r/sittard • u/_juraylan • 19d ago
General guide
Hey everyone! I just moved here from Brazil yesterday for a 6-month internship, and I'm living right next to the train station. I'm super excited to be here, it's my first time outside brazil, but I'm already with a lot of questions, especially when it comes to food shopping! My budget is pretty tight (1 euro costs me over 6 Brazilian reais), so I'm trying to learn the best practices for groceries as quickly as possible to avoid making expensive mistakes, a d beeing able to travel around as much as possible.
I have a few questions and would be so grateful for any advice: 1. Where should I shop? What are the main differences between supermarkets like Albert Heijn, Jumbo, Lidl, and Aldi? Is one generally cheaper than the others? I head that Albert has everything but is expensive. Lidl is the cheaper option, jumbo and Aldi I'm not sure. The market in Thursday and Sunday is a cheap option or a place to buy expensive stuff?
I've heard that Turkish shops are cheaper for meat. Is that true? Are there similar places that are best for fruits and vegetables?
People also mentioned shopping in Germany, but where exactly should I go? (I found a Lidl in Tuddern on Google Maps, is that a good option?)
2. What should I buy? (The Dutch diet is a mystery to me!) the cheese section is seriously confusing. I read a label and i thought it was the cow's age (haha!). In Brazil, mozzarella is our standard, everyday cheese. What's the 'normal' or 'daily' cheese that most people eat here? I'll ask the same about "slices meat", what is a cheap daily sandwich for you ?
Same question for meat. Back home, I eat a lot of chicken breast. What are the most common and affordable cuts of meat people buy for daily meals here chicken and red meat?
Where should I buy fruits ? In Brazil they are really cheap
I know it's too much questions, but I'm tying to make a guide for me and the others that may need this info.
I'm trying to be as rational and healthy with my stomach and account as possible. I'm expecting to travel trough Europe, so making less monetary mistakes means more fun
Other questions, about Europe in general. I can buy stuff in aliexpress? In Brazil it's really common, but we have to pay a tax after the site price, there something like this here ?
Any other general shops, like where to buy stuff, like food containers, or even a rain coat, waterproof shoes, which type of gloves should i use while bicycling, etc. Anything that you may look and thin "this guy from Brazil has no idea, but that this may help a lot".
Any tips at all would be amazing. I'm really looking forward to learning my way around, and kinda create a guide for everyone coming to the city. There's a program, where every semester new students come from Brazil, so I'm also trying to help them
Sorry if my English sound dumb sometimes
Thanks so much!
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u/Tigress92 19d ago
Welcome to the Netherlands!
Let's start with supermarkets; lidl and aldi are the cheapest stores, followed by Nettorama which is cheap on brands. AH and Plus are the most expensive stores, followed by Jumbo who is about the same pricerange. The best thing you can do is buy the cheap stuff you like from Lidl and Aldi, look online or on apps from Jumbo and AH for sales (like discounts, 1+1 free etc.), and make a list before you go, plan it out. Tüddern also has Aldi and Lidl nearby, a lot of people go there to buy in bulk, so they have a supply at home, don't have to go too often, and are still saving money.
There's also market every thursday morning from 08.00 untill 13.00,, where people sell vegetables and meat (and flowers etc.), mostly cheap. A lot of people (who are able to) go there to buy better quality produce and cheaper meat etc. Might be worth checking out.
For what you should buy, mostly just what you prefer. Gehakt(minced meat) and Chicken are usually the cheapest options in meat, pork can be pretty cheap too, depending on what you buy. When it comes to cheese, "jong" "oud" "belegen" are just terms for the riping process. Most people prefer "jong" or "jong belegen". Brands in this are not really interesting, they have some variety in taste, but most are very similar. As for cheap options for dinner; anything with noodles, or pasta, or chicken tonight. If you're unsure, again, console websites or apps from AH and Jumbo for prices.
