THE FRESH MARKET, GREENVILLE

Greenville, one hour from New Bern, doesn't have Earth Fare, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.  But it does have The Fresh Market (TFM).  We go there several times a year to get some of the products we can't get in New Bern.  Sam's Club is just down the road, Kohl's is right next door, and Stein Mart is around the corner, so we make a sweep.

TFM has good-quality dark and white chocolate in bulk.  They also carry a grand assortment of gourmet chocolate bars.  I love the Italian Gianduia (chocolate hazelnut bar).

Fresh ground peanut butter and almond butter are always in my cart.  I love eating nut butter that has no added sugar or salt.

And, speaking of nuts, you can get just about any nut you desire from their bulk bins. Or pick up one of their pre-measured packages.

Candy?  Take your pick of numerous varieties in any amount.

Looking for vegetable or fruit chips?  TFM has them.

Whole bean coffee?  Tons of varieties.  TFM has a table set with complimentary coffee so that you can sample different blends each time you visit.

My hubby, who just couldn't find a hot-enough horseradish, has finally found it at TFM.  Atomic extra-hot keeps him happy.  I have to eat it in much smaller doses because it really is the hottest I've ever tasted.

You'll find produce, dairy and meat/fish departments, canned goods, beverages and paper goods, but they're just a notch higher in quality.  TFM also has a great deli, complete with salads, gourmet cheeses and hot foods.  I'd love to see The Fresh Market come to New Bern, but I doubt that our small population could support them.  So we'll just keep trekking to Greenville.