Reduced Priced Food in Singapore

Food in Singapore can be expensive. There is one main reason for this - we live on an island and nearly everything has to be shipped or flown in. International food in Singapore can be VERY expensive. I was browsing the fruit and vegetables in the supermarket of Isetan yesterday and came across 15 strawberries that cost $129.00. Yes, you read that right. $8.60 a strawberry!!! WHAT?! I'm sure they are wonderful strawberries and very special, but there is no way that I would EVER spend $8.60 on one strawberry.

The beautiful strawberries from Isetan

Another example of how expensive it can be here is the cost for a 6 pack of Walkers cheese and onion crisps. In the UK they cost around £2 I think, so about $4. I saw a 6 pack in cold storage the other day and it cost $9.80 - over double the cost of what you would pay in the UK. No Walkers crisps for us while we're living here then!!

A 6 pack of Walkers crisps for $9.80 from Cold Storage I think

When we lived in the UK I would visit the reduced section of supermarkets to see if I could find a bargain. If you look carefully in Singapore you can find food for reduced prices, quite often 50% off, if not more.

I went to Orchard Road today for a wander. I found Isetan supermarket yesterday (a Japanese supermarket I think) and the Sun Moulin bakery next to it is wonderful, they do an amazing French baguette style loaf for about $2.30 - yummy! I'll have to do a blog about the Sun Moulin bakery as it really is amazing. I decided to walk up Orchard Road from here to see what I could see.

I passed the Thai Embassy, went through a shopping arcade where there are multiple tailors, beauty salons and a sex shop. I crossed the road into another mall and found a Jason's The Gourmet Grocer (1, Claymore Drive). This Jason's isn't on the main drag, so isn't as busy as the one in the Ion Orchard shopping mall. I found a number of items that had been reduced, all of which were in the refridgerated section.

The three products I bought today, truffle cream cheese, harissa hummus and organic butter

Each of these items are nearing their sell by date, so you have to be aware that you only have a few days to use these items, although I would be happy to freeze the butter and use it at a later date, that's a personal choice and it's up to you if you want to do that!

Truffle cream cheese

The truffle cream cheese should have been $14.95, but I paid $3.80 for it. It's really tasty too. I wouldn't pay almost $15 for it, but at $3.80 it went very well with my fresh baguette.

Rachel's organic butter

The pack of Rachel's organic butter should have been $8.70. I paid half price for it, so $4.35. I actully bought two of these as we like making shortbread in our house and this will come in handy.

Yumi's fiery Tunisian harissa hummus

This Yumi's fiery Tunisian harissa hummus should have been $9.19. I paid $2.30 for it. As you may be able to see, it has to be eaten by tomorrow. Challenge accepted!!

So for the four items I bought today, two packs of the butter, the hummus and the cream cheese, I should have paid $41.54. I actually paid $14.80. That's a good deal if you ask me!

I was in the same store yesterday and came across a pack of Waitrose organic cheddar cheese. It should have cost $12, but I only paid $6 for it. Cheese here can be very expensive, so I was pleased with that price.

I'm always on the look out for a bargain and I will be going back to this Jason's to see if I can find some more. Do you shop in the reduced price section? What has been your best bargain?