Moving to kona from San diego

[hotzcatz]

Costco isn't always the least expensive place to shop, but it does have some good deals. We like KTA because they have a lot of local produce. There are farmer's markets all over, although they have a tendency to all be different. Some are more local than others, some are more touristy than others. The one up at Parker School in Waimea as well as the one on the other end of Waimea on Saturday mornings are pretty local and not overly touristy.

[Zzaidoff]

Thanks for all the info.

We eat a ton of fruits and vegetables and since most food seems to be much more expensive, we figured we would save on buying local with the fruits and vegetables.

Just looking for the best place to do that since I figured grocery stores would still be expensive for produce.

[Zzaidoff]

What is ur favorite farmers market on the west side?

Any idea on produce prices?

Thais in advance

[HonaunauCountryGirl]

My favorite markets for produce and fresh bread are the Saturday morning market at the parking lot of Keauhou Shopping Center (5 min. south of Kona) and Sunday morning market at Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Kealekekua (20-25 minutes south of Kona). They are closest to where I live and prices can be good if you get to know the vendors and become a regular. But don't dismiss the grocery stores. They have very good sales from time to time and we eat what's on sale that week. For example, I love Asparagus (normally $7 to $8 per pound in stores, $5 to $6 at Keauhou farmer's market), but I only buy it when it's less than $4/lb. at Safeway. Similar with green zuchini and green peppers - I buy them when they're on sale for less than $2/lb. KTA has the best prices for Napa (or wonbok) cabbage at $.59/lb. on sale (usually about $.79/lb.) which I love because I make my own kimchi.

[hotzcatz]

We have a tendency to grow a lot of our own fruits and vegetables, but you won't be able to do that right away. Otherwise, we buy what's on sale and work around that for the weekly menus.

For fruits and vegetables, try the Filipino stores. They have a limited selection but excellent prices and a lot of it is stuff they or their extended family has grown.

[HonaunauCountryGirl]

Aloha hotzcatz, is there a particular Filipino store that you favor on the Big Island? I go to the one on the west side (in the International Market) for the sauces and spices as well as for their produce. Mahalo.

[hotzcatz]

Hilo side, we usually go to the one across the highway from the Prince Kuhio mall. It is 266 Makaala street and is a two part store. One side is a bakery with vegetables and the other side is vegetables with assorted dry goods.

In Waimea there is one near where GasPro used to be - across the street from the police station in the end of the strip mall place that has Waimea Feed at the other end of it. Small, but a few vegetables.

Honokaa has one on the main street and there is also a vegetable seller on the Hilo end of Honokaa town's main street. That is an open air sort of vegetable market and has great prices on veggies.

For spices, we usually go to the natural food stores. There's one in Kailua-Kona, one in Waimea (two outlets of the same folks), several in Hilo but the one in Keaau has the most extensive bulk spices.