About the other shops; ACTION, Action is cheapest and has a lot of options. Outside of Action, Wibra, Zeeman, Hema, for clothes; online or New Yorker (though Zeeman and Hema have clothes as well, but less options), for care products Kruidvat, but if you have the option to go to Tüddern, go to DM! They are a lot cheaper than any drugstore in Sittard, you can buy basic care products super cheap there.
Yes you can definitly buy from Aliexpress or Temu (is better imo).
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u/_juraylan 18d ago
Hi, thank you mate it's a very complete answer and made things waaay clear to me. I want to consume as a local Asap, kkk I'll share all the info with my friends in the same process, sso you helped 10+ people XD It's a 15 min by bike to the lidl DM, tomorrow i'l get my bike from the university, so i'll visit there
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u/Tigress92 17d ago
You are very welcome, I'm really happy I was able to help you and your friends. As an extra bit of info; if you want to buy in bulk and find that biking there is too much; there's a bus that rides there from sittard station (called SB3 iirc) that stops practically in front of lidl and dm, (busstop is called in der fumer iirc). There are also other cheap shops there you can check out, tedi (next to dm) has cheap gadgets, kik has very cheap clothes, and there's a shoestore next to kik that has some great prices as well. Kik and shoestar are on the otherside of aldi and dm, next to lidl.
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u/Audio_AK0112 18d ago
Welcome in Sittard! You can get in touch with the Buddy System Sittard-Geleen and submit a request for a local buddy who can assist you in finding your way around town. We also organize several welcome activities, such as monthly get-togethers, informal Dutch conversation sessions, board game evenings, quiz nights and guided walking tours. We hope to see you soon! Good luck with your internship at CHILL!
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u/Brandito007 19d ago
You have a Turkish shop at the tempelplein in Sittard. Germany tuddern is good to do groceries. Further aldi and Lidls are cheap too. Further Sittard is quite boring in my opinion. Succes!
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u/_juraylan 18d ago
Always heard that it's boring kkk, but it's my first time outside brazil, so at least, i heard it's well located, and easy access to bigger places
Also, appreciate for the help with the post.
You know kt there are Turkish shops in DM ? Its a bonus cheap ?
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u/runescapexklabi 19d ago
Regarding the supermarkets:
Albert Heijn indeed has everything but is the most expensive. Jumbo is kinda the same. Lidl and Nettorama are the cheaper options, but don't have as many products. It really depends on your budget and wishes.
Regarding food: We mostly eat the yellow cheese slices (or big blocks) on bread. Outside of the Netherlands it's called Gouda cheese (we don't call it that, it's just cheese). The years on the like 35+ or 40+ have to do with how long the cheese has ripened. The lower the number, the less fat and salt it has (only important thing to know). Regarding meat I would indeed suggest Turkish shops. Not really because it's cheaper (same price), but because the meat in the supermarket is horrible quality. For example, chicken breasts are injected with water to make it heavier and increase the price. Fruit and vegetables are the same price at the local market I believe. The quality is the same as the supermarket. Only thing is that you support a local company at the market instead of the big multinational supermarkets. If you have time and energy, go to the local market.
The Lidl in Tudderen is a good option for shopping in Germany, but I'm gonna explain something most people, even Dutch, don't understand. The prices in Germany are generally lower than here, BUT... The Netherlands use a sale system. This means that every week there are products for a special price, like 50% off or 1+1 free. If you buy your products in sale, it is the same price as in Germany. For example, sunscreen is twice as expensive here than in Germany, but most of the time sunscreen is buy 1, get 1 free. At the end, it then costs the same as in Germany. So my tip is: save yourself the trip to Germany and buy as much as possible in sales. The supermarkets have websites and apps that show the sales so you can plan before you go to the store. This has been proven and calculated.
You can buy stuff on Alieexpress and websites like that and taxes on webshops are always included in the price. I just don't recommend it because the quality is horrible and it is produced under terrible, slavery-like, conditions (but you do you, make your own choices. Not trying to pressure you, just create awareness).
That's all I know and can think of right now, hope it helps get you on your way. Good luck and welcome!