For any individual or family it is important to make sure you can eat food that you like and is healthy for you. No one wants to eat every meal in a restaurant. Most internet searches on Fiji Food gives you links to restaurants. At Find Your Feet we can help determine what to bring with you to suit your cooking preferences and what is readily available here.
Where to do your shopping in Fiji
There isn’t one place to do all of your shopping in Fiji. It can be very time consuming as, often, you will need to drive to a variety of places to get your complete list. When you do an Orientation Tour with Find Your Feet we can pre-determine which supplies you will need regularly. Then we determine where to find them easily and which “work arounds” might be needed to be put in place. An example is when we moved here we had a yoghurt maker, our all visitors from overseas were asked to bring the starter sachets. That has changed, now we can cheaply buy good yoghurt from most supermarkets. Now our family asks visitors to bring school snacks for lunch boxes!
Cooking in Fiji
Finding the right ingredients can be a challenge! Depending on your preferences and adapting to available food here we can help establish your food options.
With the Chinese and Indian cultural impacts here in Fiji, the food landscape has broadened to include more influences from these exotic locations. There are many spices that can be bought cheaply. Many are grown locally without preservatives or additives, Ginger and Cinnamon are good examples.
Many resorts offer a cooking lesson as part of their activities schedule. If you would like to pursue a cooking course in a particular discipline then please contact us to arrange a private class to meet your group size or culinary desires.
Fresh Food Markets
Our customers love to buy fresh from the market. This ensures that your food is fresh and the money you are paying for it goes to the farmers, not a corporation. Most fruit and vegetables are seasonal here, even tomatoes! Pineapple and watermelon can be bought year round, apples are imported and our oranges are not orange-coloured, but when in season are delicious.
Fruit and vegetables tend to be sold either in heaps/bundles or as individual items. For example you buy a heap or a plate of tomatoes but celery is generally sold per stalk! There are new culinary adventures to be had at the markets. Find Your Feet can help you learn the variety of green leafy vegetables on offer and how to cook them.
There are butchers here, some even home deliver! It is easy to buy chicken, pork and beef that is all from Fiji. All lamb in the shops is imported.
Which appliances should I bring with me and what appliances can I buy in Fiji?
It is cheaper to buy a rice cooker in Australia or New Zealand than buying one in Fiji, but rice cookers are available here for around $100 FJD ($64AUD). Working out which appliances you need to bring with you when you move here is something we can help you settle.
Thermomix and other similar machines have yet to reach Fiji stores. If you bring one of these kitchen appliances, my recommendation would be to use a power board to ensure the electricity supply doesn’t surge through and compromise your machine. You can’t just go to the shop and buy a new one!
Food Intolerances
Particular food items to cater for special diets like gluten free or lactose free products. Fiji has a limited supply and availability of these products in. There are particular stores within the major supermarket chains that stock speciality items like goats milk or gluten free bread. In addition there are specialty food stores which may regularly stock the items you need. On your Orientation Tour or during your Reconnaissance your Find Your Feet consultant can point out where to find these items. Consequently we can ensure to meet your and your families needs.
Please contact me so we can work together to best prepare your Fiji arrival. Find Your Feet can be in regular contact to assist you with what to ship in your container. What you will need to bring with you and which items you will be able to pick up here.
Looking forward to hearing from you.