What are your 10 most frequently purchased produce items?

I was at the markets/groceries on Saturday, and couldn’t help but notice such glaring price disparities again. For fresh dalandan oranges that are at their peak, they cost PHP30 a kilo (for beautiful ones) at FTI Taguig market and PHP49.95 (66.5% higher!) at S&R grocery. For small, almost grape-like tomatoes, perfect for salads and pastas, that many think are such a find, particularly at the height of rainy season, they were just PHP60 a kilo at FTI, while they were PHP120 a kilo at the Salcedo market (a 100% difference!), and worse, the folks at Salcedo market apparently just drove to FTI early in the morning, bought a whole bunch of small tomatoes from my suki, and re-sold them at Salcedo PHP120 a kilo. Which leads me to suspect that there is more than just a little price arbitrage on produce going on, with vendors at the snazzy Salcedo market just reselling produce at absurd markups… I also bought perfectly good red seedless grapes at the FTI market for PHP180 a kilo on Saturday, while I saw them at two different groceries at PHP299.95 and 349.95 a kilo! Perfectly good pomelos at the market were just PHP100 a kilo, without bargaining, and PHP169.95 to 199.95 a kilo at the grocery. Native tomatoes, at PHP35 a kilo at the market today were as much as 69.95 at the groceries. I realize most folks may not give a damn about these observations, but I do. I can spend several thousand pesos at the market (for a two-week period) and with these kinds of price differentials, I can either save hundreds of pesos or simply eat more and better produce. I thought maybe the price differentials only applied to esoteric or unusual items, but it seems even onions and garlic aren’t immune to the wild gyrations in pricing. So what I would like to do is get an idea for what ten produce items readers tend to buy the most of so that maybe, just maybe, we can keep a running “price comparison” if this blog remains active. So leave a comment and list your 10 produce items (vegetables/fruit) and let’s see if we can put together a final list of “popular” items and update prices every once in a while. Imagine if there was an “app” for your phone where vetted readers could send in prices every time they did the groceries or where consumers could check prices? Now THAT would be great for CONSUMERS. I know of at least 4-5 large groceries/food stores that actively track this blog, so it will be very interesting to see if prices start to move towards a competitive equilibrium, or if consumers will continue to be clueless, careless or indifferent to huge price differentials. :)

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117 Responses

  1. That’s true MM!So here’s my top 10 produce items: Onions, tomatoes, garlic, cabbage,carrots, green beans, pechay Baguio, potatoes,eggplant,okra

  2. Mine would be: garlic, onion, tomatoes, calamansi, luya, cabbage, red pepper, banana, mango, seedless grapes. thanks!

  3. hi marketman!!!

    finally decided to stop lurking and start posting. I just hope that i’ll be able to post something helpful!

    here are the 10 things that i usually buy in our market (Guadalupe/ pasay market area):

    1. Bananas : 40 PHP/ kilo
    2. Dalandan : 50 PHP / kilo (outrage at finding out that you’re able to buy them at 30php a kilo)
    3. Fuji apples: 25 PHP per 2 pieces
    4. Avocado: 50-70 PHP/ kilo (if you can find some)
    5. Sweet corn: 35 PHP/ kilo
    6. Seedless Grapes: 180 PHP / kilo
    7. Lanzones : 80 PHP per kilo
    8. ordinary tomatoes : 40-50 PHP/ Kilo
    9. Potatoes: 70 PHP / kilo
    10. Pinoy Eggplants: 30-40 PHP/ kilo

    i don’t know if they are really good prices but i guess i’ll be able to compare them with the posts that people will be making here!

    Sorry for any if one way or another i have any mistakes in this post!

    Have a nice day!

  4. First time for me to visit FTI last sat . . . was pleasantly surprised to find their guyabano cheaper than divisoria. Got mine for P 35 / kilo . . . usually get it bet 40 to 50 in divisoria.

    my top 10 would be: tomatoes, onion, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, pumpkin, leeks, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms.

  5. 1. onions
    2. garlic
    3. tomatoes
    4. bell pepper
    5. bananas
    6. grapes
    7. apples
    8. mongo beans
    9. Baguio beans
    10. pechay

  6. 1. Garlic 2. Onion 3. Tomato 4. Baguio beans 5. Egg plant
    6. Banana 7. Seedless grapes 8. cabbage 9. Sayote 10. Potato

  7. Well as long as the less expensive places don’t get access to the data and say hey, we’re leaving a lot of money on the table with our pricing, time for a bigger mark-up …

    In other words more extensive market data won’t necessarily cause average prices to come down. They might just as easily go up. Just saying.

