A little advice from Germany concerning the bagging of your own groceries (which is totally normal here, too): don't pack your stuff into the bags right away at the check-out! 😉 No wonder, you're getting stressed, because everything comes at you so fast. If I tried that, I'd get overwhelmed as well. Simply put everythingt back into your shopping cart at the same speed as the cashier is pushing the items over to you. Then pay, and move your shopping cart away to some quiet area where you can now comfortably pack everything into your own bags at your own speed. That's what we do in Germany, and this way it doesn't feel as rushed and stressful as foreigners from countries, where things get packed for you, tend to perceive the check-out experience. 😉

@ianmackenzie686

11 ай бұрын

Now that's German efficiency!

@Allegory_of_Wolves

11 ай бұрын

@@ianmackenzie686 Hehe, it's sheer desperation. 😅 Nah, but honestly, I guess we're used to it over here and it doesn't even feel that stressful (at least not with this "technique").

@hameley12

11 ай бұрын

@Allegory_of_Wolves Exactly. We do the same at the grocery store. Bring everything back to the shopping cart or the basket. Pay and move to the filling table or bring everything to your car. Once the food is nicely put in the reusable bags, leave the shopping cart/basket by the holding carts line. My Bf and I keep our drinks, vegan cheeses, and other cold items in the chest thermal cooler, which is always in the car trunk. We have a larger one in our small apt, it works like a second mini freezer. 🧊 😎 We don't over buy either, the food gets moldy or rotten even though some of the food items have preservatives.

@Allegory_of_Wolves

11 ай бұрын

@@hameley12 Yay, sounds exactly like how I do it, minus having a car or a thermal cooler. I transport all the stuff on my bicycle. Which is fine, 'cause at least compared to the U.S., distances in Germany aren't so vast. Every neighborhood has grocery stores you can easily reach by walking there, and so you just buy smaller amounts because you go shopping more often (and always have fresh veggies and fruits that way). Love that you mentioned vegan cheese. I'm vegan, too. ♥

@michaelkendall662

11 ай бұрын

@@ianmackenzie686 German efficiency is Aldis where you bring your own bags and they have a shelf across from the checkout area where you bag your groceries...this in the US

One thing I love about Iceland is how all the refrigerated stuff are kept in the one refrigerated room instead of having to go to each individual refrigerator to get the items you want. Now that would really cool us down in Australia.

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

I really like it too!

@ShipCreek

11 ай бұрын

They have a room like that at Cosco for the veges. Brilliant in summer .😂

@cindyriehm7411

11 ай бұрын

Saves money??

@brendaloera8751

10 ай бұрын

Sams club in the USA HAS THIS COLD ROOM ! I love it, seeing the babies and toddlers faces when they get wheeled into it! Bahah

@tOoAtEa

10 ай бұрын

I noticed when I was in Perth, you guys just put your head of lettuce or other veggies right into the cart. No plastic bags. Different.. more eco-friendly? (I live in Cali) I was there in 1999, tho. Maybe it's diff now?

the thing that amazed us most on a brief trip to Iceland was that the supermarket had yarn [good Icelandic wool, ofc!] and knitting notions. i still have a pic of the yarn aisle. 🙂

@krikeles

10 ай бұрын

yes. That surprised me too. We had a car rental and were driving around. I wondered where all the yarn shops were. We stopped at a small grocery store for some fruit to snack on. I stumbled on a whole aisle of yarn! I still have some of that in my stash.

@Vicky300699

10 ай бұрын

Sounds like Hagkaup

@debrawallace4542

2 ай бұрын

Oh goodness! I would love that!!

It’s so much fun to see that somebody else finds a trip to the grocery store a fun cultural experience when traveling abroad. I would add to that list going to a laundromat. Don’t overpack do some laundry while you’re on your trip (3wks or more) and meet the locals doing a perfectly normal thing. They’ll help you navigate the differences and you’ll have a wonderful memory from your trip.

@deadcatbounce3124

10 ай бұрын

I've watched a Russian youtube channel where she goes to different grocery stores, and yes, going grocery shopping has now been added to my list. From the cheapest store, to neighborhood store to hypermarket, from Moscow to Murmansk to Caucasus region to small villages - such variety!

@blatherskite9601

8 ай бұрын

Wine in Berlin supermarket - 2 Euro a bottle. Wouldn't even wash the car with it, it would take the paint off!

@camagramps1

6 ай бұрын

Ummm… where the heck did you find a laundromat!? From Vik to Stykkisholmur we just got ‘dumb tourist’ looks every time we tried to find one. In one place we stayed, when asked about using laundry facilities after finding out there was no laundromat in town, we were told no but that he would just wash our stuff himself. A nice offer but not one we were comfortable with. We just ended up doing a few things in the tub and drying in our room.

@pjschmid2251

6 ай бұрын

@@camagramps1 I was traveling in Europe, not The back of beyond. People wash their clothes so there’s going to be a laundromat because not everybody’s going to have a washing machine in their apartment. How could a town of any reasonable size, big enough to support tourism, not have a laundromat? Maybe they just didn’t understand your question 🤷🏻‍♀️

@JonazDrumBrain

3 ай бұрын

Yeah, no you’re not going to find many laundromats in Iceland, most people have their own laundry machines, or if they live in an apartment building, the building has it’s own machines that the tenants have access to. There are apparently a few laundromats or laundrettes dotted around the island, but don’t be surpriced if the locals don’t know about them since we don’t use them at all

I know in the 80's when we lived in Germany, the fridges were smaller & most people shopped daily, & there were more speciality shops. A meat shop, bread shop, veggie stands...we would stop & pick up meat on the way home. Fresh...loved the way we shopped there.

@user-zp7jp1vk2i

8 ай бұрын

some communities have that approach and it's a cultural thing within a culture. in BC Canada I found West Vancouver, the west side of Vancouver itself, and White Rock very much like that. All the others were consumers just grabbing stuff.

