White SA Woman Who Relocated to USA Shared How Much She Spent to Buy Foods in America

A South African woman living in the United States has attracted attention online after sharing her experience of shopping at a large American grocery store and comparing it with the supermarkets she was used to back home.

The woman, known on TikTok as @tablespoon.of_tink, filmed herself as she walked through the store, pointing out several differences that stood out to her. What appeared to be an ordinary shopping trip quickly became an interesting comparison of food, prices, packaging and everyday shopping habits in the two countries.

One of the first things she noticed was the layout of the supermarket. She was surprised that fresh fruit and vegetables were not placed as prominently near the entrance as she had come to expect in many South African supermarkets. Instead, much of the space was taken up by shelves containing packaged and ready-made food.

She was also amused when she came across feta cheese that had already been crumbled. Having grown accustomed to buying feta in blocks and breaking it apart at home, she found the pre-crumbled version unusual. The discovery became one of the lighter moments in her video and later drew plenty of reactions from South Africans.

Convenience appeared to be another major feature of the shopping experience. She noticed a wide range of products designed to make food preparation easier, including packaged meals and coffee products. The strong focus on high-protein foods also caught her attention, with protein-enriched bagels, cereals and other everyday products available on supermarket shelves.

The size of some products was another noticeable difference. She came across large containers of pickles, oversized cereal boxes and other groceries sold in quantities that appeared much bigger than what she was accustomed to seeing in South Africa. She also observed that there seemed to be fewer employees moving through the aisles to assist customers.

Some prices, however, came as a pleasant surprise. She reportedly found a dozen eggs for the equivalent of about R29 and butter for around R49. She was also surprised that the butter was packaged as four separate sticks rather than as one large block.

Beef did not provide the same positive reaction. She considered the price of beef chuck expensive and was also surprised by how thick some of the cuts were.

The widespread use of self-service checkout machines was another feature she noticed. The machines appeared to be a normal part of the shopping experience, allowing customers to scan and pay for their own groceries.

Her observations prompted plenty of discussion among South Africans online. Some joked about wanting the relatively inexpensive eggs sent back home, while others focused on the unusual idea of buying feta that had already been crumbled.

An American commenter offered some context for the larger package sizes, explaining that many people shop once a week or every two weeks and often buy groceries in larger quantities for their households. For some shoppers, longer distances between homes and supermarkets can also make frequent trips less practical.

The experience ultimately gave viewers an entertaining look at the everyday differences between grocery shopping in the United States and South Africa, while showing how familiar products can seem surprisingly different depending on where they are bought.

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