27 surprise bags purchased in August 2023

If you want to save money on food and rescue unsold uneaten food from being wasted, you can try out the smartphone app called “Too Good to Go”.  You can buy “mystery bags” or “surprise bags” of food from participating restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, convenience stores, etc. for one third of what the food would normally cost.  It has been so fun for me to see what the store will put in the surprise bag!  In addition, I have been able to try so many new restaurants and stores this way. ^_^ 

(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.  E.g. If a surprise bag costs $7.99, the minimum value of goods received should be worth $24.)

Here are my Too Good To Go surprise bags bought in August 2023 (27 surprise bags):

August 1, 2023:

Momo Snack TGTG $7.99 surprise bag

• Momo Snack (Langham Square)
• 8339 Kennedy Rd., #2608, Unionville
• Pick up time:  5 to 6 p.m.
• Surprise Snack Bag:  $7.99 plus tax = $9.03
• Contents:  Dried lemons $6, Goldfish $2, Gummies $3, Dried Fish $7, Sugared Dried Orange Peels $6, Pack of assorted gummies.  Total value: $24. ✅
• Definitely an interesting assortment of mostly Asian snacks!  The total value was right on the nose too.

August 7, 2023:

Metro TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Metro (6201 Bathurst St)
• 6201 Bathurst St., 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, Honeydew Chunks $4.99, Colourful Coleslaw Salad $3.49, Fresh Vegetable Kebab $6.99, Chopped Kale $3.99.  Total value: $23.45. ✅
• Very fresh.  All BB dates either on pickup date or a day later.  Loved how fresh the coleslaw was in the bag, especially since the last couple of similar bags yielded in wet or ugly-looking salads.
• Can’t prove it was the culprit for sure, but both me and my mother had some sort of food poisoning after having the salads for dinner.  It all tasted so fresh and looked good though…

Tanuki Restaurant TGTG $6.99 surprise bags (2)

• Tanuki Restaurant
• 3160 Steeles Ave. E, Markham
• Pick up time:  12 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• 2 Surprise Bags:  $6.99 x2 plus tax = $15.80
• Contents:  Tonkatsu Curry with white rice.  Karaage with white rice and corn.
• Mostly delicious as usual.  We didn’t receive accompanying spam musubi this time.

August 10, 2023:

Bruno’s Fine Foods TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Bruno’s Fine Foods (Richmond Hill)
• 9665 Bayview Ave., Richmond Hill
• Pick up time:  12 to 3 p.m.
• Prepared Foods:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  BBQ Chicken Breast $8.99, BBQ Spareribs $12.59, Perogies with cheese $11.59.  Total value: $33.17. ✅
• I was excited to finally see another prepared meals bag from Bruno’s.  The last time we got was amazing.  However, this time, one word from this bag I have to say is: rancid.
• The perogies’ BB date was the date of pickup but there was no BB dates for the 2 meat items.  The food did not taste fresh and tasted rancid.  It was really disgusting.

August 12, 2023:

Cinnzeo TGTG $7.99 surprise bag

• Cinnzeo (Niagara Falls)
•  6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls
• Pick up time:  9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Assorted Baked Goods:  $7.99 plus tax = $9.03
• Contents:  Minirolls (9 pack) $23.99, 3-Pack Cinnzeo Twist (Double Choco) $9.99.  Total value: $33.98. ✅
• Way over value!  Was shocked with this quantity of cinnamon rolls and chocolate twists.  So yummy.  Treats for days!  We all liked the chocolate twists more than the mini cinnamon rolls, funnily enough.  I didn’t read the label on the side of the box until it was too late.  It said “NEVER EVER” put them in the fridge as they taste better at room temperature.  Oh well.

Taibah TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Taibah
• 80 St. Paul St., St. Catharines
• Pick up time:  7:30 to 8 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents: 1 pita bread, 1 container of hummus $5.99, 1 container of plain basmati rice.
• This store at the time of pickup had a low rating of 2.7/5 stars so I knew what I was getting into.  Indeed, the surprise bag was less than I thought it would be.  The food was hot and fresh but definitely not worth the value.  Couldn’t they have included some meats?
• (Interestingly enough, after I had picked this up at the PU time of 7:30 to 8 p.m., the store subsequently changed the PU hours to the early hours of 1 to 2 a.m.!  I got this bag right in time before they made the change.)

