FRENCH Grocery Shopping: What's It Like?

[@twofarg0ne763]

I moved to France 7 years ago. I buy ALL my food at the local marché (farmer's market), boucherie, boulangerie, and fresh fish market. The only products I buy at a supermarket are paper and cleaning products. Since products at the marché are grown locally, it means I can only get foods that are in season in the south of France. I don't buy anything that comes in a can, box or bottle (except wine). Since moving here I've lost 90 pounds. I attribute my weight loss to eating fresh healthy food.

[@gillescoin2374]

Thanks ! Have you tried a REAL pâté-en-croûte ( stuffed with either season-mushrooms, duck or other farm-birds, or Foie gras ? 😍😍

[@twofarg0ne763]

@@gillescoin2374 love pâté de campagne and foie gras.

[@manuelwenaud8231]

Excellente idée !

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@twofarg0ne763 You are so right ! I am shocked that all these food videos in France are about supermarkets. All industrial food. Not where the good ingredients are. Supermarkets are for toilet paper and the like.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@twofarg0ne763 Depends where you buy it. Both can be lousy - or excellent. Supermarkets sell industrial food. Buy your foie gras fresh/raw from the market or from a reliable shop, prepare it yourself (easy) - and you will see the difference. Pâté is a little more complicated but do not buy it from a can or a glass - buy a slice from a good charcutier - and you will see the difference too.

[@Pointillax]

7:27 look for "poitrine fumée", that's american bacon and near the lardons in the aisle. Almost every supermarket butcher also has some and can cut it to the thickness you want. What's called bacon in France is smoked salted pork loin slices.

[@bgraham1958]

I think most Americans would call French "bacon" "Canadian bacon". Go figure. The pig has been at the heart of French eating for centuries, in fact a Charcutier deals in nothing else. Ham seems to be like the chicken soup of reassuring childhood food for most French people. In spite of how good many of the Super- and Hypermarchés are, it is always worth taking the time to visit local boulangeries/patisseries, charcuteries, boucheries, not the mention the wine makers if you are in one of France's many wine-producing areas.

[@marcsole4261]

@@bgraham1958 If you want to have better bacon please ask to charcuterie section you may choose your seize and quality and taste better!

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

@@bgraham1958 " most Americans would call French "bacon" "Canadian bacon". " Yup , exactly !! you're right. In France for " american style bacon " you can either ask for " tranches de poitrine " fumée or nature ... fumée = smoked ; nature = plain or , you can ask for " lard " , some butcher / charcuteries would call it like that.

[@RonRobertson-lafrance]

I was going to write the same thing. Poitrine fumée is very much like bacon used to be when I was a kid in the US. It is delicious and I love that you can ask the butcher to slice it to the thickness you want, fairly thick if you're going to cut it into pieces (like lardons), which is what I use when I'm making pasta carbonara. Or, thinner if you want bacon and eggs. It's just so good.

[@CROM-on1bz]

When it comes to food, there are hundreds of French comments, it's crazy how much we love it Bouffe.

[@athrunzala6770]

la bouffe c'est sacré !

[@yvesd_fr1810]

@@athrunzala6770 Amen !

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@CROM-on1bz Quality has nothing to do with « bouffer ». It is just the opposite. Quality against quantity.

[@CROM-on1bz]

@@solangelauthier2381 Aimer la bouffe et bouffer, subtile distinction.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@CROM-on1bz Bouffe est un mot très vulgaire, qui n ėvoque en rien le raffinement et la qualité

[@JPS40]

Thanks for the video! I'm French and the hams you see are different in terms of quantity (multiple of 2), cooking method with broth or "bouillon" in French, "à la broche" spit-roasted, "fumé" smoked ...), the amount of salt, the presence or absence of nitrites, the region of origin, organic or not, with or without rind, and the part of the pig (often "épaule" shoulder or "supérieur" ~superior (litteraly) which means the upper part of the pork leg).

[@kristenkim3681]

What I like about ham (and chicken slices, which I prefer over ham), is that you can buy a package of just 2 slices. I buy food for just myself and I don’t always use the slices fast enough and they go bad. Buying just what you need for one meal ensures a fresher product.

[@deadeye5797]

If you like salads, you should test Salade de museau, which is a meat salad with pickles.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@kristenkim3681 Do NOT buy ham (or whatever) in packages ! That is all industrial ! Buy your ham at a good charcutier, he will sell you only ONE slice if you want. There is more in life, specially in France, than what you find in supermarkets… Be curious…

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@deadeye5797 Salade de museau is more than just meat salad, it is made with the head/the MUZZLE of the pork !!!

[@kimalexschwartz]

In Europe, baking traditions often emphasize the use of yeast over baking soda, especially for making bread, pastries, and other baked goods. Yeast is a living organism that ferments and produces carbon dioxide, which helps dough rise and gives it a distinct flavor and texture. This is why many European breads and baked goods, such as baguettes, croissants, and brioche, have a rich, airy quality. Baking soda, on the other hand, is more commonly used in American baking, particularly for recipes involving quick breads, muffins, or cookies, where a faster rise is needed. The chemical reaction between baking soda and an acid (such as vinegar or buttermilk) creates carbon dioxide for leavening but does not develop the same depth of flavor as yeast. Yeast is typically found near the dairy section or in specialty baking aisles in European grocery stores. This reflects its frequent use in recipes passed down through generations, making baking with yeast an integral part of many European culinary traditions.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@kimalexschwartz Yeast is for bread and only certain pastries (made by bakers). It is not current to use yeast at home in France, but it is possible to find it, from the baker or in supermarkets. Contrarily to what you write, at home we mainly use baking powder.

[@alaindelatour4604]

Je salue votre expertise !👍

[@frebo8921]

​@@solangelauthier2381 Personnellement, j'utilise assez souvent de la levure de boulanger pour certaines recettes (brioche, pain) mais il existe aussi de la levure de boulanger sèche, différente de la levure chimique. Tous ces produits se trouvent facilement en grande surface.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@ On sait. Mais la levure « de boulanger », sèche ou pas sèche, ne sert pas pour tout, loin de là. Si vous faites un quatre-quarts ou des madeleines - par exemple - vous prenez la traditionnelle levure en poudre (les cèlèbres petits paquets roses…), qui correspond à la baking powder des anglo-saxons. 0u du bicarbonate (baking soda). Pas de la levure de boulanger. C est pourquoi j écrivais que la levure en poudre est plus commune en France. Peu de gens en France font leur pain ou leurs brioches et croissants (pourquoi s enquiquiner, nous avons tant et tant de bons boulangers ? - ce qui n est pas le cas aux US).

