Bring from home or do FULL grocery shopping there?

[Shnyda]

There are a few items I bring from home... but they are specialty items I know I can't find on the island. i.e. an artichoke dip from Trader Joes. Pretty much everything else is available at a reasonable price on the Island and not worth the hassle of bringing down.

[danadog56]

I always , pack coffee (need that first thing in am...), sugar, sweetner, evoo and balsamic vinegar, and spices. I usually bring small amounts of spices from home so I don't have to buy them there...way too expensive considering how many I would have to have (anal ya know). Same goes for the V&O, the coffee is self explanatory.
We used to bring a lot more, but found as everyone was saying, it's just as easy to buy. Sometimes we bring munchies like twizzlers, nuts and trail mix, usually because we munch on them on way down....
Usually buy vodka on plane since they offer the duty free....
Going to try the bulk place by airport this year.....I hear you can visit it once without a membership.....see if they have any deals....

[jdoll]

Personally we love the change of pace the Dutch / European products add to our trip. That said it has taken 13 years of experimenting and note taking. But we look forward to the cheeses, cookies, candies, crackers and such we cant buy in the states. That said; we travel with our Caribou coffee for taste, and Splenda, dry roasted peanuts and potato chips (it can be done) for cost saving reasons.

My suggestion; if you are less adventurous (or have kids) bring the crackers and cereals from home or shop at Lings; most USA brands. If you like a change, hit Super Foods; most European brands.

[Andrea J.]

My husband is a sun kist orange soda addict (yes 12 tsp sugare and caffeine) and there is none to be found on aruba.
He usually brings a 12 pack to quench his addiction. 1 can a day.

As I said in an earlier post the aruba grocery stores in many years past were not to our needs. Present day and for last 12 - 15 yrs they have been good and get better each visit.

Someday we won't even bring coffee.

[WaltVB]

I cut and pasted this off of my food pack list from last year. It also includes items other than food (but food and drink related). Everything else we get on the island. We buy the big econo bags at BJ's or Sam's and throw it in the suitcase with our snorkel gear. Saves a lot of money by the pool or on the beach. We've never taken anything that was frozen but are thinking about it this year. Really Angela, a frozen rotiserrie chicken?

Storage bags
Peanuts
Goldfish
Cheez-its
Triscuits
Chex-mix
English muffins
Turvis cups or thermal cups
Salt and pepper
Blue ice
Soft sided cooler
Three pack of Frito Lay bean/cheese dip

[Andrea J.]

Really Walt we bring up a cut up rotisserie chicken frozen
why ? is there something wrong with that?
i have a rotisserie on my grill and use it often

andrea

[Karen Lutzker]

On our last trip we purchased a rotisserie chicken from a nearby supermarket as it was reasonably priced and we did not feel like eating out that night. Well, the chicken was dry and not very enjoyable. Next time, I will follow Andrea's suggestion and pack our own rotissiere chicken

[domandcassie]

What is the price difference between standard foods from US and Aruba. Are we talking about twice the price or about the same?

[Andrea J.]

My best guesstimate is 10 to 20% higher than most USA supermarkets.
Some items are very similar in prices.

Beer is quite high at over 25% what it sells for in USA.

Pricing was never the main reason we brought stuff from home.

What is the price difference between standard foods from US and Aruba. Are we talking about twice the price or about the same?

[domandcassie]

That doesn't seem to bad. We were in Australia and beer was almost triple for a case. I can handle 10-25% increase. Thanks