  8. I still live with my mom who does the groceries but from years of pushing the grocery cart, these are the things she usually buys.

    1. Tomatoes
    2. Kangkong
    3. String beans
    4. Carrots
    5. Calamansi
    6. Ampalaya
    7. Labanos
    8. Onion
    9. Talong
    10. Garlic

    Yeah, we do eat sinigang a lot.

  9. Ken, possible, but not likely. I think the vast majority of consumers are still chasing lower prices, its the relatively few, well-to-do, convenience shoppers at high-end markets and groceries that seem a bit oblivious…

  10. here’s my top 10: :)
    1. bawang
    2. patatas
    3. sitaw
    4. kalabasa
    5. talong
    6. kamatis
    7. sibuyas (small ones from Ilocos and the bigger bulbs here in MMla)
    6. repolyo
    7. luya
    8. kalamansi
    9. carrot
    10. saging (lakatan and saba)

  11. Hi MM! Mine would be: garlic, onion, tomato, calamansi, eggplant, pechay Tagalog, pomelo, stringbeans, ripe mangoes, apple.

  12. 1. Garlic
    2. Onions
    3. Tomatoes
    4. Potatoes (regular size and new potatoes)
    5. Chinese Cabbage
    6. Cabbage
    7. Carrots
    8. Celery
    9. Squash
    10. Eggplant

    (and just in case you’re categorizing)
    Fruits:
    1. Mango
    2. Fuji Apples
    3. Seedless grapes
    4. Suha
    5. Papaya
    6. Saba Bananas
    7. Mangosteen
    8. Mandarin Oranges
    9. Lemons

    Since I just wrote out my list, I better go to the grocery later. Will remember the prices.

  13. Have to help out in this endeavor if only to help myself save. My top 10 produce are:
    1. Garlic
    2. Onions
    3. Tomatoes
    4. bell peppers
    5. bananas
    6. apples
    7. oranges
    8. calamansi
    9. carrots
    10.potatoes
    Many thanks.

  14. My ten produce items are: garlic, red onion, white onion, tomato, ginger, melon, potato, lemon, sayote and bell pepper.

  15. MM, an Iphone/ Android App on produce prices at public markets and groceries will be surely awesome! I hope you produce a MM app soon! If only I had the programming ability, I would make one for you.

    I set aside a weekly (wet) market budget of Php 1,000 for our daily meals. I know that in the Marikina Public Market that I can get a “tumpok”/ lump of various produce at Php 10.00-15.00 or lower if the produce is in season. But the proteins are quite different because the prices are not that consistent.

    An app would surely help the budget conscious gal like me in planning. Kind of like a stock market ticker but on produce. ;)

  16. These are always on my grocery list: garlic, onions, tomatoes, calamansi, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, baguio beans, string beans, sayote

  17. 1.garlic 2. onion 3. calamansi 4. banana 5. green mango 6. tomato 7. eggplant 8. gabi 9. sitaw 10. apple

  18. tomatoes, onion, garlic, banana, pineapple, talong, sitaw, kalabasa… most of the onion and tomatoes or talong is by tumpok or tali at Guadalupe market, around P10-P15 each. if you live somewhere in QC, i think one of the cheap market is at Congressional road.

  19. 1. Fuji Apples – P23/piece
    2. Dole Tropical Gold Pineapple – P54/piece
    3. Latundan Bananas
    4. Native Tomatoes
    5. Eggplant
    6. White Onion
    7. Mangoes – 3 for P100
    8. Carrots
    9. Melon – 3 for P100
    10. Papaya – P35/kilo

  20. At Pasig Mega Market:

    1. Tomatoes = P48 / kilo
    2. Garlic = P120/ kilo
    3. Onions = P56 / kilo
    4. Calamansi = P40 / kilo
    5. Eggplant = P10 / kilo
    6. Banana = P40 / kilo
    7. Fuji Apples = P20 per piece
    8. Oranges P10 per piece
    9. Papaya = P35 / kilo
    10.Luya = P60 per 1/4 kilo

  21. 1. white and red onions
    2. native pechay
    3. native tomatoes
    4. romaine lettuce
    5. potatoes
    6. garlic
    7. calamansi
    8. togue/mung bean sprouts
    9. spring onions & leeks
    10. carrots

  22. I usually buy our food supplies at Robinson’s Supermarket (BF Pque.) simply because it is the nearest one around but if the disparity in prices will come out to be glaring then it’s time for me to make the effort and troop down to FTI Taguig on Saturdays. Is the FTI Market open the whole day of Saturday or just in the mornings?

