UK Supermarket as an American | Shopping is not as easy as I thought

For todays video I decided to take you along to my local grocery store in my small town in wales UK. Since moving here I've noticed there are a few assumptions I made thinking things that seemed normal, like grocery shopping would be easy. I was wrong. There have been many adjustments I've had to make to do something that seems so simple when you're used to it. :)
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== About Me ==
I’m Ashley, a born and raised Washingtonian.
I love where I grew up but more recently my love for travel and a LDR has brought me across the pond to the UK. I am winging my way through this new life in a new country. It’s exciting and terrifying all at the same time but for the most part I am enjoying every little bit of the journey.
I am so excited to share in my adventures and hope you will fall in love with travel and the UK as much as I have.
Be sure to subscribe to my KZbin channel to catch all that I’m up to.

[@dickdastardly1883]

By British standards, no one does a “full” shop at co-op, it’s too expensive. It’s mainly a “ top up” store on items you may be running out of. My son worked at our local one before going to uni last year and he told me they were forever dumping stuff that didn’t sell. The vienetta ice cream in the fridge you showed was £2, at our local Tesco express, it’s £1 and has been for a while.

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

Their reduced short date stuff is more expensive than full price at LIDL

[@Camberwell86]

Mate I like to buy cooked chicken breasts sometimes to make a lazy curry with sauce from a jar. No joke - 2 cooked chicken breasts, £1.69 in Aldi and my local Co-op wanted £4.20 lmao 😯 however I do drink and smoke and the booze and fags is exactly the same cheap price as all the major supermarkets... seems just the food is twice the price... doesn't make sense 🤔

[@davidthornton3553]

Disagree as do 2-3 "big" shops in my full sized local Coop.. It's the only supermarket in our small town. The nearest alternative is 8 miles aways which involves parking charges and fuel. Use local butcher, baker, fishmonger and Deli for fresh stuff and Coop covers all the rest. It's excellent for diary products, locally produced goods and ehtically sourced tea and coffee. Don't get the hate for Coop in this thread..

[@brendalevesque6384]

If you have a Co-op card you get 5% discount at the till on all branded own products.

[@eileencritchley4630]

True I also it's best to have a co-op card as well like most shops. The other day I ran out of veggies and bread popped into the co-op and didn't pay a penny as I'd so many points on my card it paid for my veggies and bread.

[@Overwijn01]

All the ‘tiny/cute’ packaging is quite normal around the whole of Europe, not just the UK 😉 The huge packaging is mostly an Americain thing 😊

[@jayd2655]

You do you and we do us. We oversize everything because we have so much land.

[@ogribiker8535]

@@jayd2655 Land has nothing to do with it

[@panchopuskas1]

@@jayd2655 ....that makes sense.......

[@jayd2655]

@@ogribiker8535 Apparently, you're not as edumacated as I am.

[@ogribiker8535]

@@panchopuskas1 How ?

[@gillianrimmer7733]

I'm a pensioner and live on my own - I appreciate that I can buy small sizes of products because, as you have probably discovered, we don't have many preservatives in our food and ir can go off fairly quickly. I would have to throw away things like eggs, milk and bread if I could only buy large sizes because they would go off before I used them. I keep my eggs in a bowl on the kitchen worktop - they're actually better for cooking and baking at room temperature as well.

[@gillianrimmer7733]

Saw you were looking at the Welsh Cakes - I'm not a giant fan of the 'ordinary' ones, but that brand sells an orange and honey one as well - they are to die for with a bit of butter spread on them. I always stock up with them whenever I see them. You really need to try them.

[@benlee8436]

Just as a single less old man I depend on smaller sizes, and yes eggs do cook better at room temperature. The shells crack more easily and cleanly too, so it's good all round.

[@eileencritchley4630]

My mother always buys normal size loafs of bread and puts half into the freezer. Also she does the same with milk, yes you can freeze milk.

[@benlee8436]

@@eileencritchley4630 True about the bread, though I haven't tried milk. Sadly my freezer contains a solid block of ice at the moment... I think it may take some time to remedy that. :)

[@macalauresmuse]

@@eileencritchley4630 you can also freeze cheese. It's not so great for sandwiches when thawed as it goes more crumbly but it's not too bad and works well for anything where the cheese is going to be melted.

[@francisforshaw1659]

Cornflour is the same as Cornstarch in the U.S. Cornmeal is something completely different.

[@TheSiobhan12]

Yessss hoping someone would catch that!!! 😉

[@1chish]

Just on the blackcurrant thing: The berries were banned in 1911 because they were thought to produce a fungus that could damage pine trees. As new disease-resistant berries were produced and new ways to prevent the fungus from damaging timber were developed, some states started to lift the ban in 2003. Today, they are grown by U.S. farmers in the Northeast and in the Pacific Northwest and used in foods like jellies, jams, teas and oils. [Credit to The Tampa Bay Times]

[@marycarver1542]

Grape Juice is what we call WINE!!!

[@krissym7479]

I'm English but I live in New Zealand. I literally watched this to salivate over all the foods I miss. Thanks for the memories.

[@tosha_marie_13]

Yay! I love grocery store videos! I'm from California and I traveled for a month in the UK 10 years ago. I really miss their stores, there were so many fun and unique foods and such great quality fresh food. I've been watching you since your early Way Away days and I'm so happy for you!

[@ellem2293]

*Correction* Cornflour is used for thickening sauces. Cornmeal is widely used in the UK, mostly by West Indian/Caribbean/Asian, it is not even similar to our Cornflour. Cornmeal aka Polenta is the same as in the USA.

