We will be in Maui in Feb. Staying at Noelani Condo resort. We chose a condo so we could do some of our own cooking. Where are the best places to get groceries and pick up some fresh fish? The resort has a bbq we can use and we love to grill fish. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Also -- any small items that would be better brought from home -- I was thinking maybe garlic salt -- what else?

Can't help on the groceries, but we are looking at the Noelani also. Would you please post your opinion of the place when you return?

Can't help you with specific stores, but gorceries can be expensive. We just got home from 2 months in Waikiki (my husband was there for work) and a gallon of milk was $6.19 and a loaf of plain wheat bread was $2.55. Be prepared to spend $200 on food and not buy much.

What? Those prices makes me want to pack powdered milk and bisquick!

If you want to take a drive down south, we shopped for food, soda, snacks, etc. at Foodland in Kihei. Prices didn't seem that outrageous.

We were just in Kauai recently, we bought milk at Safeway for $3.59 a gallon. Shopping is expensive but if you buy the sale items and use the club cards it really isn't that bad.

Last August, my family of five went to Maui. I brought from home spices, powdered drink mix (lemonade & iced tea), breakfast bars and sweet 'n low. We stopped at Costco and K-Mart near the MAui airport and purchased additional staples for the condo. K-Mart is good because they sell smaller quantities than Costco. The rest of the time we shopped at the local market, used their food club card, and bought only those items on sale. There was a local fish market nearby which we frequented too. Hope this helps!

As a Southern Belle, I can't go long without iced tea. I put powdered ice tea mix once into a baggie for a trip. It leaked and was the hardest thing to clean.
Even at home, I make iced tea every day with my coffee maker, cheap tea bags, and pink sweetener. Fill coffee maker with water, put 6 teabags in, and turn on. When done, pour into large pitcher and add 6 pink sweetener packets. Add more water to fill pitcher.
I often put it into reusable water bottles to take with us while we are out and about. This works great if you are organized enough to freeze them the night before in the condo.

I live on Maui, but you didn't mention what part of the Island you'll be staying at. If it's in Kihei, there is a Safeway in a new shopping area with Outbacks, Blockbuster, in the same area.

I think people who live on Maui become accustomed to the prices here, but $6.69 for milk is crazy - it was that price because it was bought in Waikiki... not a place of bargins!

Very near to the Airport is a Costco, where you can buy fresh fish for a good price. Next door is Kmart, and on your way to either Kihei or Lahaina is a Walmart.

In Kihei, there is also a Longs, which will have everyday items for a very reasonable price, without buying bulk as with Costco.

Noelani is on the west side -- between Kaannapali and Kapalua.

Some mentioned a club card. How much do these cost and where do you get them. I'm wondering about the local market mentioned by carbogilligan.

Which place sells the best fish? Costco?

costco's club card costs $45 and unless you're going to use it at home it's not really worth it. Safeway's is free and, if you have a Von's card, or a Safeway card from the mainland, you can use them. If you don't have one, just fill in the application and you get the card right away. Foodland (correct name?) also has a frequent shopper card, which you get right away and which is free.

You will pass a Safeways and Longs drug at The Cannery mall right before Kaanapali beach on your way to your condo. Be sure to go to the service desk and get your Safeway card if you dont already have one. Really helped with prices. Longs Drug is also in the mall for your sun lotions, shampoo etc. We found Longs just as cheap at Kmart and Walmart that are by the airport. We did not shop at Cosco.. did not want to buy in such big quantities for two people. There is also a Star grocery in Napali even closer to your Condo.. prices there seemed to be compareable to Safeways.

We shopped at a Star Market in Honokowai. The card was free. There was a fish market in that area too.

You might want to ask how well your condo is stocked. Some condos we've stayed in had a pretty good stocked kitchen, including salt, pepper, all kinds of different spices, one even had packages of microwave popcorn.

We stay in a Maui condo each year and I always take along quite a few dry items and pack them in our ice chest (which is a medium sized one) then tape it up with duct tape (take the roll with you for your return trip)and then check it on the plane. You can then use the ice chest during your stay to take drinks and snacks to the beach, pool or on drives. I normally take things like my favorite dried spices, coffee, pasta, rice, salt, pepper grinder, small canned items, olive oil, vegetable oil (pour into empty plastic spice containers), etc. I put some small sandwich bags and some gallon size ziplocks in as well. Some condos have foil and plastic wrap, some do not. I always pack both in my suitcase just in case. We normally hit Costco when we land and pick up fish, steaks, wine/beer, veggies, etc.

I don't know where that poster shopped and paid so much for bread and milk - when I was in Waikiki I didn't pay more than $3 something for milk and about $2 for bread. But then I didn't shop for groceries in the hotel gift shops or ABC stores - I got on The Bus and went to Foodland or Safeway and used their club cards. In Maui they have the usual grocery chains (Safeway, Foodland) and the warehouse stores, so you should be fine.

When I went last time, I knew I'd have a kitchenette, so I brought all my canned and dry goods and saved a bunch of $$ that way. I just slipped them in my luggage and I brought small sizes of such things as mayo and mustard, etc. and tossed whatever remained when I packed to come home. The poster's idea about packing such things in a cooler is really good and very efficient since you'd make good use of a cooler once you're there.

All these posts are right on. I bring things that I need just a little of like my favorite spices, olive oil, etc. Bring a few different sizes of zip locks to store those left-overs from the BBQ. Just be sure to double or triple bag things that would be messy if they leak. The cooler is a good idea because it would all be contained in there and not all over your clothes.

If you take small containters of condiments you will save too. You may need a little mayo and mustard for picnic sandwiches and you don't need the whole jars. If you take along those packets you get at the deli of those things you will be set. I know I always seem to have an enormously silly bunch of the ketchup, mustard, honey, soy packets in a kitchen drawer.

The Safeway in the Cannery Mall just above Lahaina does have some of the best prices and the club card has some great savings.

Costco may not be worth it if there are only 2 of you but if there are more it could save you a lot. Prices there are not much more than home. The last time I went with 4 of us for a week we picked up the big bag of boneless skiless chicken breasts and grilled them up on our first night. We were able to use the left-over chicken for salads, snacks and sandwiches for the rest of the week.

The best thing is to take a look at what you use to cook at home now. If you use just a bit of a large bottle or package, pack it in that small quantiity from home. Who wants to buy an entire box of rice over there if you will only be making 2 servings. Worst case, bring it back with you if you don't use it.

Have fun!

I have stayed at the Noelani and other condos on the West side. There is a great supermarket in Honokowai, someone mentioned it - Star market or Foodland? Can't remember the name, but they have excellent seafood, and I'm picky about the freshness or my seafood. I liked it better than the fish market nearby. We made made mahi-mahi with coconut macademia nut crust topped with mango salsa. Fabulous and would have cost a fortune at restaurants. There is a farmers market several days per week in Honokowai that is excellant, wonderful fruits, veggies, plus pinapple and banana breads, muffins, flowers, and the mango salsas,etc. Lots of samples, too! We bought a lot of stuff there! It is on the left side when you are headed towards Kannapali, before the supermarket, I think.The prices at the markets are higher in Hawaii than on the mainland, since most things are imported. Before you go hauling spices, etc over, call and ask what unit you will be assigned and how well it is stocked for spices, etc. Many times I have found them to be quite well stocked. Some condos have an herb garden for you to pick fresh herbs to cook with, but I can't remember if that's true for the Noelani.

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We like to go to the fish market on Lower Honoapiilani rd. It's close to the Noelani. They catch the fish in the morning and you buy it in the afternoon. They also give you the spices to go with the fish you get. Very good and the people were very nice.