Got into it with a manager at Wal-marts!

[Tiramisu]

I could be totally wrong, but I believe all meat is USDA inspected. I think our taxes pay for that. We can check it out on the net. Are you talking about USDA grading? Maybe they aren't required to grade the meat, but it should have indeed been inspected.

It's a fact that I spend more money on cheaper things at Wal-Mart. If I go to Kroger and spend $200 for "groceries", I'd spend $400 at Wal-Mart BECAUSE I'D PICK UP STUFF THAT I PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN NEED! I'm trying to get back into the habit of going to a grocery store, a clothing store, etc. So far, I am seeing a difference - in money spent and quality. I've fallen in love with dollar stores for my cleaning supplies and paperware!

[Marilyn]

I don't like Walmart at all!! With what is happening to our economy, with all our manufacturing moving to ASIA, I think Walmart was one of the big drivers of all the lower cost, cheaply produced goods, which in turn increased their profit margins. We think they are saving us money and blindly keep going there when they are the reason the jobs are moving overseas and we have less money. It's a vicious cycle that seems to be spiraling down, resulting in an overall lower standard of living for most of us.

It's disgusting, and I don't know what the solution is for the problem, now. We're so dependent on expensive foreign oil and cheap foreign labor. We're improving their economies and they are over here buying our country right out from under us.

I know it's a political slogan, but we need change we can believe in!!

[Tink]

I have to drive at least half an hour to get to any Wal Mart stores, so with the gas prices as they are, I don't think it's worth it unless I'm planning to do a major shopping. I've been trying as much as possible, to buy locally. I figure if we're to keep the local stores alive we need to all chip in to support them.

I lucked out recently when a neighbor offered us to buy some beef that he'd had butchered. I love being able to buy it in bulk from the local meat market because I know it's GOOD quality and fresh.

[DianaB]

We have to drive 35 miles to get to a Wal-mart. I've been doing most of my shopping in town because of the price of gas. It's not a bargain if I add the price of gas onto what I'm buying. Plus, I've cut back on shopping there any way. I've heard some stories about how the producers of products for Wal-mart aren't treated well. Personally I think that when Sam Walton died the store went down hill.

[judy]

There is no Walmart in Brooklyn, nor in any of the five boroughs of NYC. I don't know why. They are good for some things, from what I've seen. I'm not used to the one stop shopping way of life though. We just don't have that here. I don't think I would enjoy it.

What can I tell you - I'm in a New York state of mind.

I forget which country - it may be Brazil - where they use a mixture of ethanol and something, and are completely self-reliant. They don't need gas and oil It's also a renewable resource because the composition has something to do with corn, which they grow and grow and then grow again. Their cars are made to run on this fuel. The trick is that their government has made it so that a large percentage of gas stations must carry that fuel. In the U.S., only a small %
of our gas stations have to carry it.

I wonder why that is?

" I know it's a political slogan, but we need change we can believe in!! " __________________

[Marilyn]

I actually went to Walmart this evening to get some embroidery thread. We have a Super Walmart about 3 or 4 miles from our house. The craft and fabric stores were all closed and Walmart has a big fabric and craft section with knitting, crochet, scrapbooking, Wilton cake decorating stuff. Lots of things, so I was sure they would have embroidery thread, but nope, they had none. I did find a bottle of craft glue that looked like what I need for another project, so I grabbed it and headed for the registers. All the self check registers were out of order and the only open register on the side of the store where I was had a long line. There is no way that I was going to stand there in that line to buy one bottle of glue. There was a cart there where others had ditched their small purchases, so I tossed the glue on the pile and headed out of there.

Tomorrow I may just have to take off work early so I can make it to one of the craft or fabric stores. So frustrating.

We need change that we can believe in!!

[Tink]

Marilyn, I think that's typical of Walmart. They have like 20 check out lines and only one or 2 open. It's insane! They've definitely gone downhill and they have no one to blame but themselves.

[Janet]

Originally Posted by Tink

Marilyn, I think that's typical of Walmart. They have like 20 check out lines and only one or 2 open. It's insane! They've definitely gone downhill and they have no one to blame but themselves.

The thing is Tink, they aren't blaming anyone for anything. They come into town, put some of the smaller business out..and rake in the money all the while treating the customers like they KNOW they have them under a barrel. Such a thoughtless company.

