Hawaii Travel Pro Tips for Packing: Food for TS Kitchen

[Monykalyn]

I live here.

1) Don't go nuts at Costco. Are you going to eat Hawaiian food? Or Costco food? Make that decision now.

2) It would be easier if you divulged where you are staying. If it's the Kona Cost Resort on Alii Drive (right down the road from my farm -- literally), then you have a KTA superstore within walking distance.

3) Think globally, eat locally applies better here than anywhere else. When I'm on the mainland and tell people about my coffee farm, 90% of the people say the same damned thing: "Oy! But it's SOOO EXPENSIVE!" No, it really isn't. And the reason it isn't is because I don't eat Ritz crackers and Capn Crunch cereal. Anything that comes in a box from the mainland costs a fortune. Fish and tropical fruit may as well be free.

4) Speaking of which, there is a guy who sells fish out of the back of a pickup truck most days on Alii, right at the entrance to KTA. That's the best place to buy fish -- and particularly shrimp. Big Island beef (from Parker Ranch, which is the oldest and once largest ranch in the country) is also great. You're not going to find that at Costco.

5) Also speaking of which, buy LOCAL produce. Also pick local produce. Half the people I know keep a bucket of avocados in the back of their truck in the hopes they can give them away. Mangoes, papaya, citrus -- those are essentially free for the asking. There are "honor system" farm stands all over the place. Take some fruit, leave some money. Most of the small coffee farmers (like me) grow all kinds of things besides coffee. Instead of going to the large farms and fighting with busloads of tour groups, call some small farms (the people at Hawaii Mana Farm are friends of mine, try them first) and ask if they'll sell you some fruit.

5) I would rather eat KTA poke three meals a day than Costco bulk food. I feel sorry for the people who won't eat poke. That's like going to France and hating French cuisine. And have a look at KTA and Choicemart (and not Safeway and Costco) -- it's sort of like shopping in a Chinatown. Buy Asian ingredients and do a stir fry.

I live on considerably less here than I do on the mainland. My only real expense is beer, from Kona Brewing. With Ahi at $2/pound (and a sharp filet knife), I can live on that and some occasional chicken and beef.

This is amazing. First time in Hawaii this summer-a week on Maui and week on Ohau. Fresh fish and veggies all day long for me and I'm in heaven. Our son is a HUGE fish eater, lover of sushi as well so really looking forward to fresh (we are as landlocked as we can possibly be in the mainland in MO LOL).
Bookmarking this for reference, know it's for a different island but great advice.

When we go to Florida timeshare I take the usual stuff and have an Owner's locker in Orlando. Looking forward to a different experience this summer!.

 

[ScoopKona]

This is amazing. First time in Hawaii this summer-a week on Maui and week on Ohau. Fresh fish and veggies all day long for me and I'm in heaven. Our son is a HUGE fish eater, lover of sushi as well so really looking forward to fresh (we are as landlocked as we can possibly be in the mainland in MO LOL).
Bookmarking this for reference, know it's for a different island but great advice.

When we go to Florida timeshare I take the usual stuff and have an Owner's locker in Orlando. Looking forward to a different experience this summer!.

There will be *similar* outcomes on Maui. Oahu? Not so much. I'm speaking specifically about the big island. So don't look for a fish guy with a pickup truck on Alii Drive.

But, they have KTAs selling poke by the pound in both places -- I cannot recommend that highly enough. Go nuts. Get two kinds every day -- enough for everyone. And then try two more the next day.

But my basic advice to avoid Costco and Safeway and get local food stands. Hawaii enjoys a quality of life on par with the best places in Europe. Avail yourself.

 

[pedro47]

I live here.

1) Don't go nuts at Costco. Are you going to eat Hawaiian food? Or Costco food? Make that decision now.

2) It would be easier if you divulged where you are staying. If it's the Kona Cost Resort on Alii Drive (right down the road from my farm -- literally), then you have a KTA superstore within walking distance.

3) Think globally, eat locally applies better here than anywhere else. When I'm on the mainland and tell people about my coffee farm, 90% of the people say the same damned thing: "Oy! But it's SOOO EXPENSIVE!" No, it really isn't. And the reason it isn't is because I don't eat Ritz crackers and Capn Crunch cereal. Anything that comes in a box from the mainland costs a fortune. Fish and tropical fruit may as well be free.

