Grocery Shopping in Mexico

I have learned that if you really want to experience the flavor of the culture of a particular country, go to the local grocery store or food market!  Not the stores found in resort areas, but where the residents go to do their shopping.  You are not always going to find what you set out to purchase, and in some cases you do, it’s just called something else!

There are a number of options in the area where I live.  Of course there are the American companies -- Walmart, Sam’s, and Costco.  In these mega-stores you can often find some of the items that you are accustomed to using at home, but there are still noticeable cultural differences. 

The first thing that I noticed was that the Mexicans here do not refrigerate their eggs!  That took some getting used to, but the eggs are really very good, so I adapted easily.

 

One of the more positive things I learned was that farmers do not use pesticides here, so the produce is very fresh.  In fact it’s so fresh you need to go a few times per week, else you run the risk of having to throw away the fruits and vegetables that go bad quickly.  Fortunately, in our community, there is a farmers market open twice a week where we can get fresh produce. 

This is just the rice! 

I know that supermarkets in the United States feature aisles upon aisles of processed foods; cereals, packages of quick side dishes, just about anything canned.  Not so here.  Instead, there are entire aisles of rice and beans.  I had no idea there were so many different varieties!!!  Not to mention the cheese and yogurt.  I would estimate 1/8^th of the store is taken up with “queso” and yogurt refrigerators. There are limited canned vegetables available but they are very expensive.  A good incentive to eat fresh! 

Speaking of fresh, the bakeries in the local markets here are pretty impressive in both size and assortment of products. This is my diet downfall.  I love fresh baked goods. The only troubling factor is that they are laid out in the open on shelves.  You are given a tray, much like a school cafeteria, on which you place your desired purchase(s). You then take it to the bakery attendant who will bag and price your items.  I have yet to find a set of tongs to use to pick said items up from the shelves.  You guessed it -- someone’s hands may have already been on that incredibly delicious chocolate donut I had been eyeing.  Not to mention the flies.   I do not purchase things from the bakery departments. 

It has taken me all of three months to finally get a sense of how our local grocery store, Chedraui, is laid out.  You can find just about anything in a grocery store; clothing, household goods, TVs, and appliances.  Further, you will find some cleaning products in one aisle, then others in a different one, and there is no methodology that I can think of that would explain this phenomenon.  There is no logic to the store layout. 

Mole

Another interesting food found in stores here that you will not necessarily find elsewhere are pots of multiple varieties of mole (pronounced “mo-lay”).   Mole is used for a number of sauces in Mexican cuisine.  The signature ingredient is a small quantity of dark chocolate.  This gives the sauce a rich quality and slightly bittersweet taste.  Not all mole sauces are the same. Families pass down their recipes through generations.  Mainly served with poultry, this can also be used on fish and vegetables. The sauce is very labor-intensive to make, so I’m sure those that use it are happy to find a good selection at the market.  I have to admit I haven’t mustered the courage to try it yet.   Maybe I’ll order it in a restaurant first. 

We have been able to purchase fresh fish directly from the docks here in our community, which has been a definite plus.  There is nothing like grilled fresh mahi mahi (what they call dorado) that was just caught the very same morning.  Chicken and pork are very popular, but buyer beware -- Where’s the beef?  We have not had much luck finding it.  It never dawned on me, having visited here for some time and then moving here, you do not see cattle farms.  All beef is imported either from elsewhere in Mexico, or most often Argentina.  Between the fresh produce, lack of available red meat, avoidance of baked goods, and lack of processed foods, we certainly are eating healthier than before. 

The other dilemma I found myself in was trying to find basic products (pantry staples).  I would have to look up the Spanish name for the products I was looking for to have on hand in the store.  You have no idea how many types of flour are available here.  Fortunately there are pictures on the side of the packages that show you what that particular flour is used for. 

You can find some products from the United States, but you will pay far more for them here.  For instance, I have always used Dow Scrubbing Bubbles to clean my bathrooms.  Everyone has a favorite and that’s mine.  I finally found some, randomly, at one of the markets here. At home I would pay around $3.00USD for a can of it, but here it was closer to $10.00USD.   I still bought it, because I really do love my Scrubbing Bubbles.  Next trip home, the suitcase will have a few cans in it!  Along with Domino brown sugar, McCormick’s vanilla, and Bumble Bee albacore tuna in water.  I cannot find those here, and the Mexican equivalents are just not working for me. 

While shopping, once you’ve been able to find what you want, the checkout experience begins.  I have yet to find an English-speaking check out clerk.  I am totally fine with this.  I believe that since I am in their country, I need to learn their language (and I am). I only mention it as something to keep in mind.  

Using charge cards in the grocery stores here is really a major undertaking, so we take pesos most of the time now.  Those very helpful baggers you find at the end of the checkout lane earn only the tips that you provide them, so be generous.  The same is true for gas station attendants here.  You are not allowed to pump your own gas, and those that pump it for you (and wash your windows), earn only tips.  But that is a story for another day and another blog. 

I’m sure many folks have had their own experiences with grocery shopping in another country.  Let me know if any of you have more to add about shopping in Mexico.