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Everyday items to bring from the US to Singapore

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malcontent
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Re: Everyday items to bring from the US to Singapore

Post by malcontent » Tue, 03 Aug 2021 6:36 pm

Not surprised by the nasal violation, they wouldn’t want to be blamed for not doing a good job, and if that means you lose a few neurons, so be it.

Probably the closest wet market to you would be Tiong Bahru, and it is a popular one:

https://goo.gl/maps/CtLZQVUVhvCrMsJb9

From what I understand, there isn’t much room to haggle - there isn’t as much of that in Singapore unless it’s a big ticket item or you’re buying in quantity. If you are Caucasian, there is always a risk of a skin tax (higher price than locals), but even my wife pays higher prices because she likes to dress above average - she just treats the extra price like a charitable donation. But what you should do is ask the price upfront and closely observe locals, see what they pay and expect the same. That said, it’s not likely they will try and rip you off too badly, after all, you can just hand it back and say no. Note that prices in wet markets are not necessarily cheaper than in the grocery store, because the higher quality and freshness can have a premium associated.

I do know some locals who never cook - it is possible here because cooked food outside can be cheaper than eating in (just the opposite compared to the US). When I first moved here I ate out the majority of the time, but after having a family and a live-in maid, we now eat in more than we eat out. In fact I’m sitting down right now to eat a grilled Cajun chicken breast with mashed potatoes and beets that my helper whipped up for me.
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr

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Re: Everyday items to bring from the US to Singapore

Post by malcontent » Tue, 03 Aug 2021 6:51 pm

MOCHS wrote: if you go down late, some of the good stuff are gone.
If you are really a regular, they can also reserve for you
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr

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Re: Everyday items to bring from the US to Singapore

Post by MOCHS » Tue, 03 Aug 2021 7:35 pm

malcontent wrote:
Tue, 03 Aug 2021 6:51 pm
If you are really a regular, they can also reserve for you
I know. Some might request payment in advance too.

My colleague said if it’s a family of 1-2 people, eating out is cheaper. When the family expands, then cooking is cheaper.

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Re: Everyday items to bring from the US to Singapore

Post by malcontent » Tue, 03 Aug 2021 7:54 pm

Once you have a helper, it also changes the dynamic. Maybe I’m just lazy, but I consider having a live-in maid to be one of the greatest perks of living here. You do sacrifice some privacy, but eventually they just become like family. It is especially beneficial when you have a baby… I have a saying: when the going gets tough, the maid gets going. I probably didn’t change my kids diapers even a dozen times for each of them!
Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it - Niels Bohr

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Re: Everyday items to bring from the US to Singapore

Post by Myasis Dragon » Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:44 am

HogHollow wrote:
Tue, 03 Aug 2021 11:04 am
Myasis Dragon wrote:
Tue, 03 Aug 2021 1:03 am
"Organic" eggs? What'll they think of next? Organic chickens?
Yes, organic chicken meat is readily available in US grocery stores. That's probably where the organic eggs come from.

Although I've seen chicken breasts labeled as "natural" that were the size of turkey breasts...quite suspicious...there's also some ambiguity in the US about "natural" vs "organic" vs "non-GMO".

Guess there's no equivalent of a Whole Foods here in Singapore then. A business opportunity, maybe?
I probably shouldn't ride your case too much about organic eggs and chickens... after all, I know that you are trying to control what goes into the animals in order to better determine what comes out.

Nevertheless, "organic" is such a useless word these days. Who knows what it means? It's right up there with GMO's. Care for a glass of gluten free water?

As noted, eggs are produced in Singapore. Local farms supply about 1.25 million eggs per day. This is about 30 percent of demand. The rest come from Malaysia. Unlike the USA, they're not washed, which is why you find them at room temperature in stores. This is generally how eggs are handled in Europe as well.

"Organic" can mean anything, from caged vs "free range" (whatever that is) to the diet that the chickens are fed. All Singapore eggs are cage raised but the government closely controls the feeds used for the chickens. Singapore farmers are not allowed to use anti-biotics.

An interesting article here... https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/cn ... n-11396776

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) exercises strict control over imports of all foodstuffs, including chickens and eggs. Foreign suppliers must be inspected and approved by the AVA before their food can be imported.

Considering that USA regulations let chicken and egg producers wash chickens and eggs in disinfectants to kill salmonella picked up in the processing of them, I'd probably trust Singapore food more than USA food, with or without the "organic".

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Re: Everyday items to bring from the US to Singapore

Post by HogHollow » Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:54 am

I just received my negative Covid test result, so I'm finally a free man tomorrow.

Thanks for all the valuable insights about grocery shopping in Singapore. I'm really looking forward to exploring my options when I get out.

It's interesting to read about getting a live-in maid. That would be great, except that my wife and I are now squeezed into a 900 sq ft 2 bedder now, having drastically downsized from our house in Austin. I wouldn't know where to fit another person into our apartment, nor do we probably need help keeping the place tidy. Although I'm kinda looking forward to not having to deal with a yard, and the usual (never ending) list of home repairs to do.

Hope y'all stay safe and take care out there.

Gerry

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