@Garethstruelove

3 ай бұрын

I was there in the 60s. The refrigerators like you said were barely a foot x 2 cubic ft.³ there was really no freezer section, it was enough for two trays of ice. It was about 4 inches or 5 inches high. That’s why in Germany they pretty much had to go shopping every day.

The US has a few grocery stores as well where you have to bag your own groceries. When my kids wee little I learned quickly that it is far less stressful for everyone involved that I just put all the wrung up groceries back into the empty cart. Once everything is totaled up I found myself an out of the way corner and started bagging at my own speed without inconveniencing anyone else.

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

Great strategy! I may just have to try this!

@lql1094

11 ай бұрын

They're based in Europe, like Aldi.

@kezkezooie8595

3 ай бұрын

@@lql1094 Yes, Aldi in Australia is like that. You just put the rung up groceries back in your cart and then take them to either the bagging bench or to your car and bag them. The two big supermarkets in Australia have also brought in self checkouts where you scan and pack your own but they're a nightmare to use if you do a big shop as they just haven't given much thought to the layout of them. They're very slow, cramped and awkward to use if you have more than just a few things so I avoid them when I can.

You bag your own groceries at Winco in the US...... they have specially made checkouts so there are two conveyer belts for each clerk... That way, you can bag your groceries, while the clerk is ringing up the other person, and their groceries aren't getting mixed up with yours. It works really pretty well, except when people park their cart in the way so that you can't get around them to your groceries on the other conveyer belt.

Around 3:35 "Don't expect your normal range of snacks and foods from the US because a lot of the ingredients are banned..." This part got me. I found out recently that m&m candies in other countries are colored with vegetable dyes, but the m&ms made for the US--with the same colors--are made with artificial (and very harmful) dyes. There are tons of things in the US, even in our water supplies, that are "generally recognized as safe" (define "safe" lol) by our FDA but are banned as being too harmful in other countries. It's interesting that here in the US, we're so used to it that very few people even think about it. And if you tell someone that the artificial dye or silicone or whatever they're consuming is bad for them, they think you're a nut because they 100% trust the FDA....yet they'll say in the same breath that they don't trust the government. Americans are weird. And I'm an American 🙂

@personincognito3989

11 ай бұрын

Here in Canada we're moving away from a lot of artificial dyes and some american food is banned in Canada.

@TheUlli1964

11 ай бұрын

In Europe they dont allow ingreadient until they are proofed to be safe, whereas in the USA thré FDA prohibited them when they show harmfull after use. Sorry for my bad english.

@doug6259

11 ай бұрын

The FDA does not care about your health.

@lql1094

11 ай бұрын

Are they saying it because they trust the FDA or because they've consumed it for decades with no related health problems? It's weird how non-Americans are always so ready to try to make Americans out to be imbeciles.🙄🙄🙄

@davidbarkley9447

11 ай бұрын

It is sad that all you said is true, the more chemicals they use in America the more money they can make. It amazes me that in America we have so many different kinds of water and yet some countries struggle just to have clean water

The selection and price differences makes total sense. Even in Hawaii prices are high. Here in the Midwest we produce so much food that it isn't that expensive compared to other places. Self checkout and bagging lanes are also pretty common.

@river4462

11 ай бұрын

Sad but in Hawaii with the year round temperatures that allow for growing EVERYTHING still many do not grow their food. Plenty of fruit of course! So people cannot complain because of prices when there are endless growing possibilities. Plenty of sun and rain for growing.

@user-zp7jp1vk2i

5 ай бұрын

@@river4462 or walk into the jungle and wetlands and just harvest all kinds of fruits for free. saw the video with a chef in Hawaii that does that. even locals don't do it; trained consumers, and then they complain.

@river4462

5 ай бұрын

@@user-zp7jp1vk2i but then wandering onto private lands can make anykine. Even not private lands as there are some locals that are territorial and take control of areas with plenty of fruit. I worked a fruitstand on Big I HI and there was plenty of fruit sold to us that was harvested consciously by locals from landowners that just let the fruit rot. Terrible. One day even on island it is going to be a struggle what with geoengineering happening everywhere😢😖 disrupting the planet, the aina and water

As a french, I can't say I was schoked going to a grocery store in Iceland (except by the prices 😅), as a lot of things also apply to mainland Europe, like bagging your own stuff, smaller portions, taking one single can of a pack, etc. Regarding the opening hours, it was not really a problem. Living in the countryside, I'm used to check the schedules before going to a store, and I won't be schoked if it's closed quite early or on sunday. And.. it's weird to say it, but I would be happy to know the people who work there have a nice work like balance so they are able to enjoy dinner with their family... yes, even if I'm currently running out of toilet paper 😅 What I noticed though, and didn't really like to be honest, was that almost every item was wrapped, usually in plastic, even when it was (in my opinion) completely unnecessary, like icelandic cucumbers or ananas. Once, I went to a farmer market, where I thought I would find fresh and local bulk products, but nope, everything was wrapped the exact same way. 😕 For me it makes so much sense to sell unpacked products when it's possible, like bread or solid fruits : it means less costs and processes for the producer, less time to store your groceries once at home, less trash in your bin, better for the environment, etc. I guess it's a cultural thing, but I also missed the "market experience" where you can smell the products, choose the exact amount you need, use your own bags... I think I was also a bit disappointed to see such a waste of plastic in a country that is usually perceived as super "green". Things are far from perfect here when it comes to this topic though !

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and sharing! I agree that the plastic packaging around so many items is a nuisance but my guess is that it has to do with longevity and preservation since so much is being imported in shipping containers. 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Sindrijo

Жыл бұрын

Cucumbers are wrapped in plastic to preserve the moisture in them otherwise they can loose a lot of it quickly. Totally with you on the ananas though....

@bigscarysteve

11 ай бұрын

A word of advice if you ever visit the USA--don't ever take a single bottle or can out of a pack! The manager will go ballistic on you!

@bigscarysteve

11 ай бұрын

@@Sindrijo "Ananas" is not an English word. The English name for it is "pineapple."

