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Is Mexico sending all its best to the USA?

jazzpaz

Where are y'all buying the plump, fresh produce l keep seeing pictures of? I have purchased fresh fruits and vegetables at the regular grocery stores, and at the tiendas my neighbors frequent, but everything is half past soft on the shelves, and seem quite pricey.


Are there farmer's markets in Saltillo? Are they any better?


Thanks for your insight.

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famouskate100

We buy all, and I do mean all, of our fresh fruits and vegs from the GIANT mercado in SMA. It's about 6 huge buildings, open Tues and Sundays . We get 10 jitomates [Roma tomatoes] for 20 pesos. About 25 medium carrots for 15 pesos. 5 calabasas for 20 pesos. Huge chunks of broc or cauliflower, 20 pesos. Every imaginable fruit/veg, for about 1/6 or less the price of grocery stores, and much fresher. They also have new and used clothing, most household items including fly swatters for 15 pesos, toys, pottery, jewelry, incense, cell phone accessories, pet supplies, herbal remedies, bulk beans, rice, popcorn, all kinds of fresh nuts [no junk food or processed stuff], handmade items, too much to list. About 40 more vendors are serving fresh hot meals for 30 pesos. This giant mercado is a wild , noisy, FUN place.


If you are not fortunate enough to have a large, fresh mercado nearby, your next best bet for fresher, more reasonably priced produce is a fruteria. You should have many of those. Do an Internet search and they should pop up. NOT to be confused with a convenience store, which will cost more, have limited produce, and it may not be fresh. Also, read labels on processed foods! Orowheat, [a US company but for Mexico, it is made in Mexico], puts trans fats in their whole wheat bread here! [Trans fats are toxic and banned in much of the word.] Bake your own bread, or eat tortillas instead. We pay 13-15 pesos for a kilo of non GMO fresh warm corn tortillas, and I think a kilo is around 40 tortillas. The fruterias will usually have several varieties of fresh, locally made salsas, too, 20 pesos and supports the locals and so much better than processed salsas in jars with a ton of ingredients. Our home is brimming with wonderful vegetables and fruits, fresh and so cheap it's amazing. Hope this helps.

jazzpaz

All that does help!


We have only been here less than a month, and I am without a car, but soon l will be able to get around more independently and seek out the gran mercados in Saltillo.


In Houston l went to the farmers markets and baked my own bread, but I don't have any baking supplies here. (Soon!)


Famouskate, you've been so helpful to me. Thank you.

famouskate100

Great! Good luck!

matthewabiola

Soriona, I hope my spelling of Spanish is correct. My concern is, are we eating organic or anything from China

famouskate100

Some Sorianas have some organic foods, but very little, and if it's not labeled organic, it isn't. However, your local farmer may be growing toxin - free. You have to ask. I have yet to see any food from China .

jazzpaz

In the USA "organic" can mean virtually anything. Whole Foods used to hold itself to strict standards, evaluated by outside parties but I don't know if that's still the case.


I don't require "organic" but l would like to buy as close to the source as possible.