Healthy Eating in Shanghai

Maintaining a balanced and healthy diet in Shanghai, is hard, but not impossible. There are a plethora of restaurants that cater to various diets including to the vegetarian, vegan, and (rarely) the gluten-free diet. However, constantly going out to eat is quite expensive, and the receipts will build up quickly in your wallet.

On a similar note, many foreigners oftentimes find themselves missing the western cuisine and occidental tastes. There are more and more restaurants that are specialized in more traditionally “Western” food. Sometimes, though we all just want to cook some yummy, healthy food at home.

Therefore, here, below, you will find the best grocery stores and online stores you can check out to order healthy and organic food. Also, just to note, they are all in ENGLISH, so no worries for the ordering, payment, and delivery selection.

Kate and Kimi

Out of all the online grocery stores offering delivery services in Shanghai, Kate and Kimi is undoubtedly the best, in my opinion.

They offer organic produce, nutritious pre-cooked meals, imported food products, as well as a plethora of healthy food ingredients such as oils, grains, superfoods, legumes, and more. What is really unique is their large selection of special diet foods, ranging from imported gluten-free to vegan food options.

As they offer such a unique and catered set of products, their pricing is mid-to-high range, compared to smaller, local vendor shops. However, the quality and organic features attached to the products and service makes up for this higher price tag.

Furthermore, they offer delivery service to your door that can be selected depending on your schedule and personal delivery preferences. This is free once you spend above a certain amount and extremely convenient is you are a busy bee.

Epermarket

Epermarket is another valid and extremely popular choice among expats, as is Kate and Kimi. They focus on health eating and offers a strong loyalty program. This differs from Kate and Kimi, which focuses more on the quality of customer service and the delivery quality. In particular, Epermarket offers plentiful organic options as well as numerous specific food options. These range from those for sugar-free, vegetarian, and the gluten-free diet.

The price point level is comparable to Kate and Kimi, as it is mid-to-high range pricing. In my opinion, I find the slightly higher price point acceptable as you are assured quality, safe, and organic foods. The free delivery service once you reach a certain amount is always appreciate, too.

Something extremely useful that Epermarket offers is a mobile app version where consumers can search and place their orders. When you scan the QR code that is provided, you will be able to download the application, as well as simultaneously receive many points that can be used for your first order placed via mobile device.

Fields

Fields, like Kate and Kimi, and Epermarket, is also specialized in organic food and specific imported foods and healthy ingredients such as nuts, oils, superfoods, protein powders and more.

They also offer a decent selection of diet-specific foods, although a smaller offering than its competitors. Nonetheless, Fields offers seasonal boxes with a variety of vegetables and fruits that can be found according to the season and pre-ordered.

There a numerous sales that are constantly available on the website. In addition, they focus on the community aspect behind their store. They oftentimes host events outdoors to spread the word about their store and work with local organic companies.

Fields, like Epermarket, also offers the same mobile app option, which can you can directly download using the QR code above. In general, Fields is perhaps the less well-known company when compared to the aforementioned two. Nonetheless it is a fan-favorite when it comes to quality and health groceries.

City Shop

In contrast to the other stores, City Shop actually also has physical stores, in addition to have an online presence. Also a point related specifically to City Shop is store presence and brand awareness. Out of all of these, the best widely recognized brand is definitely City Shop. City Shop excels both in a high-quality loyalty program, as well as in excellent customer service. This is worth noting because it is the one that succeeds the most in both areas.

The food products offered are comparable to those of Fields and Epermarket. They focus less on the organic aspect that the aforementioned three brands emphasis and incorporate in their branding. Instead, they are primarily simply an imported foods grocer. Something to note is their almost non-existent selection of diet-specific foods. This is something to note if that is a dietary necessity you have when grocery shopping.

The price point is definitely the highest out of the four. However, they are score extremely high in loyalty programs and customer service. So, it truly depends on your own personal preference when shopping. If you want to also have a physical store you can go into and personally select the products, then City Shop might be the best option for you.