[@chrissyt8111]

I love your appreciation of our small products. It's really good for people who only have themselves to cook for and also a lot of people walk home with their shopping so thankfully they don't have to carry much. Personally, eggs don't last in my home because we eat a pack of 6 per week. Meaning I can and do leave them out but sometimes pop them in the fridge to make my counters look clutter-free when I have guests. About not washing our eggs - - It’s done to make sure that egg producers have a clear interest in ensuring the conditions their egg laying chickens are kept in are the best possible conditions. They can’t afford to have chickens wallowing around in filth, or chicken poo as it’ll get on the eggs and they can do nothing that will remove it. The egg contains a film on the outside to protect its contents. That film is destroyed by washing and its removal is more likely to result in contamination and things like salmonella occurring.

[@MDNELLEY]

I absolutely love that they are looking out for the interest of the chickens! I wish there were higher standards for how farm animals are treated in the US. I have tried to go vegan because of the guilt I feel for the animals’ treatment, but I’m not that strong willed. So my husband and I cut way back on our meat consumption. It’s the best we can do for now. I have so much respect for almost everything about the UK & wish I could live there!!

[@stewedfishproductions7959]

Also, all laying hens are vaccinated as chicks before entering the commercial farm system, plus vaccination is the most practical method for controlling infectious diseases, some of which can be airborne... So UK eggs are both natural and have additional vaccination to avoid contamination. US eggs are stripped of the natural protection (through washing), so must be refrigerated and so, have a shorter 'shelf life'!

[@magecraft2]

One difference a friend who came to stay with me for a while from the US found was the fact the price you see is the price you pay. Now this was a good thing as her shopping was always cheaper than she expected but worth noting if you are from the US.

[@hannahl8299]

Not every state in the US has food tax, or any sales tax on items. The system here makes no sense. Every state gets to make their own rules.

[@knightwish1623]

@@hannahl8299 I don't buy that reason. The shop knows how much tax Food and/or sales are added to the products in it's State/town, so why not just print the lables for the shelves with the complett price. It's not as if the tax % changes from day to day.

[@hannahl8299]

@@knightwish1623 A quick Google search will help you educate yourself on this 😊

[@brentwoodbay]

@@knightwish1623 A national company would not be able to show the price on any media as it would differ from the price in the store!

[@macalauresmuse]

@@hannahl8299 perhaps its the difference in size of your country (aaaand maybe also politics but let's not get into that). I'm in Scotland and some of your states are bigger than us ;)

[@judithgoodwin8460]

I think the reason for the small packaging is that British kitchens are a lot smaller than Americans so we generally buy food more often as we have less storage. Great video. As a Brit I love seeing how our everyday life is different.

[@Ionabrodie69]

That’s because generally our homes are older and usually smaller .. culture and rich history has its drawbacks .. not something the Americans need worry about…😗

[@missragsdale]

Actually cornflour is what we call corn starch in the US! If you buy that expecting it to be cornmeal it's going to be a big surprise lol. Cornmeal will probably be labeled polenta.

[@fionagregory9376]

Labelled with two Ls.

[@missragsdale]

@@fionagregory9376 In America we only use one :-)

[@sie4431]

I was going to say this. You can actually buy both corn meal and polenta here even though it's the same thing. Sainsbury's used to sell pre-made polenta, as in the italian polenta loaf rather than the grain.

[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

@@missragsdale In America 'to spell' is a regular verb too but here in the UK it isn't ie you spell 'spelt' as 'spelled'.

[@stephennicholson2833]

This video made me drool!! My favorite England foods which you can't get in the US and I make sure I eat on my trips to England are: Chocolate Covered Hobnobs, Chocolate Covered Digestives, Penguin Biscuits, Pork Pies, Viennetta Ice Cream, Lemon Curd, Red and Black Currant Jam, Sausage Rolls, English Bacon, Cumberland Sausages and all the wonderful English Cheeses(so reasonably priced). My wife makes lemon curd using my mom's recipe and it is to die for.

[@davidrenton]

you have a diet a dietician would be mortified but I thoroughly recommend the fine cuisine you have mentioned, can i come round for dinner :)

[@stephennicholson2833]

@@davidrenton all in moderation! Only once every couple of years.🤣

[@druidswillow1052]

Hi Ashley, Thanks for editing out the 2 hours you spent gazing lovingly at the ice cream cabinets! Jim, Surrey X

[@jackryan967]

I have followed your adventures for years now. What a trip you have got! I hope you keep posting new videos, you are the best. All good to UK!

[@_sarah-anne_]

If you’re ordering from Morrisons go onto Amazon prime and order from there. They use Morrisons and you can have same day delivery. I’m based in Cardiff and it’s fab if you want a quick delivery. Morrisons through Amazon prime have the same range as the standard Morrisons website.

[@terryloveuk]

Not quite the same range (here in London anyway), I can either use Amazon/Fresh or Morrisons, a lot of the same items, but Amazon don't offerall Morrisons have, and they have their own range. Sometimes I use one or the other depending is some items I want are only available via one or the other options.