@ReyOfLight

11 ай бұрын

@@bigscarysteveOnly really English and a few other languages that calls it something else than any version of ananas though. So many languages around the world calls it ananas, and then there’s English with PINEAPPLE 😂

Here in the UK we always bag our groceries ourselves. It's a race to see if you can bag everything by the time the cashier has finished as you don't want to hold up the person behind you.😄

I lived on a TINY island for about 4 years. I learned to buy ALL of something special that I saw, because, it was only going to come in ONCE, and then I'd never see it again. In some ways, I loved having less choice because there was less decision fatigue, but I did bring a lot of my own products from the USA to be able to cook everything. I even spent $95 on a 2 lb box of tea, so that I could make proper masala chai. I was SERIOUS about my cooking and baking!!! The grocery stores in the USA (although still expensive) are like a trip to Disneyland. I STILL am in awe about what is available. Everything is available in the USA if you are willing to pay the price.

@ginger1549

11 ай бұрын

I lived all over the world in the 70's and I was always homesick for the food in the USA ( as well as my friends and my Mom). Foods are so very much more limited outside the USA. We are, indeed, very spoiled.

@animequeen78

10 ай бұрын

Also, if you can get some canning stuff, you could make your own preserves out of the seasonal produce.

Grocery shopping is one of my favorite things to do when traveling. So many fun discoveries.

this video makes me really thankful for what we do have in the US. we take so many conveniences for granted.

@BenSussmanpro

11 ай бұрын

I live in the US & I feel the opposite. I’d rather have the fresher & limited but healthier choices of Iceland

@laprofe6804

10 ай бұрын

@@BenSussmanpro I agree with you. I lived in the US for 9 years and the ingredients you find listed on the packages are horrendous. I even found bread with petrolatum. Why on earth is that legal??? I love shopping in Spain. I go almost every day on my way home and, of course there is a lot of processed foods, but you can find way more natural stuff. And the bagging thing, yes, we do bag our products ourselves too, and it's how I like it. In the US, most of the times I needed to empty the bags and do it properly because I got tired of getting home and finding out that my bananas were completely ruined under some heavy item, or that the weight wasn't distributed evenly.

@BenSussmanpro

10 ай бұрын

@@laprofe6804 Yes, the typical supermarket in the US is a chemical factory, lol! I agree with you on bagging my own groceries.

@RosieJ7223

8 ай бұрын

I agree. There are some good things to learn from other countries, but I would miss the friendliness of being able to talk to the cashier, and the respect that people have for each other when kind service is valued.

@jaydee4009

3 ай бұрын

@@laprofe6804 : Yes, but you can wipe a slice of the petrolatum-laden bread on your chest and it will clear your sinuses!

They're not expected to plaster a smile on their faces and honestly, I love it bc forcing a smile while you're working takes extra mental energy.

Good information. Bagging your own groceries is very common in Canada. Many outlets have even stopped giving out plastic bags.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Can you still pay for plastic bags if you forget to bring your own?

@MsPerlia

Жыл бұрын

@@IcelandwithaView no they have been banned by our different levels of governments. Stores that give our plastic bags are just getting rid of their stock. Nothing wrong with bringing your own bags, be it to carry your groceries home or for produce.

@simplyclem

Жыл бұрын

Same in Turkey. Everyone is bagging their own groceries

@susanwhibley9679

11 ай бұрын

@@IcelandwithaView No they are no longer available you bring your own reusable bags

@Avarua59

11 ай бұрын

@@IcelandwithaView If you forget, they often do sell reusable bags for around C$0.35 per bag.

We have a Lidl in town. The cashiers scan items very quickly. Easiest for me is to face the opening of the bag towards the incoming groceries. They go in the bag so much easier, less fumbling

Welcome to Europe 🙂 Everything you described is quite normal in Europe - at least central and south. But if you're shocked about the prices in Iceland, don't ever go to Switzerland.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Interesting, thanks for sharing!

@bigscarysteve

11 ай бұрын

I travelled through Europe with a Eurail Pass in 1979 and again in 1984. The train pass gave me the flexibility to leave any city or country that was displeasing me at the drop of a hat. I did spend some time in Switzerland--but I never ate there or spent the night there. I did those things in Germany or Italy.

@linguaphile42

11 ай бұрын

Never felt so poor in my life as I did in Lugano, Switzerland, lol. That place was soooooo gorgeous, but I felt so underdressed and just plain struggling.

@bigscarysteve

11 ай бұрын

@@linguaphile42 I was somewhere in Switzerland (unfortunately can't remember exactly where) in a train station, and I was having a conversation with a Swiss guy (in German no less--the only decent conversation I ever had in German because most German-speakers insist on showing off how good their English is instead). He told me to be sure not to get on one specific train because it wasn't part of the Eurail Pass network. He said it went to some fancy, expensive resort. He went on to say that he, as a Swiss citizen, couldn't afford to go to that place. He said the only people who ever went there were Saudi Arabians.

@elaineevans7126

11 ай бұрын

Iceland is totally different than any other place. The food prices are 4x what they are in the US. It’s not like Europe…it’s Iceland…unique in every way.

I LOVE going into grocery stores when i travel. It's so crazy how different each culture can shop, stock, display and sell a common basic necessity. Fascinating. Thank you for sharing!

I’ve been to Iceland, and all the cashiers I came across were really nice. Shops have “normal” hours, because people are not robots, and need a break. Fresh foods like milk are not supposed to last for weeks on end. I remember, when I was younger, milk would last for a week at best.

@josephteller9715

10 ай бұрын

Milk etc will last longer if ultra pasteurized.

@blatherskite9601

8 ай бұрын

@@josephteller9715 Why would you want ultrapasteurised milk? Why not get it as fresh as you can - with least amount of processing possible.

@RcsN505

4 ай бұрын

You can also create more jobs by hiring different people to word two 6-hour shifts so the store is open 12 hours. Not rocket science or any additional exploitation. I suspect the situation in Iceland it might be due to the very small population...

