Quinoa – An Essential Pantry Staple
Quinoa has become a kitchen essential in almost all families due to its amazing nutritional value and health benefits. Moreover, with the increasing risk of cardiovascular diseases, people have started looking for healthier alternatives for their daily use items such as white rice and white flour.
This is essentially where Quinoa comes into play, being a member of the herbaceous Amaranth family, the seeds of this plant are filled with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers in values amounting to much greater than other grains. It also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties along with maintenance of blood pressure.
In addition to its nutty taste, Quinoa is also naturally gluten-free thus it is also consumed by all individuals with gluten intolerance. It can also be enjoyed by all the vegans as well. Moreover, it can be incorporated into the diet in multiple ways whether it be in the form of cold salads, as an alternative for rice, or simply as a standalone breakfast cereal.
There are more than 120 varieties of Quinoa present making it a versatile product along with expanding its use. Namely, some of them are Red Quinoa, White Quinoa, Black Quinoa, Quinoa Flour, Quinoa Flakes and Crisps, and others. Most supermarkets sell White Quinoa and it is the type that is most frequently available. However, red quinoa is an excellent addition to salads as well as other recipes requiring a more defined version of it. Quinoa can be used in a multitude of ways. More to read: Where to Find Boba Tea Near Me?
What to look for when buying Quinoa?
Whether you’ve recently switched to using quinoa in your diet or you’re an old quinoa user, there are certain things you should be aware of before buying the delicious and nutritious grain.
- Nutritious value:
All types of Quinoa have essentially the same nutritional value. So don’t waste your time reading the packages for which one holds more nutritional value. According to the US Department of Agriculture, one cup of cooked quinoa contains 222 calories, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein, 6 grams of fat, and 5 grams of fiber.
- Texture and taste difference:
White quinoa is the easiest to cook and is the milder of the three most popular forms of quinoa i.e. red, white and black quinoa. Black quinoa does not lose its color even after being cooked and it holds its shape pretty well after being cooked making it ideal for cold salads and other such dishes. The same is the case with red quinoa.
- Saponin – a friend or foe!
Quinoa is lined with an outer layer of saponin, a natural insect repellent (it can’t get any cooler!). This may work to your advantage by making quinoa safe from insects and other pests, however, it does add a little bit of work as well. Make sure to buy pre-rinsed quinoa to prevent your dishes from tasting bitter or make sure to rinse it yourself before use because a little rinsing never hurts anybody!
Make sure you know all these things before buying quinoa to save yourself from extra hassle.
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Where to look for Quinoa in a grocery store?
Quinoa may be sold in bulk quantities in some supermarkets however small packaged versions are also available. Quinoa can be categorized with the grains so the first place to look for it would be the Grains section specifically in the Rice aisle. If not available, look at the section where beets and spinach are available. If you can’t find it here the next best place to look for it would be the section for Gluten-free products as quinoa is naturally gluten-free. Most health stores keep quinoa in bulk amounts as well, if the supermarket you visit has bulk bins be sure to keep an eye out for it in that place.
Where can I find Pre-Cooked Quinoa?
Cooked quinoa is a nutritious ready-to-eat meal for people who are always on the go and don’t have enough time for cooking. It can either be plain or be seasoned with vegetables or other flavorings. The best place to find a pre-cooked quinoa meal would be the frozen section near other prepped meals. Some well-known brands such as Minsley Cooked Organic Quinoa can easily be found on Amazon. It contains no preservatives and is a 4.2 oz pack of prepped quinoa.
Which supermarkets sell Quinoa?
Quinoa is found in health stores in bulk quantity and multiple superstores in both bulk quantities as well as packaged forms. If you’re a regular quinoa user then it would be more cost-effective for you to buy it in bulk quantity. However, if you’ve recently incorporated it into your diet then it would be better for you to buy it in small packaged forms and decide which flavor and brand you prefer and trust. Quinoa can be found in the following stores:
- Kroger
- Walmart
- Woolworths
- Tesco
- Sainsbury
- Coles
- Amazon
- Whole Foods
- Trader Joe’s
- Target
- Stop and Shop
- Publix
Like it goes for everything else, look at Sunday papers as well as for online discounts before going out to shop for quinoa.
