Nine Things To Love About Belmont Market • Rhode Island Children's Photographer
Grocery shopping is a fact of life. Almost all of us have to do it to some degree, unless you live on a completely self-sustaining farm (if you do, I'm jealous!) If you live in the South County area, especially South Kingstown or Narragansett, you've got three main choices for your grocery shopping: Stop & Shop, Shaw's, or my beloved personal favorite, Belmont Market in Wakefield.
I used to be a pretty dedicated Stop & Shop girl, though I started making some side trips to Belmont when it first opened. For about the last two years, though, for a variety of reasons, Belmont has become my one and only grocery store. Chances are if I'm not shooting or editing photos, I'm at Belmont Market. That's only a slight exaggeration.
It's likely that a lot of you already shop at this amazing local supermarket; I see at least one client in the store each time I'm there! For those of you who don't shop there yet, though (and even for those who do who might not know the full extent of Belmont's awesomeness) I took a trip through Belmont Market recently, armed with a shopping basket and an iPhone camera, and found nine things to love about Belmont Market. (There are many more things but we'd be here all year!) If you already are a Belmont shopper, let me know your favorite thing about it in the comments. And if you're not, go there RIGHT NOW, experience how fun this place can be, and come back and tell me about it!
1. Fresh-ground nut butters
The almond butter is my fave, but there's peanut butter and honey roasted peanut butter, too. They usually have some already ground on a table near the grinders, but if they're out or you're feeling super adventurous, grind some yourself! Ingredients: nothing but nuts.
2. The produce. Oh, the produce.
I get much of my produce from a CSA for 4 months of the year and a farmer's market for the rest. But for those items that aren't available at either, or if I run out of something, Belmont has the BEST produce. It's very fresh and they often have local items. Their arugula is addictive. Be warned.
3. The honey section
There's actually more than honey here; there's local maple syrup, too. The local raw honey is tasty and reasonably priced. There is also honeybee pollen available now. I got some and have been adding it to yogurt and smoothies. Not sure if this is how you're supposed to do it but it's working so far!
4. Nuts and grains and dried fruits, oh my!
Nuts of all kinds? Chia seeds? Quinoa? Dried dates? This and so much more can be found in the extensive selection on Belmont's dry goods racks in the produce section.
5. Cheese
Cheese shouldn't even need an explanation, because cheese. So many varieties of tasty cheese for the whole family.
6. Freshly made sushi
Feel like sushi? Pick up some fresh-made sushi from the Sushi Go counter. Other Japanese delicacies like seaweed salad and noodles are also available in this section. Psst: the sushi is discounted after 7 pm, just in case you happen to make an evening grocery store run!
7. Locally raised meat
This is another item I often get at the farmer's market, but if I run out or can't make it to the farmer's market for a few weeks, I will always pick up some of this stuff. Local meat tastes SO much better than "regular" meat! Use it to make some burgers for your next cookout.
8. Tito's tortilla chips (and salsa)
You do not need to try any other tortilla chips ever again once you eat these chips. They are local, coming to you from Tito's Cantina in Middletown, RI. All the chip varieties and all the salsa varieties are very tasty. Have a chip taste test with your family to decide which ones you like best.
9. Seltzer
If you love seltzer, you'll love Belmont's seltzer selection. They have all the standbys and also get some really cool seasonal and special-edition flavors (like this jalapeño citrus margarita flavor, which may or may not be sold out right now). Bonus: it goes on sale fairly often for all you money-saving mamas.