[@SPbakerhouse]

It's worth noting that Baking Powder and bicarbonate of soda are not the same. Baking powder is bicarb' with a small amount of Cream of Tartar added. This makes cakes etc. much lighter as it helps form bubbles in the mixture. As for Blackcurrants in the US. They were banned many years ago as was thought it would spread a fungus that threatened the timber industry

[@ladymc2021]

Omg Gurl!!!! This makes so homesick for England and the UK when I see all of these AMAZING food products I fell in love with so badly when I moved there and when I visit go crazy with lol and I have a great feeling you will too! Tesco also has a small American section (which is slightly more expensive because of the tax to bring it in), but is SO nice to have as a luxury and a life saver to have when living there as especially during the holidays when you really miss certain foods that you would have during Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July etc... So one thing to note is that Tesco, Aldi, Iceland, Lydl and Morrisons are the cheaper side of the deal as far as food goes! Please explore these areas as well as fresh local markets in the towns for fruit and veg for some great products still at a cheaper price! You will notice fruit and veg go off faster because they do not have all of the crazy pesticides and preservatives that the U.S. market carries. So keep this in mind when making meals. Most markets will show up in your local town 1-2 times a week if not more and have such amazing prices and are fun to buy from and support. Great characters in there as well you will meet! When I used to live there I used to mix it up a bit and try to get luxury items now and then from Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Marks and Spencer's aka Marks and Sparks (you will find LOADS of different and amazing "posh" products) that you will wish so badly existed in America and also at times vice versa due to home sickness! Lol Overall the food in the UK is much more locally sourced and healthier than American brands or food. For example the food industry in the UK and Europe for the most part have banned things like High Fructose Corn syrup and very nasty chemicals in the foods we have here in America. So you will find yourself in a much healthier and happier place with the foods in the UK. They even have different things like quail eggs and duck eggs in most supermarkets which I found surprising including snacks with quail eggs and truffle mayo! Such amazing ideas that the US does not think of even having cheap meal deal sandwich section! You can also see how low the food prices are there compared to America and the Indian spices are so authentic and fresh as well as being able to make a lot more random cuisine foods than just British or American! One word of advice get the local foods as much as possible as well as things like Cornish Ice Cream! Sooo freaking good!!!!! You will also find the ground beef there tastes different slightly to our beef here in America as their is grass fed and not so much corn fed, but their corned chickens in the meat section are the most tasty dang thing and practically usually have a more yellow color! The names of things and measurements also threw me off lol Happy Shopping and I hope this helps! Lol Lardy cake, Bara brith, Scones, Welsh cakes are all so amazing and addictive and so many of those cakes and biscuits ugh yum! You should Fox's amber biscuits as well so good! Sorry I keep editing this lol, but think back the cheeses are brilliant as well! If you are wondering what all the small packets are for - a lot of the older generation that I knew and know of only liked the small packages and live alone and only want small bits of things they would often tell me.

[@elizabethw.454]

As an American it's clear that we are missing out when it comes to lower food prices and better quality food. It's really sad what passes as 'food' over here and mostly people are oblivious or they don't seem to care.

[@sunniertimer598]

​@@elizabethw.454 Are you kidding? My local grocery store has 3x's the choices and options seen above. We have excellent food here in the US and as a matter of fact, much of it is quite healthy. I think it is all in the choices a shopper makes.

[@Ionabrodie69]

@@sunniertimer598 some of you Americans really can’t take criticism AT ALL can you 🙄🇬🇧

[@regfenster]

Ha, My experience is the polar opposite, I lived and work in Florida on a 6 month contract over 20 years ago, the food in the US made me ill as my body was not use to the heavily chemical additive foods that the US tends to sell to the consumer. I ate no more but gained weight along with other side effects. Whilst I enjoyed my time over the pond and met some fantastic people coming home to some good old British grub was a god send. I feel Americans do get a raw deal when it comes to the quality of their groceries, I'm sure there are some great outlets that do offer products not tainted as such and the passage of time has improved the choice and quality for the average US consumer since I was a guest?

[@ladymc2021]

@@regfenster lol I am not sure you read my comment right as I was saying that I like the food products BETTER in the UK, Europe and Ireland. I don't like food products here as much anymore in the USA as it is a lot more processed and tainted and depends on where and what you eat or where you buy your food, but it is always more expensive in America for good QUALITY food whereas it is super cheap in the markets of UK, Europe and Ireland.

[@discorduk]

Most online supermarkets you might only find delivery slots available a week or two away, but you can place an initial skeleton order and most let you modify your order right up until midnight the night before its delivered. so you only need to know in advance that you will need groceries on a certain time and date, and decide exactly what the night before

[@chrisfryer3118]

I keep hens, I don't wash or refrigerate eggs. They'll stay usable for up to 4 weeks, but that'll be for things that don't require a robust yolk.

[@jrd33]

Nice video. As a Brit, I must say I was impressed by the huge range available in your supermarket. I haven't seen that many ice creams in a supermarket before. The cheese section looked very impressive too.

[@petersymonds4975]

Hi Ashley. I live a few miles away but when I was working this area was in my patch, I recognise the shops! Now that you have a taste of the forbidden fruit, blackcurrants, try Ribena. It’s a squash, or a cordial. Great cold, better diluted with hot water in the winter, or as a luxury with fizzy bottled water. P.S. Squash is not a veggie/pumpkin!

[@bethel1019]

We grow blackcurrants in our garden but there's not very many on the bush this year. Have masses of redcurrants though, so I boiled them up together today to make a cordial.

[@jaysbooshcraft3889]

Might be hard to find but 'Rocks' make by far the best blackcurrant cordial around. Actual sugar unlike ribena which has sweeteners these days.

[@cketts8128]

It so funny as when my husband and I go to Costco here in the U.K. we have the same kind of reaction……”Oh my word, look how big that container is of coffee!” 😂😂😂💚🧡

[@sunniertimer598]

Yes! Isn't it great?!

[@doke889]

Black currants have been banned in the US since 1911 because they have a fungus that kills pine trees. But they’ve come up with some disease resistant ones so some states have lifted the ban.

