The hauls I got from Too Good To Go in May 2023

Download and use the free Too Good To Go app to help restaurants, grocery stores, and convenience stores save food from going to the waste for a one third of the original price.  Here are my Too Good to Go hauls in May 2023 (29 surprise bags) from the Greater Toronto Area. 

I have to admit that I was quite frustrated with many of the surprise bags this month.  Many of the vendors decided to nickel and dime the surprise bags, which meant that they didn’t put enough items into them and they didn’t reach the minimum value.  If I buy a surprise bag for $6.99, the rule is that I should expect to receive three times worth what I paid for — so I should be getting $21 of food.  However, so many vendors this month decided to skimp out and not fulfil this promise.

Furthermore, my frustration fueled with the delays of the Too Good To Go customer service reps taking a long time to respond to my inquiries.  They used to respond in a day or two and were generous to give vouchers upon receiving unsatisfactory encounters.  This month, I noticed that the reps started pushing back on complaints and making excuses for the vendor by saying things like “you got a good value for what you paid for” and thus withholding compensation for undervalued bags.  This was very frustrating.  If I wanted to buy food that is expiring at a discount cost, I can do so at any grocery store discount shelf.  But when I buy a “surprise” bag where I don’t know the contents at all, I expect to get what I paid for (three times the original cost).  This was a very frustrating month of purchases, but I still believe in the idea of the app and for the most part still found the surprises fun.

(Like my other TGTG blog posts, where there is a clear price tag of the goods, surprise bags that meet or are above the minimum value are marked with a green checkmark and surprise bags that do not meet the minimum value are marked with a red X.)

May 3, 2023:

Boreal Gateau & Creamery TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Boreal Gateau & Creamery
• 2-205 Main St Unionville, Unionville
• Pick up time:  7 to 8 p.m.
• Pastries:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Half of 1 Chocolate Caramel Truffle Cake (chocolate ice cream, caramel, chocolate crust) (a regular 5 inch cake is $42).  Total value: $21. ✅
• Wow, I finally got to try one of their infamous glazed ice cream cakes!  I was so thrilled with this pickup!  It was decadent with caramel and chocolate ice cream and a chocolate crust.  It was fast to melt.

May 4, 2023:

Metro TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Metro (20 Church Ave)
• 20 Church Ave., North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 6 p.m.
• Assorted Fruit & Salad:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Dole Italian Salad Kit, Chop Chop $5.99, Dole Very Veggie Salad $4.99, Small Watermelon Chunks $4.99, Small Simply Garden Salad $6.99, Soyganic Organic Extra Firm Tofu, Peach Mango Flavoured Dessert Tofu $2.29.  Total value: $25.25. ✅
• Another great salad bag from Metro!  This time, we got some tofu too (pan-fried it with pork) and had the mango peach tofu for dessert.

Baker Duck TGTG $3.99 surprise bag

• Baker Duck (Denison)
• 1661 Denison St., Markham
• Pick up time:  10 a.m. to 7:40 p.m.
• Assorted Baked Goods:  $3.99 plus tax = $4.51
• Contents:  2 Chicken Nugget Burgers ($3.99 each), 1 croissant, a pack of coconut cocktail buns $2.99.  Total value: $10.97+. ✅
• My first time finally trying the popular Baker Duck bakery!  It was nice to receive a mix of sweet and savoury baked goods.  The soft coconut buns are like a childhood nostalgic bread that I haven’t had in a long time.

Tanuki Restaurant TGTG $6.99 surprise bags (x2)

• Tanuki Restaurant
• 3160 Steeles Ave. E, Markham
• Pick up time:  6:15 to 9 p.m.
• Surprise Bags (x2):   $13.98 plus tax = $15.80
• Contents:  Chicken Karaage, fried rice; Corn and shrimp croquettes, white rice, vegetables; 4 Spam Musubis ($5 for two).
• This was such a pleasant surprise!  The hubs was one of the first to arrive at the store to pick up the bags and once again had a choice.  This time, the staff included two packs of Spam Musubi as well!  They were on the table showing $5 per pack.
• Good Japanese fusion food as usual.  The corn and shrimp croquettes were larger this time around and tasted better than the first time we got them.  The chicken karaage would still be better to be enjoyed fresh and crispy at the restaurant.  The spam musubi were so big and tasty.

