So, I live in Tien Mu (yes yes, along with all the other westerners…) and I went food shopping today. I want to know where I can find some cheap groceries around this area (or just north of the river). I can’t stand paying so much money for regular food (240NT for a box of cereal!!!). Where do the locals buy their food? I can adopt to a different style of cooking/food if I only knew where to get the ingredients.
where in tienmu expat?
If you really want to eat like the locals, you wouldn’t be eating cereal for breakfast. There is a street market and indoor food market, really local, on ShiDong Rd. between Chung Shan N. Rd., Sect. 6 and ChungCheng Rd. There is also a morning market that runs alongside that market all the way down to DongXing Rd. There you find fresh veggies, fruit, seafood and meats. Everything you need to eat like a local.
Anyway, for groceries try the WellCOME at the interesection of Chung Shan N. Rd. and Tien Mu W. Rd. Stay away from Jason’s. Just below the Wellcome I mention above is a really nice grocer called Matsusei. Nice prices and nice looking shop, popular with Japanese expats and locals.
Great advice above. I’ll just give you a word of warning, don’t expect to get your hands on anything like Western breakfast cereal cheaply. Not a high demand for the product among locals, so the price is high, especially since they are all imported. For your produce, always hit local markets or veggie/fruit stands. Always the best prices, and you can haggel and get discounts if the laoban likes you.
For things like cereal, go to Costco. My favorite shop in Tianmu is Wellman’s.
I found cereals at carryfour for about 119 NT on special… I dont know where you are getting yours. Must be a big box of cereal…
so, about the cereal thing… I was just using that as an example of how expensive things are… I could have used fruit or japanese flat noodles as examples too (but I don’t remember the price quote on that right now). I just want some groceries that are cheap… but so far, I’m liking the advice I’m getting.
This weekend will definitely be a Carrefour and ShiDong Market weekend.
Why are portions so small here? Where’s all the gallon milks or large loaves of bread?
RT Mart (near Costco Neihu) has better quality meats than Wellcome at better prices. Also their Thai section is well-stocked at cheap prices. NT$ 40 (approx.) for a Green Curry. The Thai curries come with English recipe ideas.
Mainly cause we’re small people here but for Bread I get mine from Wendels German Bakery on the cnr of Chung Shan Rd Sec6 and De Hsing West street that goes to Carrafoure
[quote=“ExPat1234”]
Why are portions so small here? Where’s all the gallon milks or large loaves of bread?[/quote]
generally b/c of smaler fridges and people tending to go shopping more often than is common in the west.
this is all slowly changing though …
[quote=“ExPat1234”]Why are portions so small here? Where’s all the gallon milks or large loaves of bread?[/quote]COSTCO, everythng is big at COSTCO. Go see for yourself, it is the wholesale bulk buying place for Western products with some Taiwanese things thrown in. It is also pretty CHEAP for a lot of things.
I love cereal, but the only ones that are reasonably priced are Quaker Oatmeal Squares (NT$85 at RT-Mart) and Honey Nut O’s (about NT$115). Most others are outrageous. So clearly, as a cereal addict, my primary cereal here is Quaker Oatmeal Squares.
A few months ago I found Cheerios at Jason’s for NT$99. I haven’t been back since, but they often seem to have special discounts on certain brands.
There’s an RT-Mart adjacent to the northwest corner of Fuxing S. Rd and Civic Blvd. Unlike the one in Neihu, you can reach it easily by public transportation.
Costco’s good… if you’re feeding a family or a small, group of guerilla terrorists.
Anybody heard of anything concerning Carrefour groceries?
It’s hot here, so things like bread get moldy faster, unless you refrigerate it or have AC.
Milk comes in gallons at Costco. Portions there are huge. You’ll love it. 
Oh, for breakfast, learn how to make zhou1 (rice congee), and you’ll save tons of money on cereal.
[quote=“ExPat1234”]Anybody heard of anything concerning Carrefour groceries?[/quote]Carrefour is pretty local. I don’t really like it. Seems kind of low class or something, makes me feel like trailer trash or something when I shop there. Prices are pretty good though.
In TienMu, for a balence between Jason’s market place and Carrefour I suggest the new place below the Wellcome on TienMu W. Rd. Wellcome has two entrances, one on Tien Yu St. and one on Tien Mu W. Rd. Go the Tien Mu W. Rd. entrance and go a few steps more in the direction of the MRT and you will see the entrance to Matsusei. They have a glass elevator for strollers which my wife finds convenient (WellCome you have to carry your stroller up the stairs!) and they have two forms children’s baskets, one a mini basket for mini shoppers and one that is a car for them to ride in. Quite thoughtful. The whole shop also has great interior design, a la Breeze, Jason’s and City super, but the selection and prices are similar to Wellcome. Pretty Good Teppanyaki place located down there too!
I went to Carrefour this weekend- oh my, much better in terms of price. Note that I waslooking for cheap groceries, so the trailer trash feeling is not a big deal for me. It’s really like Walmart in the states (hopefully they treat their employees better). Selection is pretty good with a much better lineup of fruits (and larger too compared to Welcome).
Matsusei is pretty good too, much better selection (and space) than Welcome.
I’ll try the Shi Dong market this week and let you guys know what I think.
Does beer qualify as groceries? RT Mart in Neihu has some good beer specials. Last week the missus carted home a few dozen Asahi 500ml cans @ about NT$30 each. (She has her uses.)
Where was I? Oh, yeah…time for another…
Expat1234: I think you might want to change your Subject to Cheap Groceries in TienMu instead of saying Taipei. It is more precisely what you are looking for no?
[quote=“ExPat1234”]I went to Carrefour this weekend- oh my, much better in terms of price. Note that I waslooking for cheap groceries, so the trailer trash feeling is not a big deal for me. It’s really like Walmart in the states (hopefully they treat their employees better). Selection is pretty good with a much better lineup of fruits (and larger too compared to Welcome).
Matsusei is pretty good too, much better selection (and space) than Welcome.
I’ll try the Shidong market this week and let you guys know what I think.[/quote]
Carrefore fruit is uniformly poor in quality. Wellcome somewhat better. Find a good local shop for the freshest and tastiest, including imported fruits.
[quote=“Chris”]I love cereal, but the only ones that are reasonably priced are Quaker Oatmeal Squares (NT$85 at RT-Mart) and Honey Nut O’s (about NT$115). Most others are outrageous. So clearly, as a cereal addict, my primary cereal here is Quaker Oatmeal Squares.
[/quote]
Wellcomes now sell Quaker Oats and Honey for NT90-95. Used to be 130-140 years ago. I can live with the price now.
Breeze supermarket sells this Australian made muesli for NT230 a kilo.