@maritahdaniels

15 күн бұрын

I personally live in Iceland and I have bought rotten foods from the supermarkets twice

A tip from another European who is used to bagging her own groceries, lay out your groceries on the check-out conveyor belt in the order that things need to go into the bag, ie heavy/bulky stuff first, soft fruit & veg at the end. With time you may find yourself filling your cart in segments to facilitate the check-out. This is just habit that is been passed down by osmosis from parent to kid here so we don't think twice about it but once you know it makes a world of difference.

@ajp2223

11 ай бұрын

I do that as well, makes putting things into the bag or back into the trolley much easier and less damage to bread and fruit.

@laprofe6804

10 ай бұрын

Yessss!! I think every European knows this. It's a matter of common sense.

@Revelwoodie

10 ай бұрын

I do that as well, but I do it for the cashier, to make it easier for her to bag the groceries. I can't imagine a grocery store where no one talks to you, and they make you bag your own groceries. It sounds depressing. Like...like they just don't want you there.

@deadcatbounce3124

10 ай бұрын

That's why I hate having someone else bag my groceries, they don't know what goes together and get it wrong.

@irinam8709

10 ай бұрын

It would be a nightmare for me if I need to talk to cashiers and let anybody else bag my groceries. Yes, I live in Europe :)

I worked for a shipping company that imported Iceland Springs & Icelandic Water to the US and we would export M&M and other snacks to Iceland. We would have workers come in to relabel the ingredients list on the packaging.

@catritz

11 ай бұрын

Wow

I'm so glad to have found your site. Iceland is on my bucket list so this will be very helpful.

When I travel to Iceland the food tasted so much better than in the states. The flavor the freshness amazing! I wish US cared as much about the ingredients in our food!!

The hours of operations was an adjustment! Thankfully, we found the petrol stations had plenty of healthy and filling options for food! That was a surprise, at how great the selections were at a petrol station!

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Oh yes! Some of the more remote towns depend on the petrol stations for a quick market stop!

I find it interesting to see the opening hours posted using the 24 hour clock (17 vs 5 pm). I live in Ontario Canada & many of our grocery stores open at 8 & close 9 or 10 pm. And we’ve been bagging our own grocery’s for years.

@Westfjordian

11 ай бұрын

The 24 hour clock is mostly used in writing as it is a great disambiguatior. You only hear it used in spoken language to help disambiguate when context might not be enough

@melainewhite6409

11 ай бұрын

Limited hours allow stores to employ only a single shift of workers and is presupposed on having wives staying at home hence shopping can be done during those hours.

@EvanBlaze-fq5eg

11 ай бұрын

It's groceries, not grocery's. WTF?

Really enjoyed the video. So much for the stuff we gather as to living a very simple moderate life style

Really interesting as always - topics that appeal to everyone.

Australia here. A lot of food from USA is also banned from here due to banned ingredients. The large grocery shops here will put your groceries in your bags & you can help & some you bag yourself. No more bags provided unless you buy a paper bag.

@animequeen78

10 ай бұрын

No worries. I bring my own bags.

@pixibelle3282

10 ай бұрын

We do as well, or throw directly back into the trolley & bag it at the car where there is no-one waiting on you to move out of the way :).@@animequeen78

@tomperry1048

10 ай бұрын

If you chug a Fosters oilcan while shopping, there's no need to bag it, mate.

@pixibelle3282

10 ай бұрын

lol@@tomperry1048

I find our US grocery stores have become overwhelming. Most of what you cover just sounds like the small town grocery stores I grew up with... I think I would feel pretty comfortable. And I agree, I LOVE going grocery shopping when I'm on vacation somewhere very different from home!

@johnhorner5711

10 ай бұрын

If you have an Aldi's or Trader Joe store in your area you might find the experience much less stressful than the typical US grocery store.

@Liz-in8lu

8 ай бұрын

So overwhelming. We have like 30 different options of peanut butter. It’s wild

Thanks for the info! We’re coming to Iceland this week!

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Awesome! I hope you have an amazing time!

Hi, the bagging situation is the same all over Europe (in some places, you greet the cashier, Buongiorno or whatever). Last month I saw a person just put her groceries back in the cart as they were scanned,. After paying, she went over to the front of the store and calmly bagged up her stuff. I had panic-bagged for years before I adopted this. It is almost life-changing. Much less stress all around.

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

Sounds like you saw @learnedit at the store 😂

@ajp2223

11 ай бұрын

Actually people putting their groceries back into the shopping trolley is very common here in Australia, especially in ALDI. I've been doing that for decades and it makes packing your groceries so much easier.

Milk carton. Old lady here remembers when milk in the U.S. was sold that way too.😉

@lql1094

11 ай бұрын

Aren't the quart and pint sizes still sold in cartons in the U.S.?

We recently returned from a round-the-island trip of Iceland and it was amazing. Personally, I saw much variety in the bigger stores of Kronnan and Bonus (though I'm from Eastern Europe :)) Thank you for the lovely videos, they were great advice for our trip!

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Thank YOU for watching! I'm so glad you had an amazing visit!

@bluetickgamer

Жыл бұрын

Aldi stores in the US has no bags either. But they have bins with empty boxes that had product in then you can grab a box. Or you can buy a reusable bag. But at least they put everything in a cart as they scan so you can then go to the bagging area and take your time bagging your items. Keeps the lines moving. You give them your empty cart and the person behind you gets their items put in that cart etc

Always a pleasure to compare what we do here in the USA to what other people do. Thank you.

Love your vids- I always check out local grocery stores when I travel. In Iceland I got a spice mix from the restaurant we had eaten at, my kind of souvenir.

Great video, as always. Thanks! I remember trying to check out at a Bonus using a self-checkout register. It took a little bit of extra thinking on my part as I didn't initially understand everything the computer put up on the screen, but I made it through unscathed in the end. I later heard that it was possible to change the language being displayed from Icelandic to English, but didn't get a chance to see whether or not that was really the case. Bagging one's own groceries didn't bother me as I had worked in a grocery store in high school, and bagging groceries for customers was one of my jobs. Definitely can't wait to return to Iceland again sometime in the future!

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Yep, it's true - you can change the language of the display at self-check out! Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!

