ATX good life: Butter Beer & Buffalo Tofu

Hello everyone!

One of my favorite things to do is grocery shop. I am very grateful for this particular trait, since grocery shopping is a regular part of adulthood, and not liking it must make this sometimes daily thing a chore. I mean, sometimes I don’t like it– like when I get to my local HEB too late and they’re restocking everything. UGH. HEB is so perfect otherwise. Like, I do not understand why they can’t restock after they’re closed! Wouldn’t it be easier for those dudes to work without shoppers getting in their way? They restock the store nearest me every night after 9, and that means late night shoppers have to contend with palettes and beeping and sweaty dudes unpacking boxes vigorously. I find that pretty dang stressful. I even joke that one VERY intense restock guy is my mortal enemy. He takes his job very seriously, and he rushes around with a box cutter and scowl. I get annoyed on sight.

But anyway- the good kind of grocery shopping is abundant in Austin, too. We have tons of specialty and health food markets, and I can’t get enough. One of my favorites is Wheatsville Co-op. One of these days I’ll become a co-op member, but in the meantime, I love to go and check out their amazing in-house products. If you ever visit Austin, you should check out one of the two Wheatsville locations. Three words why, to start: Buffalo popcorn tofu.

Last weekend I made my way down to the south Wheatsville, and Scott and I grabbed lunch. I was delighted to see they had my favorite treat soda for $2 in the case- Flying Cauldron butterbeer! This stuff is so good and allows you to continue the fantasy that you’re visiting America but have to get back to Hogwarts soon.

Wheatsville also has the BEST DONUTS IN AUSTIN. Come at me. I don’t care. They’re vegan, I can read all of the ingredients, and look at those sprinkles. Come on. I love donuts. Maybe it’s because I grew up in northern New Jersey, where there was a Dunkin’ Donuts on every single corner. I can never resist a chocolate donut with sprinkles when I stop by the Co-op.

Clearly, I look pretty happy after a trip to another awesome Austin store. I picked up that crazy good buffalo tofu (I cut it up and make spicy buff salad with tomato ranch), a donut, my favorite coffee creamer (even though I’m not longer vegan, ya gotta stick with the best whether omni or veg), my butter beer, an organic everything bagel, and other fun healthy junk food that definitely made for some satisfying treats.

I just love looking at everything when I grocery shop. Maybe I’m just another consumer, socialized by twenty years of sugar cereal commercials. But it’s definitely fun to find something exciting and new when wandering the aisles or produce department.

Do you avoid stores at all costs, or are you right there with me? It can be pretty fun, right? If you said no, maybe you need to find some cooler stores! Ha!

-Taylor