Everest Tandoori Kitchen TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Everest Tandoori Kitchen
• 400 Scott St., St. Catharines
• Pick up time:  9 to 10 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  1 large container of Plain Basmati Rice $3.99, Chana Masala (chickpeas cooked in tangy tomato based sauce, onion, and garlic or ginger) $13.50, Daal Fry (lentil recipe tur dal [pigeon pea lentils], onions, tomatoes and spices) $13.50, 2 gulab jamun, 1 container of assorted Indian desserts (dilbahar, pink cham cham, rasgulla, 2 besan barfi).  Total value:  $30.99+. ✅
• This was a fantastic bag!  The food was hot and ready to eat.  Initially, I didn’t know what the items were that I had received, but I tried them and looked them up on their website and if I’m not mistaken, the two dishes were Chana Masala and Daal Fry –vegetarian main entrees.  The chickpeas one was a bit spicy but very delicious.  I loved the assortment of sweet Indian desserts too.

August 13, 2023:

The Keto Crumb TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• The Keto Crumb
• 30 Church St., St. Catharines
• Pick up time:  4:30 to 5 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $4.99 (no tax)
• Contents:  Lemon Coconut $3.95, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake $3.95, Blueberry cheesecake $6.50.  Total value: $14.40. ❌
• A little underwhelming to receive these three items in the box but it was great to try keto desserts from this bakery.  They were tasty.

Caribbean Eatery TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Caribbean Eatery
• 134 Lake St., St. Catharines
• Pick up time:  8 to 9 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $6.99 (no tax)
• Contents:  Jerk chicken and oxtail on rice and peas.
• This was a hefty portion!  We had to wait for it to be freshly made.  It was piping hot and ready to eat.  The oxtail was so tender.  There was a kick of spice to it.  I spent 3 days eating this for breakfast.  There was so much of it!
• The restaurant seemed very authentic and they had lots of Caribbean and Jamaican items too (like ackee and salt fish), and the customers and the man working there made mention of a peanut punch drink.  (Half wish they threw in a fresh Jamaican patty into the surprise bag too because I saw them in the food warmer.)

August 14, 2023:

Shooks:  A Taste of Jamaica TGTG $7.99 surprise bag

• Shooks:  A Taste of Jamaica
• 5983 Clark Ave., Niagara Falls
• Pick up time:  7:30 to 8 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $7.99 plus tax = $9.03
• Contents:  Jerk chicken and curry chicken on rice and beans.
• The chicken here were a bit cut up and loose.  Had to be careful there were chicken bones embedded in the rice.  The food paled in comparison to the previous night’s jerk chicken and rice and peas.

August 15, 2023:

Caffe Gatti TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Caffe Gatti
• 3 Race St., St. Catharines
• Pick up time:  5 to 5:30 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  Assorted European cookies and pastries (4 profiteroles, 2 tarts, 7 shortbread cookies/cookies with filling/chocolate dipped cookies).
• I was actually underwhelmed with this bag.  I thought that I would have received some pizza considering they sell lots of it in the store.  The last thing I suspected were cookies.  The cookies and pastries tasted fine.

August 17, 2023:

Itty Bitty Pie Company TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Itty Bitty Pie Company
• 18 Secord Dr., St. Catharines
• Pick up time:  12 to 1 p.m.
• Sweet Mini Pies Surprise Bag:  $6.99 (no tax)
• Contents:  6 sweet mini pies (2 peanut butter cream, 1 coconut cream, 1 mixed berry, 2 peach) for $17.  Total value: $17. ❌
• These were very fresh and delicious.  The peanut butter cream mini pie was especially a standout.  The seasonal peach one was very fresh too.  Rather than say these are “mini pies”, I think they are just like tarts instead.  What would be the difference between a mini pie and a tart? 🤔

Sini Bakes TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Sini Bakes
• 7 Race St., St. Catharines
• Pick up time:  6 to 6:30 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  Caramel Oreo Cake Box $12.59, Cookie & Cream Cupcake $2.88.  Total value: $15.47. ✅
• We were surprised to find a Korean/Asian bakery in St. Catharines.  The cakes were light and tasted good.