[@frebo8921]

@@solangelauthier2381 Merci 😆😆😆 Je fais suffisamment de pâtisserie pour connaître les différentes levures !

[@Janpoldeu]

You may be surprised at this so-called "American burger sauce" you had never heard about, but let me tell you that while in the US some 25 years ago, I often came accross "French (salad) dressings" I had never had in my life despite being from France! Whichever countries you compare, a lot of cultural differences also work in reverse - it's just that people are not aware of them.

[@BaguetteBound]

Hahaha, oh my gosh this is so true about US "French" dressing and I hadn't even thought about it! I wonder why it's called that??

[@Janpoldeu]

@@BaguetteBound It's a marketing gimmick, and it's used globally. In any given country, locals/consumers have certain stereotypes about other countries, they associate a nationality/country of origin with certain attributes, and will use the corresponding adjective ("American" this, "French" that) to carry a specific image. I guess French cuisine is perceived in the US as being good with salads or dressings? In the US I saw lots of beauty items that were qualified as being "French", whereas to me they were just regular items one could find anywhere in the world. But France is famous for beauty products, perfumes and so on. Just like if you are a chocolate maker you'd better market your product as being Belgian or Swiss, for example. Good luck trying to sell Argentinian or Singaporean chocolate! One anecdote: one of the most popular Chinese dishes in France is "Riz cantonais" (= Cantonese rice). I've been to Canton (aka Guangzhou), and this "riz cantonais" was nowhere to be found, of course! 😁

[@Alex-mp1zb]

@@Janpoldeu Cantonese rice does exist though and I was taught how to prepare it by a friend from China.

[@Janpoldeu]

@@Alex-mp1zb Yes, you're right. I wasn't precise enough in my comment. What I meant is that Cantonese rice as prepared and served in France does not exist in China. The recipe has been modified and customed to local tastes and preferences.

[@noliv5832]

This makes me think about la "Macédoine de légumes" which in Macedonia is called a Russian salad and in Romania is sometimes referred to as a french salad :)

[@neroleptic77]

Avez-vous essayé la vergeoise ? C'est littéralement du brown sugar et parfait pour les cookies

[@Elliasp-xx7mb]

c'est un peu trop corsé pour la douceur des cookies ;)

[@midom9143]

sucre de canne en poudre ?

[@brunituteirihia2732]

Non, brown sugar pour les cinnamon rolls par exemple c'est un mélange avec de la mélasse, plus humide que la vergeoise et mon fils le ramène d'Angleterre.

[@sophiebrissaud927]

Le brown sugar dont il est question dans la vidéo est appelé "sucre muscovado" en France et on le trouve plutôt au rayon bio.

[@margaretmacneill3133]

​@@sophiebrissaud927merci pour cet "tip"

[@sylvaincroissant7650]

You can easilyvfind brown sugar in any supermarket in France . It s called "sucre vergeoise" . True we dont use it as much as the other sugars, but it is there...

[@Jagooon]

Or cassonade or sucre roux.

[@sylvaincroissant7650]

@@Jagooon oui mais ce n'est pas du "brown sugar" la cassonade. Ni le sucre roux.

[@jspingau]

@@sylvaincroissant7650 La page wikipedia en français pour Brown Sugar c'est la vergeoise :-). Effectivement a ne pas confondre avec la cassonade française appelée aussi sucre roux de canne. La vergeoise est "humide" a cause de la mélasse qu'elle contient.

[@margaretmacneill3133]

Yes the proper brown sugar for baking is dark brown and sticky😊. Every now and then I have found it in Aldi or Lidl on special and I take a few bags (keep in a ziploc)​@@sylvaincroissant7650

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@sylvaincroissant7650 La cassonade est du sucre de canne. La vergeoise est du sucre de betterave.

[@annedebretagne9410]

Coucou tous les trois . . . j'ai découvert votre chaîne hier après midi , j'ai eu un grand coup de cœur pour vôtre famille !!! J'ai donc regarde toutes vos vidéos les unes après les autres . . . Juliana m'a impressionnée, pas l'ombre d'un accent quand elle prononce les mots en français. 👏👏👏 J'attends avec beaucoup d'impatience votre nouvelle vidéo . . . Merci pour ces bons moments en votre compagnie 😊😊😊

[@BaguetteBound]

Merci, bienvenue à notre channel. 😊

[@TheCapitaineCarnage]

Quick thing about the shopping carts: If you do not have a euro coin available, you can go to the welcoming desk and ask for a plastic coin. They will give it to you, for free. And you can keep it.

[@mathieuShoulz02]

It's ok with 🔑.

[@Marius-jg6sl]

Le jeton qu'ils te donnent est en carton maintenant (la plupart du temps).

[@KBinturong]

@@Marius-jg6slje l’ai fait y’a deux mois et c’était un en plastique. Ils en ont besoin pour bosser, ils peuvent pas se permettre d’en avoir qui ne tiennent pas plusieurs utilisations.

[@SonOfBaraki359]

@@mathieuShoulz02 c'est ce que j'utilise: j'ai perdu trop de pieces

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

Moi j'en ai 2 en métal attachés à un mini-mousqueton sur mon trousseau de clefs ... des jetons qui doivent avoir une vingtaine d'années, peut être même 25 ans, à l'époque où ils ont mis ça en place TOUS les commerçants en filaient pour se faire de la pub ... un peu comme on te filerai un stylo ou un pin's

[@marco.mennenga]

In the Netherlands we have brown and light brown sugar in the grocery stores for €1,69 per 600 grams. Cheaper than flying it from the US. And if you get to know the French family life better they do have a tremendous home baking tradition as I have experienced myself

[@sylviebasyl2835]

En France, aussi : roux, brun, vergeoise, cassonade, sucre muscovado (sucre de canne non raffiné)

[@christophec3874]

Thanks you. I am french . I lived in USA ( Wichita, KS) 30 years ago. Welcome to France 🎉

[@mabo4165]

Chocolate is anytime you want ! ❤

[@davidsmith8376]

I enjoyed the video as I am very familiar with French and American supermarkets but I didn’t understand your comment about a deli counter. I have been in countless French supermarkets and have always found a deli counter (mostly in larger hypermarkets) where you can pick cheeses and meats and other produce.