May 7, 2023:

Sunset Bakery by Hena TGTG $10.99 surprise bag

• Sunset Bakery by Hena
• 95 Havenbrook Blvd., North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 4:30 p.m.
• Baked Goods Bag:  $10.99 plus tax = $12.42
• Contents:  8 frosted Halal cupcakes (strawberry, pistachio, chocolate) ($4 each), 3 madeleines, 3 almond cookies.  Total value: $32+. ✅
• The pickup experience for this surprise bag was not great.  It wasn’t until the hubs was getting ready to pick up the surprise bag that we realized the store was not a typical commercial one; it was in a residential building!
• The instructions said to buzz in, but when he arrived promptly at 3 p.m., no one answered the buzzer.  He called the listed number and no one picked up.  He waited for 10 minutes before trying again and someone finally picked up and he was able to enter the apartment bidding successfully.  All the while, I was at home worried for his safety and paranoid because who knows what could have happened to him in a strange apartment building.  Thankfully, he picked up the baked goods from the apartment unit and left safely.
• The Halal cupcakes were absolutely delicious and freshly made.  The whipped cream on each one was soft and airy.  The chocolate cupcake had had an Oreo cookie at the base, and the strawberry one was filled with lots of jam.
• The cookies were in the shape of hearts and an Eiffel Tower (paying homage to the baker’s hometown).  The madeleines were soft and very sweet.

May 10, 2023:

Togo Cafe TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Togo Cafe
• 4300 Steeles Ave. E, B71B, Markham
• Pick up time:  3 to 6 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  3 fruit infused soda drinks, 1 iced coffee.
• Watered-down soda drinks and meh.  They were refreshing though for the summer.  The iced coffee was fine.

May 11, 2023:

Metro TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Metro (20 Church Ave)
• 20 Church Ave., North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 6 p.m.
• Assorted Fruit & Salad:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Mini Greek Salad $3.99, Small Caesar Salad with Real Bacon $6.99, Half Papaya $2.87, Small Mixed Berry Sensation $6.99, Plant-Based Chicken Tenders $4.99.  Total value: $25.83. ✅
• Another great salad bag!  The 2 salads were excellent.  We ate the berries right away because they were starting to go.  The plant-based chicken tenders were unique and fun to try.

Grodzinski Bakery TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Grodzinski Bakery
• 1118 Centre St, Thornhill
• Pick up time:  4:45 to 5 p.m.
• Baked Goods:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  1 German style apple strudel, 2 pastries.
• There were no best before dates on the baked goods.  The apple strudel tasted like it was definitely approaching its best before date.  I wasn’t sure what the 2 pastries were exactly as there was no label, but it had cinnamon and cream cheese so maybe it was some kind of apple cinnamon Danish.  One of them tasted better than the other.

May 12, 2023:

Alma Bakery TGTG $7.99 surprise bag

• Alma Bakery
• Unit 64 – 40 Magnetic Dr., North York
• Pick up time:  1 to 5 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $7.99 plus tax = $9.03
• Contents:  2 Original Hummus ($6 each), 1 Multi-Seed Bread $8, Herb & Garlic Bread $8.  Total value:  $28. ✅
• I didn’t have a good pickup experience at this store.  First of all, I couldn’t find the store.  There was no signage showing the name.  The door of unit 64 showed a different business name than “Alma Bakery”.  I tried to open the door anyway, but the door was locked.  I walked into the business next to it to inquire about the bakery and the nice female staff there told me that the locked door should be the business.  I ended up looking up the phone number on Google Maps and called.  Thankfully, someone answered and told me I was at the right place.  He saw me from the window and told me to wait a few minutes.  I was in a rush and didn’t enjoy the wait time.  When he finally came out with the paper bag of goods, he told me that the goods were perishable and needed to be put in the fridge.  I told him that I couldn’t find the name of the bakery.  He told me that the name was at the back of the building where the loading zone was.  Um… that’s really unhelpful.  Why would I think to go to the loading zone to pick up the surprise bag?  This was the first time I had to call a store in order to pick up the surprise bag because their door was locked.  The area of the store was in a factory/warehouse complex.
• I was disappointed with the contents.  I didn’t think that the contents added up to the value of $24, but when I looked up their website, they actually do.  The two breads tasted mediocre, maybe just a bit fragrant with herbs.  The two hummus were homemade and frozen.  When defrosted, they tasted strongly of garlic and herbs.

