Flying food from mainland to Hawaii...what is NOT permitted?

[noreenkate]

Since my husband's open heart surgery, I am trying to buy lean meats, healthy fats, and low salt foods. But my husband leans to the tight-wad side. So at the grocery store when he complains: "Geez, the low salt marinara sauce is $2 more than the house brand!" I say, "You have $XXX in the stock market and $XXX in the bank, so if you save $2 on a jar of marinara, what are you going to do with it?" Or I say, "I will put the $2 on your desk when we get home."

lol I tell mine that the $2. Is cheaper than his cardiologist co-pay

 

[ScoopKona]

Aren't the steaks I buy at the Lihue Costco coming from the same place as the ones I buy at the Seattle Costco?

Why are you shopping at Costco instead of someplace which sells Big Island Beef?

It takes a little extra time and effort to find locally grown and raised food. Whether it's worth the effort is up to the visitor. The person who lives on a diet of Hot Pockets and Corn Dogs should head straight to the frozen aisle of Costco, because it's the same price as the mainland. I actually appreciate that the average person eats processed food -- the good stuff already costs too much. If there was tourist demand for real cheese, slow-fermented bread, locally grown produce and locally raised meat and seafood, prices would easily double.

If people buy their food at a farm, farm stand or farmer's market, Costco and Walmart won't even notice the loss of business. It will change the life of a farmer, however. Best of all, that money bounces around a bit before being Hoovered up into the coffers of the mainland banks.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Why are you shopping at Costco instead of someplace which sells Big Island Beef?

Because I want the highest quality beef for the lowest price. Costco's steaks are twice as good as those at other grocery stores at half the price. I'm not paying $40 a pound when Costco sells NY Strips for $9.99 a pound.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Tropical fruit is still lacking in Hi better in Mexico by far

What? Tropical fruit is lacking and better in Mexico? Maybe @ScoopKona can point you in the right direction for your next trip. Did you show up at the end-of-day at a supermarket? It will be a sad day if I can't find good fruit in Hawaii.

Overall, I agree find tropical fruit in MX to be better than in HI. But I wouldn't say "by far". And there is some fruit in HI that is much better. The reverse is also true for me.

My overall sense is that the farther south you go in MX, the better the quality of the fresh fruit. By far the best produce I've ever seen was in Guatemala.

 

[ScoopKona]

Because I want the highest quality beef for the lowest price. Costco's steaks are twice as good as those at other grocery stores at half the price. I'm not paying $40 a pound when Costco sells NY Strips for $9.99 a pound.

I buy direct from the ranchers -- which anyone can do if they visit the right farmer's market. It's about the same price as Costco, and I know where the money is going that way -- down the road from me. As for "twice as good," we'll have to agree to disagree on that.

 

[TravelJoy]

"Kona" Coffee sold in Grocery Stores only has to be 10% Kona to carry the Name on the Label. So read the Label carefully. Kaua'i Coffee is always 100% Kaua'i. When we buy from the Coffee Grower it has always been 100% from their Farm. Costco usually carries 100% Kona but normally only in Whole Bean. But they have Coffee Grinders for the Costomer to use. Our favorite Hawaii Coffee was a Bean only grown on Maui. Their Roasting and Bagging Facilty; and, Store were destroyed in the Fire.

I think there was a lawsuit against Costco and others that claimed Kona coffee but actually sold more "Kona" then Kona was actually produced

 

[ScoopKona]

I think there was a lawsuit against Costco and others that claimed Kona coffee but actually sold more "Kona" then Kona was actually produced

Yes, I'm a part of that lawsuit. Most people have never had the real deal because of bogus "Kona" coffee sold on the mainland.

 

[TravelJoy]

Yes, I'm a part of that lawsuit. Most people have never had the real deal because of bogus "Kona" coffee sold on the mainland.

You guys win?

 

[TolmiePeak]

I buy direct from the ranchers -- which anyone can do if they visit the right farmer's market. It's about the same price as Costco, and I know where the money is going that way -- down the road from me. As for "twice as good," we'll have to agree to disagree on that.

I guess we both support local merchants. You support ranchers in Hawaii. I support companies in Seattle like Costco, Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks...

 

[ScoopKona]

You guys win?

It's ongoing.

The US is the worst country in the developed world when it comes to food labeling laws. Most of the olive oil on supermarket shelves is either adulterated or straight-up counterfeit. There is no such thing as New York "champagne."

And when it comes to beef, "Prime Cuts," "Rancher's Choice" and similar mean absolutely nothing -- it's just a way to sell lower grades for higher prices. We've run an awful lot of supermarket "Kona" coffee through a mass spectrometer and can say with certainty that there is nothing Hawaiian, let alone Kona in most of the packages.

And since the average consumer is ignorant and incurious, the problem persists.