[@raybishop1130]

The federal ban was lifted in 1966, though many states maintained their own bans. Research showed that blackcurrants could be safely grown some distance from white pines and this, together with the development of rust-immune varieties and new fungicides, led to most states lifting their bans by 2003. Blackcurrants are now grown commercially in the Northeastern United States and the Pacific Northwest. Because of the long period of restrictions, blackcurrants are not popular in the United States, and one researcher has estimated that only 0.1% of Americans have eaten one.

[@MDNELLEY]

@@raybishop1130 thanks for this info! I was so confused when she was saying that black currants were banned in the US, because I know I’ve had them and I live in the PNW. Also, there are tons of black currant jams that you can buy in the US if you don’t want to eat just the fruit.

[@violapastuszyn1349]

@@MDNELLEY Black currant stuff is super common with Polish imported goods, too. Jams, juices, teas, etc. I see it all the time in the Polish markets here.

[@MDNELLEY]

@@violapastuszyn1349 my cousin moved to Finland about 12 years ago & she has brought home & sent us so many things that I’ve never even heard of!! It’s so strange, you live your whole life with all of the things you think are normal & you get to thinking there’s nothing else out there. Then you travel, or somebody introduces you to something that’s completely normal for them & you realize how big and diverse the world really is. I think so much good could be done if people were just able to travel more. I’m aware that right now we’re talking about black currants - but as a metaphor, I think it holds true. 😉

[@violapastuszyn1349]

@@MDNELLEY You're totally right. It's why I love just wandering the aisles of Asian markets or Middle Eastern ones, etc. I was well into adulthood before I saw, for example, fresh dates or chickpeas! Fresh/raw dates are delicious! I had no idea they were actually juicy.

[@denisegale4756]

Haha I always get upset when I hear Americans say lasagne noodles! I am usually shouting at the screen they are lasagne sheets, noodles are long thin things! it’s funny what annoys us 😂😂😂

[@TheKingOfBeans]

I learned recently that noodle is a German word, my whole life I assumed it was Chinese 😂

[@lizvickers7156]

For me it's easier to say everything is pasta, which it is. None of this noodles stuff. It's all pasta, it's only what you use it for that makes the difference.

[@amos.rand_vfx]

Imo, noodles are what are put in stir fry etc. and other stuff is pasta.

[@davebirch1976]

@@amos.rand_vfx exactly, if it's in a Chinese dish it's noodles if it's an Italian meal it's pasta

[@cogidubnus1953]

As a Brit I find refrigerated eggs a bit "stiff" to break, and they seem to taste less fresh...as you correctly observe they don't really need refrigerating when unwashed, and seem actually to last longer...hope you're enjoying British life as much as you seem to be!

[@itsjustmyopinionbut1671]

The Uk’s egg are SOOOO much better than the US. I always miss them so much when I leave and return home 😭

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

Dave! How ya been? Hope you are well 😀 XX Dara

[@cogidubnus1953]

@@MagentaOtterTravels sadly encountering some health issues...will get back to you!

[@MagentaOtterTravels]

@@cogidubnus1953 oh no! I was worried about that. Take care 🙏

[@wyterabitt2149]

The last part isn't right. I don't keep eggs in the fridge, and you don't have to. And I also don't like them from the fridge. But eggs in the UK will absolutely last quite a bit longer if you do keep them there, you might not like them as much by that point but they will last longer.

[@islanddweller3674]

Ah, planning! I live on a very small offshore island ( Ireland); I am old with some disability) so effectively housebound , and my shopping comes over every two weeks, weather permitting. As I have lived deep rural/island for many years I have learned to plan ahead, using my previous emailed list as a reference. And with careful use of fridge and freezer I do OK ... The supermarket I use is an Irish chain and they have an excellent website to help as so many rural folk need deliveries . Towards the end of the two weeks I am using dried milk but that is fine. I freeze milk and bread . I eat almost no meat which helps.. And yes I hoard food even in peaceful times. It would never do to run out of Cadbury Dairy Milk! And if did not have enough cat foo? My six rescues would start... Just so used to it now...but if I ever had the chance I would RAID a real shop! Trolley forwards!

[@michaeldibb]

6:22 My wife is American and we live in the UK. She once asked me to pick up a small bag of flour from.the supermarket. I came back with an 8oz (225g) bag. She couldn't believe they made bags of flour that small! 😂 9:30 My wife called used to refer to pasta as noodles. I had to explain that lasagne sheets are never noodles etc, noodles are long stringy things.

[@violapastuszyn1349]

8 oz?? hahaha - what does one even do with such a small amount? I guess one single recipe?

[@123bwlch]

As somebody who has lived in the US, picked up the habit of putting bread/eggs in the fridge which my family thinks it's weird.

[@thylacinenv]

Ash your hand drifted past Mackie's Honeycomb ice cream, that is a divine pleasure which awaits you!

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

Scotland's finest brand!

[@lynnhamps7052]

It should also be noted that the price you see on the tag is the price you pay, tax is included, no unexpected surprises at check out :)

[@jonjohnson2844]

When you get used to it it's worthwhile having a look around all of them, including the budget German ones, there's some good stuff but I've had to go through a lot of trial and error to find what I like and don't like at the cheaper places.

[@TheKingOfBeans]

Co-op is pretty expensive! 😬 I think the best frozen Yorkshire puddings are the frozen batter in little trays that you just put in the oven for 25 minutes 👌

[@paulknox999]

you can also get baking powder in the UK this is baking soda with cream of tartare added so the bubbling effect works when any liquid is added and does not need any additional acidity to make it work like baking soda.

[@Brummiemartin]

Grape flavoured drinks are as uncommon in the UK as blackcurrant drinks are in the USA.

