By Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN – Would you buy your greens at Walgreens?
The ubiquitous drug store chain, which also sells a plethora of household items, has added fresh and prepared foods to its offerings at about a dozen Manhattan locations, the New York Times Diner's Journal reported.
Walgreens announced that they'd begun carrying fresh foods, including fruits and vegetables, at several Chicago locations last month. That decision was made at the urging of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, who believed the stores could become oases amidst the city's "food deserts" (areas without accessible sources of fresh food), according to an August statement.
The rational for bringing fresh foods to Manhattan stores appears to have been somewhat different.
"We launched this pilot to provide fresh foods for customers who are looking to save time or possibly eliminate time from sitting down in a restaurant," Walgreens spokeswoman Tiffani Washington told the Times. "Or even something fast to prepare for dinner that night.”
Now, hurried visitors to the Times Square Walgreens can purchase a ham and cheese sandwich on pretzel bread for just $4.99, according to the paper. And, if they're really looking to save time they can buy some for later too. A label on the sandwich claimed that it would not expire for another five years, according to the Times.