Terrifying grocery checkout clerks are also a thing in Germany. My German language teachers even warned me to have money ready, bring your own bags and be ready to pack them while you pay, no chatting and get out of the way quickly. I’m back in the U.S. now, and still have anxiety when I shop at Aldi here (where it’s a friendly place to shop).

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

🤣🤣🤣 Gotta love the terrifying clerks! I suppose it gives a little rush of adrenaline if nothing else!

@bigscarysteve

11 ай бұрын

I was in Germany forty years ago. I didn't experience terrifying checkout clerks. Have things changed that much in the intervening time?

@TheUlli1964

11 ай бұрын

@@bigscarysteve No 🙂

@marthaoschwald1277

11 ай бұрын

I used to live in Germany a few years ago and agree that the check-out process was a little intimidating. The cashiers I had seemed stressed because everyone in line was in a hurry. Definitely a serious vibe!

@bonniejosavland3227

3 ай бұрын

Just going through the German Airport on the way to Italy 🇮🇹 the Germans all looked grouchy (men)?!😂😢😮

Wow. Great information.

Jeanie, thanks for the nice video. I knew nothing about Iceland before.

Here in Canada (East Coast) we have to bag our own groceries as well, not only that but you must bring your own bags and also what we are seeing more and more is in many places have to scan your own items yourself as they are getting rid of cashiers, ALL the Walmarts got rid of their cashiers earlier this year 2023, you have no choice but to scan your items yourself and place them in a bag, pay the machine. Some people find this strange but...much of our milk is in bags, 3 bags totaling 4 liters, you can still get some of your milk in small cartons like what you see in Iceland.

I had no idea that there were no grocery stores in the US that require customers to bag their own groceries. Most stores in canada still do it for us but it certainly isn't uncommon to have to do it yourself. I love this sort of video. It's so very interesting to learn about these little differences between countries.

@monicahamm3353

11 ай бұрын

there are plenty of grocery stores in the US that require customers to bag their groceries...... a large chain, Winco, operates that way. In addition, self-checkout is a growing thing here and you bag your own then as well. Even at Walmart, you bag your own groceries into your own bags.

Great content and presentation! Thank you for your work! 👍🏻🙂

@IcelandwithaView

10 ай бұрын

You’re so welcome! Thanks for watching!

The map and lists are awesome!

@IcelandwithaView

6 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Just had a wonderful trip to Iceland thank you so much for video tips. ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ. Also loved Icelandic skyr !

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Great to hear Will! Thanks for watching!

I’m laughing because I’m so jealous you have Cream of Rice cereal on the shelf in Iceland. That was a staple at my grandmother’s house and I love it. However, we moved from the US west coast to the southeast US. I counted 37 options for grits in the cereal aisle, but I have to resort to Amazon to get Cream of Rice or hot Malt-o-Meal here. Lol

thank you for sharing this

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

You're welcome! 😊

great video....thank you, really enjoy your videos!!!

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Greg!

I think it’s only USA that expects stuff to be bagged for them. We’ve been doing that in UK forever. In Wales we stopped providing free plastic bags before most anyone else.

@mguti090

11 ай бұрын

Great. I prefer the US way then.

@countesscable

11 ай бұрын

@@mguti090 yes, of course you do. This is why the US is almost as big a polluter as China. The US does not care about the Environment. over consumption of everything and feel entitled. Also this is why they are so fat. But unlimited Healthcare for everyone? Er no.

Most stores in the US are going to self-checkout. Pretty much every grocery store around me has it as an option. I went to the store with my brother the other day (Sam's Club), and he was able to ring everything up on his phone which was really cool!

@r.d.durfey5862

5 ай бұрын

Some of the stores are stopping the self check-out. Because so many people have figured out ways to steal. And the stores are losing too much money. I myself like the old way.

Living out in the 'boonies' - 35 miles to the nearest 'large' city. Your grocery store reminds me of my childhood, small local neighborhood stores. Fresh cut meat / ground burger and very limited supply. I miss those days as there wasn't a 'large' grocery stores like today. Was one larger store in the down town (Jewel) in a town of 8000+. Thank you for the video.

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for sharing your experience!

I LOVE going food shopping when we leave the U.S. you can learn so much about the culture and people. It’s amazing.

The oddest thing to me when i was grocery shopping in Iceland is the lack of alcohol. Absolutely no drink is allowed to have even 0.01% alcohol. There are 2 specific stores exclusively for boozy drinks, but in all grocery stores no matter what the bottle looks like it’s always 100% non-alcoholic.

@phoebegraveyard7225

11 ай бұрын

That’s also true in Canada. Each province controls liquor sales and special drinks stores.

@lisadavis4162

11 ай бұрын

lol I'm from Pennsylvania in the US. Until just about ten years ago, there was NO alcohol other than cooking wine (maybe) sold in grocery stores in this state. We have a highly "protective" liquor control board that had - and still has - its own liquour stores and beer was sold at licensed "beer distributors". It was a cultural shock to people from PA to see a "booze aisle" in stores in other states! I was amused when I found an alcohol aisle in a drug store in NYC during a visit there. Now, it's possible to buy beer and wine at a lot of convenience stores/gas stations in addition to grocery stores, as well as ordering things online for home delivery.

Thanks for this perspective, Jeannie. The prices are not bad at all, by comparison. The quality is always great, but yeah, the store hours are kind if crummy.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching Lisa!

The one thing that really surprised me when i went to a grocery store in Iceland was the yarn aisle!

Here in NH my wife and I never even go to the grocery store now. We just order it online through the grocery store website and have it delivered. So much better.

Bringing your own bags and bagging your groceries is rather common in much of Europe. I live in San Francisco and it's becoming more common here as well.

@Erika1965

10 ай бұрын

It was funny when we were in the States, and our groceries were bagged for us. But at the same time, it was ridiculous how much plastic was used. Here in Europe, we bring our own crates. So easy! The crates can be folded if not in use.

