International Food Shopping in St. Louis ~ Global Foods

If you’ve never been to Global Foods in Kirkwood, you are missing out.

Even if you aren’t a big cook, it’s fun to browse the isles and see what people eat throughout the world.

The food is organized by country rather than by the type of food. As a result, you’ll find rice in almost every isle!

One of the things you really notice when shopping at a store like this is how around the world, people eat very similar things…though the fillings and spices certainly vary. Whether it is pasta stuffed with something (ravioli, kreplach or postickers) or pastry dough filled with something and either toasted or fried (empanadas, pasties, patties or turnovers)…we are more alike around the world than we are different.

I have the most fun in the produce area. There are so many things that are just slightly different than something you are used to eating, so it isn’t such a big leap to give it a try. Prices are also great. On my last trip I purchased some calabaza squash for only 66¢.

You can also find a lot of things cheaper at Global Foods than what you find at the typical grocery store. I’ve picked up figs, ricotta cheese, farmer’s cheese, pine nuts and coconut milk at a big discount from what I would normally pay at Schnucks.

Here’s what I bought on my last trip.

English Pasties

I had a flash back of my trip to England when I saw these and just had to buy them.

Similar to the English pasties but with a Jamaican filling, I have to admit I didn’t like these nearly as much as the English variety.

Shitake mushrooms would be a lot more expensive than the $2.40 this package cost if I bought them somewhere else.

I had never heard of Italian eggplant, so I had to try it. It tasted the same as regular eggplant to me and would buy it again.

Fig jam is AMAZING with brie cheese, but costs a fortune at regular grocery stores.

My favorite purchase was definitely the frozen pot stickers. In less than 10 minutes, I’ve got an easy dinner that tastes as good as going out.

My pantry is running a little low. I wonder what I’ll find on my next trip.