August 18, 2023:

Just Crepe N Around Cafe TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Just Crepe N Around Cafe
• 233 Parkdale Ave. N., Hamilton
• Pick up time:  12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  2 crepes (1 sweet, 1 savory) ($10 each), 2 chocolate chip cookies, 1 scoop of ice cream $2, 1 cold drink of choice (bottled water) $0.50.  Total value:  $22.50+. ✅
• I loved this bag and the experience when picking it up!  The owner (I assume) was so warm and friendly.  It made such a lasting impression on me.  She was super nice and asked me if I was allergic to nuts before making the crepes and also gave me the choice of getting any drink I wanted from the fridge.  The crepes were freshly made on the spot.  I loved the variety of items in this bag!  The crepes were simple but delicious.  The savory one had cheese, onions, and spinach.  The sweet one had banana, chocolate, and nuts.  The chocolate chip cookies were soft and nice and the ice cream was such a bonus treat.  I’m so glad I looked into the bag to see that it was ice cream and ate it right away.  If I didn’t look, I would have brought it home and it would have all melted.

Freshslice TGTG $7.99 surprise bag

• Freshslice (Hamilton – Barton)
• 1241 Barton St. E., Hamilton
• Pick up time:  10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $7.99 plus tax = $9.03
• Contents:  1 whole pepperoni pizza (zesty tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni) $15.99.  Total value:  $15.99. ❌
• My first time getting a whole pizza from a store on TGTG!  I had known that Freshslice’s surprise bags were generous with giving a box of pizza usually.  The pizza was pretty good.

The Hearty Hooligan TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• The Hearty Hooligan
• 292 Ottawa St. N., Hamilton
• Pick up time:  10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Vegan Baked Goods:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  3 frosted cupcakes ($2.92 each), 1 chocolate chip cookie ($1.67 each), 1 Punkaroo Cookie Sandwich $4.99.  Total value: $15.42. ✅
• Very oily.  By the time I brought the box home, oil had seeped out on the box.  Very sweet vegan baked goods that aren’t my cup of tea.  The red mushroom cupcake had a very bitter tasting frosting.  Didn’t like these at all although nice to try.  The punkaroo cookie was large and heavy and had peanut butter and jam inside it.

Freshway Market Plus TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Freshway Market Plus
• 353 Iroquois Shore Rd., Oakville
• Pick up time:  11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $4.99 (no tax)
• Contents: 2 packs of “barbeku aromasi” seasoning, 4-cheese blend, cream cheese, 4 tomatoes, 7 potatoes, 2 cucumbers/gourds, 2 mangos.
• There was a bit of a wait time when picking up this bag.  Picked this up on August 18 and the 4-cheese blend’s BB date was August 11!  That’s past the BB date.  Luckily, we inspected it and it looked fine to eat.  It was okay to cook with and we didn’t have any issues after eating it.  I gave away the seasoning packets because we don’t use those.

August 19, 2023:

Yin Ji Chang Fen TGTG $5.99 surprise bag

• Yin Ji Chang Fen (Unionville)
• 4981 Hwy 7, unit 13, Unionville
• Pick up time:  11:35 to 11:55 p.m.
• Prepared Meal:  $5.99 plus tax = $6.77
• Contents:  1 Plain Congee with preserved vegetables $4.25, 2 Sticky Rice Wrap $5.75, tub of 10 Hong Kong Style Curry Fish Balls (8 for $5.99).  Total value: $17.49. ❌
• Yum!  I love their surprise bags.  This was a nice assortment of hot goods ready to eat.  I finally got to try their curry fish balls.  The curry was super rich and spicy; it would go well with white rice.  The plain congee was as “meen” and smooth as usual.

August 20, 2023:

Baker Duck TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Baker Duck (Denison)
• 1661 Denison St., Markham
• Pick up time:  10 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Assorted Baked Goods:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  6 assorted buns: Mini Breaded Scallop Bun $2.99, New Orleans Fried Chicken bun $2.80, Chicken Nugget Bun $3.99, Plain Donut $1.80, Baker Duck Pizza $2.80, cinnamon sweet sticks.  Total value: $14.38+. ✅
• Nice to try more buns from Baker Duck.

Saint Germain Bakery TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Saint Germain Bakery (Hillcrest)
• Unit J016, 9350 Yonge St., Richmond Hill
• Pick up time:  12 to 3 p.m.
• Assorted Products:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  7 assorted Chinese buns.
• Such a great deal for these quality buns.

