What's in my pantry...

Grocery shopping here in Merida is a little different from what I am used to back in the USA. Not bad or anything, just different. First of all we try to get most of our fruits and vegetables at the mercado and than get all of the rest in grocery stores, Costco or at last resort Walmarts. We can find typical American products here. Sometimes you can find something once and than it disappears. So the saying among expats is: if you see it, sometimes use it..buy it now 'cause it could be months or more before you see it again! However the expat community has a great grapevine approach in several face book pages that people post what they find and where... and the herd descends on the store and it's gone in no time!

What makes our shopping a little crazy is that Carlos has celiac, an autoimmune condition that makes him intolerant to any type of gluten. It has gotten easier finding gluten free products here.... it's about like it was in the USA 6 years ago. So if we find anything we buy it. Like the pasta above, The main choice here in gluten free is corn based pasta...however it's not our favorite. Whenever we find a brown rice based gluten free pasta we stock up. The same goes for cookies, crackers, and breads.

Sometimes I score big. I've now found half and half at Superama, and yesterday I scored some Italian type type chopped tomatoes in a brand I recognized! Before I could never find broth in a liquid form and now I find it everywhere..

One little thing that I love is some of the packaging here. I love to buy tomato sauce in the little foil type envelopes and the milk in the boxes is great!

Many times when Carlos and I head out to shop we plan on making one, two or even three or more stops at different stores to get what we want. Oh yeah, I also have my muled down from the USA shelf....

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