When I first appeared in a large Thai supermarket, It seemed to me that the prices were not at all low: chocolates, cheese, Hercules flakes – all this cost more than in Russia. And this despite the fact that then there was no crisis and there was a good dollar rate. I kept thinking what kind of food I would eat in Thailand. Pretty fast i came to the conclusion that in Thailand (like everywhere else), It will be cheaper (and also tastier and healthier) to eat local food – rice-based dishes and tropical fruits. And what I then saw – These are imported products brought from afar, so they are definition is more expensive.
Having learned a little and studied the assortment of supermarkets, I realized what i like here and what not I loved Thai rice so much that I order it now in Moscow, I fell in love with mango and papaya. In any If it’s great, the products have almost everything, and you can always find a suitable basket option.
The content of the article
- 1 Products in Thailand supermarkets
- 1.1 Minimarkets 7/11
- 1.2 Tesco, Big C, Tops Market and Makro
- 1.3 Some product specific prices
- 2 What I missed
Contents
Products in Thailand supermarkets
Supermarkets in Thailand are represented by several chains stores which can be found throughout the country: 7/11, Tesco lotus , Big C, Tops Market, Makro. 7/11 is a network of mini-markets in walking availability from virtually any accommodation in Thailand. In makro often wholesalers, cafe owners or owners of a very large families. We can say that this is the Thai equivalent of Metro. Tesco Lotusand Big C are the most common supermarkets in Thailand, such analogue of Auchan. Each resort has at least one or two large hypermarket of these networks and many small ones.
Minimarkets 7/11
7/11 (or 7-eleven in another way) is a 24-hour network. mini markets throughout the country. They are in every city, almost on every corner and very popular with both Thais and foreigners. Only there is nothing special there – water, soda, chips, canned food, yogurts, coffee, biscuits, muffins, ice cream, ready frozen dishes in plastic containers that need only be reheated in microwave sausages. In other words – fast food.
At 7/11, we usually take something for breakfast – cupcakes for tea, condensed milk, yogurt. As well as chilled or frozen rice with shrimps, it is sold in trays and it can either be reheated in microwave in the store or at home. It saves a lot travel time in Thailand (7/11 is at each refueling), and also suitable for a certain supply of food in the fridge in case too lazy to leave the house or not time. Details on 7-eleven.
Convenience store 7/11
Tesco, Big C, Tops Market and Makro
Tesco, Big C, Tops Market, Villa Market and Makro – full-fledged large stores with enough choice for the Russian people. If a I want something familiar, here it is also there, just more expensive. The only thing that still needs to be looked for is ordinary cottage cheese, not sweet yogurts, as well as some cereals such as buckwheat. Worth mention Villa Market, this is a store for foreigners, there is the most large selection of imported products with the appropriate prices.
First of all, you need to get used to the fact that there are no supermarkets in Thailand walking distance, to which we are accustomed in Russia, instead of them 7/11. Therefore, to buy normal products, you need ride the transport, as you do at home, going to Auchan. Also you need to know that supermarket chains are of three types: small, medium and hypermarkets. In small you can, of course, walk, but The range will be similar to 7/11. Medium is usually completely normal. set of products, but there will be nothing besides them. Hyper is everything including appliances, furniture, clothing, and so on. It is in the hypermarket and worth ride, there is the largest selection. By the way, from Tesco or Big C order home, which is very convenient, I wrote about it (delivery from Tesco). It is a pity that not all cities are available.
Over the years, foreign products have ceased to be in Thailand rarity. In large Makro and Tesco can be found not only beets, Ayran, an analogue of our cottage cheese (cottage cheese) and natural yogurt (greek style natural yogurt), but also pickled cucumbers, buckwheat and even mint gingerbread! In Pattaya and Phuket, where most foreigners, including Russians, in supermarkets are doing special racks “imported products”. That’s where you need to look buckwheat sweetheart and real Italian spaghetti. Besides, for expats and Russian cafes enterprising compatriots for a long time have already established the production of cottage cheese, kefir, dumplings and black of bread. Sometimes small trays with these products can be found. close to large supermarkets in tourist areas. More I wrote about this in detail in a post – How to find a familiar meal in Thailand.
In Makro – Mozarela 359 baht / kg, Brie 587 baht / kg, with green mold 476 baht / kg
But sometimes there is expensive cheese in some places.
Of the usual products in a major Thai supermarket Tesco or Big C must eat trays with fresh meat (mostly chicken, pork and beef, but the rest can be found, including duck and lamb) and seafood that are laid out on the ice. Pretty large selection of fresh pastries, for sweet tooths right paradise.
Apples and oranges are considered overseas fruits here and stand more expensive than ours and local Thai fruits. Divisions with fresh fruits and vegetables usually contain another large tray with greens, which is always sprinkled with water. Greens in Thailand eat very lot. Along with the usual parsley and basil, here many more different herbs in bunches for sale to Russian people unknown From the usual vegetables, you can buy carrots, cabbage, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes.
The fruit department in supermarkets is one of the most joyful for eyes. Almost all year round you can find coconuts, watermelons, papaya, mango and others both Thai seasonal and imported fruits.
Meat, fish, seafood, as well as vegetables and fruits can still buy in Thai markets, prices are usually always cheaper, and the products are fresh, as they are brought straight from the farms in the morning. Although in Macro in this regard, all about as well.