[@lindadorman2869]

Food shopping is my favorite activity when I travel and France does not disappoint. I can spend hours in the supermarket and have a very long list of preferred items. As a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef, I consider it professional market research and my duty to taste test as many foods as possible!

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@lindadorman2869 You love food shopping and you go to supermarkets ???! !!! Ah ah ah !

[@maggieclendenin6740]

I do the same thing when I travel also bakeries

[@ac8907]

@lindadorman2869 Food is an art in France

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@ac8907Unfortunately, under foreign influences, this art is disappearing.

[@heliedecastanet1882]

If you ever have the opportunity to buy "crème fraîche" from a local producer not in a supermarket but in a "marché", go for it 😉 You won't believe the difference between this one and the ones you buy in a supermarket. It is almost yellow, very thick, and the taste is… To die for 🙂

[@solangelauthier2381]

Everything is better outside supermarkets. Shop at the market, in individual shops. Products are fresher and much better quality.

[@yumyummoany]

On the market in the village where my son lives a local farmer sell his goat products. That cheese is beyond fantastic!

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@heliedecastanet1882 Absolutely. Only stupid people shop in supermarkets - except maybe for toilet paper !!!

[@angemarietaillandier2268]

I was going to say the same, find a local market or even better a “Coop” (a local farmers that are local and sell directly to the consumers) I order directly from them every week it’s wonderfully fresh and cheaper than at the market and it’s does not compare to the “supermarché”.

[@margaretmacneill3133]

We used to get milk and cream from a farm in Zimbabwe. You could stand a spoon in the cream. I bought milk from the cow mostly and had to pasteurise myself or it upset my tummy. If he had pasteurised that day it was easier. Nothing like fresh.

[@LittrowTaurus]

I'm really surprised about the absence of deli section in your Leclerc! Mine has a huge one with queuing tickets and everything, where you can get anything from cheese to serrano ham to ready made meals cooked on the premises. I think you should try another Leclerc! Or another retailer. As for quality brown sugar and things in bulk like bicarb, I really recommend places like Biocoop, Satoriz and la Vie Claire. These are smaller supermarkets specialised in organic stuff but you can also buy things in bulk, including detergents.

[@issey1456]

Exactly. It varies a lot from one supermarket to another in France, even if they are from the same franchise .

[@elizzy8754]

Yes, strange. My little country town has a supermarket with a deli and a cheese counter. They also sell clothing, summer footwear, bedding, crockery, car basics like windscreen cleaner, garden supplies, dishwashers, fridges, washing machines.

[@PukeyBrewstr]

I've never seen a supermarket without one so I'm surprised too.

[@philipperodeau7716]

Plutôt un intermarche qu'un leclerc ... il m'a semblé voir un produit de leur marque ...

[@LittrowTaurus]

@@philipperodeau7716 oui mais si on regarde le tout premier plan, on voit bien qu'ils sont chez Leclerc

[@Tony1771-yj8mc]

Brown sugar is just table sugar mixed with some molasses. The more molasses the darker your brown sugar. For recipes you don't even need to mix the two beforehand, just add them separately to your recipe ingredients and then mix all those ingredients and the sugar/molasses together.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@Tony1771-yj8mc You have many many kinds of « brown sugar » : jaggery (India), vergeoise and cassonade (France), Demerara sugar (UK)….

[@TonyCMAGNA]

J'ai tellement l'habitude de regarder des français vivant à l'étranger présenter des produits qu'on ne connaît pas que ça me fait tout bizarre de vous voir nous présenter des produits français ! :D Merci pour ce regard bienveillant sur notre beau pays !

[@LittrowTaurus]

8:00 Fun fact. Did you know a famous American whose ancestors were French? They came from Isigny and were therefore called d'Isigny which over time became... Disney

[@ilsontfouscesromains]

Sérieux? Eh ben j'ai appris quelque chose

[@backtotheblak]

Americans do not likes d’

[@stephanedaguet915]

@@ilsontfouscesromains Oui il parait, par déformation du nom. J'habite à 16 km d'Isigny-sur-Mer.

[@LetsChillPage]

Oui, c'est parfaitement exact. J'en ai fait part à un Français expatrié aux USA qui critiquait notre inculture cinématographique et musicale (le pays du cinéma, un comble) en commentaire sur YT. Je lui ai donc rafraîchi la mémoire et appris quelques trucs, dont cette origine française de M. Walt Disney.

[@sylvaincroissant7650]

Ceci dit cela date de Guillaume le Conquérant c'est a dire de l'an 1066...

[@Sharon-bo2se]

We've had food carts using coins for decades where I live in Canada. I enjoy seeing the variety of foods in France. We have many vineyards and our wines have designations such as VQA, very enjoyable.

[@armelle6936]

about french ham, the difference is in the "cook "mode ! smoked, baked, boiled, with salt or without , with herbs or ... there is ham for every taste

[@patanouketgersiflet9486]

Jambon aux herbes, braisé... insérer gif d'Homer Simpson en train de baver Ham with herbs, braise ham... insert gif of a drooling Homer Simpson

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@armelle6936 Absolutely. Just never buy it in plastic packages !

[@vincekilloran843]

Great food etc. I do recall the great open markets in Paris but more plastic containers than I imagined.

[@annebernard6604]

How interesting it is, even for a French like me, to see What is different, what astonishes foreign people… I really love to share those things! Hugs from Brittany!

[@elizzy8754]

Don't forget that supermarkets do home delivery. I started ordering for home delivery during Covid and still get one delivery per week. I top up at the local bio shop, weekly market, etc. I make a trip to the supermarket from time to time to see what's new or not offered on the app for delivery. Works really well for me.

[@andreanagy4801]

I do the same. Great service!

[@stephen10.]

