In honor of Monica over at Arma Dei: Equipping Catholic Families who is headed to Rome for a twelve-day pilgrimage, here’s what I learned about how to buy fruit at a supermarket in Rome. This came in very handy during my last trip to Rome as my lunches were often on-the-go and consisted of a piece of fruit, a granola/protein/fiber bar, and some gelato.
The first thing you should know about a Roman supermarket is that they are not huge like they are in the U.S. They are more the size of a 7-Eleven. However, they do carry fresh produce. When picking out fruit or vegetables, be sure to use the plastic gloves and plastic bags that are supplied. They don’t want you touching the food without gloves on your hands.
While bagging the fruit, check for a number on the sign that says “tasto” next to it. Not actually sure what “tasto” means, but it’s some kind of identifying number. For example, the golden apples (mele golden) in the picture below are “tasto 5.”
The “tasto” number is in the upper left on this sign for golden apples (“mele”).
Take your bag to the weighing station. Then just hit the number for your item. For example, for the golden apples above, I simply pressed number 5.
Press the “tasto” number you want.
The machine will spit out a little sticker that gives the price for those items based on their weight. Put the sticker on your bag, and you are ready to head to the cashier.
Here’s the sticker for my golden apples!
Really a pretty simple process once you get the hang of it, and a great way to buy fresh fruit and veggies while in Rome.
And don’t forget to check out Monica’s website as she’s the official blogger for this pilgrimage she’s on. Can’t wait to hear all about her fantastic adventures!