[@nicandtris]

You can buy grape juice in Lidl, but it isn't very common in UK. Also, for baking if you are refrigerating your eggs (which is totally unnecessary in UK but I used to too because that's where I had space), you should always bring them up to room temperature before using them for better results. I remember when I first moved to Germany from UK having similar experiences getting to grips with supermarket shopping here.

[@susanab7]

Have you tried Aldi yet? We have them down here in Australia and they are fantastic! The only place you walk in for groceries and walk out with a desk!! Would love to see you trying UK food - I would recommend buying Ribena, it is a drink made of blackcurrants 😊

[@doinatemple4244]

Whatever is Aldi branded is absolutely awful. Wonder what you guys eat in there if you think ALDI is so "fantastic", even the plain walnuts taste weird. No offence.

[@susanab7]

@@doinatemple4244 I'm not sure where you're from but most of the products sold here in Australian Aldi are made here and are some of the best.

[@kdixie67]

The US has Aldi. I am sure she would recognize an Aldi there. As to metrics, we are taught them, they just aren't used much.

[@macalauresmuse]

A desk? Aldi Aus needs to up its game. Aldi Scotland combines things like wheelchairs and patio furniture ;)

[@macalauresmuse]

@@doinatemple4244 noticed that with the nuts, it's a bit loose on quality but the meat fruit and veg is good quality and a lot of the 'own brand' items are made by brand companies (biscuits, whisky etc).

[@LizzyM68]

I’m from the uk and I don’t refrigerate eggs. It’s interesting the differences with our countries.

[@a123phi5]

It's the way the eggs are handled. In the UK, they are not washed. If eggs are unwashed, they do not need to be refrigerated. If they are washed, they must be refrigerated. Our eggs sold are washed in North America. If we want to bake something, we need to take the eggs out early, to bring them to room temperature, lol.

[@Chris_GY1]

Waitrose is the most expensive supermarket followed by Sainsbury’s, Tesco’s, Morrisons and Asda. Then the Germans Aldi, Lidl and Spar a convienice store. Look for Shloer if you like grape. Sainsbury’s is the oldest British supermarket established in 1869, Morrisons 1899, Waitrose 1904, Tesco’s 1919, and Asda 1947.

[@sl8tz]

Lovely up beat video, you have a wonderful happy bubbly personality. Hope you enjoy the rest of your time here. As an English man i still have trouble finding eggs in our stores and i put them in the fridge to 🙂

[@WingingItWithAsh]

Thank You Tom! I loved the time I had.

[@phoebus007]

You're obviously learning British ways and vernacular quickly, even having to pack your own shopping bags. Before the arrival of supermarkets, such as you were in today, in the 1960s, we used to buy foodstuffs in regular high street shops, known as grocers. Those specialising in fresh fruit and vegetables are known as greengrocers. These were not self-service and often family-run, though Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose all date back to those times. Greengrocers are still fairly common, along with butchers, on the high street, but grocers have largely been replaced by supermarkets apart from those with specialty products (try Wally's Delicatessen in the Royal Arcade in Cardiff). Very small general grocers still remain in inner-city residential streets and, because of their location, are known as corner shops. The very large supermarkets are also called superstores.

[@JohnSmith-ki2eq]

Quick tip, buy those mustard in a glass mug and use them as T-light holders, you get a lovely flickering effect that is very atmospheric.

[@dragonmac1234]

I've been getting an online weekly grocery shop for at least a decade, without a car it's hard to get a large amount of shopping home. I didn't think about the differences in names between fruit and vegetables etc in the UK and US, I'm guessing you had some strange looks when asking for items by their US names. Grape juice to us is wine :)

[@ameliemertens]

Here in Belgium, when you go to the store, the eggs aren't in the fridge neither. But when I come home, I put them in de fridge too!

[@lauralee9041]

Love seeing the grocery store. So fun. i am nosey and love seeing other countries grocery stores

[@rainyday4884]

Me too...I don't get out much :)

[@stuartofblyth]

Yes, baking SODA is bicarbonate of soda, aka sodium bicarbonate, but is completely different from baking POWDER.

[@lizsmith7816]

Ashley! Self-rising flour is very common in the US. Many recipes call for it. A well-stocked kitchen should have both! You can also buy self-rising cornmeal.

[@islanddweller3674]

We call is SELF RAISING as it says on the bag

[@doinatemple4244]

@@islanddweller3674 😄

[@cecizeni]

They sell little packages like that of sugar at the dollar tree, and self rising flour you can purchase anywhere here in the US. The eggs we have to refrigerate because they’re pasteurized.

[@nigelmchugh5541]

The eggs have to be refrigerated because in the US they are washed in detergent which removes the natural seal present on the outside of the shell.

[@Chronicbariatricgirly]

You are correct. US eggs are pasteurized, not just washed. We have most of these things in the US. I can even get the European bacon at my Kroger store. I was also aware of the names.

[@phantomthread4385]

Don't be afraid of the reduced section as well. I used to get steak etc for half price and honestly it's so worth it. And making Yorkshire pudding is so much cheaper and you being a baker will find it piss easy.

[@aussieragdoll4840]

Apparently, Blackcurrants were believed to produce a fungus which damaged pine trees. So it was banned in 1911 in the US. But as a new disease-resistant better was produced and new ways to prevent the fungus from damaging timber were developed, some states started to lift the ban in 2003.

[@soniatucker6929]

Great video. I'm from the UK and what I love doing is visiting local corner shops. I used to travel around the UK for work and would always find a local shop to browse around. They are more expensive, but tend to have really unusual foreign brands especially the Polish shops (Schlep) that have become quite common in recent years.