Moi aussi j'ai gardé cette habitude et je choisis les promotions. Ca permet de mieux gérer les courses. Je fais une première liste, j'attends 1 jour ou 2 et puis je choisis parmi cette liste, souvent j'en enlève un peu ou je change de produits.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@elizzy8754 Why shop in supermarkets when there are so many shops and markets offering much better quality food ? Shopping once a week means half the time you eat food that is a several days old… Ordering food from a computer ? Where is the pleasure of food shopping ? If it is a question of just staying alive you might as well swallow pills !

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@stephen10. What about pleasure ? Eating what you fancy ?

[@elizzy8754]

@@solangelauthier2381 I do go to the market and épicerie bio. There are not many food shops in my town - the local general épicerie has just closed due to the ill-health of the owners. I don't have a car, but can walk the 40 min round trip to one of the supermarkets. Home delivery works really well for me.

[@susanjacob4981]

I enjoy your videos on how you're adjusting to life in France. I've been here since 1976 and just wanted to make two comments on what you can and cannot find in Centre Leclerc (where I also shop - in Brittany). You can find brown sugar for making chocolate chip cookes and other things: it is called sucre vergeoise brun ou blonde. The brun is just like our brown sugar. The sucre cassonade is useless for this. They don't always have it so you might want to try Super U or some other supermarket. Also, they do have American style bacon strips - most of the time, and especially around Christmas. They are definitely not as tasty as our fried bacon but they are great to use for aperitif. Wrap a small slice around a prune (pruneau en français - not plum), stick a toothpick to hold all together and put in the oven for a while, watching closely to make sure the bacon doesn't burn. Delicious. My family and french friends can't get enough of them.

[@yumyummoany]

An Angel on Horseback. With oysters they are devils! A traditional savoury in the UK in days gone by!

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@yumyummoany In the Charente we eat oysters with a little sausage - that is similar

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@susanjacob4981 To my knowledge US brown sugar is made with sugarcane. Vergeoise, brune ou blonde, is made from beetroot. The taste is not the same. Cassonade on the contrary, is also made from sugarcane. Cassonade and vergeoise are easily available anywhere in France, but obviously if all you know is Leclerc…

[@odealajoie-fr]

Pour le bacon, il faut aller au comptoir à la coupe, demander de la poitrine fumée, ils peuvent faire des tranches fines dans la machine à jambon. Le Baking soda, c'est du bicarbonate de sodium, vous en trouverez en pharmacie ou au rayon nettoyage.

[@MichelleVisageOnlyFans]

So you're basically cooking with a cleaning product when using baking soda in France... LOL!

[@mariannegiroud8131]

Attention, il y a plusieurs qualités de bicarbonate de soude, l'alimentaire et celui pour le ménage, a priori celui-ci peut avoir encore des impuretés

[@michellecbauer]

Oh my gosh this was great! You two are so funny. Raina’s face with the “American Burger” sauce is priceless. 😂 you really nailed it with the ham section comment. There cannot possibly be that much difference with all of that packaged ham to warrant like 100 kinds. The wine! I still miss that LeClerc you were in. There really is some great local wine on offer- even organic ones- for just astonishingly low prices. Baguettes, healthcare and good wine really are human rights in France! Great shot of the Beurre D’Isigny!!! I bought back six packages last winter in the suitcase. Love, love love your videos! Thanks so much this turned out great!

[@BaguetteBound]

Omg, you are even more dedicated than I thought bringing back butter in the suitcase. 😂 I love it!

[@michellecbauer]

I can totally ship you guys baking supplies!

[@RaySqw785]

there been a walt from Isigny you knows as Walt d'Isigny or in English Walt Disney ;)

[@schtarell]

J'aime votre chaine , le quotidien vu par de nouveaux arrivants c'est sympa . Vous êtes les bienvenus , peut être une future famille à la double nationalité :)

[@mikesmith-rp1mb]

Coming from Ireland, the first thing I notice in French supermarkets is the smell. Charcuterie, fromagerie, boulangerie etc. So different from home. ❤🤍💙🇫🇷

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@mikesmith-rp1mb Why don’t you try better than supermarkets ???

[@RemplacementTV]

most big french supermarkets have a deli section with fresh fishes , fresh meat , fresh cheese , etc....

[@xurok]

If you want bacon in France, you need to go to the charcuterie (even the one inside Leclerc) and ask for "ventrèche". There is two kinds of ventrèche: flat (like us bacon) and rolled (more common type I think).

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

Ou poitrine, tout simplement ... c'est plus courant comme appellation que ventrèche Après je dit ça , mais c'est ptet pas le même nom dans toutes les régions 🤔 y'a bien des fous qui appellent un petit pain au chocolat " chocolatine " ou " pain au chocolat " 🤣

[@PabloGarcia-dl8qf]

Non c'est pas la même chose

[@Fuk_Zat_Tek]

On a du bacon en languettes en France... alias " streaky bacon " ...Suffit de chercher un peu juste à coté des lardons dans les supermarchés ...Sinon demander du lard / des tranches de poitrine au charcutier

[@blitz3391]

We have different sizes of those places in France. You have your local "Marché" which are smaller sized , the "Supermarché" where you went, with multiple different sections, and "hypermarché" which are like "Supermarché" but bigger. These almost always include what you were looking for, meat/cheese on demand and not pre packaged.

[@afterburner94]

Just a side info related to the topic. Any commercial parking lot which surface is equal or more of 1500m2 has the obligation from July 2023 to install solar panel canopies. Stating this as I see your supermarché is currently installing those. Do not be surprised to see these solar canopies pop up on big parking lots in the upcoming months and years in France :). I think it's such a brilliant idea to make use of sitting real estate that is not in use and give it an active use. The US should follow on the idea, really.Imagine all these Target and Walmart parking lots producing their own electricity. It would solve the grid problems in TX for example. As for commenting the video, the closest equivalent to American brown sugar I found in France is "vergeoise", that's what I use for my chocolate chip American style cookies and it works perfectly. As for the ham, you gotta give to the French people for loving their jambon lol. I think the abundance of it comes down to the pork and charcuterie industry in Brittany, we probably are the #1 pork producers in the EU but don't quote me on that. What a kickass video on French culture and life as usual guys. You are so spot-on. And it probably made all of your audience hungry, me included!

