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Original poster

Australia / Melbourne supermarket shopping tips

127 replies

squishee · 09/08/2023 03:32

Recently arrived from the UK by way of Europe. Will be staying long-term but temporarily. So I want to make the most of it!
As the subject is so vast (and I'll keep restaurants for a separate thread), I'll start with supermarket fare. So far, as a child of 70s UK I have enjoyed:

Proper bacon!
Pies
Gammon steaks (which seem to be called loin steaks here?)
Crumpets
Soft white rolls
Coleslaw
ALLLL the Asian ingredients.
Affordable avocados that are perfect (not brown or black) inside!
Clementines

What else should I look out for?

TIA.

OP posts:
LovelaceBiggWither · 09/08/2023 03:52

Go to the Queen Vic markets. Buy all the things.

Morestrangerthings1 · 09/08/2023 04:01

I suggest checking out what fruit/vegetables are in season in Australia at the moment and following the season Eg. Oranges - naval ones are peak season at the moment and juicy with no/few pips. (Later in the year it will be mangoes, strawberries, blueberries etc when they are cheaper and tastier).

I’m so used to having a great deal to choose from that food shopping is not special to me- I’m lucky - although with cost of living crises I’m looking for the bargains now.

BritInAus · 09/08/2023 04:35

"proper' bacon is a tricky one in Aus. Some people say there's a Coles one that is most like British bacon.

Pies not sure sorry - have only bought the ready to eat ones from a bakery.
Gammon also not sure, not something I like.
Crumpets are everywhere - often square not round!
Soft white rolls - go to a bakery or Bakers Delight?
Coleslaw - in every supermarket! Near the fresh herbs and bagged salads and from deli counter.
Asian ingredients - get yourself to your nearest Chinatown if the supermarket doesn't have what you need.
Avocados - often cheaper at markets than supermarkets.
Clementines - every type of small orange in Aus seems to be called a mandarine, and they are delicious right now!

BritInAus · 09/08/2023 04:43

Sorry I've just re-read - these are things you've enjoyed in Aus? Not things you're struggling to look for? In the case, if you want other 'delicious Australian things' then my suggestions are:

  • seafood and fish that you don't find in the UK, if you like seafood/fish
  • Haigh's chocolate (South Australian but available in Vic) is delish
  • salt and pepper squid as a pub staple
  • So much amazing SE Asian food
  • Vietnamese street food for lunch - banh mi, bao buns, cold rolls, noodle salads, etc
  • Sushi, everywhere! Far more accessible and cheaper than in the UK
  • amazing, local wine (go wine tasting or buy from an independent bottle shop) eg Victorian pinot noir - lush!
  • some fabulous markets, eg Queen Vic in Melbourne
Turquioseblue · 09/08/2023 05:08

The tropical fruits such as pineapple, rockmelon, kiwifruit.
Mandarins and oranges are good.
Farmers markets if you have any near you.
Roadside stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables can be good.

Louloulouenna · 09/08/2023 05:14

Double Coat Tim Tams, Chocolate Scotch Fingers, Chocolate Teddy Bears and the rest of the chocolate biscuit aisle! Another vote for Haighs, the most delicious chocolate ever.

meatbaseddessert · 09/08/2023 05:22

Bunnings sausage sizzle.

Seriously. Okay the sausage is cheapo with fillers but having it in a folded slice of buttered foamy white bread is a REVELATION!

I was extremely snooty about it for over 6 years and didn't try it but when I did it makes so much sense compared to the bread heavy 'finger rolls' we'd serve a BBQ sausage in in the UK.

meatbaseddessert · 09/08/2023 05:25

Lamington.
Good banana bread!
Pies
Parm (battered chicken schnitzel topped with rich tomato sauce and cheese) short for Chicken Parmigiana.
Kangaroo
All the seafood
Did Sun

Original poster
squishee · 09/08/2023 05:43

Yes, I listed things I have found and liked since arriving here in Aus. Mostly at Coles.
Thanks for the tips so far. Will make a beeline to Haigh's (have seen their stores in the CBD). And am off to Google Bunnings sausage sizzles...

OP posts:
BritInAus · 09/08/2023 05:46

No need to google! Just go to any Bunnings on a weekend day and there will be a bbq outside raising funds for a local organisation. For about $3 you'll get a sausage in bread. Choice to have fried onions or not, and sauce/mustard or not.

BritInAus · 09/08/2023 05:47

Oh yes! Alllll the banana bread. Yum.

inkblink · 09/08/2023 05:55

Wait until mango season. I work near a fruit shop and my colleagues laugh at me when I come in and announce how cheap the mangoes are - still amazes me 5 years down the line

Mangotango39 · 09/08/2023 06:11

I love the spatchcock chickens already marinated. Great easy dinner! they do with bones and without.

Cheese. All the cheese.

Coles Mini Parmesan & Onion Pane Di Casa.

Harebrain · 09/08/2023 06:19

All the delicious flavoured Kit Kat bars. They’re delicious.

DogDaysNeverEnd · 09/08/2023 07:22

Left Aus about 15 years ago so may be well off here but as a pom I was delighted by burger with the lot (love beetroot), grilled fish from the fish and chip shop, South Melbourne Market oysters shucked in front of you, suagsage rolls and pies on a long drive with tomato sauce, chicken salt, pot and a parma nights at the pub, naked lable wines, Lebanese bakeries. Sorry, these are not supermarket foods but all amazing.