[@junebelcourt-suhaka1434]

I looked up Blackcurrant Jam and found they sell it at Walmart,Whole Foods, and World Market here in AZ. I guess some places here in the US can’t sell it. Would love to visit theUK and try different foods; thanks for sharing 😀

[@takemetothebeach2001]

True. It's not banned on the US. Some states have regulations for it. I've seen it where I live. You can totally find it in the states.

[@rogerwitte]

Blackcurrant is not banned in the USA, but it was until quite recently (1960s?). Apparently the US government was worried that the blackcurrant plants would act as a vector for a fungal disease of pine trees.

[@grahamsmith9541]

The ban was up to individual States since 1960s. Many that kept the ban started allowing varieties immune to White Pine Rust in 2003. But permission from the authorities is still needed to grow them in your own yard. The Ban remains in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Virginia, West Virginia and parts of Michigan.

[@marthaross6301]

I live in Michigan. I buy my black current jam at the Polish market. Also a type of Black Currant cordial, similar to Ribena. I can sometimes buy the real item….

[@dianeharrison4975]

How do the u s cope without blackcurrant things?! I d die with ribena 😂

[@itsjustmyopinionbut1671]

This is one of my favorite things to do when in the uk as an American!!! Well, I love doing it all over Europe but I’m most familiar with doing so in the UK! Some of my favorite places to grocery shop in Europe as Greece and Italy! I’d imagine France would be cool too but I haven’t been yet 😑 I never order online because I love the in person experience so much but I’ve always done it as a visitor., if I lived there, I’d definitely utilize that for convenience like I do here in the us 👏👏👏

[@catkin567]

UK here, no I don't refrigerate my eggs, there is no need as they are not pre washed, which removes the protective cuticle. Also our chickens have been vaccinated for salmonella, which I believe chickens in the US are not.Cornflour is the same thing as your cornstarch, not your cornmeal! We have cornmeal here, sometimes it is called cornmeal if you buy a Jamaican brand otherwise you might find it called polenta : ) Obviously some people buy Yorkshire puddings, or they wouldn't be in the supermarket, but I don't know about most people doing it. I never buy yorkshire puds, always make my own, they are so easy to make. Got to be super lazy or super busy to want to buy your Yorkshire puds : D

[@markelliot1248]

Hi Ash, Couple of tips. For walking in the UK the ordinance survey app is great, it has their maps showing all the public footpaths plus you can plan you hike in advance then just follow the route. When you get to driving in Wales only look at the bottom half of any sign as it's the part in English otherwise by the time you've got to that part it's too late and you've gone past it. Enjoy your time in the UK.

[@heulwenhughes4110]

Enjoyed your video, nice to see that you're settling in. I never refrigerate eggs and not had a problem with them going bad xx

[@simondlatham5939]

Yorkshire puddings are a great way to teach someone from baking (like with kids), into cooking meals. Plus, they're lovely as a sweet option with jam or marmalade. Ash, you were correct about the self-raing flour, but weirdly, if making Yorkshire puddings, you use plain flour(I know, it makes no sense).

[@simonorourke4465]

Your not wrong about the sweet option, my best friends fiance who is a Yorkshire lass introduced me to the delights of Yorkshire puddings with golden syrup and squirty cream, although jam works just as well lol.

[@bobbell4461]

You will get the hang of it soon enough. Great to see you back on KZbin, been following you for years and will continue to do so.

[@jennyli7749]

One thing I had a huge problem getting over was public toilets in usa….oh my gosh the size of the gaps between the door and doorframe 😱 I can see clearly the people walking outside…..whilst I’m on the toilet! It’s so disturbing and I’ve never peed with such speed before in my life. In and out in less than 120 seconds was my goal lol

[@jj-if6it]

I know that was so disturbing, I could not understand/get over it. My family and friends who have been there find it really weird too. I had to try and drape my coat over the door to cover it as I was so uncomfortable!!

[@jennyli7749]

@@jj-if6it 🤣🤣🤣 I never thought to do that I think I was so distressed I just had to get in get out asap

[@jj-if6it]

@@jennyli7749 hahaha. I think sometimes I got stage fright and couldn't go and had to leave lmao

[@jennyli7749]

@@jj-if6it 😂😂😂😂

[@nickthomas181]

The Food Warehouse from Iceland Store in Cardiff is mostly frozen but fresh also their meals are amazing and it's not expensive. All the best!

[@drezlove]

and the one in Barry plus you can go online

[@niknaksim]

Fresh frozen????

[@sarahdunningham8661]

We don't put our eggs in the fridge , much better for baking for them to be room temperature , eggs are naturally in their own protective shell !!

[@rachelsirett8809]

I love Lidl and Aldi here in England. Been shopping there for years. I am sure you will get used to it. Supermarkets we call them here

[@willx8837]

Never refrigerate UK eggs, they lose all their taste. Great video Ash x

[@alanjay5974]

Strange, I always refridgearate my eggs & I've never noticed any different in taste when I boil or fry them. Plus the fact they won't go off as quick.

[@danielwhyatt3278]

Yes this is very true. I never put them in the fridge. Same for my bread.

[@stevev3664]

Keep U.K. eggs in the food cupboard. If they get close to the “use by” date hard boil them and put them in the fridge. They will keep for a week.

[@eddy3093]

We still refrigerate as they last longer! Cornflour and Cornmeal are not the same thing, if you want something closer to cornmeal, you need to use polenta!

