In a warm summer afternoon in August 2024, I arrived in Enschede, a small city in the Netherlands, and settled into my room at the Saxion University dorm. While unpacking my suitcase, I suddenly realized that I had no food or daily essentials at all. The fridge in the shared kitchen stood cold and empty, its light flickering on as if it was waiting to be filled.
But on that first day, I didn’t think about grocery shopping. The first thing I needed was a warm meal after the long trip from Indonesia to Enschede. I used Google Maps and a small guidebook to look for food and found a nearby café. That afternoon, I had my first meal at a café close to my dorm. For the next few days, I kept eating out. It was simple and convenient, but soon I realized that eating at restaurants every day wasn’t sustainable for my student budget. That was when I decided to start cooking my own meals in the dorm.
As an exchange student from the International Student Mobility Awards (IISMA) program, I had to prepare for the next six months of living there. One of the most important things to figure out right away was where to shop for groceries and household supplies. I needed to manage my spending and preferred cooking my meals instead of eating out.
I didn’t know yet which supermarket would suit me best, so I began exploring the stores around me, little by little. Over time, I learned which stores were more affordable, which had more variety, and which were most convenient for a student like me.
Jumbo: Spacious and Complete, but a Bit Expensive.
On our first grocery run, my friends and I chose Jumbo. I heard from a senior who joined the IISMA program the year before that it was a popular and complete supermarket, so I made it my first choice. We went there in the evening. The sun was still out even though it was already late. The streets felt quiet but fresh, and everything around me looked unfamiliar yet exciting. That short walk, with the sound of our footsteps and shared laughter, made the simple task of buying groceries feel like the start of something new. We went to the Jumbo supermarket on Boulevard 1945.
This supermarket was big and full of everything. The bright lights and clean floors made the place feel fresh. It smelled like bread near the entrance. The shelves were packed with products lined up neatly, and I could hear the quiet beep of scanners and the soft music playing in the background. The place was always busy. I never saw it empty. Jumbo was open from 08:00 in the morning to 21:00 from Monday to Saturday, and from 12:00 to 08:00 on Sundays. This made it easy for us to plan grocery trips during the week.
I walked through the dairy section and stopped when I saw the milk prices. “Look, the milk here is less than €1[1],” I said, surprised. The cold air from the fridge brushed against my face as I picked one up. It was heavy in my hand, and I could already imagine how good it would taste with cereal in the morning.
Jumbo also had a self-checkout area. It was super easy to use. Just scan the items, pack them in your bag, and pay by debit card. It saved a lot of time. Bringing your own shopping bag was a good idea too, because buying one here could be a bit expensive.
The cashiers and staff were friendly and helpful. When I got confused about where to find something, they answered with a smile and pointed me in the right direction. After paying, we needed to scan the barcode from the receipt before leaving. It made sure everything was paid for. I also found a machine for returning empty drink bottles. I tried it once and got €2.5 back. But not all bottles could be returned, only certain ones.
A Taste of Home
As we walked through the food section, my friend suddenly stopped and pointed. “Look. They even have fried onions!” she said, her eyes wide with excitement.
There were rows of small red and yellow containers filled with golden brown flakes. The smell was soft but familiar. It reminded me of the warm taste of home-cooked meals, like when we sprinkled fried onions on top of fried rice. Right above them, we also saw emping, a type of cracker made from melinjo nuts. They are light and crispy, with a slightly bitter taste that many Indonesians love. I picked up a pack and shook it a little. The sound was dry and crunchy, just like how I remembered it back home.
Even though the prices at Jumbo were a bit higher than other stores, it was worth it because they had everything I needed in one place.
Aldi: Good Prices and Essentials
A few days after shopping at Jumbo, I realized I had forgotten to buy eggs and noticed that the snacks in my dorm were almost gone. Because of that, my friend and I decided to check out another supermarket near our place, hoping to find cheaper options for these smaller needs. Aldi atMolenstraat was just a short walk away, so we went there together like we always did when buying groceries. It felt like a small adventure each time. The street was quiet, and the wind brushed against our jackets as we laughed and talked along the way.
Aldi was not as big and crowded as Jumbo. It felt calmer inside. There was only one cashier, and no self-checkout machine. The shelves were simpler, but we still found most of what we needed: fresh vegetables, fruits, cooking ingredients such as chicken, beef, and even pork. There were also rows of bread, cereal, and snacks stacked neatly. The air smelled a bit like cardboard mixed with the scent of fresh produce, and the floors were slightly cold under our shoes. Just like Jumbo, Aldi also has fixed opening hours. It was open from 08.00 to 20.00 on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 12.00 to 18.00 on Sundays.
What I liked the most was the price. It was clearly cheaper than Jumbo. I found a carton of 12 eggs for just around €2, while at Jumbo it could go up to 4. The savings felt real, especially for students like us who needed to watch our budget.
Aldi’s parking lot was huge. It surrounded the whole building, mostly filled with parked bikes and a few cars. On one side of the store, we noticed places where people could throw out old glass bottles and used clothes. Sometimes, people left other items they no longer needed, and someone else would come and take them. Just like in Jumbo, there was also a machine to return empty plastic bottles.
Sharing one cart with my friends makes grocery shopping simpler.
