Listen to Lena

Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion

Your March Break Destination: The Grocery Store

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Picture it: It’s Day 3 of March Break, and you’ve exhausted your staycation ideas (and patience). You consider the usual suspects: the movies, the museum, etc, etc… but the thought of fighting crowds and wading through a sea of highly excitable children makes you slightly less enthusiastic. And, with the kids at home now, you realize that you already need groceries mid-week.

If you’re lucky enough to live in the Greater Toronto Area – or if you’re a short drive away – here’s how to kill two birds with one stone. Presenting the perfect staycation idea plus a wonderful way to complete your grocery shopping…

It’s Toronto’s crown jewel of food stores – Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Now you may be thinking, seriously Lena? What could my kids possibly get out of visiting a grocery store? Well, simply put, Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens is not just any grocery store.

Says Loblaws: “Witness the amazing 18-foot high wall of cheese. Revel in the bounteous takeaway options of the Fresh Food Hall. Buy chocolate chiselled by the chunk, explore a variety of tea from around the world and see sushi creations made to order before your eyes. Breathe in the smell of good things baking. Peruse a huge selection of sustainable seafood, ogle meat options beyond compare, and choose from our freshest produce.”

I had the wonderful opportunity to tour the store yesterday with Chef Mark Russell, Executive Chef at Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens, and Nema McGlynn, In-Store Dietitian. (Yes, being a blogger is a really cool gig.) The purpose of the tour was to identify food superstars and ways to make new and exciting healthy choices – and trust me, I’ve got more than enough products and tips from Chef Mark to share in another post – but during the tour, it suddenly became apparent that shopping at Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens is the perfect way to spend a morning or afternoon with your kiddos during March Break.

How so? Let me count the ways….

1. Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Browse through sugary concoctions that are sure to please the child in all of us. (Just don’t touch the 3-ft Easter Egg – it’s kind of a big deal!) The Patisserie also features a mouthwatering selection of cakes and cupcakes, ice cream cakes, cheesecakes, donuts, muffins, Bruce County Fudge, chocolate pops and so much more – including their famous handcrafted chocolate, lovingly made with natural ingredients. Choosing a sweet treat is the perfect reward for well-behaved shoppers, so admire the goodies as you come in, but save the prize for the end. My pick? The delectable macarons ($2.60) or a luscious maple bacon donut ($1.29).

2. Greens Galore

There’s a school of thought which states that children who are involved in purchasing foods such as fruits and vegetables are more likely to eat (and enjoy) them. Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens is the perfect place for an education in produce; with unique and hard-to-find varieties from all over the world, introduce your children to exotic mushrooms, purple cauliflower and my personal favourite – the watermelon radish.

Above: A recommendation from Nema – the Gourmet Grape Tomato Trio, and kid-friendly Mini Cucumbers from Chef Mark. Once your cart is topped up with veggies, don’t forget to stop by the juice bar – where you can grab a freshly-prepared juice to go, or have one prepared for you on the spot.

3. The Answer to the Dinner Dilemma

“What’s for dinner?” takes on a whole new meaning when you literally have every protein at your disposal. Both my little guys would take an irrational interest in the seafood section – especially with all those fish eyes staring up at us. And how many supermarkets boast a raw shrimp and fresh oyster bar? None that I know! Simply scoop, sauté and serve… dinner in a flash.

Above: I’m most impressed with these handy little meal-starters I found in the freezer section; from Marina Del Rey, why not tempt your family’s taste buds with these seasoned, healthy fish portions – ready in 8 minutes. Varieties include Mediterranean Salmon, Teriyaki Salmon, Orange & Mango Tilapia, Curry Basa and more. Below, Nema shows off one of her favourite PC Blue Menu products: Wild Hoki Skinless Fillets. (Sustainably sourced wild hoki is a delicate white fish with mild flavour and a flaky texture.)

Of course, not all kiddos adore fish, and most tend to gravitate towards chicken or beef. Speaking of beef – need inspiration for tonight’s meal? Take a peek at one of the flawless cuts, or kick-start your meal with a marinated filet or flank. Have the kids pick out their favourite flavour combination, and bag it to go!

4. The Wall of Cheese

Fact: There is only one wall of cheese in the GTA, and it resides at 60 Carlton. At a towering 18 feet, the wall of cheese is quite a sight to see! Featuring an extraordinary selection of cheeses available by the full wheel, half wheel or chunk, you can have a piece of cheese cut specially to size if you like, or even get advice from one of the in-house cheese specialists.