    My top ten list are: 1.garlic, 2. onions, 3. tomatoes, 4. kangkong, 5. lettuce, 6. Gardenia bread, 7. apples, 8. oranges, 9. bananas (lakatan) and 10. eggplant

  23. Top of my list:
    1. oranges (Rustans has the worst price, so now, I make a trip to Landmark to buy it at 50% less)
    2. squash
    3. string beans
    4. eggplant
    5. calamansi
    6. garlic
    7. onion
    8. wombok
    9. carrots
    10. okra

  24. Ten produced items:
    1. kamatis
    2. sibuyas (red and white)
    3. sayote
    4. repolyo
    5. petchay
    6. carrots
    7. garlic
    8. patatas
    9. mustasa
    10.calamansi

  25. we do our grocery shopping in landmark trinoma on weekends. their prices are a bit comparable with the produce at kamuning market. but you would have to check on the different racks though — since some items coming from different suppliers have way different prices (e.g. potatoes ranging from 50/kilo to 80/kilo).

    my top ten are:
    1. onion
    2. garlic
    3. lettuce
    4. eggplants
    5. tomatoes
    6. calamansi
    7. potatoes
    8. cabbage
    9. ginger
    10. kangkong

  26. I buy my organic vegetables from Mara’s every Sunday, or from my organic farmer from Bukidnon (makati pickup). And believe it or not, I get better prices than the grocery most of the time, especially with lettuce like baby romaine and arugula. All it takes is a little planning! If not them, I head to SM. Rustan’s is for emergencies only.

    Tomatoes, garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, calamansi, eggplant, long beans, lettuce, bananas.

  27. 1. garlic
    2. onion
    3. ginger
    4. tomato
    5. potato
    6. carrot
    7. string beans
    8. bitter gourd
    9. bananas
    10. broccoli

  28. 1. onions
    2. garlic
    3. tomatoes
    4. bell pepper
    5. carrots
    6. chayote
    7. baguio beans
    8. squash
    9. calamansi
    10. banana

    i hope cebuano readers can also share where they usually purchase their produce items. i find that most “tabo” (flea market?) here just source their stuff from the carbon market and they end up being pricier. if i had my way, i would want to try and do marketing in carbon but my husband forbids me from doing so (safety and security reasons). i used to buy my veggies at the “tabo” near the capitol area, but now go to the parkmall or even metro ayala for the veggies as there isn’t much difference in the prices sometimes… plus i get to find stuff like zucchini or butternut squash there.

  29. 1. onions (white, red and the small sibuyas tagalog)
    2. garlic (“Taiwan”)
    3. ginger
    4. tomato
    5. potatoes
    6. carrots
    7. radish
    8. kangkong
    9. pechay
    10. banana

    Thanks for your effort.

    I am seriously thinking of converting part of my garden into an organic vegetable plot because of rising prices, and the desire to get fresher food to the table. Any suggestions on how to start / who can help?

  30. hi corianderie. you may do well to contact the Dept. of Agriculture, they have people there who may be able to help. Or you may get in touch with Gil Carandang or check his website https://www.herbanafarm.com/. I was able to attend Gil’s organic farming seminar here in cebu and I learned a lot. Right now, I converted part of our roof deck into a vegetable garden — all-organic. And I have harvested pechay, kangkong, camote tops, lettuces, etc. Wish you well!

  31. Thanks for this commendable effort, MM! I also have the same observation in the various markets I go to. I live in Tandang Sora, QC and my shopping haunts are Robinson’s Supermarket along Commonwealth, S&R in Congressional Ave., and the Lung Center Sunday Market in Quezon Ave. My father-in-law does the wet market shopping for our fish and veggie requirements and he usually gets the lowest prices, when compared to the same produce in my preferred grocery shops. However, the quality and freshness of the produce, esp fish and seafood are far superior in the groceries than the supermarkets. S&R has good quality fish, shellfish and meat products but these are more expensive compared to the other groceries and wet markets. That’s why it is very important that we create enough consumer awareness and to gather relevant information to help us decide on our purchases.

    My top ten list includes: (1) garlic, (2) onions. (3) tomatoes, (4) calamansi, (5) eggs, (6) fish (whatever looks fresh and reasonably priced), (7) prawns, (8) fresh chicken (Bounty Fresh), (9) Gardenia bread, (10) Yakult.

