Your grocery store sucks

(Steak and iron) #1

If you’re like me, the biggest issue with keto is vegetables. Not eating them, but affording them! Plenty of people do keto with few or no vegetables but that’s not how my mama raised me. The problem is that regular grocery stores (Like walmart and safeway) have produce that looks like it’s ready to go bad as soon as you get it home while Whole Foods will sell you a half pound of kale for $17 with a smile on their face. So what do you do if you want more greens for your green?

ASIAN GROCERY STORES

If you live near any major metropolitan area you probably have access to an Asian grocery store. In California, we have a chain called Ranch 99 Market that has hands-down the best produce you’ll find anywhere. Always fresh, usually local, and criminally cheap.

Cabbage $0.25/lb, giant celery stalk for $1, and all manner of chinese greens for $1-$1.50 a pound.

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This was my haul a while ago. Bursting at the seams with gailan, bok choy, cabbage, thai spinach, etc. Perfect for making big stir fries (in pork fat!) and getting all those delicious phytonutrients that your body loves so much. This whole bag cost me about $10.

Asian grocery stores usually don’t have premium real estate like your major supermarkets would, so you may not know if one is even right near you. Google it and take a trip to one. They’re also fantastic for full-fat coconut milk in cans, fatty meats especially pork, spices and herbs, and bulk oils. A keto wonderland!

(John) #2

I can’t stomach the weeds, but Asian grocery stores are good for meat too. They have the best selection around here for fish, but what I go for is the pork belly. $2.50 or so a pound, the butcher shop is $10 a pound.

#3

Asian grocery stores also sell the tail to snout nasty bits…like lung, kidney, brains, stomach…etc. really good resource for those uncommon cuts.

#4

They are pretty much the only place to get Yu Choy as well, which is one of my favorite vegetables (if not my favorite). I don’t know why Bok Choy is so common everywhere else but not Yu Choy.

But, the ones around here (which are plentiful) actually aren’t usually cheaper than other grocery stores for the same items (actually, usually a bit more expensive). So, that may depend on the area.

(A ham loving ham! - VA6KD) #5

I usually buy bags of frozen veggies. Kale, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, avocado, etc. Yeah, I know it’s not quite as fresh, but I’m not then wasting near anywhere as much as before.

#6

Actually, I often see reports on how very nutritious the frozen veg is…because it is picked at ripeness (as opposed to picked before being ripe, transported in containers filled with gas), and immediately blanched followed by quick freeze. The veg we see in the stores are days, weeks and months from picking and often stored in questionable conditions (pesticide misting, gassing). Organic veg is often stored and or transported next to non organic, which then causes cross contamination, too.

(Jaidann) #7

Yep! This is what I do. I can’t afford a lot of this stuff and organic is way out of reach, so I go for the frozen. I only buy cabbage and sometimes asparagus when it’s on sale in the produce department.

I have taken a peak in an Asian store before but I didn’t find their prices anywhere near as good as the OP got. I live in Florida … maybe that’s it?

(A ham loving ham! - VA6KD) #8

The other nice part is that it’s often already chopped or diced, so it’s easy to portion out. Sometimes it’s funny though, especially with the broccoli, I seem to get bags that are almost all stalks! I’m not complaining though…I enjoy the crunchy stalks as much as the heads.

(Sierra) #9

OMG I LOVE ranch 99! I moved from California in September last year and now that I am in North Dakota I miss the great produce that you get in CA. Ranch 99 is super cheap and I was always able to get so much awesome stuff there. My favorite Asian Market was Seafood City though, we went there all the time.

#10

Yep, most of the Asian supermarkets I’ve visited have great prices, good quality, and a huge selection. We don’t have one close enough for weekly trips, though, so we usually go to Sprouts. The produce usually looks better than what Walmart has, and it’s often cheaper, as well, especially for items on special. Ironically, I buy more produce for my parrots than for myself, so I especially appreciate their organic section.

(Jessica) #11

I love Asian markets! Their avocados are usually a really good price.

In CA, Sprouts ~on special~ is great too and their specials run Wednesday to Wednesday so on Wednesdays you get both week’s worth of specials.

(Jessica) #12

I work around the corner from a Seafood City, they’re my favorite too

#13

my wife joined a small local co-op, the lady goes to the farmers market every week and picks up what they have and splits it among all the participants.

(Roxanne) #14

While I do visit an Asian grocer (yay pork bellies!) I avoid anything that is actually made in China - too many horror stories about their lack of quality control or dubious bulking agents.

(Beth) #15

Hmmm, me with a California address… I figured you must mean that other state: “southern CA” :slight_smile: because I had never heard of Ranch 99. Looked it up on my map and I have one 17 miles away. If I’m in that neck of the woods, I will check it out. That’s a little beyond where I usually shop but it sounds like it’s worth it.

(Cathy Schroder) #16

I grow my own. Cheap easy and organic.