It's That Time of Year! Shopping in Ukraine - Part 1: Groceries

Hello, friends and family!

The snow is falling, the wreaths and garlands are up in the malls and in the coffee shops, and classic American Christmas songs can be heard playing on the radio even in this faraway Eastern European country. In other words - it is shopping season. I mean Christmas season.

In truth, the reason I have decided to write about shopping is neither the need to buy Christmas presents nor the preponderance of Black Friday sales (yes, Black Friday is a thing in Ukraine. The private sector seems to be the fastest-moving as far as social and cultural change).

Rather, the inspiration for a shopping blog is the fact that I have finally moved into my own apartment! It is time to fill up my noisy Soviet-era refrigerator, and get my own dishes so I can cook proper meals like an adult - or at least eat my instant ramen out of a bowl instead of a dented Starbucks to-go mug.

Since shopping is quite a big topic, I've decided to embark on a short series of blogs on the matter. Today, we tackle groceries. In forthcoming installations, we will take a trip to the bazaar, and also delve into the fascinating world of Ukrainian second-hand stores. But for now, let's get back to stocking up my Soviet-era fridge.

Grocery Stores in Ukraine
I have discerned three main categories of places for buying food: The bazaar, street kiosks, and the most familiar to Americans: grocery store chains.

Ukraine does have large grocery stores that would feel familiar to most Americans. There are aisles, produce and bakery sections, and signs hanging from the ceiling just like in any Safeway or Kroger.

Inside Silpo, one of Ukraine's largest grocery chains

However, unlike in the US, these grocery stores are often located in shopping malls... meaning that you occasionally get pestered by people handing out perfume samples when you're really just on your way to get eggs and milk.

The entrance to Silpo inside the Lubava Shopping Center

There are several other key differences between American grocery stores and Ukrainian ones. Firstly - you weigh your own fruits, veggies, and bulk goods. Even just this morning, I forgot to do this, and was embarrassed at the register when the cashier asked me why I hadn't weighed my bananas. I had to dash back to the produce section, bag them up, weigh them, get a price sticker, and then dash back while people waited in line for the absent-minded American who didn't weigh her bananas.

This process can be pretty intimidating for foreigners, because to weigh and price your item, you have to be able to type in the name of the product in Ukrainian (and there will always be people watching and waiting for their turn as you do this).

Bagging up some beans from the bulk goods section

Weighing and pricing some lentils. Note the pad to the right - this is where people abandon stickers when they have made a mistake. Accidentally select "green lentils" instead of "red lentils"? It happens. Add your sticker to the Board of Shame and try again. 

Another key difference in Ukrainian grocery stores is the fact that cookies, crackers, and candies are also sold in bulk (and yes, you have to weigh those, too). Getting your price sticker for these products is much harder than for produce, because the item names are less obvious and much more complicated. I used to be embarrassed about how much I struggled with this, but then I ran into some local ladies who also couldn't figure out what the heck a particular caramel candy was named, and we had to team up and figure it out between the three of us. Item names are written on the price stickers, but it can take a bit of detective work to figure out which stickers correspond to which items. Sometimes you're lucky, and you can also use a product identification number. 

Google Translate is not going to help you here...

I'm amazed at how much discipline people must have - the cookies are just... right there... 

Bulk candies. These are usually the items with the most complicated names. 

Fortunately for shoppers, one of the other differences I have noticed in Ukrainian grocery stores does a lot to free up your hands while you are shopping. Virtually all Ukrainian grocery stores, and some other shops as well, have good-sized lockers where you can store your things while you shop. This is very handy if I swing by the store on my way home from work, and don't want to carry my heavy laptop bag around. It also helps stores prevent shoplifting. These lockers are one of the things I have seen in Ukraine that I really wish we had back in the United States! 

The lockers in Silpo. I've also seen fancy ones in Delikat, with electronic codes instead of keys. 

Hitting the Streets: Food Kiosks

A phenomenon that is perhaps less familiar to Americans but absolutely ubiquitous in Ukraine is the food kiosk. These little buildings line most blocks of city streets, especially near bus stops, and you make your purchases through a little window. Some of them have a general selection not unlike gas station snack shops - they stock water bottles, candy bars, chips, and the like. However, there are also many specialized food kiosks based on product group. When I arrived in Chernihiv for Pre-Service Training, for example, I noticed little kiosks everywhere that said "Свіжий Хліб" (Fresh Bread). 

I didn't take any pictures of the bread kiosks in Chernihiv, so here's a picture of one from Lutsk. This bread kiosk made the news when the local government decided it would close the handful of food kiosks at one of the bus stops. 

Kiosks are all over the place in my city. Some sell dairy products, while others specialize in sausage and meats. One popular chain all over Ukraine is Формула Смаку ("Formula of Flavor"). In fact, there's a Formula Smaky right next to my apartment. They are all this signature yellow:

One of the most ubiquitous varieties of food kiosk is the shawarma and hot dog kiosk. Don't ask why shawarma and hot dogs go together in Ukraine - they just do. But my favorite kiosks are the ones that have soft-serve ice cream :-) 

La'Spacho. This is somebody else's picture (thanks Google), but it's the same spot I hit at least a few times a week in the warmer months. It's all about that chocolate-vanilla swirl on a cone. Pic courtesy of this City Destination Guide

Apart from grocery stores and food kiosks, one of the main places to buy food in Ukraine is the local bazaar. In fact, one can find just about everything at the bazaar - from fresh produce and fancy pickles, to jeans and lingerie, and even plastic flowers for decorating the graves of loved ones. For that reason, I'm going to hold off on writing about the bazaar for right now - but stay tuned! I shall venture to the bazaar again soon, and next time I'll document the adventure.

*** remember - this blog is my opinion only, and does not reflect the position of Peace Corps, the US government, or the government of Ukraine. But y'all already knew that ;-)