  32. Must haves:

    * garlic
    * tomato
    * onion
    * small potato
    * sayote
    * okra
    * banana
    * apple
    * dalandan/citrus fruit
    * mango

  33. our top 10
    1.Tomato
    2.union
    3.potato
    4.cabbage
    5.kalamansi
    6.ginger
    7.eggplant
    8.squash
    9.kangkong
    10.string beans

  34. 1. garlic
    2. onions
    3. tomatoes
    4. potatoes (regular sized and marble)
    5. carrots
    6. bell pepper (green and red)
    7. celery
    8. leeks
    9. pechay
    10. cabbage

  35. 1. Garlic
    2. Onion
    3. Tomatoes
    4. Potatoes
    5. Ginger
    6. Cabbage
    7. Banana
    8. Calamansi
    9. Eggplant
    10. Squash

  36. (I’m from Manila. Usually when I comment here, my location comes out as Japan)

    1. Eggplant
    2. Onions
    3. Garlic
    4. squash
    5. lettuce
    6. string beans
    7. tomato
    8. potatoes
    9. carrots
    10. banana

  37. since we are a family of three I don’t get to buy a lot and as often as I want. every 2 weeks I go to Farmer’s market to buy meat and fish along with the veggies and fruits. And what I have observed is that produce that I bought from Farmer’s stays fresh longer compared to the ones from the grocery. :(
    Anyways here’s my list:
    1. Local Garlic
    2. Red Onions
    3. Spanish/white onions
    4. Kalamansi
    5. Sayote
    6. Kalabasa
    7. Local tomatoes
    8. Potatoes
    9. Lantundan/Saba Bananas
    10.Papaya

  38. For me it would be:
    1. Onion
    2. Garlic
    3. Tomatoes
    4. Potatoes
    5. Kalamansi
    6. Sitaw
    7. Kangkong
    8. Cabbage
    9. Bananas
    10. Carrots

  39. My TOP 10 in no particular order:

    1. bananas
    2. garlic
    3. white onions
    4. red onions
    5. kang-kong
    6. cabbage
    7. tomatoes
    8. carrots
    9. pechay
    10. sayote

    I also care about the prices of these produce, and though prices are way cheaper in the market, for me it’s really just the convenience of buying at the supermarket.

    MM, just curious about this “pattern”. Would you know why: When Tomatoes are expensive, Calamansi is cheap. And vise-versa.

  40. 1. Onions
    2. Garlic
    3. Tomatoes
    4. Ginger
    5. Kangkong
    6. Sayote tops
    7. Ampalaya and ampalaya leaves
    8. Bananas
    9. Kalamansi
    10. Spinach

    My mom buys green leafy vegetables by the bundle and when she can’t go to the Alabang market and has to settle for the supermarkets, she feels so frustrated with the price differences. Spending P500 in the wet market can get you more than double than compared to the supermarket. And to think that wala pang tawad yun mga yun. And they’re probably fresher too.

  41. 1. garlic
    2. onions
    3. tomatoes
    4. kalabasa
    5. kangkong
    6. pechay
    7. talong
    8. okra
    9. bananas
    10. papayas

  42. I do my groceries mostly at puregold

    1. garlic
    2. onions (red and white)
    3. potatoes
    4. carrots
    5. bananas
    6. papaya
    7. kalabasa
    8. kalamansi
    9. bell pepper
    10. eggplants

  43. Nepa Q Mart usually has good prices, plus if you have sukis, they knock off a few pesos off the per kilo prices:
    1. Garlic
    2. Onion
    3. Tomato
    4. Calamansi
    5. Ginger
    6. Carrot
    7. Cabbage
    8. Eggplant
    9. Lemongrass
    10. Bananas

  44. Hello Mr. Market Man!

    I just wanted to say that I’m a fan! Yey! Tried out your Leche Flan recipe (the one with carabao milk) and it was as memorable and as lovely as you described it. Thank you for your generosity in sharing!

    Cheerios!

    Nicole

  45. I was looking at the prices hereabouts and comparing with the prices here in Mindoro. Same! And they say that produce should be more affordable in the provinces. That is because the vendors here still have their produce brought all the way from Divisoria!!

    I always have garlic, onions, mongo, cabbage, carrots with the usual ampalaya, eggplant, tomatoes, kalabasa and eggs. I notice that our budget shoots up when we have to buy meat and fish.

  46. Hi MM here’s my Top Ten List:
    1. Tomatoes
    2. Onion ( Red/Yellow/White)
    3. Garlic
    4. Ginger
    5. Calamansi
    6. Potatoes
    7. Carrots
    8. Petchay
    9. Kalabasa
    10.Banana

  47. Hi Marketman, I believe this is my first post here. This is a worthwhile survey and it will really help if we know what the going rates for these goods. I shop at Cash & Carry.