@Revelwoodie

10 ай бұрын

I'm American as well, but I'm from New Jersey, and disposable bags are illegal here. So yes, we bring our own bags. Which I give to the cashier. Because I'm not bagging groceries. That's insane. But even here, sometimes you'll go to a store that expects you to bag groceries. And when that happens, I'll never go to that store again. Seriously, how is that appropriate to even ask? Should I operate the cash register, too? Should I come earlier next time so I can stock the shelves? What the heck?

@IlliosAyara

9 ай бұрын

Too lazy to bag your own? It's normal to do that here in Europe.

@Revelwoodie

9 ай бұрын

@@IlliosAyara Do you use Uber? Do you make him drive the car for you? Are you too lazy to drive it yourself? If someone wants to call an Uber, it's specifically because they do NOT want to drive themselves. And that's fine. And if I walk by 4 self-checkout lines specifically to go to the cashier, it's because I do NOT want to do it myself. And that's also fine. And considering that I spend at least 8 hours a day in the kitchen cooking the roughly $1000 a week worth of groceries that I buy, I don't think you can call me lazy. The opposite is true, as a matter of fact. I work my butt off as a full time housewife, which includes the caregiving of two developmentally disabled adults. I AM TIRED. Not that I need an excuse to expect people to do their jobs, but I AM TIRED. Bagging groceries is literally the only difference between a cashier and a self-checkout line. If the cashier isn't going to bag groceries, why are they even there? Just to drag items across the scanner? I could do that myself in a self-checkout aisle.

New viewer here. After watching a few of your videos and also being an American, I need to find your video about WHY you wanted to move to Iceland :). I am enjoying your channel! Thanks for sharing!!

@IcelandwithaView

10 ай бұрын

Welcome! Thanks so much ❤️

This reminds me of arctic Alaska food shopping.

We are from Canada and were in Iceland in May 2022. We loved shopping at Kronan! We would buy a loaf of fresh bread from Sandholt and have them slice it and we would then go to Kronan and buy some lunch meats, super fresh lettuce, cheese and some apples etc. Loved it!! If someone is travelling to Iceland, if they have done proper research, they would know that Iceland is one of the most expensive countries in the world. We knew that before we went, thanks to videos like yours, and we were prepared for the costs. Another tip is that we found little "corner" stores in Reykjavik that were open much later at night. They come in handy!!

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

You're a professional Icelandic traveler! I love these tips! Thanks for watching and sharing your experience!

@mella8298

11 ай бұрын

Norway makes Iceland look well-priced!

We're going through this culture shock thing (still)...but in central Mexico. We've been traveling around different places and living for 7 months now and each city and state is a little different but... Yes, you bag your own groceries, YES labels are all in Spanish, prices in pesos and there are big stores but also the better products are found at small specialty tiendas that only sell bread, or tortillas or seafood, or beef or chicken or veggies/fruits...etc. It's an adjustment but we're up to it... Iceland is way too far north for me climate wise (we moved here because Oregon was too dreary/rainy/grey in winter for us) but I'm fascinated with how things work there. BTW, prices in Mexico are WAY lower than the U.S. so the reverse of what you are experiencing there.

@YeshuaKingMessiah

10 ай бұрын

Do they sell steak Or roasts Or ribs Salmon Hard cheeses Or just carbs like beans tortillas rice flour chorizo pig jowl

I got back from Iceland a few days ago and I already miss the Appelsin soda: so refreshing and delicious!

When I was in Iceland the prices of fresh produce depended on what had been delivered by ship…. So apples were cheap when first delivered and got more expensive as stocks ran out for example.

I was actually pleasantly surprised at the grocery stores, we actually found a lot of stuff that we can't get here and so loaded up. My family still craves some of the stuff there. Prices weren't too crazy I thought also.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

What was it that you loaded up on? Chocolate covered licorice? Sheep's head 🤣?

@kylesandstrom853

Жыл бұрын

@@IcelandwithaView no, no sheep's head (but that's another story) licorice for sure, and I'm almost running out of it... I love the Hamborgarafabrikan mayo, that is some of the best stuff! Daim bars... fish roe, dried fish... I'm getting hungry 😝 But sheep's head, it was funny because before we came all the travel shows talk about sheep's head and fermented shark so seriously thought we'd starve and we couldn't find them anywhere

@asbisi

11 ай бұрын

I also think the Icelandic supermarkets are well stocked up. Compared to other European countries. England, Denmark, Sweden are some I know well. Further, you can get excellent cooked meals in some supermarkets. Really tasty, healthey and "homemade". All in all the quality of the food products is high.

@ReyOfLight

11 ай бұрын

@@kylesandstrom853Daim bars are Swedish though, so you might be able to find them in IKEA if you have one nearby :) That being said, Mondelez that owns Marabou (that also makes Daim) is having a bit of a shitstorm at the moment as they refuse to leave a certain country, and that in turn is affecting Marabou as well as companies have stopped buying in Mondelez owned products in protest.

@kylesandstrom853

11 ай бұрын

@@ReyOfLight yeah I know, I always got them when I lived in Sweden and they sometimes have them at Ikea. Still so good :)))

Great program 👍🙏😇❤️🥰🇺🇸

In Florida, where I live, almost all of the stores have self check. So bagging groceries is normal now.

First thing i hit was the grocery store once i put down my bags in the hotel room.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Great tip!

Hello ! In France too we can just take one can of soda out of the pack ! But if we want yogurts ... then we have to buy the whole pack ( usually 4 , or more ) . And the cashier won't help you putting the food in the bag . You have to do it yourself . And in the bag you brought ( unless you decide to ask for a plastic bag and pay for it ) .

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

How do you know which items you can take singles of? Do you just learn the rules over time or is there a sign somewhere?

@ingridgazo7539

Жыл бұрын

@ Iceland with a view : well , everytime I wanted to take just one can out of a pack ... I did it because I saw some cans already were missing . And on the price tag under the pack it is written " price per pack = ... euros " , and " price per single can = ... euros " . Obviously it is more expensive to buy single ! I lived in Spain and it was the same as here in France . Bye for now and keep up the good work ☺

@Sindrijo

Жыл бұрын

@@IcelandwithaView If the single item has a barcode you can usually do it no problem, another hint is that the price on the shelf is the unit-price and not the combined-pack price.

