CJAD 800AM 8:40am – Bread and Cookie Warehouses
Bread used to be called the staff of life. Nowadays, because of all the dieting fads, it has become the scourge of life. Somehow carbohydrates have become the enemy to be feared. As with all things, this too will pass and the veil of uncertainty will come off, and just like eggs, bread will suddenly come back into favor again.
Q1: During these trying economic times, we’re trying to save money in whatever way we can, one way is to start packing our own lunches, you say that you know where we can save money on bakery products.
Montreal has so many manufacturers, and we do have ones that produce breads and sweets. They have to get rid of their extras, so you can go to their outlet stores, buy them and cut costs on your grocery budget.
A balanced diet, no matter what country, ethnic culture or food nutritionist’s plan, will always include bread or carbohydrates as an essential part of its formula. Bread is priced reasonably and can fill up an empty stomach nicely when times are tough. For “green” lunches, bread is also the perfect portable food carrier in our fast portable world. For suppers, have bread and add a bowl of soup, chile or stew and you have a hearty meal.
Q 2: People might be uncomfortable thinking they’re buying buy stale food?
Bread and cake are very time sensitive and cannot be stored fresh for very long, so bakeries bring back their overstocks, returns and “close to expiry” products and sell them at nicely reduced prices. Take advantage of the deals. You can stock up as bakery products freeze well.
Q: 3 Okay so where are these places and what can we expect to find there?
Multimarque Magasin Economique. You will find both fresh and day-old products (Petite Douceur, Chevalier, Voortman, Bon Matin, Durivage, Pom, Gailuron, Maple Leaf). Bread is $1.30, buns $1.25, and you can have pies (apple, blueberry, strawberry, raisin, sugar) for $1.89 or cookies or donuts. When the sweets are 3 days from expiry, prices often go down alot.
Locations: (Hours vary, Mon 12-5, Tues-Fri 9:30-5:30, Sat 9-1:30) 3992 Monselet (514-325-3560); 8913 8e ave. (514-727-9555); 5769 Monk (514-362-9635); 155E boul des Laurentides (450-669-7618); 6177 Perinault (514-333-8512); 4650 Notre-Dame ouest (514-934-1866); 200 boul. Ste-Rose (450-628-0012); 3493 boul. Industriel (514-662-9275); 3933 Ste-Catherine est (514-254-5474); Laprairie, 286 boul. St-Jean (450-659-4912); Longueuil, 1194 boul. Ste-Foy (450-928-7208); Brossard, 2550 Lapinere, (450-656-5823).
Weston Bakeries, 2700 Jacques Cartier at Fernand Lafontaine, Longueuil. Phone: 450-448-7246. Hours: Mon 9:30-2, Tues-Fri 9:30-5, Sat 8-2.
A large variety of day-old bakery products (d’Italiano, Gadouca,d’Italiano, Gustazzi, Maison Isabella, Dare) are available at about 1/2 price (hamburger or hot dog buns $1.10, bread $1.20) and there’s unbaked pies in the freezer (lemon coconut $1.69), sugar pie (1.69), rice bites, bulk chips and some canned goods too. Stock up and save. Other location: Longueuil, 1006 St-Foy (450-679-3342).
Q4: You told me that you will let us in on one of your secret favorite places for snacks.
Christie Magasin d’Economies, 3055 Viau at Sherbrooke. Phone: 514-259-6921 x 375. Hours: Mon, Thurs & Fri 8-6, Tues 6-6, Wed 7-6, Sat 9-4.
Wow, Fudgee’Os at 1/2 price – what more could you ask for? This factory has a real outlet store where cartloads of overruns are moved each day. You might find Ritz crackers, Premium Plus, Crispers, Oreos, Social Teas packed in bulk or even in small snack packs for lunches (or any time!).