If you want to order online, here are some of the best seller quinoa brands available on Amazon:
Where to find Quinoa in Walmart?
Look for Quinoa in the Grains and Rice section at Walmart. All types of Quinoa can easily be found at Walmart in the packaged form whether it be red, black, white, or even rainbow quinoa.
- Better Body Foods offers Tri-colored Quinoa in a 24-ounce jar packaging. It is certified organic, gluten-free, and NON-GMO. It can be used as an alternative to rice.
- Great Value Organic offers White Quinoa in 32 oz. package as well as three packages of 16 oz. each at a lesser price.
- Bob’s Red Mill offers Pre-Rinsed Organic Whole Grain Quinoa in multiple packages according to your need.
Walmart has quinoa available of multiple other brands as well. If you have a membership of Walmart Plus multiple discounts can be offered as well as free online shipping. Otherwise, look for coupons online or look in the sales paper for other discounts before shopping.
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Where to find quinoa in Kroger?
Quinoa can be found in Kroger in the section for natural and organic foods. Specifically, look in the aisle where grains and rice are present. Kroger sells quinoa under its trademark brand as well in addition to offering multiple other companies.
- Kroger® Quinoa is available in packaging of 16-ounces
- Simple Truth Organic offers a prepped meal of Garlic flavored Whole Wheat Quinoa and Brown Rice which can be ready in ninety seconds.
- Ancient Harvest Traditional Quinoa is available in packaging of 14.4-ounces
- truRoots offers Quick Cook Spanish Style Quinoa Brown Rice and Red Bean Blend meal
Look for online discounts and in your Sunday papers for discounts available on Quinoa.
Where to find quinoa in Woolworth?
Quinoa can be found in Woolworths Supermarket in the section of Whole Grains. Zero in on the shelves next to the pasta and brown rice. This line of Australian supermarkets now available worldwide is a common stop for grocery everywhere it’s available.
Multiple brands of quinoa can be found both cooked and uncooked.
- The company Macro Organics presents both white and tri-colored quinoa in packages of 100 grams
- Olive Green Organics presents a mixture of spaghetti quinoa and rice in a package of 300g.
- Pre-cooked quinoa with brown rice from Sunrice company is also available. Multiple other brands are present. Availability may vary with the location of the branch as well as among different branches in the same region. Be sure to call the place you plan on visiting if you have a specific preference.
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Where to find Quinoa in Tesco?
Tesco shoppers can find quinoa in the section for whole grains. If not present there check next to the pulses, lentils, and beans. Along with its trademark company TESCO, the supermarket also has a variety of options customers could choose from.
- Tesco Quinoa is available in a packaging of 300 grams
- The company Jamie Oliver sells quinoa, brown rice, and wheat with a blend of olives and dried tomatoes, in a ready to use microwavable packaging
- Tilda a multicultural British brand sells a mixture of uncooked brown rice and quinoa in a package of 250 grams
Where to find Quinoa in Coles?
Coles is one of the largest supermarket chains in Australia and elsewhere. There are plenty of quinoa brands available to select from and it can be found in the section of organic whole grains. Coles trademark by the Coles Supermarket also sells quinoa of all types.
- Coles Organic Quinoa Flakes
- Wellness Road Organic Tri-Color Quinoa
- Sunrice Rice and Quinoa
- Coles Microwave Brown Rice and Quinoa
- Three Farmers Australian Gold Quinoa
Call and check with your nearest supermarket to see if they have your preferred brands available.
Look online for various recipes to make quinoa and enjoy it the way you like best. Happy Quinoa Shopping! Here’s one:
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