[@leclospre]

Hello, do not buy ham in plastic containers. You should prefer to take some at the « charcutier » corner.Ask for « jambon blanc bleu blanc cœur » 😉

[@KBinturong]

Le meilleur jambon est dans les deli italiens 😂

[@oui359]

​@@KBinturongvraiment pas

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@leclospre Why advertise a brand (bleu blanc coeur) ? Every charcutier has excellent ham to offer - various kinds, jambon blanc being the one with the least taste of all ! And of course one should never buy food from a plastic container - but these videos for foreigners stupidly seem to know supermarkets, while the GOOD food is elsewhere…

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@KBinturong C est ENTIEREMENT une question de goût et de l usage auquel le jambon est destiné

[@SOxley]

@@solangelauthier2381 Yes, it's really sad recommending this type of commerce.

[@BipBoupFRforF109]

Medals on the wine does not mean much. It is also mainly marketing. Their are events where they taste 300 wine with 6 wine per tables and for every tables, you have a gold silver and bronze medal. So 50 gold medal from one event only.

[@sherryshelton199]

You can make your own brown sugar. Mix sugar and molasses together in a stand mixer if you have it. Otherwise just stir until it's mixed. Light or dark depends on how much molasses.

[@VLC8792]

The French make a big thing, & rightly so, of supporting local/regional producers. On a side note I look forward to the Spring/Autumn wine fair.

[@esther271]

I baked at home pretty often when I was little, and I never used baking soda. I actually had no idea you could use it for baking, I learned that in the US.

[@deadeye5797]

For bacon strips you have to go to the delicatessen section, not in the fridges, at the same place you showed fresh salads, and ask them to slice some poitrine fumée, you will even be able to choose the size of the slices...

[@gregglesjmiller3919]

Tip for you : if you don't have a euro for your trolley or if you don't have the plastic token, you can go at the reception desk to get one. It's free. Works in any supermarket or craftshop. NB : In some areas trolleys don't need coins to use them. ;-)

[@davidgardin5775]

Thank you for creating this video for non French! 😍❤️💋

[@rowandowland1391]

Part of the real joy of moving to France is the food….Over here in the Haute Savoie the selection of fresh locally grown bio and bio dynamic food from a variety of locally owned independent stores is bewildering and so well priced. It’s true what they say about the French and food. Discerning, quality, freshness, choice……. Where else can you purchase 13 different varieties of tomatoes or 12 different types of apples or 6 different varieties of radish….etc. A foodies heaven.

[@20gdetitane]

Bio is absolutely fine. But don't put too much credit on biodynamic stuff. It's a pseudosciemtific concept created by a sect (les anthroposohes) which wouldn't in any way garantee a higher quality.

[@rowandowland1391]

@@20gdetitane Thanks for your comments however that’s not been our experience over more than 3 decades now. For example the introduction of biodynamics is both improving the quality of wine and vegetable production as well as reducing the adverse impact of traditional growing methods on the environment.

[@20gdetitane]

@@rowandowland1391 I mean simple bio would do that too. Biodynamic methods are essentially witchcraft. Sure, it's using little pesticides, etc. Which is why it can end up being better than generic products. But it's doing a lot of things that have essentially zero effect. Anyway, if that's working for you, by all means, you can most certainly keep on getting these products. Just felt like I could inform you on the matter in case you'd make any thing with that knowledge.

[@filiaaut]

@@rowandowland1391 Biodynamic agriculture follows the same rules as organic agriculture (which is why you will see an improvement over traditional/industrial agriculture on the metrics where organic fares better), but adds esoteric bullshit on top of it, which have no proven benefits (and often require the use of animal parts, for the vegan people reading this), were devised by an occultist with no agricultural knowledge whatsoever, based on his "instincts", and are still taught religiously despite their uselessness. There are no pragmatic, non religious reasons to pick a biodynamic product in place of a regular organic product, all other factors being equal.

[@rowandowland1391]

@@filiaaut Thank you for sharing your opinion. After being involved in the field for more than 3 decades I have different views and experiences to you. I expect we are seeking different objectives out of life. Regards

[@joanneraatz]

Love your videos! Many thanks for the information 😊

[@Maxime_K-G]

The sugar you mentioned seems very similar to Cassonade Graeffe that is sold in Belgium! It is indeed a distinctly different thing from regular brown beet or cane sugar.

[@helenamcginty4920]

Here in Spain I can get demerara sugar and a semi soft brown sugar. I only buy white for when my grandson stays. I have also seen muscovado sugar at Lidl in the next town. Fresh yeast in handy 125gm cubes, boxes of sachets of baking powder and bicarbonate of soda with the flours. (Plural).

[@nicobzz1]

the eggs can be kept outside fridge simply because they are not washed a lot, so they keep there protection layer against bacteria.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@nicobzz1 Eggs need not be kept in the fridge. They will not hatch !!! The eggs you buy have not been fecondated…

[@nicobzz1]

@@solangelauthier2381 what I said is not related to fecundation, it's related to bacteria on the shell

[@Wayne72LEVRAI]

You can keep your eggs outside of a fridge for 20 days after they was made (you have the date on them), and you can keep them 7 more days if they are in the fridge. But i never seen someone put them in the fridge because in two weeks you have plenty of time to eat them (the normal size of an eggs box in France is 6). I believe that in USA they are always refrigerated because the country is huge and it don’t use local food, so the eggs can take more than a week before being sold, this is why they need those extra 7 days.

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@Wayne72LEVRAI Where does this rule of 20 days + 7 days come from ? ! And you think all the eggs they sell in France come from France ? From the nearby farm ? Ah ah ah ! In the supermarkets they may come from the other end of Europe, like the chicken ! In France you can buy eggs in boxes of 4, 6, or 12, according to the size of the family.

