Buying healthy food in Korea

[elle*]

There are so many healthy ingredients that I can't find in Korea. If you have found healthy things like the following please tell me where I can buy them:
Oat flour
Unsweetened almond milk
Natural peanut butter
Chickpeas
Quinoa
Stevia / Truvia
Frozen vegetables..except the mixed packs at Costco
Wholewheat tortillas
Chia
Greek yoghurt
Low fat cottage cheese
Reduced sodium soy sauce
Whole wheat pasta
Cous cous

[iheartharibo]

I think most of us struggle to find stuff like this in Korea but I think, if you search the site, there is a thread on where to buy foreign foods.  I know you can get couscous (and lots of other treats) at the foreign food mart in Itaewon.  There were chickpeas in our local EMart at one point but not always.  You might notice the foods stocked in your local shops can change fairly often.  Costco is also a good source of imported stuff but you need to buy a membership so maybe good to club together with friends, especially when buying in bulk.

[zongal2012]

If you cant find what you need in the stores try  http://www.ezshopkorea.com/ (can help with things like chickpeas)
iherb is another source  for things like chia, almond milk, stevia.
( if you use my iherb code ZON100 you can get a discount on your first order)

[Jrong]

Between Gmarket and Iherb you can probably get all of those things. I'd search Gmarket first, though (they have an English site).

[#basedcowboyshirt]

I'd recommend against iherb.com. I've had two less-than-satisfying experiences with them: the first they delivered the wrong item and brand, and the second they sent me a bag of organic flax that was definitely not packed appropriately for international shipping, and it was damaged upon arrival. In both cases, they refused to issue a refund or apology.

So, yeah - iherb isn't always great. Caveat emptor.

[Jrong]

I'd recommend against iherb.com. I've had two less-than-satisfying experiences with them: the first they delivered the wrong item and brand, and the second they sent me a bag of organic flax that was definitely not packed appropriately for international shipping, and it was damaged upon arrival. In both cases, they refused to issue a refund or apology.

So, yeah - iherb isn't always great. Caveat emptor.

Wow, thanks for the heads up. Sorry to hear they treated you like that. I've never heard of an American company that you couldn't get a refund for if you tried so that's pretty damn bad.

[Frozencat99]

I'd recommend against iherb.com. I've had two less-than-satisfying experiences with them: the first they delivered the wrong item and brand, and the second they sent me a bag of organic flax that was definitely not packed appropriately for international shipping, and it was damaged upon arrival. In both cases, they refused to issue a refund or apology.

So, yeah - iherb isn't always great. Caveat emptor.

Wow, thanks for the heads up. Sorry to hear they treated you like that. I've never heard of an American company that you couldn't get a refund for if you tried so that's pretty damn bad.

Yeah, that's pretty ridiculous. Glad to hear this now, I don't support companies like that, and I was just about to order some stuff for Christmas cooking. Much obliged.

[youej23]

Wow, thanks for the heads up. Sorry to hear they treated you like that.

[wgensel]

On the other hand, I order from iherb constantly.  I put in a few orders for things I want every month and have never had any problem with shipping or the way things were packed.

[misskris]

you can find chickpeas and whole wheat pasta (sometimes) at the foreign mart in Itaewon

I have ordered from Iherb COUNTLESS times and Im always happy with their prices and product.

Its funny to see the complaints, my most recent order never arrived and they refuse to offer and refund or resend the product (which most companies do)

That being said..... the number of orders that were successful FAR outweighed my one negative experience. Im kinda pissed, but I will likely order again as the stuff they provide is just awesome!!!

[Frozencat99]

I'd personally recommend against a company that has such experiences as "order never got here, no refund" and "order damaged, no refund" in such a small sample size. Not to mention that the level of people pitching their personal discount codes as if this is a market website for iherb.com is disgusting.

I found the majority of the supplement and health associated foods I have from Costco, which was great. People complain about the need for a membership, but the wide availability of products, the massive discounts on several of them, and the ability to buy enough food for months at a time certainly outweighs buying small orders every few weeks from an international seller with negative experiences.

I heavily recommend Costco, both here and (depending on where you live) back home for such purposes. I suppose the distance to Seoul can be a problem for people (not sure if there is one in Busan for the southies) but taekbaes work just as well as international shipping.

[Jrong]

I'd personally recommend against a company that has such experiences as "order never got here, no refund" and "order damaged, no refund" in such a small sample size. Not to mention that the level of people pitching their personal discount codes as if this is a market website for iherb.com is disgusting.

I found the majority of the supplement and health associated foods I have from Costco, which was great. People complain about the need for a membership, but the wide availability of products, the massive discounts on several of them, and the ability to buy enough food for months at a time certainly outweighs buying small orders every few weeks from an international seller with negative experiences.

I heavily recommend Costco, both here and (depending on where you live) back home for such purposes. I suppose the distance to Seoul can be a problem for people (not sure if there is one in Busan for the southies) but taekbaes work just as well as international shipping.