Goldie’s – An Eisenbergs Company TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Goldie’s – An Eisenbergs Company
• 4580 Dufferin St., North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 5 p.m.
• Baked Goods & Assorted Juices:  $6.99 (no tax)
• Contents:  2 fresh juices (lemonade, orange) ($4.95 each), 2 Danishes, 4 bagels, 1 homemade bread.
• Best Danishes I’ve had to date (they were taken straight from the display case — truly the last two remaining before the store closed) and they tasted so good and light.  Nice bagels of assorted flavours.  I would totally get this bag again.  The lemonade was very refreshing during the hot weather.

May 15, 2023:

Palgong Tea Metro Square TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Palgong Tea (Metro Square)
• 3636 Steeles Ave. E, Markham
• Pick up time:  7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  1 large size Winter Melon Tea ($5.99), 1 large size Black Sugar Milk Tea ($6.49).  No toppings in the drinks.  Total value: $12.48.  ❌
• Both drinks were freshly made upon pickup with no option for customization.  The milk tea was very bland.  The winter melon tea was sweet and soothing.

May 16, 2023:

Cream Factory TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Cream Factory (Markham)
• 17 Ivanhoe Dr., Markham
• Pick up time:  6 to 6:30 p.m.
• Surprise Bag – Fresh Baked Cakes:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  Very Berry Cake Box $8.99, Salted Oreo Cake Box $8.99.  Total value:  $17.98.  ❌
• Nice to try cake in a box from a new store on the app.  It seems like cake in a box are so popular these days?!

May 17, 2023:

Toronto Yatai TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Toronto Yatai
• 7500 Woodbine Ave., Markham
• Pick up time:  11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Lunch Boxes:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  Tuna Kewpie Mayo Onigirazu $4.99, Sukiyaki Beef Bento box $11.80.  Total value:  $16.79. ✅
• Amazing deal for a meal!

May 18, 2023:

Ginger’s Cupcakes & Desserts TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Ginger’s Cupcakes & Desserts
• 14 Wellington St. E, Aurora
• Pick up time:  4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
• Assorted Pastries:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  6 frosted nut-free cupcakes:  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Coconut Mojito, White Chocolate Mixed Berry, Sunbutter Chocolate, Banana Butterscotch, Tropical Carrot.  (Regular price for half a dozen cupcakes is $26).  Total value:  $26. ✅
• It was nice to try nut-free cupcakes.  Unfortunately, I thought the frosting was very sweet and the cupcake kind of dry.  Great deal though.

Metro TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Metro (1 Henderson Dr)
• 1 Henderson Dr., Aurora
• Pick up time:  4 to 6 p.m.
• Baked Goods:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  2 Cheese Buns $2.99, 4 Chocolate Boston Filled Donuts $5.69, 8 Sesame Seed Hot Dog Rolls $3.59, 6 English Style Toffee Muffins $6.29.  Total value: $18.56. ✅
• The Boston cream donuts were delicious.  The flavour of toffee muffins was new to me and on the sweeter end.  Everything else was still fresh and good.

May 19, 2023:

Metro TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Metro (20 Church Ave)
• 20 Church Ave., North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 6 p.m.
• Assorted Fruit & Salad:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Small coconut chunks $4.99, Zucchini spirals. $5.99, Veggie spirals stir fry kit $5.99, Broccoli florets $4.99.  Total value: $21.96. ✅
• Yet another great salad bag!  I loved the veggie spirals (didn’t know that Metro carried these premade veggie spiral products) and broccoli florets.  My mom used the coconut chunks to make Chinese soup the following week.

May 20, 2023:

P&F Meat Products TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• P&F Meat Products
• 10768 Victoria Square Blvd., Markham
• Pick up time:  1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Assorted Groceries:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  1 pack of tortillas $5.99, store-made brisket $7.99, guacamole $6.99, 2 raised chocolate donuts $4.99. Total value: $25.96. ✅
• My first time picking up a surprise bag from this small grocery store near Woodbine & Elgin Mills.  All the products selected were great and met value.  It was just really unfortunate that the tortillas had pink mold on them upon opening the package. 😦
• The brisket was on the saltier side, and the guacamole was starting to go too.  It was 2 days past the BBD.  (Why couldn’t the staff have put this in a surprise bag two or three days prior?!)
• I was also excited to receive all the products in a “too good to go” branded paper bag for the first time haha.

