How international supermarkets can break up a dinner rut without costing a fortune

When kitchen burnout hits, figuring out what to make for dinner every day can feel like an impossible task

BOISE, Idaho -- When kitchen burnout hits, figuring out what to make for dinner every day can feel like an impossible task.

Eating out or relying on convenience foods are increasingly difficult solutions for many American families, who are facing the biggest jump in grocery prices in a half century. It can also be healthier to cook at home, where it is easier to control things like how much salt or sugar is added to a meal.

But in many cities, there's another way to break the “what's for dinner” rut without breaking the bank: shopping at international food markets.

It can be surprisingly simple to incorporate new flavors into home meals by pairing unfamiliar ingredients with pantry staples, says Palina Louangketh, a self-described foodie and the director of the Idaho Museum of International Diaspora. She also teaches cooking classes, partnering with Boise-area refugees who demonstrate dishes and techniques from their home countries.

“Coming here to an international market, you get both a dose of cultural experience but also healthy, fresh exotic ingredients,” Louangketh said on a recent trip to the Idaho Capital Asian Market in Boise, pointing to products from China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, South Korea and elsewhere.

“It doesn’t have to be so scary or unique. If you pair your protein with vegetables and with a starch and add savoriness to it — soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce — you’re covered," she said.

Yes, navigating a grocery store full of new-to-you products with foreign-language labels might feel daunting at first, said Beryl Shereshewsky, a New York video producer whose YouTube channel is dedicated to exploring dishes and cultural connections from around the world.

But there are ways to incorporate international supermarkets into your home cooking routine, she said.

“I think you would be surprised by how many international markets exist even in small towns and cities,” said Shereshewsky. “Everywhere you go in America, you’re going to find immigrants, and those immigrants are still cooking their foods from their countries and cultures."

Sales at international supermarkets and small grocery stores across the U.S. have been growing steadily for years, according to market research firm IBISWorld.

There are more than 20 international markets in Boise, which has just over 235,000 residents. Several more are located in nearby Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell.

People tend to shop near home, Shereshewsky said, but exploring new territory can reveal hidden gems.

“It allows you to interact with your city or town in a different way,” she said.