I was stationed in Iceland for two years back in 1979 but we shopped on base which was about the same as shopping here...however we did occasionally shop off base and I did encounter many of the things you stated here.

New Zealand seems to be exactly the same in many of the same ways - due to the fact we are islands too - just at the opposite ends of the earth. Lol I can't believe you just learned about bagging your own groceries! 😁 We have been doing it for years here, but we also have the option of normal checkouts too.

For the grocery carts it’s like the IKEA carts most people would know what those are like. Also we have a lot of Aldi stores around in the US now so I think people are getting more used to bagging around groceries it’s not completely unheard of now.

Very interesting. In some ways, it sounds like the way grocery stores used to be years ago in the U.S. If I remember correctly, customers could buy single cans of soda by opening the package and taking one. This was 50 years ago or more, when I was a kid. Also, amazingly, our corner store in San Francisco ran a tab for my mom, who would pay when able. But, I'm old now and will not shop where I have to bag my own stuff, or in huge warehouse stores. Trader Joe's suits my needs exactly.

@tanyagreco2743

11 ай бұрын

Yes store use to be the size convenience stores are now. I remember going with my mom & aunt as a kid. The workers new your name and it was like a social took forever to get out of the store

@YeshuaKingMessiah

10 ай бұрын

Self checkouts make u ring it up n bag it lol They’re more n more common

I live in Hawaii....3000 miles from the nearest landmass. We are also volcanic, but luckily we still have a lot of land able to grow food and cattle. Some similarities....we always remove shoes when entering a home! But, we tend to go barefoot rather than wear indoor footwear. Some foods and other goods can be expensive.....but like Iceland....shipping! Luckily, Amazon ships here. Thanks for posting, I'm learning a lot. ❤️

I spent some time on the Isle of Wight off the southern coast of England. You bag your own groceries there too. I’m used to it, I always use the “you scan” aisles here in the states. Easier. Often times, if the clerk is backed up and struggling to bag, I help myself and bag my own there as well. It’s an easy thing to do.

How’s the selection of cured meats? Stuff that doesn’t need to be refrigerated.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Ok, but limited like all of the other things - not much flavor nor brand selection

Scanning and bagging your groceries yourself is becoming more and more common. My favorite grocery chain, Wies, has converted the store closest to my home, to all selfcheck lanes except for 2. Some have short check out stations for the smaller orders, or if you absolutely insist on paying in cash regardless of order size, others have the conveyor belt, but still only have the carousel for bagging.... but at those stations, you can only pay by credit or debit (dang it). I hate those squinchy carousels, plus the fact that with my own fabric bags, the machines don't like to play nice with the bag weights. So, I just keep hitting "skip bagging" and run the checkout lane monitors back every time the machine needs to be reset for more "skip bagging" scans. they don't mind. And, I prefer to bag my stuff myself. It is the only way I can guarantee I don't end up with dented cans, bruised produce and squished bakery items (bread in particular). So, the self check out and self bagging would not be a culture shock for me.

I have been packing my own groceries here in Canada for years. We generally have the option to self pack depending on the store and I prefer it as i am particular about how they are packed. Interesting video- would love to visit sometime!

Since most US stores have self checkouts, I’m used to bagging my own.

With respect to the shopping carts, in the USA Ikea has those 4 wheel shopping carts/baskets where all 4 wheels turn in all directions as you described. In the USA standard carts have the two back wheels fixed(i.e. they do not turn) so it is easy to push the cart wherever you desire it to go. Ikea shopping carts have all 4 wheels that turn in any direction so it is very hard for someone unaccustomed to that wheel arrangement to push the cart where they want it to go.

I found the grocery stores to be adequately stocked and easy to navigate

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching!

Interesting. I live on an island in Alaska, very similar.

Absolutely love bonus! I bought so many chocolate bars from there for less than $3 ea. All souvenirs of course lol. Thanks for the tips on all your videos. It really helped us get through Iceland.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

You're so welcome! Thanks for watching and subscribing!

This is like a us against the world thing. Your sizing and buying habits (and wasting habits) are just so different then the rest of us (I live in Israel, not even Europe) 😂

@IcelandwithaView

11 ай бұрын

I think the US is adopting more and more customs and ways of living but since the US is SO big, with tiny town and big cities, change will be slow to happen.

@bigscarysteve

11 ай бұрын

Back in the 1950's and 1960's, when economic times were very good, American business purposely pushed wastefulness on the public. Even though the economy hasn't been nearly that good since, we haven't been able to shake the wasteful habits we learned so long ago.

@YeshuaKingMessiah

10 ай бұрын

I buy huge Doesn’t mean I waste We have freezers here I wrap it up n freeze it! Or yes we eat those 2 qt of strawberries 1 qt of blueberries and the watermelon before they go bad lol

The meal is not expensive. It’s the same price in the US. The gas is expensive. It’s more expensive than Hawaii.

Whenever we are in a foreign country we always make a stop at a grocery store. Last year, at a small village in Greenland, they actually had Ben and Jerry's ice cream! Crazy!

We travel quite a bit and love going to local grocers as well as the city markets. Often times the city markets have stalls that prepare a great variety of foods from ingredients found t Right there in the market.

It's fun to see how amazed you are by the differences. I remember being amazed when I first went to Europe by the differences between there and the U.S. I married a Dutchman and lived 4 years in Europe in the 80's. I find you are highlighting what my experience in Europe has been, both living there and visiting since we came back to the U.S. We visited Iceland about 9 years ago. We had a wonderful time. I think it's better to buy groceries in smaller packages since your fridge and pantry is smaller. Also, if you walk or bike to the stores, it is much easier to carry back your purchases if the sizes are smaller. Bagging your own groceries is common all over Europe. Bringing your own bags is, also. In the U.S. they are more and more encouraging us to not only bag our groceries, but scan and self pay using self checkout. They are having fewer cashier's and fewer cashier lanes open in lots of grocery stores and Target and pharmacies... I remember when gasoline stations always pumped your gas for you and washed your windshield and checked your oil, etc. It was included with the price of filling up. Really hard to find that kind of included service now. And if you do, it's more expensive for the gas. I would like to see you make a video about all the things you love there, some of the sights you have visited, food you have eaten, entertainment you like. I remember discovering how different Icelandic music is. Sending you love from very warm Arizona (It's 107'F today)!

