Why Americans Are So Fat

A new supermarket opened here in Maine and my husband I went to check it out since we were in the neighborhood. While I had heard about Market Basket because there are others in our part of the country, I had never been inside one. I figured it would be the same-old same-old, but I was wrong. It was the same-old same-old on steroids.

Since we were just going to take a quick look around and leave, having gone grocery shopping the day before at our usual market, it was surprising that when we finally left 45 minutes later it was with three big bags full of food we didn't need.

It was exhilarating! It was exciting! It was enormous! Almost as enormous as all the shoppers who packed the place, their carts overflowing with fabulous finds at low prices. Personally I was attracted to the bakery, which boasted in giant letters, "THE BEST DONUTS." Who could resist that? (Not me.) All the fruits and veggies were so beautiful and displayed so artfully, they looked fake. And the meats and the breads and the fish -- everything was perfect and cost so much less than at other stores, only a fool wouldn't stock up.

The only downside was that the store is huge and none of the employees, many of whom did not speak or understand English, had no idea where anything was, so you had to wander up and down the endless aisles hoping to come upon whatever it was you thought you needed. Along the way, of course, you picked up some of this and some of that. My personal find was a piping-hot rotisserie chicken for $4.49, or less than a coffee at Starbucks! 

There was also a food court at the front of the store selling sushi and pizza and French fries and beef stew and soups and sandwiches and more, I couldn't get close enough to see it all because of the crowds.

I'm never going back there.