[@mephren]

​@@Wayne72LEVRAI Aux États-Unis, les œufs sont lavés, ça retire la couche protectrice de l'œuf, la coquille est poreuse et peut être contaminée. En France et probablement partout ailleurs en Europe, la couche protectrice est gardée et protège les œufs, on peut donc les garder à température ambiante. 20 jours ça me paraît bien, ou même plus, il suffit de les plonger dans de l'eau pour voir s'ils sont toujours bons

[@ShawnWalker-jv1rg]

I can definitely relate to the veggie self-weighing tip. Been there done that in the late afternoon at Mono Prix. I and 10 people behind me waited until my wife had gone and weighed the tomatoes! The cashier was extremely accommodating and acted like it happens 10x a day so - no biggie for him. The people in line all whispered to one another...LOL. What I found most interesting is that even though the cashier has a weigh scale at the counter they don't do it for we Anglaise who don't know any better! Everyone must suffer...tout le monde doit souffrir! 🤣

[@atax2819]

Hi, it's really cool to see how Americans view us from the inside. Thank you! and for the ham the answer of @JSP40 was perfect

[@user-ys4xx9pi2x]

We just keep watching these videos for snippets about your experiences in your new country. We plan to spend a few weeks in France in the fall, and are excited to see many of these experiences for ourselves.

[@JohnPilling25]

The Super U in Thuir has a fantastic deli counter where you can get meats and cheese sliced! Especially Spanish Jamon. The wine section is fantastic and so so cheap.

[@Janpoldeu]

Salutations d'Amélie les Bains ! 👋

[@amyslaughter395]

All I can say is wow and thank you for your amusing and informative video. It's better than a lot that I have seen.

[@lnemeth4334]

6:19: You can usually find a 3 digit code on the pricetags of the fruits or breads in european supermarkets. Just enter this code at the digital scale, and you don't have to find the proper item in the menus.

[@sophiebrissaud927]

Good job, thanks! A little hair-splitting/extra info. 1. There are disposable bags in every supermarket, only you have to pay a few centimes for them. While it is not done in Paris, outside of Paris people usually have 2 or 3 sturdy plastic bags with handles in the trunk of their cars, just for supermarket shopping. They bring the full cart to their car and then divide the contents. 2. There are deli counters (cheese, charcuterie, prepared foods, sometimes fresh meat) in most large supermarkets, even in smaller Monoprix in Paris - not INSTEAD of the packaged ham and cured pork products section, but coexistent to it. 3. The brown sugar in the left-hand bag ("sucre complet de canne") is pure cane sugar, it is moist and perfect for American-style baking. If you want more types of brown sugar (including muscovado, vergeoise and cassonade), just head to the organic foods section. 4. Baking soda (both food grade and household grade) is now widely available in all the larger supermarkets. 5. About eggs, the rule in supermarkets is sell them unrefrigerated. It is recommended to refrigerate them after use, though some disagree with that. As for milk, fresh milk is in the refrigerated section. What you're showing here is UHT, i.e. sterilized milk, which needs no refrigeration as long as the carton is unopened. 6. Chocolate in breakfast cereals: yeah that puzzles me as well. But the French are very dependent on chocolate, even at breakfast. There was a time, a few decades ago, when children's breakfast was hot chocolate with milk and butterd tartines. Not so popular now, but they do eat their chocolate in cereals. Kids, also, may still drink warm ready-mixed chocolate milk drinks for breakfast. 7. "American burger sauce". In fact not the first and certainly not the last thing we call "American" which is unknown in America. A bit like French dressing in France, for instance. 8. Yup, we're very proud of our potato-chip culture. 8. Thanks for pointing out the AOP labels and Concours Général medals, they do make a difference and foreign visitors are often unaware of those marks of quality.

[@ronyYTube]

It's so funny to see your reaction to French supermarkets. It reminds me the reaction of my American wife when we went to supermarkets in Paris. Same surprise about the same products (cloths, ham, prepared food, cheese) 😂

[@BaguetteBound]

It really is just all about what you're used to.

[@berolina2336]

Baking powder is so easy to use. 1 packet is enough for 500 g of flour. No laborious weighing or measuring. Especially since a teaspoon is not standardized. It can be anything from 3 to 10 g.

[@laetitiafaivre6214]

Very interesting, I may use this video with my students

[@BaguetteBound]

Très cool. 😄

[@followyourbliss2978]

You can make your own brown sugar with granulated sugar and molasses. If you Google this you should find instructions. 1 cup sugar to 1 tablespoon molasses (or 2 tablespoons if you want dark brown sugar)

[@IRACEMABABU]

FYI to keep eggs in the fridge can be risky. When cooled an egg grows microscopic holes which let pass bacteries inside. Not a very good idea. Ambiant temperature is way better, almost risk-free.

[@messyhomestead7320]

Quite! The reason US eggs are refrigerated is because they are washed before going to market, and the water compromises the natural protective coating so they go bad. I have farm fresh eggs on my counter in the US here right now that I could have for months and they'll be fine.

[@auremilka]

Brets is definitely a good brand of crisps, I always watch closely the flavours available when I visit a supermarket for the first time, hoping I will find the ones I prefer :D

[@aejyl1080]

Hi there ! - if you're looking for brown sugar, try Sucre vergeoise, it's moist sugar, and you have two types, vergeoise blonde & brune (the latter having a stronger flavour). - I'm really surprised that your supermarket doesn't have a deli counter, because I've never seen one this size that didn't have a deli. You can usually get all sorts of cold cuts and cheese, ours even has a rotisserie, as well as an Asian food counter. - You can absolutely find baking soda, it's just not going to be in the baking section. I was looking for some recently and had to ask an employee. It's in the condiment aisle, next to the salt (the one in the detergent section in not for consumption), but you'll find that those little pink packets will do just fine. Alsa yeast is a staple in French kitchens.

[@kath6720]

But we definitely have a part where you can have cheese or charcuterie cut by the slice. Which supermarket did you go to? As for not the same baking tradition? We bake a lot but we bake differently.

[@leopratlong8312]

Very interesting to see the point of view of americans to what is something very normal to me as a french :). About the wine medals: unfortunately, in France, they are also a marketing thing and not a seal of quality. There are a lot of reports and articles in french talking about that. In 2022 for example, 24 000 medals have been given to wines in France. You can find more information about that for example in FranceInfo article about the "Foire aux vins". Personally, I almost avoid wine with medals. This is not a red flag, but medals should not be considered as a good point for a wine. By the way, you'll very rarely find medal-winning wines in a good wine merchant.

[@birchlover3377]

Agreed, the real French luxury is to source direct from the winegrower! Ask around among friends and colleagues, they might get you in on a small batch purchase 👍🏼

[@jerichojeudy]

This!!

