Grocery Efficiency

Finding the Best Ingredients…. using the least amount of US Trash Token

Anon, Where Are You Shopping For Groceries? 🛒

This started as a Twitter thread and then grew into a Bonus Sub for the week. 

Why write on this “mundane subject”?

I see a lot of people are buying the bulk of their groceries at Major Retail chains… which means you are paying a premium.

If you ask most people, grocery shopping is at the bottom of “enjoyable tasks”. Instacart, curbside etc have taken over since Covid. 

But…

Inflation is here, Fren. 

Who would have thought?!?!? 😉 

So here’s a guide on Finding the Best Ingredients… using the least amount of US Trash Token. 

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The Grocer Gems to find are your local Middle Eastern and Asian Markets. 

90% of my perishable shopping is done in these venues. 

Usually Mom & Pop run, they also carry several advantages in terms of quality and pricing. 

Middle Eastern Markets: 

Lamb: Most process lamb on-site, meaning you can buy whole, halves, primal, or the fully processed cuts that retailers expect (shanks, chops, ground, etc) 

A great resource and pricing is usually less (always in my experience).

Chicken: using the Halal process, chicken is meticulously butchered, draining the blood at slaughter and cleaned which produces great results for cooking. Highly recommend trying Halal chicken if you never have. 

Fresh Offal: Lamb, Goat, Chicken and Beef organs are frequently available and fresh. These are normal staples for the a large percentage of the customers which is great for keeping fresh offal on the shelves. 

Produce: If you have an eye for spotting good vegetables, this is heaven. I consistently average 30%+ savings by sourcing produce at my local Middle Eastern Market. 

Onions, shallots, sweet and hot peppers, multiple eggplant varietals, Persian cucumbers, okra, tomatoes and a wide array of stone fruits, citrus (incl sour orange and sweet lemon), green almonds, quince, and more. 

Herbs: You’re getting robbed at the grocery store paying $3 for a couple of sprigs of thyme. Herbs at my market are delivered every Thursday: shelves bursting with fresh mint, fenugreek, dill, cilantro, parsley, curry leaves and more… for a fraction of the price, and freshness can’t be beat. 

Olive Oil: In every container from 12oz bottles to gallon jugs. Greece, Lebanon… Virgin, Extra Virgin… you name it, they’ve got it. Great oils for all purpose use and low heat cooking. 

Condiments: Raw honeys, jarred fruits (sour cherries), pomegranate molasses, harissa paste, and tons of pickled vegetable options. 

Spices: You’ll find huge savings by getting your spices here. Again, because of the inventory turnover, you have a really good chance of getting fresher spices that haven’t been in a warehouse for 2 years. 

Dairy/Feta Cheese: Whole milk yogurt, labneh, and kefir are all in abundant supply here. Fresh feta, in large bricks… cut to order and doused in brine. I prefer the Bulgarian style, but French is a mild and delicious option too. (Add to cucumber-tomato salad or eat with watermelon 😋 )

Pita/Flatbreads: This market cranks out pita and flatbreads every day, supplying many of the Middle Eastern restaurants in the area. Depending on the time of day, the packaging is still warm from the pitas not being out of the oven for very long. Easy bread option with no preservatives. 

Rice/Lentils: Long grain rice heaven. Basmati brands of all kinds and easy to find the Premium Aged basmati rice which is delicious. You’ll find some medium grain rice options too. In addition, you’ll have a wide selection of lentil types, split vs whole, etc. Octopod loves lentils!

Asian Markets:

It goes without saying that there will be a difference between, for example, a Korean and Chinese Market but for the sake of brevity these are combined

Seafood: Markets will have set delivery days; easy to found out when, and you can plan your shopping accordingly. Crabs, Shellfish and a variety of whole fish are great finds and economical.

Herbs: Thai Basil, Rau Ram (Vietnamese coriander), Perilla, Shiso, Cilantro roots (if you’re lucky), and fresh garlic/ginger.

Fruit/Vegetables: Litchi, Citrus, Green Papaya, Bean sprouts, Lime Leaf, Fresh chilis, daikon radish, snap peas, chinese celery, long beans, pea shoots, just to name a few

Rice/Noodles: A wide variety of rice including Jasmine, sticky, sushi, etc. Check the refrigerated aisle for fresh noodles, and the dried noodle varieties are dizzying.

Spices: Will vary widely but if you’re looking for spicy dried chili’s, or sichuan peppercorns, then you are in luck.

Sauces: dried/fermented black beans, chili pastes, soy sauces (white, light or dark), fish sauces, chili oils, dry-fermented shrimp (for making kimchi), yuzu juice and many more flavor bombs to have in your culinary arsenal.

WholeSale Clubs (Costco/Sams)

These can provide good value for families, especially buying non-perishables in bulk. Aside from that you can get some good pricing on beef, pork, chicken and seafood, in bulk. Note: Specifically smoked salmon and Kerrygold butter are good buys.

Produce in my experience has been very inconsistent and prefer the above-mentioned options. 

By using some, or all, of the strategies above you will see your grocery bill go down and I suspect you’ll be enjoying more flavorful ingredients.

Eat well Anon!

Until next time… 🏝