4) Speaking of which, there is a guy who sells fish out of the back of a pickup truck most days on Alii, right at the entrance to KTA. That's the best place to buy fish -- and particularly shrimp. Big Island beef (from Parker Ranch, which is the oldest and once largest ranch in the country) is also great. You're not going to find that at Costco.

5) Also speaking of which, buy LOCAL produce. Also pick local produce. Half the people I know keep a bucket of avocados in the back of their truck in the hopes they can give them away. Mangoes, papaya, citrus -- those are essentially free for the asking. There are "honor system" farm stands all over the place. Take some fruit, leave some money. Most of the small coffee farmers (like me) grow all kinds of things besides coffee. Instead of going to the large farms and fighting with busloads of tour groups, call some small farms (the people at Hawaii Mana Farm are friends of mine, try them first) and ask if they'll sell you some fruit.

5) I would rather eat KTA poke three meals a day than Costco bulk food. I feel sorry for the people who won't eat poke. That's like going to France and hating French cuisine. And have a look at KTA and Choicemart (and not Safeway and Costco) -- it's sort of like shopping in a Chinatown. Buy Asian ingredients and do a stir fry.

I live on considerably less here than I do on the mainland. My only real expense is beer, from Kona Brewing. With Ahi at $2/pound (and a sharp filet knife), I can live on that and some occasional chicken and beef.

What is KTA poke ? I have never been to Hawaii.

 

[ScoopKona]

What is KTA poke ? I have been to Hawaii.

KTA is a local grocery store. Foodland and Choicemart are the other two I've been to. There may be others in areas I haven't visited. They're all basically the same -- a mish-mash of Asian and Occidental foodstuffs. I think Foodland and KTA have the best poke. Choicemart is good, too. But I'd give it a "seven" compared to Foodland and KTA's "eight."

"Ten" is making it yourself, cutting your own ahi right off the boat.

 

[StaceyM]

With Ahi at $2/pound (and a sharp filet knife), I can live on that and some occasional chicken and beef.

Where are you getting ahi at $2 a pound, (the pickup guy?) and what time of year? We were there in October 2021 and if I recall correctly, KTA and Foodland poke made with ahi was around $12-16 a pound. We usually buy our fish at the fish shack place near Kawaihae and fresh ahi was $16 or $20, which was cheaper than the grocery stores. We did see a pickup truck near the shopping center where Alii drive has a 90-degree right turn but there was nothing there under $15 a pound.

Even Reddit reports from 4 months ago say ahi was $10 a pound at roadside stands.

 

[ScoopKona]

Where are you getting ahi at $2 a pound, (the pickup guy?) and what time of year? We were there in October 2021 and if I recall correctly, KTA and Foodland poke made with ahi was around $12-16 a pound. We usually buy our fish at the fish shack place near Kawaihae and fresh ahi was $16 or $20, which was cheaper than the grocery stores. But even Reddit reports from 4 months ago say ahi was $10 a pound at roadside stands.

The guy selling it out of the back of his truck. With inflation, it's up to $4. Just bought some. But that's whole fish. By the time it's broken down, it's around $8/lb and the rest is compost.

 

[easyrider]

There was a time we packed heavy and brought scuba and fishing gear. Now we are older and just take carry on. The food we buy in Hawaii does cost a bit more than here so it isn't anything we worry about. We go out more to restaurant in Hawaii than at home so that kind of becomes a fun activity. We do head to Costco and no matter what we buy it always includes a roasted chicken.

Bill

 

[carmena79]

I buy liquid less laundry sheets from a company called Earth Breeze. They wash clothes and smell great and take up no room and are not liquid

 

[lockewong]

The idea of bringing condiment packages is an interesting idea. The last time that I was in the BI Costco, I remember seeing soy sauce in 5 gallon buckets. That is several life-time supplies.

I looked on ebay, and sure enough, people are selling condiment packages. Here is one of the wider assortments: 100 Condiment Packets For Fast Food, Chinese Food, Take Out, And Year Around Dipping. This is a random mixed lot of 100 Packets. You will receive Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Soy Sauce, Hot Sauce, Duck Sauce, Jelly, Peanut Butter, And Dressing.

But I wonder if TSA would be concerned about 100 packages, especially in carry-on ??

