Is Grocery Store Sushi Actually Worth Buying?

Grocery store sushi has been around for decades in the U.S. Its main appeal is it's much less expensive than having sushi at a restaurant, so you can satisfy your cravings without going over budget. Most of us would agree that the pre-packaged sushi you find at the store isn't great, but the question remains if it's worth buying. To help us solve this dilemma, we talked to Marc Spitzer, chef and partner at Bondst and Okaru, two modern Japanese restaurants in New York. His verdict? "Just given the price point a grocery store has to be at, it will be decent at best."

We have to agree. Even at a restaurant, taking too long to eat your sushi is a common mistake. That's because the dish is meant to be enjoyed fresh, with the rice still slightly warm. Once the rice begins to cool, it hardens too much. At the grocery store, the sushi is left sitting there for hours, which is why it's always too cold and hard and never tastes fresh. Plus, as Spitzer pointed out, "In most cases it will be treated tuna." Though he admits, "I'm sure the sushi could be good at some grocery stores, but I guess that all comes down to the definition of good." For us, it's definitely not hard rice and old, raw fish. Overall, it's not worth spending money for a subpar dish that's really just a poor imitation of the real thing.

Despite its lower quality, grocery store sushi continues to be popular. In fact, stores like Costco are expanding their sushi offerings even further to meet customer demand. So, although we don't think this product is worth buying, we have to face the reality that people will continue to spend their money on it. In this case, Spitzer said, "I always look to see if behind the counter is clean and sanitary" to check if the sushi is trustworthy. But even this strategy isn't fool-proof, "as most of the time [the fish] is in rolls and hard to see." The reality is that "besides smell and looks, it all comes down to trust." You can also trust fellow sushi cravers and go to the grocery stores people like the most: Kroger, Publix, and Wholefoods.

Another option is to go for a middle ground and find a casual sushi space that has better quality food at an accessible price point. Spitzer is also part of the team behind Yono, a spot at New York's Moynihan Train Station hall, which he claims doesn't use treated tuna. This type of space can be a good way to have sushi more often without having to suffer the terrible quality of the packages sold at the grocery store. (Though, to be fair, grocery store sushi is undoubtedly more affordable.) One more piece of advice: For the love of all that is good, avoid sushi buffets.