[@SOxley]

Yes. And, unlike what this couple are saying here, the US has a regional seal for wines, the AVA. And as in France it is not foolproof.

[@tmdillon1969]

I absolutely love the near absence of single-use plastic bags in France. We drove all over the place and the welcome lack of plastic litter everywhere was wonderful. We live in a rural area in North Carolina and I'll bet there's more trash along 10 miles of one of our roads than 500 of theirs. Overall we pay far more for far less quality food here in the US whether it's in the grocery or in a restaurant. The same jamon buerre sandwich that's $4 give or take everywhere in France is $12-$13 at the two places that copy it near us. Overall the only "foods" we missed were drip coffee and iced tea. My wife drinks about 1/2 gallon of tea a day.

[@joanrojas9084]

I’m in France as I view this video and find myself saying aloud … ahhhhhhhh, that’s the system … so thank you! 🎉

[@annickleroux9049]

Oh my God this supermarché is in the town where I live : Pineuilh!! Thank you for this ❤

[@messyhomestead7320]

Celebrity supermarche sighting!

[@KBinturong]

Not every supermarket weight at the cash register. It can get embarrassing for french too when on holidays 😂 the best thing to do if you are in a new supermarket is to ask : either a staff member or another client.

[@sacroyalty]

Nice video, thanks. I miss French grocery stores! The cheeses alone.

[@markusschenkl7943]

No brown sugar in French supermarkets? I don't know where you were looking but I found brown sugar at Carrefour as well as Super U.

[@masterrom1]

I'm late to the party. But if you can find it, "vergeoise" is the closest I've gotten to US brown sugar. It works really well as a replacement in American recipes from my wife's family. It can often be found in the sugar section, but like baking soda, you probably won't have many choices.

[@Kate-qq3ez]

Funny enough ! In my French family we will never ever buy ham or any cold cuts in the supermarket. We have our preferred shops « Boucher charcutier » and we will buy meat, poultry, pork, cold cuts, sausages of all kind there. They also prepare ready to eat all Kind salads ( céleri rémoulade, lentils and ham, etc) these salads are really much better than the industrial ones you find in supermarkets. But could be more expensive side,

[@linconnuedumonde4263]

Ça reste de la merde 🤢🤮

[@LOLOVAL-os3pq]

for the bacon, it is cut and packaged on the shelf, and also in the butcher's section where you can have it not cut into small pieces but cut on demand to the size you want!

[@EthyliquementVotre]

Le bicarbonate alimentaire se trouve à côté du sel dans les magasins type Leclerc, Auchan, Intermarché etc. Facile à trouver quand on sait où chercher 😊

[@gerardmanvussa1071]

Il y a aussi beaucoup de supermarchés qui ont un rayon de fromage à la coupe, un rayon boucherie et un rayon charcuterie, où l'on vous sert et où vous pouvez choisir la taille du morceau de fromage ou l'épaisseur de la tranche de jambon ;-) Il y a certes de la charcuterie emballée, idem pour la viande et le fromage, c'est plus rapide. Mais il est plus sympa d'aller là où une personne vous reçoit, vous écoute et vous sert

[@nixandersson]

I do enjoy your channel. It makes me understand France a bit better and it make me understand the US as well. One thing though: Crème Brûlée is absolutely not a yogurt. I think you have gotten the yogurt section wrong. Some times desserts like Crème brûlée are put at display close to the yogurt. I suppose, mostly because the packaging is somehow similar.

[@Pensées_depuis_mon_balcon]

Wow, thanks for this video. It is always interesting to see the contrast between the rural countryside and the city grocery shopping immigrant experience. The gigantic supermarkets in the French countryside are completely different than those in Paris and offer a very different choice of basic offerings. It looks like shopping in the countryside can be more efficient with everything in one place. Since we have at least 10 supermarkets within a 10 minute walk, they are all much smaller and usually on a single floor or 3 floor layout of basement, ground, and first floor. Most supermarkets (Carrefour, Franprix, Picard, Biocoop) don't have a lot of premade food, since we have at least another 100+ specialty foods stores competing with them right next door, so the variety of what is offered is quite different and frankly of pretty low quality. For lots of goods we go to specialty stores for wine, cheese, meats, poultry, fish, baked goods, pastries and the like. There are many traiteurs (caterers) offering ready to eat preparations. Parisians would not generally purchase their meats, fish, wine, cheese, and often fruits or vegetables in the grocery market because there are so many specialty vegetable or fruit vendors. Because of the small physical size, we don't have the metal shopping carts (they would block the entire aisle), but smaller plastic ones that are free to use. Many shoppers simply use their Rosler chariot, shopping bag, or their Brompton folding bike in shopping cart mode.

[@zapatto51]

Hi. Interesting point of view of foreign people about the french supermarkets. I was in the US 3 weeks ago and It was so funny to compare our different ways of life... no words about the bread section ? I am so surprised. Waiting for the next video to hear about your remarks.

[@karenS6392]

Bread in America is bad. Over priced and bad quality unless you are lucky to have a good bakery near by. I miss the bread in Europe.

[@ninab6475]

Hello for sugar for cookies try “La Vergeoise” we don’t find it in all the supermarkets it’s used a lot in pastries, it’s a moist brown sugar with a slight caramel taste.

[@pierre-yvesmignotte838]

Small packets of baking powder might be related to portions eaten… In my family baking a cake was a celebration and everyone enjoyed ONE portion. Hence you only need, what two teaspoons?

[@oddradekraconte2944]

Hi you guys! I just stumbled on your videos and I love them! I am a Belgian and I lived two years in the US and I experienced the same thing as you but the other way around. I remember going nuts in the stores looking for "lardons" AND sparkling water (you can find Perrier, but only that brand and at an outrageous price!). I also remember trying to find sliced cheese and it was impossible... I used to eat cheese sandwiches filled with grated cheese... Oh well ... 😂

[@TheEstampe]

6:46 Chocolate is quite common for breakfast in Europe, think of pain au chocolat/chocolatine, chocolate spread or cereals as you mention.

[@svenolofandersson2572]

You can go to Scandinavia for brown sugar. Every grocery store in Sweden has it!

[@darlenepopelier497]

Hello as an American living in France for 44 years and an avid baker (cc cookies are my specialty), sucre vergeoise is the equivalent to brown sugar you can find light or dark.

