As every living (and also undead) person in the world knows, convenience costs a pretty penny. Want a moderately priced bag of goji berries? Don’t go to Whole Foods, where it’ll cost you $6.99 to the $2.99/$1.99 at the Chinese grocer.

Some things are worth the extra trip, especially if you don’t NEED them in, say, the next 24 hours.

But there are those times when you simply have to have some adequate food in your pantry, if you’ve managed to procrastinate your week away and you’re hosting a luncheon (why don’t people say that word more? It’s so proper!) the next day. That’s where my neighborhood health food store, Fresh Meadows Natural, comes in.

Since the store opened roughly two years ago, replacing the old neighborhood Blockbuster (R.I.P!), I’ve visited it a handful of times, mostly when I (a) had a wicked craving for a bar of Dark Orange Chocolove or vegan spicy egg salad, or (b) really needed a jar of Veganaise.

I’d definitely visit more, if I could afford it… I love how clean and tidy the store is, as well as the wide selection of goods you won’t find at “normal” supermarkets. It has a earthy, woodsy ambiance which can be instantly felt the moment you walk in.

Here, I’ll weigh the pros and cons of shopping at FMN.

Pros:

• Convenient, can’t-be-beat 24/7 store hours, EVEN ON HOLIDAYS!
• Wide selection of goods, even some from other countries
• Everything is fresh, and goods seem to be rotated at the appropriate pace given expiry dates
• Fresh flowers and some potted plants for sale year round
• Store itself is meticulously clean, organized and free of any traces of dust/dirt
• Accepts coupons* see below

Cons:

• Staff is not overly friendly… it’s a very cut and dry type of service
• Everything seems to be marked up by at least $1.00 – $2.00, which is pretty damn ridiculous
• Coupons are accepted, but must be approved by the manager first, which is annoying.
• Writing in the request for new products book does nothing… I’ve requested plenty of things, but no dice! So don’t bother.

Overall, the highest complaint I have for FMN is the pricing, which keeps me away 98% of the time… if your stuff is more $$$ than Whole Foods, then you’re just plain delusional to think you can keep operating at those costs. Then again, Fresh Meadows certainly isn’t thirsty for funds, so maybe they’re being smart.

Also, no dogs allowed! Sorry Kerbie >.<