Green Giant Sliced Fresh Mushrooms + other Grocery Outlet notes

I love sauteed mushrooms, but fresh mushrooms can be pretty expensive when they’re not on sale (and even when they are), which is why I was happy to find an 8oz package of sliced mushrooms at Grocery Outlet for around $1.50. Unfortunately, these Green Giant sliced mushrooms are just not very good. I’ve bought them twice now, a couple of weeks apart, so I know it’s not just one bad batch.
There are three main problems with them: taste, thickness and consistency. Flavorwise, they are just not there. They are not very flavorful, even when sauteed on butter and seasoned with copious amounts of salt and the flavor they do have is slightly off. The mushrooms are pretty big and the slices are quite thick, which makes them take longer to cook but also just overall less appealing. The texture is also a little bit strange, more rubbery than for most mushrooms. We just did not enjoy them – none of us. I think it’s worth the ones at the supermarket are probably worth the extra buck or two.
Now, on other Grocery Outlet news
– GO is now selling 7oz jars of assorted dried herbs and spices for $3, which is an unbelievable price (though who really needs that much spices?). They are packaged by Gel Spice Company. I don’t know much about them other that they had a serious repeat problem with rat infestation in the 70’s and 80’s (I can only hope they’ve cured it by now). The thyme leaves I bought seem fine, but really, I wouldn’t know how to judge dry thyme leaves. I don’t see why they would be worse than the stuff at the supermarket, though. Expire in 2014.
-Got a box of Near East Tabouleh Mix for 34 cents. It expired on 2/10/11 but it’s a dry product so I think it should be fine for a while. I cooked it and didn’t find any problems.