    Here’s my top 10:
    Potatoes
    Sayote
    Kalabasa
    Baguio Beans
    Okra
    Cauliflower
    Eggplant
    Onions
    Sitaw
    Mangoes

  48. 1. native tomatoes
    2. onions
    3. garlic
    4. calamansi
    5. carrots
    6. potatoes
    7. ampalaya
    8. camote tops
    9. ginger
    10. sayote tops

  49. 1. Garlic
    2. Onions
    3. String Beans
    4. Tomatoes
    5. Potatoes
    6. Carrots
    7. Cabbages
    8. Okra
    9. Calamansi
    10. Sayote

  50. 1. Garlic
    2. Onions
    3. Kalamansi
    4. Bananas
    5. Lettuce/Arugula
    6. Papaya
    7. Carrots
    8. Potatoes
    9. Fresh Basil
    10. Lanzones/Mangosteen/Avocado/Strawberries (all bought only in season)

    I skipped all the greens we buy because we buy them exclusively at wet markets or sidewalk stands and honestly they are so inexpensive that I would not bother looking elsewhere. We buy most produce here in QC at either Suki Market or Kamuning. The only produce we buy at grocery stores are harder to find items (i.e., fresh portobello or button mushrooms).

    Also, can someone tell me if I am wrong? I cannot find zucchini anywhere in the metro. Are zucchinis sold here and if so, where? What is the most comparable local item?

  51. My list…onions, tomatoes, carrots, green/red peppers, celery, broccoli, potatoes, cabbage, bananas, pomelo

  52. 1. Garlic 2. Onion 3. Tomato 4. Carrot 5. Potato 6. Calamansi 7. Kangkong 8. Cabbage 9. Corn 10. Mushrooms…I also usually use gingers -normal ginger, galangal and tumeric, lemongrass, sili and pandan, but I’ve grown my own.

  53. top ten produce:
    1. kamatis
    2. sibuyas
    3. saging (saba at lakatan)
    4. patatas
    5. papaya
    6. kalamansi
    7. bawang
    8. siling haba (pang paksiw at sinigang)
    9. carrots
    10. asparagus

  54. I have been an FTI addict for several years now, starting from magallanes (where the magallanes theater used to stand), then at Tesda, to their first location at FTI to the present one closer to the gate. Prices are very reasonable, from baguio vegetables from Mary, normal vegetables and bananas/fruits from Panying, eggs from Mrs Agbayani, beef from Cora. Fish though is not always fresh. They are open only during weekend mornings.
    Sometimes you can find vegies that are seldom available, like native tomatoes, talbos ng bawang, etc

  55. 1. garlic
    2. white onions
    3. tomatoes
    4. eggplants
    5. squash
    6. petchay
    7. kalamansi
    8. kamote
    9. potatoes
    10. carrots

    i love your blog MM!

  56. 1. Onions
    2. Garlic
    3. Tomatoes
    4. Ginger
    5. Carrots
    6. Potatoes
    7. Calamansi
    8. Sitaw
    9. Gabi
    10. Sampaloc

  57. We are also FTI Market fans! When my brother and I are at home, the three of us (Mom, Brother, and I) plus the help would go to the market at 9 buy the produce and (my favorite part) buy the kakanins and ready to eat foods for a store-bought feast that usually lasts us till Sunday Morning haha. Kaya lang since my mother is alone, she doesn’t feel it’s worth going to FTI to buy produce.

    Anyhoo our top ten:

    Pechay
    Bell Pepper
    Onions
    Talong
    Calabasa
    Tomatoes
    Ampalaya
    Banana
    Sitaw
    and if we’re lucky, we get to buy Ilocano gulay such as Saluyot and malunggay pods/fruits

  58. Hi MM…I live in Makati and can rarely be bothered to go to a proper market but I just might now since I feel ripped off knowing about the price disparities you mentioned!!!

    Here’s my list:
    Potatoes
    Carrots
    Pechay
    Corn
    Onions
    Lettuce
    Bananas
    Asparagus
    Mushrooms
    Beansprouts

  59. Hello marketman! My top 10 produce list (in random) include tomatoes, kalabasa, carrots, salad greens baguio beans, petchay (tagalog or baguio), ampalaya, white onions, bellpepper and kamote tops.