 

[Luanne]

I guess we both support local merchants. You support ranchers in Hawaii. I support companies in Seattle like Costco, Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks...

And we support local merchants in Hawaii by buying at the local stores, not bringing everything with us.

 

[davidvel]

Because I want the highest quality beef for the lowest price. Costco's steaks are twice as good as those at other grocery stores at half the price. I'm not paying $40 a pound when Costco sells NY Strips for $9.99 a pound.

Now, now, you must follow SK's ways or he'll come up with some new fancy words to insult you and claim all you eat is frozen food and dine out at McDonalds.

 

[TravelJoy]

It's ongoing.

The US is the worst country in the developed world when it comes to food labeling laws. Most of the olive oil on supermarket shelves is either adulterated or straight-up counterfeit. There is no such thing as New York "champagne."

And when it comes to beef, "Prime Cuts," "Rancher's Choice" and similar mean absolutely nothing -- it's just a way to sell lower grades for higher prices. We've run an awful lot of supermarket "Kona" coffee through a mass spectrometer and can say with certainty that there is nothing Hawaiian, let alone Kona in most of the packages.

And since the average consumer is ignorant and incurious, the problem persists.

Couldn't agree more with this. There are very few discerning consumers since most are habituated since birth on fast and processed foods.

 

[ScoopKona]

Couldn't agree more with this. There are very few discerning consumers since most are habituated since birth on fast and processed foods.

And they're indignant about it.

Poor diet comes with a laundry list of complications. They'll pay the price -- sooner or later.

 

[TravelJoy]

Well hope you guys win and the lawyers don't take it all.

 

[ScoopKona]

Well hope you guys win and the lawyers don't take it all.

Thanks.

I'll be happy if the packaging laws are changed and going forward, people who pay big bucks for Kona coffee actually get what they're paying for. Once that happens, farms will rise and fall on their earned reputation. I've never expected a big payday from this. (Even if a big payday happens, it will go to the larger, older farms who have been cheated far longer.)

 

[TolmiePeak]

And we support local merchants in Hawaii by buying at the local stores, not bringing everything with us.

I support my local merchants by buying food at the Lihue Costco.

 

[ScoopKona]

I support my local merchants by buying food at the Lihue Costco.

It's things like this which lead to counties raising occupancy taxes.

 

[TolmiePeak]

Now, now, you must follow SK's ways or he'll come up with some new fancy words to insult you and claim all you eat is frozen food and dine out at McDonalds.

Well in SK's defense my post was complete nonsense. Although I use that line all the time on my neighbors who love to brag about buying "local" from the farmers market. I tell them I shop local too. Amazon(Whole Foods) and Costco. This spoof on Portlandia is funny because it does accurately describe many Seattle and Portland residents...

 

[mcdanielpj]

I take my no-sodium pretzels because they are impossible to find on Hawaii Island, and then going home I use that space to take lots of macadamias (unsalted, of course!).

 

[Luanne]

I take my no-sodium pretzels because they are impossible to find on Hawaii Island, and then going home I use that space to take lots of macadamias (unsalted, of course!).

Since we can get macadamias at home we don't bring any back with us. The best ones I ever had were on the Big Island when we went to the home of a man who made a lamp we wanted. He had mac trees on his property and would roast them himself. Oh my gosh!

 

[lynne]

Since we can get macadamias at home we don't bring any back with us. The best ones I ever had were on the Big Island when we went to the home of a man who made a lamp we wanted. He had mac trees on his property and would roast them himself. Oh my gosh!

That is one of the things I miss the most when we moved from the Hamakua side of the island to Kohala. We had a a mac-nut orchard (200+ trees) and did not even have to dry and roast them. They were delicious plain after being husked. When we purchased the house, our real estate agent gave us a mac-nut cracker as a house warming gift.

Now at 600' (were previously lived at 2000'), we can grow figs and mangos without a problem, but no more macadamia trees. They do not thrive at lower levels.

 

[gohi2]

I usually don't bring the stuff and buy in safeway (check the weekly ad and buy the sale one 🫣)

 

[SmithOp]

Overall, I agree find tropical fruit in MX to be better than in HI. But I wouldn't say "by far". And there is some fruit in HI that is much better. The reverse is also true for me.

My overall sense is that the farther south you go in MX, the better the quality of the fresh fruit. By far the best produce I've ever seen was in Guatemala.

We prefer the papayas from Hawaii, the Mexican papayas have an off taste. The opposite is true for avocado, we have never been able to get those huge Hawaiian avocados to ripen before we leave

 

[jacknsara]

We prefer the papayas from Hawaii, the Mexican papayas have an off taste. The opposite is true for avocado, we have never been able to get those huge Hawaiian avocados to ripen before we leave

Perhaps you need to stay longer. Soon after arriving, we load up with avocados at farm stands which grow some of our preferred varieties. We time our last purchase so that most will have ripened before we leave.