BOISE, Idaho (AP) — 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.
This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health. Read more Be Well.
“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.