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Tiramisu

I could be totally wrong, but I believe all meat is USDA inspected. I think our taxes pay for that. We can check it out on the net. Are you talking about USDA grading? Maybe they aren't required to grade the meat, but it should have indeed been inspected.

It's a fact that I spend more money on cheaper things at Wal-Mart. If I go to Kroger and spend $200 for "groceries", I'd spend $400 at Wal-Mart BECAUSE I'D PICK UP STUFF THAT I PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN NEED! I'm trying to get back into the habit of going to a grocery store, a clothing store, etc. So far, I am seeing a difference - in money spent and quality. I've fallen in love with dollar stores for my cleaning supplies and paperware!

If the meat was inspected it would have a USDA stamp on it... i look for the stamp whenever i purchase meat, i dont want meat unless it came from the good old USA.. i don't know where the meat came from if it don't have the stamp on it. it could come from China as far as i know...

[Marilyn]

Haley, I believe SandySue is right, all meat sold in the US is USDA inspected, even if it comes from foreign countries. Here's a link to information on meat inspection.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations...rams/index.asp

Hope this helps. This does not mean all meat is handled properly by every supplier. I agree, some stores carry better quality meats from better quality sources, and they handle it much better than others.

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Haley, I believe SandySue is right, all meat sold in the US is USDA inspected, even if it comes from foreign countries. Here's a link to information on meat inspection.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations...rams/index.asp

Hope this helps. This does not mean all meat is handled properly by every supplier. I agree, some stores carry better quality meats from better quality sources, and they handle it much better than others.

wow that is scary, i thought when it was stamped USDA, it was inspected and made in the USA, i learned something today.... thanks ladies.... i'll still buy my meats at Giant Eagle or Fredrick town bucher shop... I hate Wal marts meats, they still look terrrible...

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by HALEY

wow that is scary, i thought when it was stamped USDA, it was inspected and made in the USA, i learned something today.... thanks ladies.... i'll still buy my meats at Giant Eagle or Fredrick town bucher shop... I hate Wal marts meats, they still look terrrible...

Oh, I agree with you about the Walmart meat. I don't trust them either. Like I said, USDA inspected is not a guarantee of quality, just that it hopefully meets some standard, if the inspector is doing his/her job.

We used to raise all our own beef. The slaughter house we used to process it was USDA inspected, and our own meat came back with a stamp on the edge of some of the steaks. That did not guarantee the quality, only that the animal looked healthy and the processing met certain health standards.

We knew how the animal had been treated though, what it's diet had been. We did not vaccinate our cattle at all, just fed them feed we mostly grew and made sure they were always well fed and watered. Now we, too, are at the mercy of the grocery. However, we eat very little beef or poultry for this reason. Don't want all the hormones and other junk in our diet.

[HALEY]

my husband loves steaks, and now that it is summer time were cooking out on the grill more, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. i always try to get the best angus hot dogs and good hamburgers, i use to buy the hebrew hot dogs but my husband hate them, he's not into natural foods like i like and buy also for Micah.
i miss going to a good butcher shop, it's so far away from us, when we use to go i would take a good $200.00 dollars with us and stock up for a couple of months. i would get good chicken, steaks, pork chops, you name it...

[Tiramisu]

Originally Posted by HALEY

my husband loves steaks, and now that it is summer time were cooking out on the grill more, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. i always try to get the best angus hot dogs and good hamburgers, i use to buy the hebrew hot dogs but my husband hate them, he's not into natural foods like i like and buy also for Micah.
i miss going to a good butcher shop, it's so far away from us, when we use to go i would take a good $200.00 dollars with us and stock up for a couple of months. i would get good chicken, steaks, pork chops, you name it...

Hubby and I made the butcher shop run this past Saturday. Can't beat getting it cut the way you want it.

[Tiramisu]

Originally Posted by HALEY

my husband loves steaks, and now that it is summer time were cooking out on the grill more, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. i always try to get the best angus hot dogs and good hamburgers, i use to buy the hebrew hot dogs but my husband hate them, he's not into natural foods like i like and buy also for Micah.
i miss going to a good butcher shop, it's so far away from us, when we use to go i would take a good $200.00 dollars with us and stock up for a couple of months. i would get good chicken, steaks, pork chops, you name it...

I'm glad to see that it seems you and your hubby are working things out and staying together?!