Hunt for Passover food has begun

By Avi Erbst

On Facebook, people are starting to share and accumulate recipes for Passover - and we haven’t even celebrated Purim yet. Passover is six weeks away, but people are already planning their Seder menus. I should not have been surprised.

One of the most important aspects of Passover is the food, which is steeped in tradition and symbolism. Jewish families spend weeks preparing for the holiday by shopping. And in places like Tucson, that can involve some hunting!

The Kosher L’Pesach, or KLP (Kosher for Passover) scene in Tucson isn’t as abundant as in New York, where I’m originally from. Still, we do have a wonderful selection if you know where to look.

The Jewish community in Tucson has established meaningful relationships with managers of local stores such as Safeway, Fry’s and Bashas’. Those stores have been very receptive to our requests for items and have worked diligently to continuously improve the selection year after year as new products hit the market.

Stores like Al Basha Grocery, a locallyowned shop specializing in Middle Eastern and African food, have gone to great lengths to carry kosher-certified products for the convenience of the Jewish community.

Many of the major chain stores will have kosher sections with basic Passover items. The store listed below have larger than usual displays with more variety:

∙ Safeway – 4752 E Sunrise Dr, 85718

∙ Fry’s - 2480 N Swan Rd, Tucson, 85712

∙ Fry’s – 7812 E Speedway Blvd, 85710

∙ Bashas’ – 3275 N Swan Rd, 85712

∙ AJ’s Fine Foods – 2805 E Skyline Dr, 85718

∙ Al Basha – 4145 E Grant Rd, 85712

Budgeting is an issue as people start to do their Passover shopping. It is difficult to avoid the higher cost of staple items such as eggs, potatoes, chicken and meat, which have all seen significant price increases in the past year. But shoppers may also find the items for Passover – matzah, wine, gefilte fish, horseradish, matzah meal and snacks – are even more inflated. And might sell out early.

During non-holiday periods, my family and I generally stick to a shopping list to eliminate the excess and stick to the items we need. But it is not too early (as the Facebook trend indicates) to keep a Passover list in our pockets to pick up the non-perishables as we find them.

The good news is the supply chain issues from the last few years seem to have corrected themselves. The manager of the Safeway on Swan/Sunrise, which carries the largest selection of Passover items, told me he believes his delivery and shelves should be fully stocked by the beginning of March.

By the way, we should all thank local stores for carrying Passover goods. By doing so, we can show our appreciation and encourage these businesses to continue offering these products in the future. And share a picture of your finds in the “Kosher in Tucson” Facebook group, as it helps others be more efficient in their shopping adventures.

For those who cannot find all their Passover needs locally, there is a delivery option from Western Kosher, a kosher supermarket in Los Angeles. The order for Passover items is due on March 9, with delivery to Tucson on Thursday, March 16. For more information, contact me at 646-523-5416.

As in past years, Chabad Tucson runs a pop-up kosher catering service to provide Seder meals for individuals and large groups. For the menu and more information, email: Feigie@ChabadTucson.com. In addition, Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging offers Seder meals and food throughout Passover. To order, call 520322-7009 or visit Handmaker.org. Both of these services are certified by Rabbi Yossie Shemtov.

- Avi Erbst is the Owner/Broker of Cordova Realty and co-admin of the Facebook group Kosher in Tucson.

Chabad Rebbetzins from Southern Arizona attended the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Women Emissaries on February 10, 2023 at Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters - 770 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, NY * Photo: Shalom Burkis

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