@fightingtosurvive6527

11 ай бұрын

If you'd like I can send a nice cool Pacific Ocean breeze over to you guys in Arizona from Northern California. 😊 😗💨

I'm from Melbourne AUS we shop daily as we live in the city and have a coles supermarket around the corner. We have also been bagging our own groceries for years now even though we do still have cashiers but it's so much easier to do it ourselves. I've been researching pricing in Iceland for a while now because we're travelling there in September and keep watching videos saying how expensive everything is. However I've have found most pricing in supermarkets and restaurants is on par with Melbourne eg. we pay anywhwere from $4.50 - $6.50 per loaf of bread and a burger in a restaurant is between $25 -$28 or a pizza $22 - $30. We pay around $120 for 2 courses + drinks (beer, wine) for 2 people. What we have noticed most videos from iceland are made by Americans and you guys in the US have a low cost of living compared to Aussies so your lucky I suppose. Great vids cheers

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! I think that it's worth noting that many people from large cities across the world experience high prices for everything and that the prices in Iceland are similar. However, Reykjavik is not a large city in comparison, and Iceland is specifically a small country yet we're subject to the big city prices. It's all worth it though!! Happy planning!

@herx2429

Жыл бұрын

@@IcelandwithaView thanks Jeannie your videos are invaluable keep em coming thank you. Cheers

@baldandaboomer8367

Жыл бұрын

Hi I am from Melbourne as well ! We will be in Iceland late August to early Sept, looking forward to it. We have been to Norway, Switzerland, Luxemboug and Lichtenstein, can't be anymore expensive than those places. We just buy the local common items that are usually cheaper and more interesting. Have a good trip!

@lexirowe3151

11 ай бұрын

I don’t think Americans really have a lower cost of living…groceries are cheaper here because the quality is crap for most of it and really that is what the typical American diet consists of. Lots of processed foods… Good quality bread and diary is pricy here as well…produce is cheap though…

@mella8298

11 ай бұрын

Compared with Australian grocery prices, you won't find grocey prices in Iceland that bad at all. Iceland doesn't have to be expensive! Depends what you like to do or see.

I was in Iceland in May 2022. Really enjoyed seeing the blue speckled eggs at the grocery! Biggest issue with the grocery hours was in conjunction with the summer day length. May daylight at 6, 7, 8pm looks like mid afternoon making the hours seen even more inconvenient. Don t depend on the look of late afternoon light. Your watch (phone) is your friend!

We bag our own groceries now in the US!

@mguti090

11 ай бұрын

Nope. Not true.

Here is difference #1: Some grocery stories in the USA are larger than Iceland itself.

Americans complain about everything, the world is not American style. Every country has it's own traditions. Learn your geography and educate yourself outside of your country.

@bluetickgamer

Жыл бұрын

Who is complaining? The whole point of the video is grocery shopping in Iceland may be different than what you are used to. Nobody is complaining about that at all. This is the only negative comment I see

@mguti090

11 ай бұрын

What a stupid comment. You are the only one complaining and bitching like a little toddler. USA is better and it hurts your feelings? Deal with it.

This very helpful. I want to visit which is the best time to visit Iceland. 🙏

Fun video

I can remember when I was a little kid 45 years ago we shopped at grocery stores where you bagged your own, and this is in the United States of America. But it's much more common today. Where I currently live, I would say a vast majority of the grocery stores are bag your own, and in a lot of them you also check yourself out.

So much of what you described was my experience living in England. We didn’t live in London, we lived in North Buckinghamshire.

The grocery sounds like a dream. Less junk and preservatives

I am of part Icelandic. When I lived in Iceland many years ago, there were not grocery stores per say. There was small shops,like fish market,bakery, meat market. etc.

@bigscarysteve

11 ай бұрын

I am an American. While I can't remember a time when my town didn't have supermarkets, I can remember when we still had bakeries, butcher shops, greengrocers, delicatessens, etc. during the 1960's and 1970's. All those things disappeared in the 1980's, sadly.

I was in Iceland last summer. We shopped at a Netto - which we had shopped at previously in Denmark. As an avid Aldi shopper - Netto was very much the same as at Aldi and I felt very comfortable.

@IcelandwithaView

Жыл бұрын

Oh, that's great! A familiar shopping experience makes it so much less stressful!

@landkonnudur

Жыл бұрын

Nettó in Iceland is not the same brand as Netto in Denmark. Nettó in Iceland is owned by the co-operative Samkaup. Historically each town/community had a co-operative regarding groceries called "Kaupfélag" (Buying co-operative). Some people then also sold their own products to the co-operative. Co-operatives eventually got a bad reputation in Iceland for corruption from those in charge and eventually mostly died out about 30-40 years ago, and Samkaup is now the unified front of those old "kaupfélag" who were in every town or village. Samkaup is still a co-operative and their most prominent brand is Nettó. This is why you see Samkaup's brands a lot more in the countryside rather than in Reykjavík, which population-wise quickly outgrew the need for co-operatives. It's a shame that co-operatives now have such a bad reputation in Iceland since it can be a great way to organize something that is needed within a community, the corruption was not bound to that form of business, it's just "regular" business corruption - only in co-operatives, since everyone in the co-operative only has 1 share in the business (rather than being able to buy a majority of the business), it's theoretically easier to weed out the corruption (if other social factors aren't at play as they were in Iceland 30-90 years ago).

Great video. When I was in Switzerland, I noticed their grocery store were very small also and the isles were short... about 3 - 4 ft tall so it's weird to see other ppl pushing their carts (also tiny) up and down each isle. Also there were no plastic bags for vegetables. Paper bags. Eco-friendly I guess. 🥂 Cheers