Aritzia, Roots and HomeSense were just a few of the stores I was excited to shop at ahead of my move from London, U.K., to Canada.
I certainly wasn't expecting my most exciting shopping trip to take place in a grocery store. And yet, when I first set foot in Loblaws, I knew there was something special about it.
You have to understand that in the U.K., our supermarkets are no-nonsense, functional, and about as thrilling as a dentist's waiting room. No one is wandering the aisles for fun.
Loblaws, meanwhile, is an experience in itself. It's the kind of place you pop into to get some milk and emerge 45 minutes later with five different types of hummus and a celebration cake you don't need.
My favourite place in my new home of Toronto might genuinely be my local grocery store — here's why.
Fresh food
Loblaws sushi.
If you go into any especially large supermarket in the UK, you might find a small counter selling sushi or a meagre-looking salad bar tucked away in the corner.
My local Loblaws, however, not only has an impressive sushi selection and an inviting salad bar, but it also has a hot bar, fresh sandwiches, a pizza counter and a poutine station.
I could honestly eat there for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and it's yet another reason to look forward to the warmer weather — I'm already planning a Loblaws-supplied picnic on the beach.
Cakes on display
Loblaws Canada cakes.
That brings me on to the cake counter. I’ve hardly seen such a decadent display of baked goods outside of a French patisserie.
From carrot cake to raspberry and white chocolate, vanilla layer cake to cookies and cream, the delicious offerings are endless.
At my closest Loblaws, the patisserie is right in front of the entrance. Every time I go in, I have to spend a minute or two admiring it before moving on.
Sure, we've got delicious cake in the UK supermarkets too, but they’re usually already tucked up in a cardboard box — where's the fun in that?
Free samples
I mean, first of all, who doesn't love a freebie? If there's one thing that can curb the pain of parting with $100 at the till, it's getting a delicious sample on your way around the store.
We do occasionally have free samples in UK supermarkets, but I've rarely come across them. Plus, when I have, they're usually pretty measly. I'm talking a sliver of cupcake, or a few pieces of cereal, perhaps.
The first time I went into Loblaws, however, I was offered an entire glazed doughnut. A few aisles further along, there were chocolate-covered orange segments up for grabs. How decadent!
Misting the fruit and veg
The vegetable row at Loblaws.
This is possibly my most bizarre take, but it's a hill I'll die on. I’m obsessed with the misting of the fruit and veg.
It’s something I‘ve never seen done in the UK, and it feels kind of luxurious, like I'm picking the produce myself from a freshly watered greenhouse in the English countryside.
Are there any benefits to misting veg? Are there any drawbacks? I have no idea, but it looks pretty cool.
Grocery store glamour at what cost?
Loblaws Canada snack aisle.
Don't think that while I was sailing up and down the snack aisle, I didn't notice the prices. If there's anything moving overseas teaches you, it's how to be frugal — and Loblaws prices are pretty steep when compared to my usual No Frills haul.
Many Canadians consider Loblaws to be one of the most expensive grocery stores in the country. To put that into perspective, Canada was recently revealed to have the highest food inflation rate in the G7.
So yes, I might be uniquely obsessed with Loblaws, but I’m not going to be doing my weekly shop there any time soon.
But can't a girl indulge in a tray of grocery store sushi every so often?
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.