August 22, 2023:

Calitek International Trading Ltd. TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Calitek International Trading Ltd.
• 3315 14th Ave., Markham
• Pick up time:  3 to 5 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Snail noodles, 2 rice noodles, spicy soup base, can of tuna, 2 chocolate cups with nuts, 2 lollipops, 1 drink.
• I noticed on Reddit that someone said this surprise bag was pretty good, so I decided to bite the bullet to try despite it having a low rating (3.2/5 at the time of pickup).  The items we got — not bad, not bad.  The candies are definitely random.  We got to try these types of rice noodles for the first time.  They are actually pretty tasty but all past the BB date.

August 25, 2023:

Elmer’s Fine Food TGTG $6.99 surprise bag

• Elmer’s Fine Food
• 1027 Pape Ave., East York
• Pick up time:  7:30 to 8:15 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $6.99 plus tax = $7.90
• Contents:  Menudo (tender pork, vegetables, liver spread and raisins in a thick tomato sauce) $13, Pancit bihon $14.  Total value:  $27.
• The Filipino food was delicious!  (I’m not 100% sure it was menudo because I think I tasted oxtail too.)  However, the portion was really small.  Like another store I commented on before (Happy Meal Canada Inc.), they use smaller-than-usual containers for the food.  It is very deceiving because you think from the photo that there is enough food but when the container is small, the portion is small too.

August 30, 2023:

Hokkaido Bakery TGTG $11.99 surprise bag

• Hokkaido Bakery (Markham)
• Unit 7, 11 Fairburn Dr., Markham
• Pick up time:  12:30 to 5:45 p.m.
• Surprise Parfait (Light):  $11.99 plus tax = $13.55
• Contents:  2 Strawberry Parfait Cake, 1 Chocolate Parfait Cake ($12 each).  Total value: $36. ✅
• Very light cake with layers of cream and fruit in a can.  Interesting concept.  Cake tasted good the first day we ate it.  Left one can to eat a few days later (not expired) and the quality of the cake diminished by far.

August 31, 2023:

LinkGlobal Food Inc. 乐广福食品公司 TGTG $7.99 surprise bag

• LinkGlobal Food Inc. 乐广福食品公司
• 7550 Birchmount Rd., Markham
• Pick up time:  1:30 to 5 p.m.
• Surprise Bag (Noodles) 速食麵盲盒:  $7.99 plus tax = $9.03
• Contents:  小龙坎 重庆小面  $2, Beef noodles, Snail noodle, knife-cut noodles, instant Japanese potatoes, 2 rice noodles, 1 mixed sauce noodle.
• Lots of noodles!  I was hoping for cup noodles, but these were fine too.  Lots of Chinese-branded noodles that we wouldn’t normally buy.  Good value bag.  The box of Sanrio character chocolates was given for free as a bonus.

Lee’s Kitchen Chinese Food TGTG $7.99 surprise bag

• Lee’s Kitchen Chinese Food
• 5694 Hwy 7, Markham
• Pick up time:  7:30 to 8 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $7.99 plus tax = $9.03
• Contents:  Chicken with black beans sauce on ho fun $14.75, 8 dumplings $8.20, 1 soy milk drink.
• Wow, this store is a hidden gem on TGTG!  The food was freshly made on the spot.  It meant that I had to wait for at least 10 minutes for it (and I felt impatient while doing so), but it was worth it.  Nine bucks for this hot and generous meal.  The food was really tasty!  Too bad I don’t live near this store, otherwise I would get this bag often.  Good solid Chinese food!

Swiss Chalet TGTG $4.99 surprise bag

• Swiss Chalet (5070 Hwy 7)
• 5070 Hwy 7, Markham
• Pick up time:  8 to 9 p.m.
• Surprise Bag:  $4.99 plus tax = $5.64
• Contents:  5 sides:  1 Garden Salad $6.99, 1 creamy Mashed Potatoes $3.49, 1 Creamy Coleslaw, 2 Chalet Chicken Soups $10.99.  Total value:  $21.47. ✅
• I got to try a surprise bag from Swiss Chalet!  Great selection of soup and salads!  I would love to get this bag again if they expand to the rest of their locations.  As of the time of pickup, they only seem to have 3 stores partnered with the app in the GTA.

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