[@elizabethw.454]

I think we call cornflour here in the states as cornstarch 🌽

[@gwynethglas-brown9171]

Thank for taking us along. Miss all my uk goodies 🙏 maybe some time next year to get back across to visit family i can do Some bigger shopping / stocking up 😜🥰 Have a Great Week 🥰

[@Chelmsleygirl92]

What might help you is getting yourself a shopping trolley they're great and can fit quite a lot in and it's practical

[@Ionabrodie69]

Yes but she has to carry it all home.. 😂

[@thefullsp77]

Filco/Co-Op is the one of the most expensive "supermarkets" to shop at here in Wales (this looks like the Llantwit Major store 🤔) ... Head down to Bridgend, experience Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Sainsbury - those are supermarkets 😉

[@dawnmorgan6328]

Asda

[@smudger671]

Agree 100% about CO-OP - very expensive. You may as well shop on Waitrose.

[@danni6257]

Looking forward to seeing what you think of our supermarkets 😊

[@johnwalker6736]

Hi Ash……..enjoyed your video ……and that you never stopped smiling…….in case you still haven”t been updated,the larger grocery stores in U.k.are Supermarkets.

[@PeterChelmsford]

Hello Ashley, good to see you are getting to grips with supermarket shopping in the UK, but to save some money check out non brand goods as they are cheaper and usually taste the same. See if you have an Aldi or Lidl supermarket nearby as they are the cheapest. Take care and keep smiling. 😁

[@mikebarry1988]

Never thought I'd see a review of filco foods in Llantwit on KZbin lol. You should explore the local pubs in your next video, the Swan, White Hart, three horse shoes (marcross), Plough and Harrow (Monknash) are my recommendations!

[@mnaldridge]

I thought I recognised it! Been camping near there a few times & really liked the shop

[@redvelvetshoes]

I’ve just realised where you are! I lived there for three years and I loved it xxxx. The mighty Filco, the best part being the butchery

[@chrisstretton3837]

Nice to see you back. Used to watch your previous channel with your partner afew years ago. Welcome back. Croeso..

[@aaronjoshuaa]

As a Brit seeing the things you described as tiny versions was funny, I know a lot of the meal sizes and stuff are bigger in the US but it's so normal here that I never think of them as small

[@sherryschumacher1881]

I try to go to a local grocery store whenever I am out of town, especially internationally. This was interesting - thanks!

[@steveallen3863]

Refrigerators in the UK used to come with an "egg tray" that was fixed to the inside of the door.... I personally leave my eggs in the box on the back of my counter top.

[@stevev3664]

Waitrose Essentials range is good value. If you have an iPhone, iPad or Mac Siri will convert the measures for you. For jam try Waitrose Duchy organic jam. Blackcurrant or Strawberry. Full of fruit. I never refrigerate eggs. I’ve never had a problem with them. Also they usually last at least a week past the use by date. Put an egg in a bowl of water. If it sinks to the bottom it’s ok. If it half sinks it’s on the turn. If it floats it’s bad.

[@cwfan2]

We've had self-rising flour in the US all my life. I'm 73 yo. Both Walmart and Dollar Tree sell smaller packages of sugar. At Walmart, that size sugar comes in a round canister. Walmart does sell black currant jelly, but, it's very expensive.

[@hayleyp1179]

Really enjoying watching your journey in the uk and discovering life here 🇬🇧 😊 Just on the home delivery like from Tesco, you can edit the delivery up to the day before you get the delivery. I do this all the time, I book a slot for a few weeks time because it’s available, then the day before and add the stuff I need for the delivery :) you should see if you can do this if you do home delivery again.

[@jorgehurford1742]

Blackcurrents: used to be popular in the US, then there was an outbreak of some disease (I think in the 50s or 60s) which spread from blackcurrents to some sort of tree, so growing blackcurrents was forbidden in the US. I think they are permitted again now, but have mostly been forgotten.

[@tonycasey3183]

You should store your eggs at home how they were stored in the place you bought them. Refrigerating eggs that have been stored on an unrefrigerated shelf is POTENTIALLY dangerous as it can cause condensation that MAY be a vehicle to introduce salmonella.

[@bethel1019]

Well I've obviously been doing it wrong my whole life! Don't know why my British fridge has a special egg compartment in it if that's the case. Thankfully I've never been ill.

[@magicofshootingstar]

Actually you can totally keep the eggs in fridge when home. I think everyone in my country does so even when they are sold not cold in shop. Refrigating increases the time the eggs will be good to eat (which by the way is much longer than what the packaging says) by slowing down the prosess of bacteria growth.

[@martinwyke]

Supermarkets vary a lot in size from local convenience stores that carry all the basics but a limited selection specialist items to super/hyper markets with huge choice. Convenience stores are usually a bit more expensive especially in more rural locations. As a very quick rule of thumb 1 Litre (1000ml) is just over 2 pints and 1 Kilo (1000g) is just over 2 pounds. UK Chickens must be inoculated against salmonella which is why they do not need to be washed. They should not be refrigerated because condensation can form on the shell. If kept in cool dark place then UK eggs will easily last a month or more, if worried about an egg float it in a container of water. If they lay flat they are still perfect, if they stand up, use up quickly, If they break the surface then throw out. AIUI blackcurrant trees were wiped out in America because of some kind of tree plague and so got banned.

[@MrJordanwain]

I’ll never forget walking round Walmart in the US while tired late at night asking for nappy bags and trying to explain what we wanted. Can’t believe I forgot you guys called them diaper bags. My partner and I just wanted to stop our shampoos and shower gels leaking when we flew on to our next destination 🤦🏼‍♂️😫

[@rschrader]

Black current berries were banned in the US in 1911 because they were thought to produce a fungus that could damage pine trees. As new disease-resistant berries were produced and new ways to prevent the fungus from damaging timber were developed, some states started to lift the ban in 2003.