Yellow watermelons taste the same
Durians in Big C
Young coconuts
Near the fruit department there is often a tray with freshly squeezed juices in ice, peeled and chopped fruit in the package. Chopped fruit is a joy for the lazy, no need to peel, nor cut. We were also lazy and often bought, and a little later it It has become a tradition to sit on a bench near a supermarket and sharpen tropical fruits.
Sliced fruit
Dairy products in Thailand are not very popular, so a large the dairy department happens either in large supermarkets or in those where foreigners are often. In the shallow ones from the milk usually chemical drinking yoghurts with plenty of sugar and betagen – Thai fermented milk product. Also very sweet and taste on lover. Sausage, cheeses and other “exotic” (from olives and pickled gherkins, raspberries and currants) in large supermarkets are sold, but in small “local”, somewhere on outskirts, of course, this will not happen.
Muesli, cereal, baby food, habitual to us vegetable oils, crackers, and soda like Coca-Cola and chips here can be found without difficulty. Although traditional for Russia gingerbread and dried in most supermarkets still do not buy will succeed. Separately, I wrote about what to feed the child in Thailand.
Even here they sell ready-made dishes such as fried rice with chicken, noodles, meatballs, sausages, salads. All this often happens in tied elastic rubber bag. This method of packaging – one of the characteristic features of Thai catering.
Discounts are often held in supermarkets; there are usually stand with discounted products, where someone always digs. There are also discounts on some kind of products. And all the supermarket time go staff and re-stick price tags. In the evenings discount may be up to 50 percent or more. Keep the prepared food over one day in Thailand is not accepted, so by the end of the day packing with ready-made dishes sell for a penny.
It is convenient to come and pack up in large supermarkets products for a long time, however, as in other countries. Of purely Thai features – a large selection of different types of noodles and rice, they are sold in huge bags and are quite inexpensive.
Some kind of corn water tastes horror
Some product specific prices
Surely everyone will have different purchases, but just in case I will list how much food is in Thailand. and what I bought in Thai supermarkets. Separately, I did a tour of prices in Tesco, went to the supermarket and took photos of the main products with price tags.
- Vegetables: onions, carrots, tomatoes, two types of papaya, mango, watermelons. Usually in those cases when the market was far away or it was not working. Prices are comparable.
- Cut fruits: papaya, pineapple, cantaloupe, guava (average 30-50 baht tray). In Chiang Mai in Tops Market there was a “buy two” tray for the price of one “, it turned out cheaper than in the market.
- Baking: freshly baked banana muffins at 40 baht for a few pieces, croissants – 5-15 baht, donuts – 10-15 baht, bread white toaster – 40 baht per package.
- Drinks: juices (80-100 baht), bottled tea thai tea (40 baht).
- For cooking: rice and rice noodles, seasonings, mayonnaise (100 baht), Sukiyaki sauce (40 baht), tofu (30 baht), eggs (50 baht). Me by the way hooked on sauce for sukiyaki, well, just a mega thing.
More prices for an example:
- Oatmeal in the region of 50 baht per pound, depending on the size packaging
- Potatoes around 30 baht / kg
- Mango from 20 baht / kg (for local green) to 100 and higher baht for big yellow
- Young coconuts from 18 to 35 baht apiece
- Milk from 40 baht per liter, drinking yoghurts – 25-40 baht per bottle, depending on the size. One yogurt in a cup – in around 20 baht
- Fresh juice in a small bottle 45 baht
- Dragon Fruit 45 baht / kg
- Pork from 100 baht / kg, chicken about 50-60 baht / kg
- Beer from 30-50 baht per bottle (depending on size, 0.33 or 0.5)
- Local cigarettes 30-50 baht per pack, foreign (such as Marlboro) – about 90 baht
This oatmeal is 40 baht, and the German already 300 baht
Cupcakes from 7/11 – 10-15 baht piece
What I missed
At first I missed the usual Russian cheese, black bread and chocolates. But after my mother came to visit, I brought a present and I safely eaten everything, the desire to eat these products disappeared for another six months. All the more delicious bread, then I found in the bakery, chocolates occasionally took Lindt (they are even better ours), well, I somehow cooled down to yellow cheese and switched to Camembert / Bree from Macro.
Thus, living in Thailand only in the winter, I don’t experiencing a shortage of something. Maybe if I lived there for years, it would be different. And even great to change the kitchen 2 times a year, so as not to bother. Probably only red caviar would like to sometimes but you can also buy it in Tae (they sell it in social networks). In general, in all the following visits to Tai, I have already acted according to the finished scheme, switched to Thai food and already knew where to find familiar food in Thailand.
Food from Russia
How will you, I find it difficult to say. It seems to me that not can only something quite specific. Or maybe it is inconvenient and unusual to go for bread to a special place, instead like in Russia, buy it around the corner. Now quite a few small bakeries with delicious baguettes, chiabats and other rolls in Phuket and Pattaya, but if it’s not next to your accommodation, you will have to go to look.
There is also another conclusion: to eat something like at home in Russia, it is better to rent a house with a kitchen and stove and cook on your own. If you like Thai food, then you can eat only in Thai cafes, do not have to cook and wash the dishes.
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