Trip Report II: Food - Update
 

A while back, some people disputed my comments about the outrageous cost of food in Italy. Here's more proof and an update.

I returned home from Italy with a suitcase full of supplies, olive oil, cookies, pasta, panforte, etc. I've manage to find almost all of the same stuff (and I mean even thesame brands) in local shops. And guess what - it cost nearly half the price here that it did in Italy.

So here's some good advice. Do not bother bring back lots of food from your trip. Odds are you can get the same stuff for much less without the shlepping at home - at least if home is a big city.

Hi metellus,

Don't know what you bought, so can't dispute you, however I found dried Porcini mushrooms, saffron, limoncello and very, very good Tuscan olive oil to be much cheaper than at home.

I live in rural Georgia, so that might explain it. :)

For me I know its cheaper than Ireland. I have a bag of pasta I bought in radda that cost over twice as much here. There is an importer with qa small shop but the selection is lmited and mostly catering sizes. My partner buys me Olive oil on his trips to Italy and a new bottle of wine to taste.

We didn't bring back much food (had too many other things) but your post reminded me of something one of our taxi drivers told us. He visited friends in NYC and could buy shoes and other things "made in italy" cheaper than he could at home so he shops whenever he comes to the States now!

We brought back 6 bottles of olive oil (liquid gold) from our Tuscany trip. It was 1/4 of the cost of the same quality olive oil we can get here.

"Message: For me I know its cheaper than Ireland."

I'm not surprised. Ireland is now one of the most expensive countries in the world.

"Message: We brought back 6 bottles of olive oil (liquid gold) from our Tuscany trip. It was 1/4 of the cost of the same quality olive oil we can get here"

You are probably shopping in some fancy schmancy gourmet store. I just went to a few small groceries in Italian neighborhoods.

Of course if you don't live in a big city with lots of Italians, then obviously you will have more problems getting good stuff cheap. Wine and liquor, however, were definately cheaper there.

Well all I know is that I bought a bottle of Merlot in Italy for 4 E and it tasted better than some $16 merlot I've had here.

And proschito costs way more here than in Italy. NOt that it's cheap there...

I found over all the qaulity and taste of the food I got in the supermarket in Italy - especially fruit juice, but even jarred marinera sauce, to be much much better than what you get here.

Joelle

Don't know what you brought back exactly - so ca;t comment on specifics. But onefactor may be that the US has the cheapest food in the world - by far - and even imported things cost much less than in other places due to volume (the total sze of the US market) and companies willingness to take less profit per item to break into the market.

(This is the reason that Japanese cars are so much cheaper in the US than they are in europe - and sometimes even less than they are in Japan.)

For those of you in San Francisco or around - the store called "Bargain Bank" sells things from out-of-business liquidation places. It carries whatever comes it way, including Italian wines, pastas, olive oil. 2 location I know are on Polk somewhere near California, and on Clement near 6th Ave. Very reduced prices.

"I returned home from Italy with a suitcase full of supplies, olive oil, cookies, pasta, panforte, etc. I've manage to find almost all of the same stuff (and I mean even thesame brands) in local shops. And guess what - it cost nearly half the price here that it did in Italy."
Wow! You sure went to a lot of trouble to prove a point!! ;)