Since there was only one cashier, the line could get pretty long. We stood in it patiently, shifting our weight from one foot to the other. That day, my friend and I decided to share one shopping cart. “Let’s just use one cart so we can pay together,” I said, pulling the cart closer. She nodded and laughed, “Yeah, easier that way.”
We left the store with our bags full and heavy. The plastic handles pressed into our hands as we walked back to the dorm. Sometimes we had to help each other carry things, especially when our shopping bags felt like they were going to burst.
Action: Affordable Home Supplies
After spending a few weeks in Enschede, I realized my dorm was getting too messy. There were small things everywhere, such as cables, lotion bottles, old receipts, hair ties, and coins. I wanted to organize them, but I had nothing to put them in. So, one afternoon, I decided to go to Action, a shop people always talked about when it came to cheap home stuff. I went to the one at H.J. van Heekplein, just around the corner from the city center.
The store was not exactly close from my dorm. It took me around twenty minutes to get there on foot. But I did not mind the walk. The wind felt cool on my face, and I liked the quiet streets. I passed by a few traffic lights, waiting each time as the little red figure blinked. Cars drove by and bikes zipped past me, but I took my time. It was one of those peaceful walks where you could think about nothing.
When I reached the store, I felt a little warm from walking, but the air inside was fresh. It smelled like new plastic and cleaning products, not too strong but just enough to notice. The shelves were packed with baskets, drawers, cleaning tools, kitchen supplies, school stuff, and even snacks. It almost had everything you might need in a dorm. It felt like a treasure hunt. I walked slowly, letting my fingers brush against the plastic containers and soft fabric boxes.
I stopped in front of a shelf full of organizers. Some were big and empty. Some had little boxes inside to hold tiny things. I picked up one, then another. I could already picture them sitting on top of my wardrobe back in the dorm.
“Should I just get one?” I whispered to myself. “But my stuff is really all over the place. Maybe I need two.” I stood there for a minute, weighing them both in my hands. I ended up putting both into my basket.
Action quickly became one of my favorite stores in the city. It had almost everything, and the prices were very student-friendly. No wonder it was always mentioned by other international students. Even though it was a bit far from where I lived, I would still go there again just for the walk and the quiet moment.
The store was open every day of the week. From Monday to Wednesday, it was open from 08:00 to 20:00. On Thursday and Friday, it stayed open one hour longer. Saturdays followed the same schedule as the start of the week, and on Sundays, it was open later at noon and closed at 17:00. The times were fixed and easy to remember.
Albert Heijn: Open Late and Convenient
One morning, I woke up late. I had planned to visit the traditional market in the city center, but I didn’t have time for breakfast. I was worried that the best ingredients would be gone if I came too late, so I quickly got ready and headed out. On the way there, I passed by Albert Heijn, which was already open, and decided to grab something quick to eat.
Albert Heijn reminded me a lot of convenience stores back home in Indonesia. It was like the Dutch version of Alfamart or Indomart, but with a stronger focus on food. When I stepped inside, the smell of warm bread and fresh fruit filled the air. The shelves were lined with meals from all over the world. I saw Indonesian nasi goreng, Indian curry, and even Japanese sushi sets all packed neatly in plastic boxes. Everything looked clean and organized.
They also had microwaves ready to use. People came in, grabbed a meal, heated it up, and left in just minutes. It was perfect for those who had no time to cook breakfast. Some customers looked sleepy, some were in a rush, but everyone knew what they wanted. The pastry section stood near the entrance, filled with golden brown croissants and chocolate bread that made my stomach growl.
Garlic Bread for a Busy Morning
I had already walked a lot that day, so I chose something simple. I picked up a garlic bread roll that looked like a golden swirl of comfort. The buttery scent wrapped around me the moment I opened the bag. It was warm and rich, with just enough sharpness to make my mouth water. The first bite gave a soft crunch, and inside, the bread was tender and airy. Each twist of dough was coated in garlic butter and sprinkled with crispy flakes and chives that clung to my fingers. It didn’t just taste good. It tasted like relief.
I ate it slowly while standing on the street, letting the warmth cut through the wind. It cost me €3, which felt fair for something that seemed handmade with care. This is it if you’re in a rush and want something warm and flavorful without needing a microwave or cutlery. Of all the stores I visited, Albert Heijn was the one that stayed open the latest, from 08.00 to 22.00 on weekdays and Saturdays, and from 12.00 to 22.00 on Sundays.
All of these stores were open every day, but their closing times really made a difference, especially on Sundays. Jumbo was usually closed around 20.00, Aldi was the same, and Action was closed even earlier on Sundays. But Albert Heijn stayed open the longest, until 22.00, which made it a real lifesaver at night.
Jumbo was the place I went to for full grocery runs. It had everything I needed, from fresh produce to snacks. Aldi was where I could save money, especially for basic cooking stuff. Action became my go-to for anything non-food, especially dorm supplies. And when I was tired or rushing between classes, Albert Heijn was perfect for grabbing something warm to eat or even just a quick drink.
In the end, each store had its own charm and purpose. I didn’t always stick to one. It really depended on what I needed that day and how much time I had. But having all these options nearby made daily life in Enschede easier and a lot more fun.
[1] All the prices mentioned in this article might change because of the currency fluctuations.
Corners of enschede 
Leave a comment