Chicken thighs as a gateway drug
I can’t blame the supermarkets. They know it’s a good economy…and that convenience is a thing.
My local ShopRite used to be a place to buy groceries. Sure, you could get some pre-made items. But for the most part, it was a grocery store. Now they have the full range of “treat yourself” and “let us do the toil”
- Pre-made meals (a full meal…just heat it up)
- Meal kits (all the ingredients to cook it yourself)
- Pre-cooked meal components (e.g. grilled chicken breasts)
- Raw items for meal prep (e.g. chopped carrots)
It all comes at an additional cost. We rationalize…we have the internal dialogue about the value of our time and what difference does a dollar here or there make?
There is a generation growing up being convinced that this is what you do at the supermarket. That actual cooking is for old-timers…and even that pre-made and meal kits are a better value.
I guess my parents’ generation had a similar experience when car-owners stopped changing their own oil and simply took the car to Jiffy Lube.
But it’s not really the same. The markup at the market (see what I did there?) is insane.
Here’s an example where they sprinkle seasoning on chicken thighs…and then triple the price.
Now, get off my lawn.
| Where | Price | Picture |
| Front of the store | $2.99/LB |  |
| Meat section | 99 cents/LB |  |