Says Loblaws: “We carry a wide selection of unique and exciting varieties that cheese lovers won’t be able to resist. There’s the sensational 100-pound wheel of Stilton, for example – one of only 100 in the world. There’s also dripping Brie, pungent blue cheese, razor sharp cheddars, and the rare artisanal Louis d’Or – the Quebec-made Grand Champion of the 2011 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix. All in all, Loblaws boasts over 400 varieties of cheese from around the globe, with a special focus on local Canadian products. Some of these are made as recently as the same day, giving you an extraordinary opportunity to savour the freshness!”

March break is the perfect time to drop by with your mini cheese lovers to experience the scents, textures and tastes of decadent cheeses. Both my boys are quite addicted to Applewood Smoked Cheddar – and, while once difficult to find, Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens boasts 3 varieties. Experts are on hand to dole out advice, suggestions, and of course, samples! And don’t forget to grab a container of Parmesan crisps – they’re the ultimate luxury snacking food, or perfect crushed on salads.

5. Pack a Perfect Picnic 

So what do you do when you’ve got the freshest, most delectable foods at your fingertips? Pack a perfect picnic to take back home, of course! Kids will have such a great time selecting their own fruits, vegetables and prepared salads from a vast selection of bright and colourful produce.

Et Voila! The very best way to treat your children to new experiences and get your grocery shopping out of the way this March Break! Special thanks to Executive Chef Mark Russell and Ms. Nema McGlynn for the most satisfactory supermarket tour, and for sharing their knowledge and time.

Did I mention that throughout the tour, I placed some amazing food items in my cart? I’ll be back with a review of the products I selected (and those that were suggested by Chef Mark – thumbs up on the PC Black Label Hatcho Miso Marinade! Thank you!).

Click here to visit Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lee Pearson

    WOOOOOW!! That store is the Mother of all grocery stores. That Easter Egg is huge, how would you even lift it. I love the pastry department. I thought I saw Raspberry Macaroons!! I just saw a glimpse of heaven! The produce looks so neatly stacked and shiny. It looks amazingly fresh. The seafood and meat department have such a variety of foods that I would be overwhelmed trying to make a choice. Really…did I see Spicy Citrus Chicken Breast!! I love, love, love that cheese wall. I would think you would find this in Europe not Toronto. I love the Fresh Canteen. A great way to pick up an easy dinner or a salad for lunch. I want this store in my City!!!!!

    • Lena

      I have no idea how they moved that Easter egg – a lot of hands and patience, I’m guessing! And yes, you did see Raspberry Macarons, Lee! YUMMY!

  3. Soozle

    HOLY!! My jaw LITERALLY dropped looking at those photos – that has to be one of the most amazing looking grocery stores I have ever seen. WOW!

    The bakery department looks like a little bit of paradise :-) I can see how it would be a great day-trip!

    • Lena

      It’s definitely one of the most amazing grocery stores in North America. Great way to spend the day!

  4. Jenny

    Wowzers!! That is one incredible store. Impressive way to convince us to bring our kids to a grocery store on March Break, you sold me Lena!!

  5. Allie

    Wow what a store!!!! A person could spend hours there and probs hundreds of dollars!! Thanks for the tour Lena I had totally forgotten about that being turned into a grocery store if you could still call it that it is really beautiful one of the nicest we have in the GTA !!!!!

  6. RubyRed67

    That store is all kinds of awesome. I went there last year for the Parmesan cheese record attempt (they broke it) and I remember spending at least 2 hours in the store looking at everything. The thing I like most is that all their dry goods are the same price as other Loblaws so you get all the frills without paying more for the basics.

    • Lena

      Yay! I was there for the attempt too – sad we didn’t have a chance to meet! And good point about the prices!

  7. Miranda

    My friend works here and she always exclaim how amazing it is.. I also think so .. but your blog made it even more amazing! :)

    It really is something special, and I could spend a whole day almost in there!!

  10. Teresa M.

    This Loblaws is amazing…there was one close to Sara and I when we lived in Ottawa but it wasn’t like this!! There are rumours that we may get one on Vancouver Island. The cupcakes and oh the big chocolate Easter Egg…it isn’t even 11am here but I just want to eat cake!!!

    • Lena

      Hahaha Teresa! I’ll certainly keep my fingers crossed for you that y’all get one in Vancouver!

  12. Lisa H

    Ooooooh Foodie Heaven! That first shot made me think I was in Willy Wonkas Candy Factory :D

  13. Marissa

    The selection of food at this awesome Loblaws is just out of this world!! This is the best grocery store I’ve ever seen! I could spend all day in there just browsing through the isles and drooling of course in the pastries section.

    • Lena

      I think that’s a splendid idea Crystal! At the very least, you should add Loblaws Carlton to your sightseeing agenda if you do visit!

  21. Stephanie S

    Wow chocolate n treats!! That egg is sooo massive!!!!
    What lovely bright fruit n veggies tho!! :) great blog entry to read