Italian Grocery Store Souvenirs

Part 1

One of my favorite things to do when I’m traveling is to spend time at local grocery stores, really poring over everything from from aisle to aisle. We come to Italy to visit my mother at least once a year and always stock up on all the grocery store delights we can’t get back home and that we give as gifts for friends. I’ve found that people get way more excited about edible souvenirs than anything else, even things you might not think twice about at first glance. All you need is a bit of space in your suitcase.

Maybe you’re traveling to Italy soon or maybe it’s on your list of places to go to one day, either way, I hope this is useful to you on your next trip. Not only is grocery store souvenir hunting a nice way to get to know a place, but it also enables you to do something really fun, which is to squirrel away something wonderful that you brought back from your travels only to find it months later when you’d forgotten about it completely!

I’m going to show you exactly what I like to buy, but it’s too much for just one newsletter. So consider this Part 1. Part 2 is here. I bought everything pictured in this newsletter at one Conad grocery store in Urbino. Most things I mention below will be available in grocery stores in other Italian cities, though local variations always abound.

Let’s jump right in!