school cafeteria / GAKUSYOKU and marketing at a UK's supermarket

Hi, there.

I will introduce the university's Cafeteria. What kind of foods can we have there?

Many Japanese friends at the univerisity say "Not Good" "like a rubber" "it is o.k."...

Entering the cafeteria, we can find good smell. After taking a BON (tray), you can choose from fish or meat, or pasta. Soup of the day is also offered for about 1.5 pounds. After you passed the corner of meals, you will see a service of coffee or tea and each for 1 to 2 pounds. Water, fresh juice, and salad are prepared in an opposite side. Finally you will finish the payment at a register. It is very simple and easy.
Meat and fish dishes are offered with some vegetables, and we can buy each for approximately 3.5 pounds.
This is a dish on this Wednesday.

The main dish is Beef stew covered with mashed potetos. The vegetable is fried cabbage and onion.
Total is 3.5+1.2=4.7 pounds!   At the today's rate, it is 570 yen. Oh, it is a bit expensive for me... because when I lived in Japan, I was a money-saving freak under my husband's influence. I tried to pay money for foods a day for 1000 yen at maximum. If I bring my coffee from my accommodation, it will be 423 yen. Ummmm...I need to think about money-saving seriously...
Yeah, coming to UK, I was provided an illusion that the products at a supermarket or cafe, restaurant, were very reasonable, partly because Japanese yen was so strong, and partly because I can get a lovely products, such as organic foods, fresh jouce, delicious-looking sandwichs and salads... These nice products must be sold for double or (3/2) prices in Japan, definitely. But even so, I, a poor student, need to give up to get them. Compared with Japan, it is much harder to save money cleverly in UK.


I will report a supermarket case. Look for the photos I took a certain supermarket in King's cross station.  

These are 500 ml. or less fresh juices (1.5 pounds). If I go to 100 yen shop, I can get the similar one for 0.82 pounds!

Oh, this one is 1.9 pounds! But the bottle is very cute.

I often this kind of tag. it means you can get 3 packs for 5 pounds. It is sad, I know I cannot finish to drink 3 packs before best-before date... 

the upper one is a small bottle of milk. It is very couvenient, but do not trust the best-before date. Once you open it, you need to drink it 3 or 4 days. I felt it, because my milk became yoghurt today :(

I never try chocolate banana or strawberry flavoured milk, apart from banana one, the straqberry one looks delicious!

Meal deal! This is one of greatest marketing at a supermarket in UK! This sytem is if you buy a sandwich, snack, and soft drink together, you are given a discount. I think some couvenience stores in Japan also adopt this system...Bento + drink = 500 yen! BTW, 2.95 pounds equal 357yen. Oh, that's good!

Why do you think these things look so delicious?

Compared with Japanese sandwiches in Seven Eleven, the quantity and package, the amount are different.

"the amount" means how many packes are there. At a convenience store in Japan, the sandwich corner is small. We need to choose from 3 or 4 types... 

10 pounds means not 1000 yen, but 1211.31 yen! OK? So each costs 430yen.

Raps are better than sandwiches for me when I want to take a quick lunch.

Why am I fascinated by them? There are a lot of fresh fruits, such as apple, grape, mango, mixed fruits...

mango is rare in Japan so I bought it first of all! But...grape was much better than it.

Wine for 6.25 pounds. =757 yen. A poor student (I) don't buy it, but I make a smile automatically.

(much cheaper than wine in Japan)

I took many photos at a certain supermarket without buying anything...the security guard man looked quizzically at me.