# Finding grits in Houston **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 8, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163 "2012-02-08T04:36:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/1 "2012-02-08T04:36:43Z")
I like grits. And being lazy I like instant grits. But in New York, instant grits can be hard to find. With a little work I can find butter-flavored grits (which I don’t like) and original grits (which are bland). And I can occasionally find a variety pack, which includes the cheese-flavored girts I like. But the variety packs also contain the original and butter-flavored grits I don’t want. Looking on the Quaker Oats website, I see they makes boxes of just cheese-flavored instant grits. But I can’t find anyplace in New York that sells them. And ordering them online would require me to order an entire case. So I figured that I would pick up a couple of boxes when I visited Houston. I figured grits are southern food and a big city like Houston would have them. But I’ve looked in about a dozen stores and I can’t find them. So anyone know of a store in Houston, Texas that sells Quaker Oats cheese-flavored instanbt grits? (Or a store in western NY that does or a place online that sells a reasonable amount.) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/2 "2012-02-08T04:56:54Z")
Try Bob’s Red Mill. They sell something as[grits and polenta](http://www.vitacost.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Organic-Corn-Grits-Polenta). Like most of their products, they’ve been pre-blanched for fast cooking. It doesn’t have cheese, but they have a lot of products on their site, maybe you’ll find something you like, or add your own cheese. They aren’t exacly grits, but they are better tasting than most grits. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/3 "2012-02-08T06:41:54Z")
Pull up the websites of Fiesta Mart grocery and HEB Stores grocery if either of these will be near you, give them a call and ask(I’m sure they carry it). If you’ll be near downtown check out Spec’s Liqour and Gourmet foods(an amazing place) or Central Market(a large gourmet oriented grocery store). ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/4 "2012-02-08T13:43:51Z")
Do you need a grits pen pal? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/5 "2012-02-08T13:44:49Z")
In Ohio, Target sells plain instant grits. Not sure about NY. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/6 "2012-02-08T14:58:42Z")
Why not make plain grits, and toss in a handful of shredded cheese? My son greatly prefers that to the cheese flavored ones. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/7 "2012-02-08T15:09:09Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Pull up the websites of Fiesta Mart grocery and HEB Stores grocery if either of these will be near you, give them a call and ask(I’m sure they carry it). If you’ll be near downtown check out Spec’s Liqour and Gourmet foods(an amazing place) or Central Market(a large gourmet oriented grocery store). I’ve already been to Fiesta, HEB, and Central Market with no luck. Also Randalls, Kroegers, Whole Foods, WalMart, Food-o-Rama, and a couple of other places. Haven’t tried Specs yet. I’m also figuring on checking the Asian supermarkets like Hong Kong Market. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/8 "2012-02-08T15:10:12Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > In Ohio, Target sells plain instant grits. Not sure about NY. Plain, yes. But not cheese-flavored. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/9 "2012-02-08T15:11:20Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Why not make plain grits, and toss in a handful of shredded cheese? My son greatly prefers that to the cheese flavored ones. I have done this with the original and butter-flavored grits. But it defeats the laziness factor of buying instant grits in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/10 "2012-02-09T14:33:35Z")
Nah - my son loves cheese grits so we toss a slice of velveeta in with the microwave grits and it turns out pretty good. I can always ship you a box if you get desperate. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/11 "2012-02-09T14:37:10Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I’ve already been to Fiesta, HEB, and Central Market with no luck. Also Randalls, Kroegers, Whole Foods, WalMart, Food-o-Rama, and a couple of other places. Haven’t tried Specs yet. I’m also figuring on checking the Asian supermarkets like Hong Kong Market. Did you ask anyone at the stores? I’m wondering if its a supply issue or something, my father was from Alabama and he loved grits and I’m positive Fiesta and HEB carried them in the past(the instant grits with cheese). ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/12 "2012-02-09T15:01:47Z")
Ok I may have solved your mystery, Rice Epicurean Markets might have it. Go here and do a product search for grits: > **[(no title)](https://www.riceepicurean.com/)** > > Visit the post for more. Half a dozen kinds will come up one of which is the flavor combo box that has the cheddar cheese flavor in it. BUT I am unclear if this means their stores carry it, call and ask over the phone they have stores all over Houston. Oh and if you get a chance while visiting all these awesome groceries pick up some cassava farina, when prepared thickly with some salt and sharp cheddar cheese added it is DELICIOUS! I call it super grits 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/13 "2012-02-09T15:43:34Z")
Don’t bother with Spec’s. They don’t have Quaker Oats anything. They deal with more high end food (Spec’s Fine Food and Liquor). I’d also be surprised if you found any at any of the Asian markets. Their non-Asian selections tend to represent major brands ok, but there’s not typically the vast quantity of different options. If you don’t find any at one of the better HEBs (no, they’re not all the same), you may be out of luck. The HEB website has a garlic cheese grits recipe, but it involves getting some regular hominy grits and mixing stuff in, so I’m not sure they have different flavored grits. Also, Rice Epicurean is a last resort. It’s overpriced and not Epicurean (and none of the stores are even on Rice Blvd after the original closed down a couple years ago). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2012, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-grits-in-houston/612163/14 "2012-02-10T02:32:11Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Ok I may have solved your mystery, Rice Epicurean Markets might have it. > > Half a dozen kinds will come up one of which is the flavor combo box that has the cheddar cheese flavor in it. BUT I am unclear if this means their stores carry it, call and ask over the phone they have stores all over Houston. I’ve already checked Rice Epicurean. Also Gerlands and Food Town. I can find the variety packs, both in Texas and New York (Foodarama even had them on sale). But they only contain three packs of cheese-flavored grits in a twelve pack box and this seems a pretty inefficient way to buy them.