We have lived in Portugal for two years. Yes, Local groceries tend to be cheaper than others countries. Imported goods are far more expensive or just do not exist unless you live in areas where there are a lot of foreign immigrants. There are unfortunate reasons why groceries are cheaper. Salaries are very low, the Portuguese tend to have a local traditional diet and most cannot afford foreign foods - it is a sad history, after centuries of economic strife, low birth rate, authoritarian governments, young people leaving, to find better opportunities and history of complete mismanagement. This leads to a diet which is not particularly varied, not flavoursome or particularly interesting to foreign immigrants. If you live in a town with few foreign restaurants you'll find most menus are basically the same. Yes, it is healthy food, but tends to be bland flavours - no variety. Bland seems to be exactly what locals enjoy. I asked someone why, after the Portuguese travelled to the far corners of the world - trading spices, she said we do not cook with spices, we are traders.
That is a really interesting observation because we noticed the same thing as far as taste goes. Not only did we feel like we had to salt everything heavily, we couldn't actually find salt in most restaurants and if we did we would grab extra packets to take with us to the next place should we need it.
@@GAPIT50 My wife cooked fish and seafood soup for some of our Portuguese friends, UK recipe... the feedback was... "it's very flavoursome"... we later found out that was not a compliment!
@@israeldare3825 Everything is made fresh, fresh fish, vegetables/salads, fruit - very little is pre-packaged, pre-made in supermarkets. Fish is cooked outside at most restaurants. We live very close to the sea, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves - local farmers bring produce to the local markets. Extremely healthy but just lacks variety.
We have lived in Portugal for two years. Yes, Local groceries tend to be cheaper than others countries. Imported goods are far more expensive or just do not exist unless you live in areas where there are a lot of foreign immigrants. There are unfortunate reasons why groceries are cheaper. Salaries are very low, the Portuguese tend to have a local traditional diet and most cannot afford foreign foods - it is a sad history, after centuries of economic strife, low birth rate, authoritarian governments, young people leaving, to find better opportunities and history of complete mismanagement. This leads to a diet which is not particularly varied, not flavoursome or particularly interesting to foreign immigrants. If you live in a town with few foreign restaurants you'll find most menus are basically the same. Yes, it is healthy food, but tends to be bland flavours - no variety. Bland seems to be exactly what locals enjoy. I asked someone why, after the Portuguese travelled to the far corners of the world - trading spices, she said we do not cook with spices, we are traders.
That is a really interesting observation because we noticed the same thing as far as taste goes. Not only did we feel like we had to salt everything heavily, we couldn't actually find salt in most restaurants and if we did we would grab extra packets to take with us to the next place should we need it.
@@GAPIT50 I once saw a warning label on strong tasting cheese in a supermarket!
@@GAPIT50 My wife cooked fish and seafood soup for some of our Portuguese friends, UK recipe... the feedback was... "it's very flavoursome"... we later found out that was not a compliment!
Wow, then why do people always say Portuguese cuisines are one of the best?
@@israeldare3825 Everything is made fresh, fresh fish, vegetables/salads, fruit - very little is pre-packaged, pre-made in supermarkets. Fish is cooked outside at most restaurants. We live very close to the sea, surrounded by vineyards and olive groves - local farmers bring produce to the local markets. Extremely healthy but just lacks variety.