Milk in Argentina Supermarkets

Today I received a question from a reader asking about getting milk in Argentina. The reader had just returned from Costa Rica and said the milk there tased like thick cream and she couldn’t stomach it. Well, I have good news for you... The milk in Buenos Aires supermarkets is generally pretty much the same as you’d find in the USA. One big difference is that you can get milk that is “super pasteurized”. Its sold in the same aisle as breakfast cereal, it is vacuum-sealed, and its not refrigerated. Apparently you can keep this milk at home in your pantry for 6 months and it’ll still be fresh and tasty when you open it up.

I’ll admit right now that I’ve never tried. In fact, the first thing I do when I buy the milk there is take it home and put it in the fridge. I just can’t seem to allow myself to store it outside the fridge, even though they had it unregrigerated at the store. Old habits die hard, I guess.

The milk is labeled with the amount of fat contained – 0%, 1.5%, and so on. It will say “1.5% graso” and you’ll know what to expect if you’re accustomed to US milk. So, no worries!

You shouldn’t have to worry about getting American-type foods and sauces when you’re in Buenos Aires. In the northern suburbs there is a large American expatriate community that surrounds the Lincoln College and there are supermarkets there that sell American sauces, foods, and stuff you’re used to. One thing you’ll notice when moving the Argentina is that they are not big on sauces. You won’t find A1 in steakhouses here, for example. But it shouldn’t be so hard for you to get the kind of foods you like if you’re willing to travel to the American neighborhoods. Let me make the disclaimer that I’ve never been up there myself, so I am only repeating what I’ve heard from others. One day I’ll get up there and check things out myself and report on my findings.