I live near there. and instead of shopping at Metro all the time, I want to start shopping at Kensington market for their bulk food items such as beans, rice, pasta, seeds, spices, etc. but are they fresh? in good condition? which store carries the most freshest? i’m just kinda scared that the store owners dont care about expired products and they would keep selling it…. cause they seem pretty cheap. so… ya. thanks.
TORONTONIANS! are the bulk food items they sell on Kensignton ‘good’?
I live near there. and instead of shopping at Metro all the time, I want to start shopping at Kensington market for their bulk food items such as beans, rice, pasta, seeds, spices, etc. but are they fresh? in good condition? which store carries the most freshest? i’m just kinda scared that the store owners dont care about expired products and they would keep selling it…. cause they seem pretty cheap. so… ya. thanks.
They are fine – depending upon where you go.
I never buy the beans which you will find in the bins street side – those can be very sketchy, I will however buy many bulk items in Kensington including all my rice, cereal, dried spices, nuts, seeds, flour, cous cous and dried fruit.
I prefer a store called Tutti Frutti – they are just at Kensington Ave and Baldwin. They have a great assortment of bulk grains and spices at a pretty good price. I have been purchasing many goods there for years without issue. (they have a black and red rice which are fantastic!)
Just down the street from them is a store called essence of life – I usually get my cereal and cous cous there (occasionally nut butter). They also have a wide variety of organic and natural foods, in a better quality, variety and price than metro.
I have never had any issues with either of those stores, and in fact – shop there regularly. While you are in the market – pick up a loaf of bread at my market bakery. The rosemary sourdough is out of this world.
I really would not worry about the foods expiring. All vendors in Toronto have to pass certain criteria to maintain a business licenses. I only shop at places which pass.
As a side note about a year ago, the food terminal which supplied Dominion (now Metro) was shut down for a week due to vermin. Just because the store is well merchandised – doesn’t mean it is clean.
Go ahead – shop kensington. Many people do, and we are all still here to rave about it.
I’d shop at the organic stores at Kensington Market. They have smaller quantities so they won’t be sitting in the box for that long.
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