5 Things I Always Buy From My Local Mexican Supermarket

I spent nearly 30 years between Phoenix and Santa Fe, so shopping at Mexican grocers is a way of life for me. With their booming Hispanic population, it just makes sense that you'd find this niche grocer in just about every strip mall around these heritage cities. They're the ideal place to stock up on unique items for this scrumptious world cuisine that you may be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

Shopping at a few specialty markets that cater to the community's Latin roots offers unfettered access to specific ingredients, from fresh produce, like tomatillos, to in-house-made salsa and tortillas. Whether you're looking to add some fiesta to your taco Tuesday or some zesty candy to your child's birthday piñata, your local Mexican supermarket has it all. But the perks don't stop there. Shopping at these grocers comes with plenty of financial benefits, too. You'll enjoy access to affordable building blocks for every meal. If you're into saving big on delectable eats, take advantage of these five things I always buy from my local Mexican supermarket.

Knorr's Caldo De Pollo is not your average kitchen staple. This granulated chicken bouillon has a distinctly robust flavor and traditional spices that are tailored for Latin American cuisine and so much more. It's a flavor foundation you can build a house on, and there's no limit to what you can do with it. Because of its versatility, it's been a staple for many Nanas for more than 50 years. Reach for this secret weapon when your recipe calls for its blend of spices, like chicken, onion, garlic, turmeric, salt, sugar, and paprika. Bonus: it's fat- and cholesterol-free.

Use Knorr's brand Caldo De Pollo as a delicious base for chicken enchilada soup, guacamole, and hearty pozole. It's a simple ingredient that brings out the true character of Hispanic and Latin cuisine, and beyond. But even if Mexican isn't on the menu, try it in place of salt in a wide variety of regional recipes. It's a terrific dry rub for chicken, or toss some on a pan of roasted veggies for a savory touch that wakes up the taste buds better than sodium alone.

Snack foods are a must-get item from every Mexican supermarket, and while Takis may top some people's lists, we suggest indulging your senses with pork chicharrónes. If you haven't tried them yet, you are missing out on a cultural staple. Chicharrónes are widely popular nibbly bits that originated in Spain and spread across the Americas. Cooks from the old country didn't waste a thing and turned leftover pork skin or pork belly into the high-protein, low-carb treat we know and love today. Modern Mexican supermarkets toss them into a lard-filled deep-frier until puffy, crispy, and golden brown, then season them to perfection with a dash of salt and chili powder.

We love munching on these umami bombs because of their irresistibly crunchy texture, and the ways to get them into your tummy are as endless as your imagination. Go ahead and eat chicharrónes right out of the bag, dip them in hot sauce, serve them with a squeeze of lime juice, roll them up in a tortilla, or add a few atop a bowl of soup. Some Mexican supermarkets even offer fresh chicharrónes from their lunch buffet counter. The bacon-esque smell from the parking lot is irresistible; don't fight it.

Tortillas hold an untouchable place in Mexican cuisine. Sure, you can pick up a bag of pre-made products at just about any corner store, and some tortilla options are better than others. But one thing is for sure, you'll be missing out on a big chunk of rich Latin heritage. Tortillas have been around in some form or another for thousands of years. Corn, or maize, is a symbol of Mexican culture, and tortillas are a foundation of many recipes, like the always-popular tacos, enchiladas, and taquitos.

You don't need to wait for a special occasion like Hispanic Heritage Month to shop at your local Mexican Supermarket for fresh corn tortillas warm off the comal. If you're craving superior freshness compared to mass-produced, preservative-heavy grocery store alternatives, stop by your neighborhood's Latin grocer. Most shops make this item daily using the traditional Mesoamerican process of nixtamalization. Dried corn is soaked in an alkaline solution, like wood ash. The end result? Better taste, texture, aroma, and pliability. If you're lucky, and depending on where you shop, you can even pick up a package of raw tortillas you can heat up in a skillet or griddle at home.

If you're looking to whip up a tasty, easy smoky taco seasoning recipe, drive straight to your local Mexican supermarket for the best selection of traditional spices and herbs. This one department of a genuine Latin shop is worth its weight in gold, because you just can't beat the price of spices at these hidden gems. Shop these flavor hubs and score bulk pricing on specialized dried chiles like ancho, pasilla, and guajillo varieties, plus herbs like Mexican oregano, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, and coriander seed.

You'll find a few options mainstream stores don't typically carry, such as fresh epazote for your black bean dish and hoja santa. Use this "holy herb" to wrap fish, add it to your mole verde, or incorporate it into any recipe you want to enhance with a touch of sweet and savory. You'll enjoy a curated pantry full of ethnic goodies for a fraction of the cost. So, ditch those little jars that have been sitting in your pantry for the last decade (you know who you are), and grab some fresher options by the bag. Because of the high turnover rates for these popular items, the spices you'll find at Mexican supermarkets probably haven't been languishing on the shelves as long as those glass-encased counterparts.

Mexican candy, or dulces, is as different from American offerings as sombreros and baseball caps. Unlike the uniform sweetness of our traditional candy, these treats rely on natural ingredients like fruit and spices. Chili powder, tamarind, and tangy chamoy create bold, multi-layered flavor profiles with sour, salty, and zesty notes. These confections deliver a distinctive taste experience that sets them apart from what many of us have come to call candy. When you shop at a Mexican confectionery market, you'll notice a deliberate and culturally ingrained approach to balancing tastes. The characteristic taste of chewy pulparindo or the kick of pelon pelo rico right out of a squeeze-bottle is life-changing.

Now, we're not suggesting that Mexican candy replaces your dessert staples. Just understand that a major reason for its growing appeal is that it delivers a multidimensional experience over simple sweetness, even beyond the serotonin-inducing effects of chocolate. Whether you tout a sophisticated palate or you're interested in the historical evolution of Mexican candy, shopping at Mexican grocers gives you a chance to explore its ancient roots. You'll discover that these sweets aren't merely snacks to be gobbled during an afternoon slump, either. They are deeply tied to religious and cultural celebrations, like Día de los Muertos, Cinco de Mayo, and Christmas.