No local professional butchers. Raw milk is not available unless you are very good friends with someone who has a dairy cow. I personally have never met anyone with a dairy cow.
"Fresh" milk is expensive and sometimes hard to find. Fresh milk means regular milk that any American with a grocery store can enjoy. On Saipan it costs a little more than $10 a gallon, though the ultra pasteurized milk in boxes is not much cheaper per gallon. It costs between $6-$8 depending on the brand. The brand I always buy is the Foremost fat-free milk in the green box. To me, it tastes the most like milk (and I'm from the Midwest) and it isn't as brown in color as other brands.
Soy milk and almond milk are usually available at the "costco" and cost around the same price as the ultra pasteurized milk.
In my opinion, Saipan's best source of fresh food (sorry fish lovers) is the produce. Always cheap and easy to find, local produce takes away any Saipan dweller's excuse to not eat healthy. Local bok choy, kang kung, eggplant, pumpkin, and chayote among others are available and inexpensive at most markets no matter how small. Finding produce that is organic is another story. Though many farmers on Saipan claim to grow their produce organically, it is difficult to know if they are telling the truth unless you have actually been to their farm. I personally cannot vouch for any organic commercial gardens, though I'm sure at least a few do exist.
Fresh fish is always around as well, though it is more difficult to find fish that has been cleaned and is ready to cook.
What Saipan lacks in conventional fresh foods, it makes up for in unexpected "exotic" nutritious foods. You just have to take some time to look for it and learnthe hard way that sometimes getting all the ingredients you want takes a few hours and a cooler in the trunk.
I will be moving to Saipan in the the coming months and am thrilled to find your blog.
Living in San Francisco California as well as growing up with amazing access to fresh local foods I have become spoiled as well as aware of the benefits to sustainability that great food can do for a community, therefore,your information is extremely welcome information.
I have a deep passion for cooking and sharing my joy of food with others. My questions about Saipan life in Saipan are far reaching and would appreciate any information on what to expect. Regards, nathanlovesart@gmaail.com
hello pretty much the only site that has "a bit" of info on the grocery situation there. I might have to spend 2 weeks coming from PH and am used filipino For the sake of people who have never been there would like to request if someone could in one paragraph lay out - where actually you are buying these vegateble and fruits - groceries from .. from the website i discerned that : there is farmers market 3 times a week (is the cost high or low compared to the other grocers??) and theres a costco. if there are any other groceries (health food store?) an one para post would be appreciated .. basically a newcomer or tourist guide of where to go to eating healthy while there ! thanks alot salamat ............. hanz
if possible could you give the price of a couple of the most abundant(cheapest) fruit/veg and/or ie like the cost of papayas and chayote , i know how much they cost in Philippines and Hawaii so gives some comparision . many thanks !
I am curious about fresh food sources in Saipan! Are there local butchers? Raw milk available?
ReplyDeleteLovely website and recipes :)
No local professional butchers. Raw milk is not available unless you are very good friends with someone who has a dairy cow. I personally have never met anyone with a dairy cow.
ReplyDelete"Fresh" milk is expensive and sometimes hard to find. Fresh milk means regular milk that any American with a grocery store can enjoy. On Saipan it costs a little more than $10 a gallon, though the ultra pasteurized milk in boxes is not much cheaper per gallon. It costs between $6-$8 depending on the brand. The brand I always buy is the Foremost fat-free milk in the green box. To me, it tastes the most like milk (and I'm from the Midwest) and it isn't as brown in color as other brands.
Soy milk and almond milk are usually available at the "costco" and cost around the same price as the ultra pasteurized milk.
In my opinion, Saipan's best source of fresh food (sorry fish lovers) is the produce. Always cheap and easy to find, local produce takes away any Saipan dweller's excuse to not eat healthy. Local bok choy, kang kung, eggplant, pumpkin, and chayote among others are available and inexpensive at most markets no matter how small. Finding produce that is organic is another story. Though many farmers on Saipan claim to grow their produce organically, it is difficult to know if they are telling the truth unless you have actually been to their farm. I personally cannot vouch for any organic commercial gardens, though I'm sure at least a few do exist.
Fresh fish is always around as well, though it is more difficult to find fish that has been cleaned and is ready to cook.
What Saipan lacks in conventional fresh foods, it makes up for in unexpected "exotic" nutritious foods. You just have to take some time to look for it and learnthe hard way that sometimes getting all the ingredients you want takes a few hours and a cooler in the trunk.
I will be moving to Saipan in the the coming months and am thrilled to find your blog.
ReplyDeleteLiving in San Francisco California as well as growing up with amazing access to fresh local foods I have become spoiled as well as aware of the benefits to sustainability that great food can do for a community, therefore,your information is extremely welcome information.
I have a deep passion for cooking and sharing my joy of food with others. My questions about Saipan life in Saipan are far reaching and would appreciate any information on what to expect.
Regards, nathanlovesart@gmaail.com
hello
ReplyDeletepretty much the only site that has "a bit" of info on the grocery situation there.
I might have to spend 2 weeks coming from PH and am used filipino
For the sake of people who have never been there would like to request if someone could in one paragraph lay out - where actually you are buying these vegateble and fruits - groceries from .. from the website i discerned that : there is farmers market 3 times a week (is the cost high or low compared to the other grocers??) and theres a costco.
if there are any other groceries (health food store?) an one para post would be appreciated .. basically a newcomer or tourist guide of where to go to eating healthy while there ! thanks alot salamat ............. hanz
if possible could you give the price of a couple of the most abundant(cheapest) fruit/veg and/or ie like the cost of papayas and chayote , i know how much they cost in Philippines and Hawaii so gives some comparision . many thanks !
ReplyDelete