Grocery Guide

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Hi there readers!

Hogan and I thought it would be useful to outline some of our personal experiences while buying groceries abroad. To start, grocery shopping is pivotal if you have any kind of budget. The kitchen in the institute and the microwave in the pension will become your best friends.

You have three main options when it comes to grocery stores, Albert, Tesco and Billa. Between the three we have found that while Tesco offers the greatest selection, Albert tends to have better prices and Billa is the closest in location to the Pension.

Once you've made your store selection there are a few items we highly suggest:

• Pasta in a bag
• These are super simple meals and very filling. You can make them in the microwave or on the stove top and they come in a variety of flavors, essentially gourmet Ramen.
• Ramen
• Don't be fooled, this isn't ramen from home but the Czech version is just as good and just as affordable, it's also a nice change of flavor from normal pastas.
• Meats
• We suggest this because most importantly it is NOT a carb. Having an assortment like hot dogs, boneless chicken etc. are versatile and filling when making meals.
• Eggs
• They are great for quick protein, easy lunches or even snacks.
• Bread
• While you may be sick of all the bread you will be eating, it is important to have your own if you are a fan of sandwiches or spreads. Note that the bread in general tends to be much smaller in size here. 
• Condiments and Seasonings
• Unless you want to get bored with your meals make sure to buy some staples like ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, garlic, pasta sauces and other seasonings to keep things interesting.
• PB&J
• This is a nostalgic favorite of any study abroad student, but beware Peanut Butter is not as popular here and tends to be a little more expensive.

• Vegetables
• Whether frozen or fresh having greens to compliment your diet is important.
• Fruits
• Apples, kiwis, bananas, strawberries are a great alternative to snacking on sweets. Trust us you will appreciate some fresh produce.
• Potato Pancakes
• A Czech staple. You can find them in the frozen foods section, they're a delicious and cheap side to any lunch or dinner.
• Baguettes 
• Often in many grocery and convenience stores they have subway style pre-prepared sandwiches that are an easy alternative to cooking. 
• Sandwich Ingredients
• Deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato etc.

Some other tips we have for you before you go is buy the knock offs. While brand names like Oreo's may be comforting they will not be comforting to your wallet, the Czech equivalents to chips and cookies are a better buy, but remember not to get too caught up on snack foods. They won't fill you up. Also when going to the store remember to grab some tupperware and ziplock bags to keep all of your above purchases fresh. Many students tend to forget about their groceries in the community fridge for weeks on end and no one likes a smelly fridge. Another tip is to save your grocery bags. They will charge you a Kc or two for each bag so try to stuff all your groceries into as few as possible and save them for your next trip to the store. One last tip is buy week to week. You're not grocery shopping for your family, you know yourself and how much you eat so keep that in mind and don't buy more food than you can handle. 

We hope that this helps in your student grocery shopping endeavors. Overall it's not so hard and it doesn't have to be stressful. Even if you're not a gourmet chef ask your friends to help you, sit in on the cooking class or try looking up some online recipes and you'll be eating independently in no time!

Hogan and Lilly signing off.