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A Step-by-Step Guide to Grocery Shopping Abroad

June 28, 2017
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No textbook or teacher could ever prepare for grocery shopping in a foreign country.  Even beyond the foods you’ve never heard of, there are so many more questions.  Why are they selling rice in packages bigger than dog food bags?  Why are they also selling cat statues?  Is that duck in a microwavable dinner?  Shopping for food abroad is an experience you don’t understand till you experience it, but here are some key tips to make your trip a bit smoother:A Step by Step Guide to Grocery Shopping Abroad Toulouse France.jpg

1. Bring a bag.

I was so proud of myself grocery shopping for the first time in France, and when I went up to the counter to pay, I handed her the cash.  And that was that.  She just stacked my items on the counter.  I then remembered that in Europe, stores don’t provide bags—unless you pay.  I was too embarrassed to go back and pay for a bag, but days later I bought a plastic bag, which I folded up to put inside my purse.  It doesn’t take much space but comes in handy so you don’t have to pay extra every time you shop.

2. Make a list.

I can pretty much guarantee you will be overwhelmed.  Not only is it in a different language but also offers other types of food you didn’t even know existed.  Before you walk in, create a list of the types of things you need whether it’s snack food or deli meat.  Chances are you won’t be able to locate exactly what you want or are used to, but have an idea of the types of food you want to purchase.Processed with VSCO with nc preset

3. Allow more time.

At home you can easily run in to grab exactly what you need, but give yourself more time to explore.  Being gluten-intolerant, I know this especially well as reading the labels in English takes enough time as is.  But in French?  Grocery shopping may have been just one thing on your list to achieve, but when living abroad, it takes much more effort.  Once you get of the hang of it, you’ll be a pro!Processed with VSCO with nc preset

4. Try something new.

When abroad, do as the locals do.  You may not be ready to eat frog legs, but try even a different type of juice.  I tried strawberry juice, and it was incredible.  I’m excited to try something with litchis in it (because every European seems to know exactly what this is), but I’ve never even heard of this fruit.  You may not like it, but hey, you tried it!Processed with VSCO with nc preset

5. Don’t go the same place every time until you’ve tried out other stores.

It’s easy to stay in the familiar even if it’s only recently familiar.  But keep branching out for the first several weeks.  I went to several Monoprix and thought, meh.  But I found a Monoprix many times bigger with way more selection.  I also tried Paris Shop, an Asian grocery store, which offers foreign and local foods at much lower prices.Monoprix Grocery Shopping France Abroad Travel Expat

6. Don’t feel bad about boring or inexpensive.  

I felt bad about buying Monoprix brand chocolate.  I’m in France; why wouldn’t I buy true French chocolate?  Well, that’s exactly it: I’m living in France.  Life is expensive.  Save your money for eating out several times each week or drinking café au lait.  It’s okay to search high and low for the cheapest brand.  I felt lame at first, but it’s more awkward being worried about paying for dinner or drinks when you’re out.  Even more, you’re living here, not just vacation.  You have to sustain yourself, and you can’t have steak every meal of the day!

You may have taken language courses and researched the city you’re moving to, but you’ll have to learn some as you go, including grocery shopping.  The first few times may be a bit overwhelming, but with these six steps, you’re on your way to becoming a local.

Bises,

Kristin

{Do you have any tips for grocery shopping abroad?}

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Comments

  1. Rosie says

    June 28, 2017 at 12:17 pm

    I used to write my shopping lists in French, as it was so much easier/ quicker to match it to the products in store that way. I remember seeing white strawberry juice for sale in Japan, but didn’t try it as it was ridiculously expensive. If I see a cheap glass/ bottle of it somewhere, I’ll have to give it a whirl. Fresh litchi are infinitely tastier than tinned – and litchi sorbet is also rather nice, if you ever get the chance to try it 🙂

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      June 29, 2017 at 10:27 am

      Bonjour Rosie! Great idea 🙂 That’s so funny you mention litchi because I’ve never seen those anywhere in the States, but here I see them quite often. I tried them once and liked it. But I’ll need to search for some litchi sorbet–yum! Happy traveling!

      Reply
  2. earthsmagicalplaces says

    June 29, 2017 at 4:39 am

    I’m Gluten Intolerant as well so I feel your pain haha, forever googling ‘gluten’ in other languages so I know what to look for on a packet! Still, I love heading to markets, especially in Europe! Can’t beat the fresh produce and the people 🙂

    Reply
    • roundtriptravel says

      June 29, 2017 at 10:25 am

      Hi Rachel! France isn’t the easiest for gluten intolerance (bc sometimes you just gotta!!), but there’s plenty of great fresh fruit and cheese <3 Happy travels!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
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Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
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🇺🇸I'm a Missouri girl living in southern France where I teach English to French kiddos and update my blog, Round Trip. I moved here in the height of Covid last fall, and boy, do I have some STORIES that I dish in my brand new magazine (keep scrolling for the dirty deets)

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😳Here’s a little secret for you: I was terrif 😳Here’s a little secret for you: I was terrified I would fall flat on my face. Now I’m happy and loving every second of life in France, but let’s rewind the clock back to one year ago, shall we?

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Sometimes I just don’t believe my life🙈 Toda Sometimes I just don’t believe my life🙈

Today we took a casual 20ish minute boat ride to a nearby island I can see from my backyard. We hiked up to the ancient fort and danced to music mere feet from ruins — all with views of the Mediterranean Sea and Marseille in all her sunny glory.

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The months leading up to moving to France were absolute mayhem, but oh, I am so beyond glad I didn’t quit when it was hard. Because I am in absolute love with my life in southern France☀️
Been kinda quiet on the socials as of late👀I've Been kinda quiet on the socials as of late👀I've been soaking up the Marseille sunshine with long walks, picnics and the not-so occasional ice cream😋

💪I've also been hard at work. For the past two months, I've been creating my latest project, Round Trip: The Magazine. I've sent out surveys, edited and workshopped this piece for hours upon hours. And I am delighted to say I am all set to launch in APRIL!!

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🍦@glaceriedumas_bordeaux Tori and I stayed in Bordeaux for two nights, and we visited Glacerie Dumas twice. Long story short: it was delightful. The first night I ordered ice cream macaron sandwiches. And the second night I ordered their chocolate ice cream topped with chantilly. 

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