Happy Meal Canada Inc. TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Happy Meal Canada Inc.
• 9390 Woodbine Ave., Markham
• Pick up time:  7:30 to 8 p.m.
• Dinner:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  Taiwanese braised pork belly $10.99, rice, hot and sour soup $6.99, black sesame paste dessert $3.99.  Total value: $21.97. ✅
• I was so happy to see this store join the app!  More prepared foods/hot meal bags are desirable than just baked goods all the time (not healthy to eat all those carbs all the time).  And especially so because this store was so close to me — just less than 5 minutes to get to!
• This store is in the food court at King Square shopping centre.  This was the “dinner” surprise bag.  It tasted really good and was a great deal!

Boreal Gateau & Creamery TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Boreal Gateau & Creamery
• 2-205 Main St Unionville, Unionville
• Pick up time:  8 to 9 p.m.
• Pastries:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  1 Milk Tea Croissant $5.75, 1 tub of Hibiscus Sorbet $13.  Total value: $18.75.  ❌
• I was pleasantly surprised with this bag!  We got a croissant and a tub of sorbet!  The Hibiscus Sorbet was refreshing and unique while the sweet croissant was good too.

May 21, 2023:

Happy Meal Canada Inc. TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Happy Meal Canada Inc.
• 9390 Woodbine Ave.,  Markham
• Pick up time:  3 to 4 p.m.
• Lunch:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  Braised Chicken Drumstick on Rice $10.99, Sesame Ball $1.33.  Total value: $12.32.  ❌
• The “lunch” surprise bag was so skimpy and did not meet value at all.  This was so disappointing because the dinner bag had been so great!  The chicken drumstick was all right.  The vegetables were fresh and they seemed like they used quality ingredients to cook it.

Happy Meal Canada Inc. TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Happy Meal Canada Inc.
• 9390 Woodbine Ave.,  Markham
• Pick up time:  7:30 to 8 p.m.
• Dinner:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  Small piece of deep fried pork chop, 2 pieces of popcorn chicken, tofu, cucumbers, rice.
• This is the second surprise bag from this store that doesn’t fulfil the one third minimum value.  The food was tasty though and the tofu was especially fresh.  This was such a sad contrast to the first “dinner” surprise bag we got.  What happened?!

May 25, 2023:

Metro TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Metro (20 Church Ave)
• 20 Church Ave., North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 6 p.m.
• Assorted Fruit & Salad:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Very Veggie Salad $4.99 x3, Mini Sweet Peppers $5.49, Alfalfa Sprouts $2.49, Blackberries $4.99, Broccoli Crown $2.99 x3, Portabella Mushrooms $5.49, Sliced Crimini Mushrooms $3.49 x2.  Total value: $49.38. ✅
• Shocked we got all of this in just one surprise bag.  It was way over the minimum value of $21 and we actually think there were two bags’ worth in this one!
• I loved eating the fresh alfalfa sprouts, the 3 kinds of mushrooms, and the fresh salad kids.  The 3 crowns of broccoli were good for a couple of days in the fridge too!

Longo’s TGTG $8.99 surprise bag

• Longo’s (Bayview Ave)
• 7355 Bayview Ave., Markham
• Pick up time:  5 to 7 p.m.
• Prepared Foods:  $8.99 plus tax = $10.16
• Contents:  2 Mushroom Bauletti with Rose Sauce ($7.99 each), Super Green Vegetable Mix $5.99, Vegetable Fried Rice $7.99, Chicken Burrito $7.99.  Total value: $37.95. ✅
• First time purchasing a Longo’s Prepared Foods bag again after the tax increase in March and also after Longo’s added a dollar to all of their surprise bags.
• First time eating mushroom bauletti and it was delicious (they’re like little lasagna pockets with mushroom stuffing).  The Super Green Vegetable Mix stir-fry was great and a deceivingly generous portion.  The Chicken Burrito was loaded and tasty too!  A great haul.  No wonder this location of Longo’s is rated so highly and always sold out quickly.

