellogg's and General Mills (two of the major cereal companies) market these. It's more expensive per serving, but can provide a bit of interest.

If you want to cool a lot of beverages, I would suggest purchasing a small foam cooler and some one-gallon ZipLoc bags. You can precool beverages in the cooler, then shift them to the refrigerator. Place the ice in the ZipLoc bags to make replacing it easier and neater. Ice will be available (no charge) at your resort, so you don't have to purchase the Blue Ice (or other brand) freezer packets. If you don't need to keep the contents icey cold, you can replace the ice each morning; otherwise you'll need to replace it twice daily.

Above all, relax and enjoy your holiday!

 

[cmrules]

Taja is right about divide and conquer. Send hubby to the deli counter with a list. He can hand it over and do the waiting while you zoom around the store. If you are unsure about types of cheese, they will let him taste. Just have him ask for a sample.

Beer is such a personal choice. My hubby's favorites are Yuengling and Sam Adams. Luckily you can buy it in the grocery store in FL, you can't here in PA.

The only thing I don't see on your list that I buy for my two kids are snacky type foods to keep them going in the parks. Fruit snacks or fruit by the foot are treats for them that we don't buy much at home, but I do get for them on vacation. They come in boxes of 6-10 and are individually wrapped inside so they are easy to take with you.

 

[Pigsty333]

There is a Publix right outside of the airport (on Narcoossee Road). Have the driver bring you there. If you want, I can scan a flyer for their upcoming sales, if you can get your hands on coupons, there are many out there you can use. I can give you their deli number and you can order your deli items ahead of time. They have a form you can fill out and even fax to them. As you walk into the store - the aisles are clearly numbered and they all state what each items are located where. When are you going to be here. I love their service, they even bring your groceries to the car for you.

Any questions, you can always tell the driver that this Publix is located on Narcoossee Road between the Greenline (417) and the 528, which runs parallel to the airport.

Anything you need, please let me know. If anything and you might be stuck for some time, email me a list of what you need and I will try to pick it up for you and meet you somewhere.

 

[snowy76]

I recommend the Publix on Vineland Avenue, right by the Premium Outlets (off I-Drive South)... as you leave take Vineland AWAY from I-Drive and you end up at the intersection of 535 (Apopka-Vineland Road).

Your choice after that.
Turn right and it's a minute or two to the lefthand turn to Hotel Plaza Blvd/DTD area.
Turn left and it's a couple of minutes to 536 (World Center Drive)... make a right and you enter WDW through the big gate.

The store is pretty new, has lots of choices and the staff is super nice. Publix also has its own store-name products which were quite good. We grabbed a lot of breakfast stuff/snacks for our studio at BWV and only spent about $50.

 

[canwegosoon]

There is a Publix right outside of the airport (on Narcoossee Road). Have the driver bring you there. If you want, I can scan a flyer for their upcoming sales, if you can get your hands on coupons, there are many out there you can use. I can give you their deli number and you can order your deli items ahead of time. They have a form you can fill out and even fax to them. As you walk into the store - the aisles are clearly numbered and they all state what each items are located where. When are you going to be here. I love their service, they even bring your groceries to the car for you.

Any questions, you can always tell the driver that this Publix is located on Narcoossee Road between the Greenline (417) and the 528, which runs parallel to the airport.

Anything you need, please let me know. If anything and you might be stuck for some time, email me a list of what you need and I will try to pick it up for you and meet you somewhere.

That is a really nice offer...OP...BTW I used Quicksilver my last trip. Gregory allowed me to go to Albertsons (I had been there before), but my driver said if I were a little late it would be ok. I was only 20 minutes, but I knew what I wanted and where to go. I think if you had you DH's help and Pigsty's help identifying isles(or grabbing a person who works there) you would go really fast. Good luck
Here is the Publix web site
http://specials.publix.com/index.as...a23-a84a-7a6fb78c0baf&storeid=1035118&sf=true

 

[AlaskaMOM]

Another tip or 2
Before you get to the store have your deli list made out on a seperate sheet and give it to them at the deli counter , then shop for your other things, then come back for your deli items. This is assuming that you know what you want from the deli by then. I do this frequently at home and it saves loads of time!
Example:
1 lb sliced baked maple ham
1/2 lb sliced pan roasted turkey
5 slices medium cheddar
5 slices provolone
1/2lb tub potato salad

The other suggestion is to use wegoshop.com It's a grocery shopping and delivery service. They are online as well as calling them on the phone. When you go to the website click on the Lake Buena Vista area in FL. You make out your list, as detailed as you can, then they shop for you and will deliver it to your resort on the day and at the time you ask for. They seem to be reasonably priced,$15 for up $100 in purchases, $20 for $100-$200, $30 for $200-$300. If you don't think that you'll use them you might still want to take their number down in case you find that you want something from a grocery mid trip, it will probably be cheaper than taking a cab, and the resort "store" might not carry it.

 

[AlaskaMOM]

Forgot to mention wego will also purchase beer/wine as long as it's deliverd to someone over 21.