  60. Hi! Here’s my list :)

    1. Garlic
    2. Mushrooms
    3.Onion
    4. Potatoes
    5.Broccoli
    6. Carrots
    7.Strawberries
    8.Bananas

  61. my top 10 are

    1. sibuyas
    2. kamatis
    3. sayote
    4. repolyo
    5. patatas
    6. carrots
    7. siling pari
    8. green beans
    9. pechay
    10. sitaw

  62. Hello MM! My top Ten produce
    1.Garlic
    2.Onion
    3.Tomato
    4.Ginger
    5.Squash
    6.Eggplant
    7.Sampaloc
    8.Calamansi
    9.Mango
    10.Banana

  63. Pardon my ignorance here, mga Mrs…but aren’t there any flyers included in Sunday’s newspapers so consumers will now who sells what and how much? Aren’t there any price war among grocery stores? We have that going on here and one grocery chain store blatantly displays the competitors’ sale items and prices. Now, I shop where there are good deals …sorry not a Costco fan for we simply cannot finish MEGA boxes of cereals, etc….am a stickler for quality and freshness!

    Here is what boggles me though…how can 3 or 4 top grocery chains have the same item on sale say for instance next week…knowing they are competitors. Do they have a meeting or something and say….hey guys, chicken will be the item on sale next week!

    Kikas_…I think if you cannot find zucchinis, young patola will do…more firm in texture comparable to zucchini…next best option…young upo!….all of them belong to the same family cucurbits…

  64. top ten fresh produce:

    –onion
    –garlic
    –squash/kalabasa
    –eggplant
    –cabbage
    –carrot
    –okra
    –pechay
    –potato
    –bananas

  65. Here are the fruits and veggies that I buy every time I go to the grocery store:
    1. Onion
    2. Garlic
    3. Cabbage
    4. Carrot
    5. Apples or pears
    6. Bananas
    7. Leeks
    8. Mixed salad
    9. Tomatoes
    10.Cucumber

  66. 1. Cabbage 2. Lettuce 3. Tomatoes 4. Cauliflower 5. Onions 6. Bell Pepper 7. Potatoes 8. Pechay 9. Onions 10. Eggplant

  67. Hi! Been a stalker here…can’t remember if I’ve commented before. Pasali! :D there’s a newly opened turkish shop in our area and I find it cheaper there than what the local groceries offer…the asia shop where pinoy products are sold are more expensive :(

    Banana, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, grapes, kangkong, munggo, ginger, coconut milk (?), corn (when in season) but normally kalabasa :)

    these goes with eggs, tuna, chicken and shrimp :)

  68. ooopppss…I have powdered ginger, lemongrass and those and cooked onion so they come in handy…

    Btw, MM i hope to try the b liempo soon :)

  69. I still buy vegetables and some fruit at the market. Grocery is mostly for dry goods. I’ve stopped going to rustan’s (where i used to do my grocery) when I started comparing the prices after you wrote your blog on this vs. s&r prices. Rustan’s/SM are only for items that I can’t really find at s&r. Cost still matters to us. Besides my kasambahay refuses to buy veggies at the super because of price.

    Our top 10: garlic, onions, pechay or bokchoy, tomatoes, bell pepper, sitaw, cabbage, squash, sili leaves, corn.

  70. 1. garlic
    2. onions
    3. ginger
    4. spinach
    5. squash
    6. corn
    7. tomatoes
    8. potatoes
    9. mushroom
    10. ampalaya

  71. Here in Kuwait, 90% are imported from neighboring countries whilst the remaining is local produce between Iraq boarder. My top 10 list:

    1. Garlic
    2. Onion
    3. Tomato
    4. Ginger
    5. Potato
    6. Eggplant
    7. Apple
    8. Banana
    9. Lettuce
    10.Carrots

  72. Here’s my top 10 in no particular order:

    1. carrots
    2. cabbage
    3. baguio beans
    4. lakatan banana
    5. tomatoes
    6. onions
    7. sayote
    8. squash
    9. string beans/sitaw
    10. potatoes

    we usually buy these from sm hypermarket because it’s hard to do grocery/marketing on a weekend with a baby in tow :)

  73. Your idea about a website for price monitoring is great ! There are lot of good programmers in the Philippines who can do this.

  74. hello MM! here’s my list:
    1. garlic
    2. onions- (tiny red ones and yellow variants)
    3. tomatoes
    4. potatoes
    5. carrots
    6. basil leaves
    7. bananas (saba)
    8. bell pepper
    9. leeks
    10. kangkong

    Cheerios!

  75. I have been following the fti market from magallanes, to paseo, to tesda and its first site at fti to now. produce is very fresh and inexpensive; from mary’s baguio vegetables, panying’s lowland veggies and fruits, cora’s meats, eggs from mrs agbayani. etc. Seafood though is not too fresh. Food stalls, plants and flowers. Good bargains especially at 11 am on sundays.