May 27, 2023:

Metro TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Metro (291 York Mills Rd)
• 291 York Mills Rd, North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 6 p.m.
• Assorted Fruit & Salad:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Oyster Mushrooms $3.99, Sliced White Mushrooms $3.49, Sliced Crimini Mushrooms $3.49, Classic Romaine Salad Mix $4.99, Stringless Sugar Snap Peas $5.49, Snow Peas $5.49, Pea Shoots $3.99, Micro Arugula $3.99, Micro Broccoli $3.99.  Total value: $38.91. ✅
• Amazing value.  The micro greens were a new item to us and great to try.  I discovered that I really like the stringless super snap peas; they’re so crisp and non-chewy.  So many greens!  We’ve been eating so much more veg than usual thanks to all these great salad bags from Metro.

May 28, 2023:

Fresh Choice Store TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Fresh Choice Store
• 809 O’Connor Dr., East York
• Pick up time:  10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Surprise Bag – Groceries & Convenience Store Goods:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  3 candy bars, 2 packs of seasoned peanuts, 2 cans of pop, ketchup, 1 pack of hot dog buns, assorted produce and fruit (pumpkin, garlic, orange pepper, green onions, lemon).
• The quantity of food products was impressive but the quality was meh.  All of the packaged products except the ketchup were past the BBD.  It was fun to try out the different candy bars as we never would have purchased these otherwise.  The salt & pepper peanuts and jerk peanuts were tasty!

Marche Leo’s Market TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Marche Leo’s Market (North York)
• 150 Wynford Dr., North York
• Pick up time:  11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Prepared Items:  $6.99 (no tax)
• Contents:  Vegan Channa Rice $11.95, Montreal smoked meat sandwich on rye bread $7.99, honeydew chunks $4.99.  Total value: $24.93. ✅
• Nice to try this lux supermarket and I liked that there was no tax.  The vegan channa rice was mediocre.  The smoked meat sandwich was actually 3 days past its BBD and I was afraid there might have been mold or spores on it.  I checked it thoroughly before eating and didn’t get sick after eating it (thank goodness).  The honeydew was still good for another 3 days.

Marche Leo’s Market TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Marche Leo’s Market (North York)
• 150 Wynford Dr., North York
• Pick up time:  11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Assorted Grocery Items:  $6.99 (no tax)
• Contents:  1 box of Strawberry Banana Cheerios, 2 packs of gummy candy, pack of yogurt-covered Minute Maid raisins, 1 can of Chunky beef stew, instant coffee, Diana Sauce BBQ sauce.
• I decided to pick up a grocery surprise bag here too since I was already getting the prepared foods bag.  Nice assortment of goods, but why couldn’t the staff here have placed these into a surprise bag for sale a month earlier?  Everything was past the BBD by a month.  We gave away the gummies and raisins since we weren’t a fan of the sweets.

Boreal Gateau & Creamery TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Boreal Gateau & Creamery
• 2-205 Main St Unionville, Unionville
• Pick up time:  8 to 9 p.m.
• Pastries:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  1/3 of an unglazed 7-inch ice cream cake (tasted like pumpkin spice).  (A regular 7-inch ice cream cake costs $60.)  Total value:  $20. ❌
• Yes, I measured the cake with a measuring tape to know that it was 1/3 of a 7-inch cake.  It’s disappointing that the store knowingly cut a full cake into thirds to put into 3 surprise bags.  The cake is unglazed which means that it is further below the promised value of $21.  Taste-wise, it was meh; we couldn’t figure out what flavour it tasted like for sure.

May 29, 2023:

Metro TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Metro (20 Church Ave)
• 20 Church Ave., North York
• Pick up time:  3 to 6 p.m.
• Assorted Fruit & Salad:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Small Strawberry and Almond Salad $6.99, Small Greek Salad $6.99, Spring Mix $4.99, Micro Arugula $3.99, Wonton Wraps $3.49.  Total value: $26.45. ✅
• Quality-wise, all pretty good.  The spring mix was starting to go and I had to pick out some wet leaves.  The strawberry almond salad was yummy.  First time getting wonton wraps in a salad bag which meant impromptu homemade dumplings the next day!

See what I got in my other TGTG hauls in:  January 2023,  February 2023,  March 2023,  April 2023,  May (this one),  June 2023,  July 2023,  August 2023,  September 2023,  October 2023,  November 2023,  December 2023.