Having been to many food shows over the last few years, I have come across so many new food items that are not seen in the larger supermarkets. You see those niche products that end up either at fancy gourmet stores, specialty grocery stores or you might see at select Whole Foods. Packaging and pricing will depend on what grocery shelves they end up on.

It is nice to see so many vendors that are American made and some made locally in the Tri-State area. Some are priced for the high end, but others are reasonable and will hopefully be found in many outlets.

This site was actually inspired from a trip to my local Dollar Tree. People really underestimate this store. Our local branch in Lodi, NJ is an amazing store. Not only does it have ample parking, always clean, well merchandised and well stocked but has the most diverse selection of smaller food vendors and American made products in their frozen food and grocery sections.

Imperial Garden Egg Rolls

The Dollar Tree buys from vendors that sell in smaller qualities or package their products differently so that it caters to single customer. You won’t find the big box items or a lot of the name brand products here unless they are packaged dissimilarly with smaller portion sizes.

These smaller manufacturers produce a quality item that competes on a lesser scale with the bigger names and since their production levels are smaller, their retail base is not as extensive as the name brands like Coke or Kellogg’s.

Having found products like Mrs. Freshley’s Snack Cakes and Imperial Garden Egg Rolls, I have enjoyed the taste of new companies making their way into the large grocery industry. I will share with you all the grocery items that you will want to add to your grocery list in the future.

Mrs. Freshley’s Snack Cakes

I will also feature all American made brands to support our manufacturing base in this country. This way we know not only are we supporting products made here in the United States but connecting with local channels of distribution that need support.

So welcome to “Add this to your Grocery List”!