  76. Hi MM, here’s my list:
    1. garlic
    2. onion
    3. tomato
    4. ginger
    5. carrots
    6. bell pepper
    7. potato
    8. chili
    9. banana
    10. apple

  77. my top ten are
    1. garlic
    2. onion
    3. carrots
    4. celery
    5. eggplant
    6. tomato
    7.spring onion
    8. bok choy
    9.ginger
    10. chilies

  78. Tess, I wasn’t thinking website, just a basic application for one’s phone that could look them up. It’s hard enough to maintain this blog, what more a constant updating of a website with prices. Not likely unless there was a consumer lobby with adequate funding. :)

  79. 1. garlic (shocking how the price has tripled in the supermarkets)
    2. onions
    3. lettuce
    4. Tomatoes
    5. papaya
    6. pineapple
    7. potatoes
    8. calamansi
    9. bananas
    10. carrots

  80. my top ten purchases are:

    garlic
    tomatoes
    squash
    pechay
    onions
    kalamansi
    potatoes
    carrots
    sayote
    eggplants

    to save on costs, we planted a bunch of tanglad(lemongrass), chili peppers and ginger in recycled 6L mineral water bottles. Just enough for our use. =)

  81. Here’s mine :

    1. Onions
    2. Tomatoes
    3. Garlic
    4. Calamansi
    5. Potatoes
    6. Eggplant
    7. Okra
    8. Ginger
    9. Carrots
    10. Cucumber

    I don’t stock as much fresh produce as I want to because if I missed cooking it, it just rots in the fridge.

  82. A surprisingly though list to put together because you just want to keep on adding more items/produce. n_n

    1. Garlic
    2. Onion
    3. Ginger
    4. Tomato
    5. Cabbage
    6. Lettuce
    7. Petchay Tagalog
    8. Sayote
    9. Papaya
    10. Banana

  83. top ten list: onion, garlic, spring onions, ginger, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, eggplant and bananas.

  84. That’s very true, MM.

    My top 10 produce:
    1. garlic
    2. onions
    3. tomatoes
    4. pechay tagalog
    5. bananas (lacatan or latundan)
    6. potatoes
    7. chilies
    8. talbos ng kamote
    9. ginger
    10. calamansi

  85. How to go to FTI, from SM Makati:

    EDSA southbound lane – Magallanes flyover – South Super Highway – stay on the right lane – after Villamor golf course, take the ramp to Nichols bridge – turn right to East Service Road – pass by TESDA – after Tenement and Caltex to your left and PNR station to your right, you will see a forked road, take left lane to FTI – enter main gate of FTI (ask the guard for AANI weekend market)

  86. 1. Eggs
    2. Bread
    3. Mama Sita’s Pang Gisa
    4. Instant Noodles
    5. Carrots
    6. Broccoli
    7. Any kind of fruits (banana, apple, peaches, pineapple, mango and Asian pear etc)
    8. onions
    9. garlic
    10.ginger

  87. garlic, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes…fresh and canned (when my stash of tomatoes from my garden are gone), lemons/limes, fresh fruits in season like POMELOS…plums…SECKEL PEARS (definite must try for those who loves pears!), chinese veg. like GAI LAN and pea shoots, FROZEN DURIAN

    Ley…to save you time and energy combing through MM’s gazillion posts and also save you the headaches, it is mymudcake@hotmail.com

  88. Top ten produce bought in Zapote palengke
    * garlic
    *tomatoes
    *onion
    *ginger
    *potatoes
    *sayote
    *upo
    *calamansi
    *siling labuyo
    *fruits

    actually MM, we only buy toiletries, canned food, ground pork /beef, cold meats & other stuff in the groceries. when it comes to fruits, veggies, fish, seafood & meats we buy it in our suki in the market/wet market. because the price difference is very high, plus you’ll get it fresh & cheaper from the market. we do our marketing at dawn.

  89. 1. Tomatoes (native)
    2. Onions (Red)
    3. Garlic
    4. Spring Onions
    5. Calamansi
    6. Cucumbers
    7. Potatoes
    8. Carrots
    9. Apples
    10. Pechay Baguio

    Can we make the list at least 15 items?

    11. String Beans (Sitaw)
    12. Lettuce (Iceberg)
    13. Bananas (Lakatan)
    14. Radishes
    15. Bell Peppers

    May we go next time to meat and fish groups also?

  90. my list includes:
    garlic, onions, tomatoes, carrots, celery or italian parsley, mushrooms, potatoes, fruits in season, limes or lemons, eggs.

    in an effort to try not to be wasteful, we prepare a week’s menu using vegetables in season before our market day. for example, some of the veggies in sinigang can be used in nilaga so the menu will have sinigang na baboy on monday and nilagang manok or beef on thursday. when you buy the veggies, just add a couple hundred grams more for the similar veggies for the sinigang and nilaga then divide them when you’re prepping to cook your dish. often, we end up with pancit or chop suey on fridays just so the veggies in the fridge are used up before the next saturday market day.

