Save on groceries - shop at ethnic markets

[disneysteve]

A new Asian supermarket opened right around the corner from us a couple of months ago and we finally went over there today to check it out and pick up a couple of items we needed for dinner. Not only do they have a tremendous selection including many, many items that simply can't be found at regular American markets, but the prices are fantastic. Even on identical items that are sold everywhere, their prices were significantly lower. We picked up what we needed for dinner as well as quite a few other things while we were there. And we only got through less than half the store before we decided to save the rest for another day.

We will definitely be shopping there more from now on. And, as I said, it's literally around the corner. It sits on the end of our development. The new store used to be a Super G supermarket and we used to shop there years ago. It's been vacant for probably 10 years. It will be so nice to have a market that close again. I love Wegmans but it's 4 miles/10-12 minutes from here. Fine for weekly shopping but a bit much when we just need something quickly.

Anyway, if you have Asian or other ethnic markets near you, check them out. You'll likely find both unique items not commonly sold elsewhere and attractive prices.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I beg to differ DS. In Los Angeles I go to 99Ranch Market or other Asian stores for unique Asian products and it seems to cost as much or more more than the regular markets. Asian markets know they have a captured clientele so they raise the prices.

[disneysteve]

I beg to differ DS. In Los Angeles I go to 99Ranch Market or other Asian stores for unique Asian products and it seems to cost as much or more more than the regular markets. Asian markets know they have a captured clientele so they raise the prices.

I guess it depends on the area. In that case, I’d recommend at least checking out the ethnic places and see how they compare.

[kork13]

It does depend alot on where the store is, and what its clientele looks like (that probably sounds worse than I mean it)... Ethnic stores in the area of town where that ethnicity tends to live (and thus are more familiar with prevailing prices, of those common ethnic foods, thereby more price-sensitive) will often have lower prices. If they're catering to hoity-toity folks (upper-middle class neighborhood in LA being a great example), they're going to bring in more premium goods & charge a higher premium for them.

I've found that even in regular supermarkets, certain ethnic foods are still often way cheaper than their American big-name counterparts. Spices are a good example. I can buy chili powder (for instance) from the Hispanic section for ~40% less cost per ounce than all the other options in the spices section one aisle over. Not totally sure why, but I guess it's a factor of lower advertising & overhead costs, and perhaps by importing them vs. using American ingredients? Either way, I consider myself fairly particular with my spices, and I've almost never noticed any of them to be poor quality.

[QuarterMillionMan]

99 Ranch Market $1.69/lb grapes.



Von's grapes .99 cents a lb.

[Snicks]

I live in rural PA so the only ethnic markets around here are Amish stores.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Indian grocery stores for spices in bulk is amazingly cheap.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Oh my goodness, yes! There are two particular stores we visit. They are owned by the same family but one is close to us in the city and the other is out in a suburb.

The city one is more focused on basics alone, while the suburban one has a lot more choice (such as probably 80 kinds of tea), desserts, imported candies, beers, and soft drinks, and a much broader choice of produce. Both are excellent for prices on bulk rice, beans, noodles, grains, and flours (so many kinds of all five), spices, tofu, yogurt, phyllo dough, spring roll wraps and similar, dried fruits and nuts. The suburban one has lots of goat, lamb, beef, both frozen and fresh. The city store has fresh fish. Uh, really fresh: you point to the fish you want and the guy behind the pool catches it with a net. The suburban store has a deli.

These stores started out as Asian in general, but really expanded. The stores are divided more or less by country of food origin, with national flags hanging above the aisles to sign whether you might find garam, mint jelly, corn husks, manioc, or konjac, etc.

My husband loves it that we can buy this huge Slavic poppy seed roll that his grandmother used to make. Now I don't ever make it for him; it is so good and authentic, and his grandma's recipe was enough to feed an army. Maybe two armies. So we just buy the one that is big enough to feed a quarter of an army, but it is still huge.

[disneysteve]

The city store has fresh fish. Uh, really fresh: you point to the fish you want and the guy behind the pool catches it with a net.

This Asian market is the same way. I wish my wife wasn't allergic to fish. The tilapia looked great.

[myrdale]

We have several Mexican markets around. For the most part they are hole in the wall locations. I've got a short list of items I purchase specifically from them. Make sure you check the expiration dates as I've stacks of canned goods with a nice thick blanket of dust.

We have a couple of bargain bin stores also that get trailers full of common goods in. Most of which again, are near or past the expiration date.

[scfr]

Yes, definitely worth checking out!

[disneysteve]

We have several Mexican markets around. For the most part they are hole in the wall locations. I've got a short list of items I purchase specifically from them. Make sure you check the expiration dates as I've stacks of canned goods with a nice thick blanket of dust.

We have a couple of bargain bin stores also that get trailers full of common goods in. Most of which again, are near or past the expiration date.

There is a farmer's market sort of indoor place not too far from us that has a grocery surplus store. Pretty much everything the sell is past date but it's all non-perishable stuff where the date really doesn't matter but the regular stores can't sell it. We don't go there often as it isn't super close but we have bought a number of things there.

There's a Mexican store attached to our favorite Mexican restaurant. My wife went there once because we wanted authentic Mexican sweets to bring to a friend's house when we were going there for a homemade Mexican dinner. And I stopped in once recently because I found out they sell the same tamales that the restaurant serves (which we love). The one challenge is that when I was there, the woman working didn't speak English. Fortunately, I knew enough Spanish to tell her I wanted chicken tamales. I didn't look around the store though.

[disneysteve]

There's also a small shop attached to the Middle Eastern restaurant we frequent. My wife loves the coffee they sell there but we haven't really gotten much else. The place is really tiny.

[QuarterMillionMan]

This Asian market is the same way. I wish my wife wasn't allergic to fish. The tilapia looked great.

Disneysteve, around 1999, I too became allergic to fish/shellfish. I used to love it. Now I get violently ill eating it, I get severe hives and anaphyllaxis (spelling?) where I cannot breathe. I have epipens for emergency use if needed. I used to love crab, shrimps, lobster, clams, salmon, etc.

Edit to add, prior to becoming allergic to shellfish I'd get a live Dungeness crab, or live tilipia, or live lobster from the Asian market and they cook it fresh, man that was good stuff.

[disneysteve]

Disneysteve, around 1999, I too became allergic to fish/shellfish. I used to love it. Now I get violently ill eating it, I get severe hives and anaphyllaxis (spelling?) where I cannot breathe. I have epipens for emergency use if needed. I used to love crab, shrimps, lobster, clams, salmon, etc.

Edit to add, prior to becoming allergic to shellfish I'd get a live Dungeness crab, or live tilipia, or live lobster from the Asian market and they cook it fresh, man that was good stuff.

Yeah, she developed her allergy right around the time we got married. It took 3 or 4 episodes for us to put 2 and 2 together and realize it was the seafood causing the problem. Ever since, no seafood in the house. She's okay with me eating it when we go out. She just can't have any.