Thailand is well-known for its bounty of vegetables, fruits and meats, which makes it a grocery-shopping paradise. If you plan to cook at home, there is a plethora of fresh produce as well as imported ingredients out there.
For a wide range of groceries (local, imported, organic & regular), head to Foodhall at Central Chidlom or Gourmet Market at Siam Paragon. From affordable local produce & prepared foods to prohibitively expensive imported exotic items, you will be spoilt for choice at these massive supermarkets!
For a less mind-boggling yet upscale & well-stocked store, head to Villa Market, one of the oldest grocery store chains in the city.
For everyday grocery shopping that exerts minimum strain on your wallet, check out Tops Supermarket or Big C.
I would recommend avoiding 7/11 for anything except emergency purchases -- from what I've seen the items in their stores are highly marked up!
Try and stick to stores that are close to your workplace/home if you plan on stepping out multiple times a week to pick up fresh ingredients. The last thing you wan to do is get stuck in Bangkok's horrendous traffic snarls while the spinach wilts and the fish defrosts in your shopping bags! If you are a once-a-week shopper, then explore all the markets and choose your favourite for a marathon weekend shopping session!
Remember to start using a suitable loyalty card once you've decided on your regular haunts. Big C and Tops both have their own loyalty cards -- each time you spend you earn points, which can be redeemed later. With the Tops Spot Card, you also become eligible for various product discounts within the store. At the Central supermarkets you can use "The 1 Card" for expatriates (this also gives you discounts at a few other Central stores). I will be writing more in-depth pieces on this topic as I use each of these cards, so stay tuned!
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