  91. My top 10 – onions, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, celery, cabbage, ginger, garlic, green or red pepper, broccolli

  92. Watch Unang Hirit or Umagang Kay Ganda. They have daily updates on prices of basic goods-vegetables, fruits, meat, sugar, rice, etc. :)

    MM. I stopped buying fruits at Rustan’s when I read somewhere in this blog how high their prices are. Kaya pala ang nanay ko dun bumibili sa naglalako sa amin. Mothers know best hehe :D

  93. 1. onions
    2. garlic
    3. tomatoes
    4. potatoes
    5. banana
    6. pechay tagalog
    7. kalabasa
    8. sitaw
    9. okra
    10. cabbage

  94. 1. Onion (yellow/white)
    2. Onion (red/tagalog)
    3. Garlic
    4. Tomato
    5. Bok Choy
    6. French Bean
    7. Cabbage
    8. Carrots
    9. Potato
    10. Squash

  95. Mary Grace, great planning and idea. I try to plan but never stick to it so I end up throwing money away with rotting veggies in the fridge. I go wild with cooking ideas while at the market or grocery store but then cook something else on a whim. Need to have more discipline.

    Betty Q! I have a similar list except we don’t get frozen durian where I shop and I’d be afraid to scent my icebox. Add broccoli and bok choy as they tend to keep longer. And I do love seckel pears too.

  96. 10 produce I have to have a supply of:
    garlic
    tomatoes
    onions
    sugar
    rice
    cooking oil (this is still a produce right? :) )
    potatoes
    eggs
    mayo
    bananas

    these are staples on my list… these items are key ingredients to our usual meals and if the price of two items would shoot up then it would really affect my budget what more if half of the items on my list would increase… my never-answered question though, why do sellers buy a lot of produce, stock them in their stores then sell the same thing along with other sellers at a steep price instead of selling them at a lower price and sell the stocks faster, preventing the produce from rotting and then use the money earned to buy more produce so income would double.. i usually notice stalls selling cheap with rotting produce, who would buy that?? i just cant understand the need to stock up then close store and open only when the produce are close to rotten.. haay.. its nice what you are doing MM, you really share ideas that would benefit all readers.. will always be a fan!

  97. my list includes:

    onion, garlic, tomatoes
    pechay, cabbage, potatoes
    sitaw, ampalaya, kalabasa
    talong

    here in davao we have the bankerohan market where everything is cheaper compared to most markets in the city. however, if you cross the street to the bankerohan farmer’s market center, the prices are waaay less expensive. like a kilo of brocolli can cost 70 a kilo (130 elsewhere, more expensive if grocery-bought!)

  98. My must have list includes

    1. garlic
    2. onion
    3. tomato
    4. carrots
    5. potato
    6. eggs
    7. fruits, usually banana or mango
    8. cabbage
    9. calamansi
    10. sayote

    We just moved here a few weeks ago, medyo naghahanap pa din ako ng mga usual ingredients ko. So far wala pa din ako nakikitang malunggay for my munggo and tinola, I’ve been using spinach as a substitute.

  99. Hi MM

    Red onions
    Garlic
    Potatoes
    Native Tomatoes
    Asparagus
    Coriander / Wansoy
    Calamansi
    Red seedless grapes
    Mangos
    Bananas

  100. • Garlic
    • Onions/leeks/spring onions
    • Tomatoes
    • Ginger
    • Kalamansi/lemon
    • Romaine/iceberg lettuce
    • Kangkong
    • Baguio beans
    • Italian/curly parsley
    • spinach

  101. 10 regular items on our grocery/market list:

    potatoes
    carrots
    onions
    garlic
    tomatoes
    eggs
    kalamansi
    siling pansigang
    kangkong
    fruits (banana, grapes and/or pineapple)

  102. My top ten:
    1. brown and red onions/shallots when cheap
    2. garlic
    3. ginger
    4. mushrooms
    5. snake beans
    5. kangkong/bok choy
    6. truss tomatoes
    7. royal gala apples
    8.nuts
    9. olive oil
    10. milk

  103. MM, thank you so much for this post. I’ll be in Manila soon and will be living next door to Salcedo Market so I thought how convenient this will be for me. But after your post, I’m now going to find out how I can get myself to FTI Taguig market for my weekly shopping.

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