We were in Maui for February. I have a friend in the East Bay/San Ramon/Danville who is an Oahu native. I was bringing back Hawaiian candies, Li-Hing Moy Strawberry Gummie Strips, sour gummie candies, etc. purchased from the Farmer's Market, Foodland and CVS in many, many packages for his teenagers. Kahului TSA had me separate each package and shake the open Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts from Costco- it was opened, for her. I was astounded. It was packed onto the very top of my carry-on --but she went through my bag in open view.

 

[Luanne]

We were in Maui for February. I have a friend in the East Bay/San Ramon/Danville who is an Oahu native. I was bringing back Hawaiian candies, Li-Hing Moy Strawberry Gummie Strips, sour gummie candies, etc. purchased from the Farmer's Market, Foodland and CVS in many, many packages for his teenagers. Kahului TSA had me separate each package and shake the open Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts from Costco- it was opened, for her. I was astounded. It was packed onto the very top of my carry-on --but she went through my bag in open view.

I had cookies and chocolates for my daughter in my backpack when we came back from Maui in early April. No checking done at all.

 

[Luanne]

I buy liquid less laundry sheets from a company called Earth Breeze. They wash clothes and smell great and take up no room and are not liquid

I brought Tide pods this trip. I had so many left over from previous trips that I decided to bring them with me. The nice thing was there were hardly any left to bring home. I double bag them in plastic bags just in case.

 

[ScoopKona]

We were in Maui for February. I have a friend in the East Bay/San Ramon/Danville who is an Oahu native. I was bringing back Hawaiian candies, Li-Hing Moy Strawberry Gummie Strips, sour gummie candies, etc. purchased from the Farmer's Market, Foodland and CVS in many, many packages for his teenagers. Kahului TSA had me separate each package and shake the open Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts from Costco- it was opened, for her. I was astounded. It was packed onto the very top of my carry-on --but she went through my bag in open view.

That isn't TSA. That is the Department of Agriculture.

Speaking as a farmer in Hawaii, I wish these people were MORE STRICT. I'm dealing with two coffee diseases which were brought over from another coffee-growing region because some [censored] couldn't be bothered to pack clean clothes. California avocado farmers lose sleep every night hoping that one of our avocado diseases doesn't migrate to them. I don't want to be personally responsible for wrecking an entire region's crop.

If you bring food in either direction, expect some additional searching. Those USDA inspectors have seen it all -- people trying to bring seeds, cuttings, flowers and fruit through. It's a much bigger problem than drug smuggling. Drugs only wreck the lives of addicts. Agricultural contamination wrecks entire regions.

 

[slip]

On Kauai, I once bought some Kauai Dark Chocolate bars for my wife. I think I had 5 of them I had them stacked in my carryon.

They noticed them when they scanned my bag and had to open the bag to see what they were. They said next time it would be better if I didn't have them stacked together.

They laughed when they opened my bag to see what it was. It only took a minute and I was on my way.

 

[lockewong]

On Kauai, I once bought some Kauai Dark Chocolate bars for my wife. I think I had 5 of them I had them stacked in my carryon.

They nnoticed them when they scanned my bag and had to open the bag to see what they were. They said next time it would be better if I didn't have them stacked together.

They laughed when they opened my bag to see what it was. It only took a minute and I was on my way.

Very sweet and romantic of you. Glad it was quick.

 

[cafeirene]

like others have mentioned, a decent supply of your favourite s + p, any spice blend or specific spice you just can't be without (it you want cinnamon on your cafe or ceral), but plan on shopping local for produce and proteins, dairy if you with. if we are there a week or longer, you can justify a Costco purchase of rum (tho I like to support local distilleries if available), you might be surprised in the walk in produce at Costco: pick up a chefs assortment of island grown Hamakua mushrooms, I picked up a pound of local purple poi, and taro chips, Pellegrino. Kona Brewing Co has local pubs (food trucks on Sunday and Monday, and if you are lucky, great live music). We look at the farm market schedule - it is worth a trip up to Waimea for a terrific farm market and the Hilo market is a great experience. If you are up in the Kohola area, Foodland Farms in Mani Lani can fill in everything else. On island, I buy the local soy sauce (Aloha), you will see a fuller selection than you see in Mainland stores, including their GF tamari, and other local produce. Farmstands are where I look for what is in season, and stock up on lilikoi, and other tropical fruit like rambutan, lychee or rambutan. I live on the fresh produce and fresh fish. Sadly there is no Tamura's location on the Big Island (they have a great selection not only of wine and spirits, but also have excellent poke. They have real sushi and poke chef's running their dept.