[@MyCatMickeyandMe]

Thank thank you sooo much for showing items in the grocery store! I always love seeing all the different brands and food options. Eggs; I have my own chickens and I do not refrigerate them because the protection film from the hen, on the outside of the egg keeps them from going bad. I live in Texas! Have you tried clotted cream on a scone? That’s something I want to make but not sure if I would like it. We do have flour here with baking soda.. (self rising flour). Loved your video!

[@emilydavison2053]

Can you get clotted cream in the USA? If there's no cream, I think almost as good is make fruit scones (they have a few sultanas in), then while still a little warm, split and spread with good unsalted butter and nice jam. Strawberry is the usual, but I love blackcurrant and some people say damson is the best. With a cup of tea in the afternoon - perfect.

[@The2010designer]

I hate in-person supermarket shopping! I book a delivery online ( every two weeks ) - I can alter my order up until midnight the day before the delivery - a 1 hour slot of my choosing. It means I do have to plan ahead, but it's easier to keep to a budget, when you don't impulse buy! I can take advantage of multi-buy offers, without having the worry of carrying them. I never run out of stuff, because I add to the order as I need/remember them. ( I alter orders at least 1/2 dozen times before delivery ). I've been doing this for a long time, at least ten years - the COVID lockdown just proved to me how much having groceries is a great advantage. Not for everyone, but it makes my life MUCH easier!!

[@IM-yv1er]

I took an American friend shopping and she was amazed that the checkout did not pack up the groceries. She would probably be more amazed now that we have to pay for bags!

[@jennyk488]

Yes & it's good that we have to pay for bags. Most people take their own these days.

[@kennethwalsh8804]

If you need to do a big shop, do it, then call a cab " taxi ", and they will be happy to take you and your groceries home. Also, if you can't find " snap wrap ", try asking for " cling film ".

[@sibergirlblue]

We have chickens and the eggs last so much longer on the counter if you don’t wash the “bloom” off. A month or so. And they taste better, as they aren’t absorbing the odor from the fridge. We used to give eggs to my husbands coworker from Germany, because she was used to non washed eggs, and couldn’t find them here. 😁

[@maximushaughton2404]

FYI if you get a pint or a gallon in the UK, they are bigger than they are in the US. It comes from that there used to be different amounts for a gallon for beer, wine and corn plus a few other things. In 1824 it was standardised to be the average in the UK, but the US wanting to be different went for the smaller size. I think it's about 5 UK pints to 6 US pints. And 1 pint is 1/8 of a gallon in both countries. So you need to be careful when using British measuring when using a US recipe.

[@chrisaskin6144]

Unfortunately you've arrived here in the UK just in time to see what is going to be a massive hike in prices at the supermarket - well everywhere really. Home made Yorkshire puddings knock frozen ones out of the park. If you go online and type in 'James Martin - Yorkshire puddings' and follow his recipe, you'll see how easy they are - he's a Yorkshireman so if anyone knows - he does.

[@Ionabrodie69]

She’d be better off with Delia .. James Martin puts too many eggs in.. it becomes like a sponge and not nice. …and Point of interest Yorkshire Pudding is NOT from Yorkshire..it’s from further North ( Durham area, where I’m from ) and was called a batter pudding.. Hannah glasse in 1747 appropriated it.. and called it the YORKSHIRE pudding. Of course the Tykes would disagree ..😂

[@missharry5727]

I make my own Welsh cakes - it isn't difficult and they are delicious! The key ingredient is nutmeg and they should be cooked on a girdle/griddle, not baked in the oven.

[@marcuswardle3180]

Smaller packaging is mainly because people carry their groceries home and not in a car. If you have a car you can carry more and therefore they sell you more (i.e. larger packages). Eggs are not refrigerated as the chickens do not carry salmonella. It has been ensured that egg laying animals are salmonella free and don't transmit it through the egg. In America the animal health care rules are laxer than Europe so diseases are more prevalent so the chlorine washing of the eggs, which turns them white and makes them less 'healthy', is required.

[@geoffreymartin3520]

also my favourite section of the supermarket is the icecream section so much to choose from. maybe once in a while you could a cooking demo of some your favourite meals you cook. must be tricky for you when so many veggies are called different between the usa and the uk.

[@martinconnelly1473]

Here's an easy way for people used to pints to visualise a litre or 1000millilitres. 100mm is about 4 inches. A litre is 100mmx100mmx100mm so a 4 inch cube is about 1 litre. A block 4" x 4" x 2" is about half of a litre or 500ml and a block 2" x 2" x 4" is about a quarter of a litre or 250ml

[@masterblaster20006]

If you're looking for grape juice, ASDA do a red grape juice in the chilled section. (Asda is also owned by Walmart)

[@kevmc291]

I like how in the UK, Tropicana doesn't have pulp, it has juicy bits!

[@martinswiers6653]

Use supermarket loyalty cards, the points soon add up and some supermarket points can be used to purchase things like rail cards etc.

[@iheggis86]

I like how you called them biscuits and not cookies 👏

[@jodiipodiigames]

They tend to call grocery stores "supermarket" or "pop over to the shops" hehe Lemon curd yogurt is AMAZING!!! But I try to stay away from dairy when I can so I tend to go for Alpro vanilla. And unfortunately, they don't really do grape juice here or grape jam/jelly

[@cogidubnus1953]

I've noticed grape juice in my local Tesco from time to time...not something I usually look at/for though so can't swear to it being in your local store /now

[@Ionabrodie69]

I’ve seen it in Sainsburys and Lidl and Tesco..🤷‍♀️

[@catkin567]

We do have grape juice. Normally it's the Welches brand and it's in the long life section

[@billydonaldson6483]

I keep my eggs on top of the fridge, it’s easier to time a boiled egg when it is at room temperature rather than a few degrees above zero.