I hate feeling like I'm pushing Gmarket, but as my motives are only to help: just try Gmarket. It will save you stress. Most of us came here b/c we are sick of stress. Gmarket is your ticket to no-stress shopping. We had a Costco membership but we don't use it anymore b/c we can buy Costco items on Gmarket. The price is marked up 1,000 won or so but when you factor in saving bus money, lots of time, the headache of dealing with pushy ajummas and their big-ass "shopping carts of death", it's totally worth it having food delivered to your door.

If you don't know Korean, you can use Google translate (as I do) to find everything you need. Although Gmarket has an English website, it's best to enter the search terms in Hangul on the English website. If you search enough, I'm sure you'll find everything on your list.

[Frozencat99]

I'd personally recommend against a company that has such experiences as "order never got here, no refund" and "order damaged, no refund" in such a small sample size. Not to mention that the level of people pitching their personal discount codes as if this is a market website for iherb.com is disgusting.

I found the majority of the supplement and health associated foods I have from Costco, which was great. People complain about the need for a membership, but the wide availability of products, the massive discounts on several of them, and the ability to buy enough food for months at a time certainly outweighs buying small orders every few weeks from an international seller with negative experiences.

I heavily recommend Costco, both here and (depending on where you live) back home for such purposes. I suppose the distance to Seoul can be a problem for people (not sure if there is one in Busan for the southies) but taekbaes work just as well as international shipping.

I hate feeling like I'm pushing Gmarket, but as my motives are only to help: just try Gmarket. It will save you stress. Most of us came here b/c we are sick of stress. Gmarket is your ticket to no-stress shopping. We had a Costco membership but we don't use it anymore b/c we can buy Costco items on Gmarket. The price is marked up 1,000 won or so but when you factor in saving bus money, lots of time, the headache of dealing with pushy ajummas and their big-ass "shopping carts of death", it's totally worth it having food delivered to your door.

If you don't know Korean, you can use Google translate (as I do) to find everything you need. Although Gmarket has an English website, it's best to enter the search terms in Hangul on the English website. If you search enough, I'm sure you'll find everything on your list.

Oh, I'd recommend GMarket as well. Most of my purchases come from them, save for the times I'm near a Costco and leave with way more than I intended to buy  . I'm all for stress-free support, which is why I don't recommend iherb (nor will I pitch a discount code at you like a promotional poster).

[vero55]

Homeplus has been starting to carry whole wheat pasta and other health goods. You can always make almond milk, its very easy. Costco is definitely worth the 30,000 membership! It takes me a 1.5 hours to get there from where I live but once a month or so to get the things I really enjoy having not a problem for me. Also nicemarket.net is a good place to look for foreign foods if itaewon is too far. naver.com dictionary is also helpful for looking up words. In my experience I can find things on gmarket much easier if I type in the korean. There's also a few boxed multigrain cereals easily found at your local mart. There's also the baking market near Jongno-5ga that carries whole grain stuff.

[vero55]

also the denmark plain yogurt is alot like greek yogurt and the 떠먹는 (I can't remember the exact spelling) brand is made with bulgaris and its pretty good (the plain one I mean).
If you have a blender or food processor, you can make peanut butter.
http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/how-to-make-peanut-butter

You can find greek yogurt starters here:
http://www.wellbeing...?...AC&ctno=339
http://www.easiyo.co.kr/index.html
http://www.yogurtor.com/shop/main.php
http://www.lactoplus.co.kr/

[Jrong]

Oh, I'd recommend GMarket as well. Most of my purchases come from them, save for the times I'm near a Costco and leave with way more than I intended to buy  .

Ha ha! Yeah, we save a lot of money not going to Costco and just buying online b/c when you're there and you see those cookies, that pizza, the cakes, the almond toffees....it's so difficult not to get it all!

[TriKorea]

Just letting you know I've been ordering from iherb about 2-3 times per month for the past 5 months and never had any problems at all! I love them!!

[#basedcowboyshirt]

also the denmark plain yogurt is alot like greek yogurt and the 떠먹는 (I can't remember the exact spelling) brand is made with bulgaris and its pretty good (the plain one I mean).
If you have a blender or food processor, you can make peanut butter.
http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/how-to-make-peanut-butter

You can find greek yogurt starters here:
http://www.wellbeing...?...AC&ctno=339
http://www.easiyo.co.kr/index.html
http://www.yogurtor.com/shop/main.php
http://www.lactoplus.co.kr/

Can you tell me more about this based Greek yogurt? It sounds good, and I love DIY stuff.

[elle*]

iherb is great but I don't have a credit card  :(

[#basedcowboyshirt]

iherb is great but I don't have a credit card  :(

Minor derail / off-topic, but I'm really curious - how do you buy plane tickets, etc without a CC?