๐ค I'm afraid I don't understand what all the fuss is about not having strawberries unless you grow them, because every recipe just automatically lets you cook it by just clicking on it, so you buy all the items you need for any recipe by just choosing that recipe ๐ (with the exception a couple of recopies that came with the Outdoor Retreat Game Pack, in which you actually have to go to a National Park and fish for the correct fish in order to make that recipe) ! Yes, food is better with home grown produce, but if you don't want to garden, then just have your Sims raise their cooking skill and the food quality will improve! :eahigh_file: To ensure you don't get a bad moodlet from bad tasting food, just have your Sim only cook recipes that are 1 skill level below their current level. While you can't do this until they are at Cooling level 2, it takes no time to get up to that level, especially if you have them watch the Cooking Channel every time they watch TV! ๐ They have fun and learn at the same time! Also, if you don't want to garden, just collect plant from around the neighborhood from time to time -- that way you have at least some produce on hand, but don't have to spend time watering and weeding! It is in reality, free food! ๐ฅณ
I was also going to mention what @PhysicalDelete mentioned: if you have the City Living Expansion Pack, then go to the San Myshuno town and visit the Spice Market neighborhood where there is usually a produce stand where you can buy many of the produce in the game! You can also visit the Romance Festival and the Spice Festival when they are in town and harvest from the plants they have at the festival, including a few rarer items! ๐
There really is no need for grocery stores in the game, except to mimic our real lives! ๐
I hope this helps all of you!