[@kenedstrom1556]

Great information. You guys do such a good job! I tend to go to smaller neighborhood grocery stores where the selection is much more limited, so I learned a lot about supermarchés.

[@DeanRamser]

Bonjour! Thank you for the referral to watch Theo to better understand the political landscape in France right now. We plan on moving to France in the fall, so this video on shopping and the other videos on why location is so important has made us rethink where we buy or rent. Merci!! Dean & Cindy

[@blueamenaa749]

Don't buy now. I'm French and we re through a huge political change. The government can be far right or far left. Both suck. Melenchon wants to tax us even more. And the far right didn't say how much money their program costs. Rent and stay mobile.

[@DeanRamser]

@@blueamenaa749 Bonjour! Thank you so much for your response and advice. I agree that staying mobile with cash is recommended for today's turbulent world. Some parts of France seem to require a car, but the big cities are next to trains. What do you think about the train system? Merci! Dean & Cindy *We are retired educators. We just finished a long stay in Europe: 5 months helping a new school open in Lvivv, one month in Krakow learning about WWII, and a month in Tallinn.

[@francocanuck]

Go for it ,better than getting stuck with a criminal wacko if somethings go wrong in the US next year

[@puccaland]

Smoked bacon is to be found at sold by weight counter and you ask for how many slices you want, how thick etc. It can also be found pre cut in shrink wrapped trays in the meat section but not sure if it's sold all year round.

[@kristinapollock564]

I live in Canada and I find that your local French supermarket doesn’t seem that different to our supermarkets. Although ours don't have hard liquor, we DO have many different chip flavours (more than in the U.S. I'm told) including ketchup chips. We also have a classic burger sauce, which looks similar to the American burger sauce. It's basically a knock-off of the Big Mac special sauce.

[@emilieponey]

I do a lot of american cakes and cookies recipies and I use a type of sugar called "vergeoise". It can be brown or blonde. You can find it in Belgium with the name "cassonade". It's a very compact and kind of moist sugar. You should try it. I use it for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and mixing it with classic white sugar it gives cookies that perfect crunchy cheewie texture.

[@KBinturong]

I have tried the perfect cookies receipe… the sugar question is tough… I advise you to read the wikipedia articles about sugar ( in both languages as you won’t find the same explanation and names ). Also try organic supermarkets for that quest. Anyhow, as my fellow french cook just above said : try vergeoise. It might not be what you are looking for but it’s to die for on crepes and waffles and even yogurt. You have vergoise blonde et vergoise brune. Try both !

[@solangelauthier2381]

@@emilieponey Vergeoise and cassonade are not the same ! Vergeoise is beetroot sugar while cassonade is cane sugar. We have cassonade in France too. It is lighter in color than vergeoise and has less taste. You even find cassonade in supermarkets (brand La Perruche) while vergeoise is a little more difficult to find.

[@valariealbert5275]

You can make your own brown sugar if need be. One cup of white sugar and one tablespoon of molasses, two tablespoons of molasses, if you want dark brown sugar.

[@JezaGaia]

The difference between most of those hams is packaging mostly, but the salt content can vary as well as the fat content, in some a bit of the lard and gelatin is on sides called la couenne in others they remove it, some use more preservatives than others. but I don't eat any of those, they're made with a lot of chemicals and it's always low grade pork meat and water to add weight. I buy mine at the charcutier in my village made with his own porks and you can see the difference.

[@MrMousley]

3:40 OMG Maison Tino Parmentier de Canard (Duck Cotttage Pie) YUM 😋!! AND if you are buying the local wine (made in the same village as the Supermarché) don't buy it there .. go to the Cave Cooperative (where they actually make it). It can be as much as €5 cheaper there.

[@YellowJellowKitty]

you can get streaky bacon in France, If they don't have it in the prepackaged section just go to the "charcutier" section of the store and ask the person for "lard fumé", "tranché" if you want sliced. If they ask how large you want it slice answer "assez fin, c'est pour poêler" (pretty fin, it's to cook in a pan). Also, look at the price per kg, you'll be surprised how sometimes the prepackaged stuff is sometime more expensive than the regular.

[@Peluche54]

We have the ham, in the US, the endless sections of all the same stuff are soups, raisins, crackers and cereals 😁 A huge difference is also pre-processed stuff, especially in the baking area : there are literrally TONS of pre-mixes, pre-made and other "preparations for" in the US. As an european, I often struggle to find "basic raw stuff" to cook. Or the choice is very (very) limited

[@Mila-8765-ox4yc]

There is brown sugar (I make American cookies every two weeks). It's called cassonade, you can find it in any supermarket.

[@OuAlors]

What you want to substitute to brown sugar is not "cassonade" (1.18) but "vergeoise". You can find it in every supermarché, but in the sugar section, not the baking items one

[@messyhomestead7320]

How does it work to have a sugar section that is not a baking section? Could you say more about that?

[@bbmichelle7104]

A good brown sugar replacement for cookies is the brand Beghin Say. They make a sugar called Vergeoise, either "blonde" or "brune" and either are perfect for cookies. It's not found in every store, so stock up when you find it and store in the freezer. I moved to France over 30 years ago and am amazed at what's available now compared to back then. Living in the land of cheese, but nobody sold cheddar outside of Paris until recently. My fromager scolded me for even inquiring about it - but Mexican food doesn't taste right without it!

[@moniqueblondel5829]

You can find two or three sorts of brown sugar in organic shops, Biocop is a nice one

[@lucyhamilton6197]

Baking soda or bicarbonate de soude for baking purposes is found in the salt section in a French supermarket.

[@alisonrandall3039]

Very interesting film thank you it’s been a while since I’ve been to France. Just wondering can you your phone to add the items to your shopping using the barcode Then go to the self check out and pay there instead of queueing up to use the cashier. French supermarkets are very much like supermarkets in the UK.

[@BaguetteBound]

Some stores do offer the ability to scan as you shop using a handheld scanner that you can pick up near the entrance. We haven't seen any that allow you to use your personal phone.

[@jean-marieduriez5046]

Hello ! About tomatoes and self-weighting, they are usually both in fruits and vegetables sections ;) and don’t forget there are also pictures.