 

[Cbadwulf]

We own in Maui. First stop is Costco to buy wine, meats, cheeses, etc. I pack my sharp knives, cutting boards, a good spatula, a good pair of tongs, seasonings, some food storage bags.

 

[ww1aerofan]

We love wine, and white wine gets warm very quickly at out Maui TS.

over the last couple of years we have packed a pair of the double-walled
wine glasses that you can put in the freezer to chill.

 

[sfcolliejr]

We are becoming smarter on which food items to pack on our TS trips.
We are heading to the big island in late May.
We are seeking pro tips on what items we should consider packing.
We plan on taking advantage of our TS kitchen and grill.

What items are NOT allowed to be brought into Hawaii?

What are some good food items that are safe to bring to Hawaii?

What items are very expensive on the big island?

Any recommended local food items to enhance our Hawaii experience?

We typically bring things like spaghetti sauce, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, bacon, cheese, and occasionally some frozen steaks (Get great steaks in from the Midwest).

Looking forward to learning more pro tips

We usually pack a small suitcase with frozen meat and poultry. We live on the west coast. Unless the baggage is lost or there is a delay, everything is still frozen when we arrive and get to our timeshare. We also pack some condiments and rubs (the rubs we put into ziplock bags. I take a pair of good BBQ tongs. Like a lot of folks, we go to Costco for most things except fresh vegetables.

 

[ruhskis9713]

We order meal kits from companies like Hello Fresh (our favorite) or Blue Apron. Keeps us from having to buy a lot of cookng ingredients that we end up leaving behind. I also bring salt, pepper and sugar substitute.

 

[Luanne]

We find that sometimes the units have a large variety of spices, and sometimes they don't. When they don't we may buy a few, then bring them home with us.

We don't do Costco. We used to, but found that we just weren't using up everything we bought.

 

[slip]

We find that sometimes the units have a large variety of spices, and sometimes they don't. When they don't we may buy a few, then bring them home with us.

We don't do Costco. We used to, but found that we just weren't using up everything we bought.

Same for us. Especially, on a one week trip. We are starting to find the same thing even with 2 weeks. We have our usual spots where we like to go to for lunches and dinner and there are I my so many days.

We have a Kauai trip Coming up In a couple weeks. One nice thing is that we will have a short flight so bringing stuff back won't be an issue.

 

[Luanne]

Same for us. Especially, on a one week trip. We are starting to find the same thing even with 2 weeks. We have our usual spots where we like to go to for lunches and dinner and there are I my so many days.

We have a Kauai trip Coming up In a couple weeks. One nice thing is that we will have a short flight so bringing stuff back won't be an issue.

We found that on our most recent trip we ended up eating out a lot more than in the past. I think it was a combination of: dh said he didn't have the proper cooking implements (like right size pans) to prepare some meals, and I think we just got lazy and wanted to eat out.

 

[slip]

We found that on our most recent trip we ended up eating out a lot more than in the past. I think it was a combination of: dh said he didn't have the proper cooking implements (like right size pans) to prepare some meals, and I think we just got lazy and wanted to eat out.

For us, it's between hitting our old favorites and trying a new place. After that there aren't many days left.

 

[Luanne]

For us, it's between hitting our old favorites and trying a new place. After that there aren't many days left.

I will sadly say that some of our old favorites disappointed us on this recent trip. We understand places being under staffed and can deal with that. But in some cases hours, and days of operation had been cut, some others menu changes resulted in some favorites being removed, and sometimes the meals themselves were disappointing, just not up to the levels in the past.

 

[slip]

I will sadly say that some of our old favorites disappointed us on this recent trip. We understand places being under staffed and can deal with that. But in some cases hours, and days of operation had been cut, some others menu changes resulted in some favorites being removed, and sometimes the meals themselves were disappointing, just not up to the levels in the past.

Yes, I am used to that already.even on Molokai there have been some staffing issues.

I know Kauai will be different since I know some our old favorites are gone. Ono Family Restaurant for one. We're only staying a week so we won't have any problems finding places to go. We have friends from Wisconsin that will be there also and they are taking us to the Beach House. We'll see how everything goes.