As PP said, in season fruit and veg are just divine, assume growing foods in the sun makes them taste so much better. Persimmons were pretty exotic for me and I loved them. I used to work all over Victoria and there were some cracking little markets tucked around. Vic markets is obviously amazing, the deli area would bankrupt me, but the fruit and veggies had good deals for in season produce.

Oh, and the coffee. Life changing coffee. Thankfully I have two aussie influenced/trained cafes in my UK town so I can still get a great flat white, not a drowned bitter costa monstrosity. Whisper it, but the NZ cafes were even better.

Now I wish I was there, and 25 again...

Original poster
squishee · 09/08/2023 08:57

Harebrain · 09/08/2023 06:19

All the delicious flavoured Kit Kat bars. They’re delicious.

Funny you should post that - over here I've been missing the chunky peanut butter variety! Will look more closely at the others.

OP posts:
Original poster
squishee · 09/08/2023 09:02

BritInAus · 09/08/2023 05:46

No need to google! Just go to any Bunnings on a weekend day and there will be a bbq outside raising funds for a local organisation. For about $3 you'll get a sausage in bread. Choice to have fried onions or not, and sauce/mustard or not.

Oh, my (German) DH will love that!

OP posts:
alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 09/08/2023 09:05

I second the Queen Vic market in Melbourne, I had the best toasted cheese sandwich (with truffle) in my entire life there. I still think of it fondly! I'm also a fan of the local seafood, and of course all the amazing wine and cheese. there is so much good food here, I love it! If you are ever on the west coast, you must visit the Bunbury farmer's market if you are visiting Margaret River. In fact the whole Margaret River area has incredible food and booze.

meatbaseddessert · 09/08/2023 09:54

Seriously OP you cannot underestimate the cultural relevance and importance of the sausage sizzle in Aus and NZ.

They pop up in random yet delightful places. Outside Bunnings and other hardware stores. Outside Woolworths and Coles. Always a community fundraiser. A random Dad operating the Weber with efficient prowess, a child serving up massing portions of onions on top of a sausage on white sliced overseen by several mums. A paper plate of home made brownies. An ice cream tub of money. It's very sweet

The one run by the local primary school as a fundraiser on the beach after we finished a group winter 2k ocean swim was the best thing I've eaten ever in my life. I went back for two more.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sausage_sizzle

echt · 09/08/2023 10:08

This has to be the best setTripAdvisor reviews of the sausage sizzle at Warnambool Bunnings. Hilarious:

https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Restaurant_Review-g255363-d12509193-Reviews-Bunnings_Restaurant-Warrnambool_Victoria.html

TerrorAustralis · 09/08/2023 10:12

When you go to the Queen Vic Markets, you must go to the Borek Shop in the deli hall and get a borek. My favourite was spicy lamb, but I couldn't stomach them when I was pregnant, so had to swap to cheese and spinach for a while.

While you are waiting (along with all the other people) for the next batch to come out of the oven, the woman will call out, 'Lamb kebab, chicken kebab'. Do not be tempted! You do not want the kebab. You are here for the borek. They are worth the wait.

https://qvm.com.au/shops-stalls/borek-shop/

Borek Shop - Queen Victoria Market

A trip to the Queen Vic Market wouldn't be complete without a visit to the lovely ladies at the Borek Shop.

https://qvm.com.au/shops-stalls/borek-shop/

TerrorAustralis · 09/08/2023 10:13

meatbaseddessert · 09/08/2023 09:54

Seriously OP you cannot underestimate the cultural relevance and importance of the sausage sizzle in Aus and NZ.

They pop up in random yet delightful places. Outside Bunnings and other hardware stores. Outside Woolworths and Coles. Always a community fundraiser. A random Dad operating the Weber with efficient prowess, a child serving up massing portions of onions on top of a sausage on white sliced overseen by several mums. A paper plate of home made brownies. An ice cream tub of money. It's very sweet

The one run by the local primary school as a fundraiser on the beach after we finished a group winter 2k ocean swim was the best thing I've eaten ever in my life. I went back for two more.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sausage_sizzle

They are also an election day staple. Vote at the local primary school and then get your democracy sausage.

meatbaseddessert · 09/08/2023 10:34

@TerrorAustralis ah yes. I learned about democracy sausage within weeks of arriving in NZ!

We have general elections coming up. I'm actually a volunteer in the polling station so I'm excited for democracy sausage

For OP. Here's a picture of EXACTLY what you'll get at any Aus or NZ sausage sizzle.

Australia / Melbourne supermarket shopping tips
Ozgirl75 · 09/08/2023 11:16

inkblink · 09/08/2023 05:55

Wait until mango season. I work near a fruit shop and my colleagues laugh at me when I come in and announce how cheap the mangoes are - still amazes me 5 years down the line

I was going to say, just wait until mango season! They are the most delicious, juicy amazing fruit you will eat, absolutely nothing like the U.K. ones. Kensington Pride are fab. Don’t bother with Calypso.

Ozgirl75 · 09/08/2023 11:18

I love all the Asian food, sauces etc that are available too.