These 4 Hearty Snacks Cost $5 or Less

 

In a state as expensive to live in as Hawai‘i, dining out and stocking the fridge add up to some serious dough. But even though many indulgences can burn a hole in your pocket, hearty and affordable snacks can still be found.

 

Savory, sweet and made with undeniable intention: From made-to-order street food to a simple snack that reminds you of home, here are four satisfying bites that don’t require a trip to a wholesale club. And all for an Abe Lincoln or less.

 

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Kimbap rice rolls at Palama Supermarket, $5

 

 

Packed with vegetables, the kimbap rolls at Palama include the perpetual mainstays: your pick of vegetable, marinated beef, gobo (braised burdock) or fishcake rolls or even fancier ones stuffed with chicken katsu, shrimp tempura or kim chee. Flavors of blanched spinach, crunchy carrots, scrambled egg and pickled yellow radish come together in a colorful medley wrapped in rice and roasted seaweed. The move: I suggest enjoying your kimbap with pickled white ginger or fresh kim chee you may already have in your fridge.

 

Sure, kimbap rolls can be found in other supermarkets. I am partial to those at Palama Supermarket because one bite immediately takes me back to my childhood kitchen table: I’m a kid sitting next to my mom and my aunt as they construct rolls and chat, row upon row of sliced kimbap laid out on serving plates, the larger cut-end pieces towering out of alignment.

 

At five bucks a roll, you can’t go wrong. Pick up a side dish or soup, and these savory, affordable snacks easily turn into a feast.

 

Multiple locations, @palamasupermarket

 

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SEE ALSO: Palama Supermarket Is Leveling Up Its Korean Sushi Roll Game

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Classic corn dog at Mr. Cow, $5.50*

 

 

*Editor’s note: Whoops! Melissa visited Mr. Cow in late November, when the price of the corn dog was $4.75. It has since gone above $5. We’ll keep an eye out for more hearty affordable snacks.

 

I should preface this with a note: I am not typically drawn to corn dogs. When I was little, my sweet tooth prioritized funnel cake and cotton candy over everything else at street fairs and carnivals.

 

Mr. Cow’s classic corn dog has a 100% beef sausage filling (other options include mozzarella or cheddar cheese) and a dusting of sugar. It’s piping hot, and as I dig in, I notice the crispy, crunchy texture, coupled with the sweetness from the sugar and the juicy, savory hot dog inside. The softness of the dough conjures up memories of a fresh churro hot out of the fryer. It’s a hearty snack, satisfyingly good and comes in a perfectly portable container.

 

 

An assortment of dipping sauces completes the experience: sweet chile, buttermilk ranch, yellow and honey mustard, mayo and ketchup. It’s rare that I’d direct anyone to a mall food court for anything remotely satisfying, but here we are.

 

Makai Market food court, Ala Moana Center, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd.

 

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Taco Tuesday tacos at Thyda’s Tacos, $2 to $2.50

 

 

Taco Tuesdays at Thyda’s Tacos! In case you haven’t stopped by in a minute or the current economy has sown seeds of doubt, I can happily report that Taco Tuesday is alive and well.

 

Taco Tuesday at Thyda’s means pollo and carnitas tacos at $2 each, while asada, barbacoa, jackfruit and lengua tacos are $2.50—meaty, affordable snacks that go for half their regular prices. My order is a welcome sight of green and white and brown and reddish pink: onions and cilantro and meat, warm tortillas and radish and wedges of lime. If only every weekday lunch made me this excited.

 

 

While waiting for my order, I hear customers chatting with the staff and find out that fresh watermelon juice is something to look forward to in the coming week. On the day that I visit, drinks include freshly made horchata and jamaica.

 

1034 Queen St., @thydastacos

 

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SEE ALSO: Roll With It: Thyda’s Tacos Proves that If It’s Tasty, They Will Come

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Slice of cheese pizza at Little G Cafe, $1 on Sundays (cash only)

 

 

The handmade New York-style pizza at Little G Café is so good, all I can think is, somebody took the time. And at its Sunday slice shop, a slice of plain cheese pizza (what some may call “a regular slice”) is just a buck.

 

The economics of charging a dollar per slice in Hawai‘i does strike me as odd. There’s a reason behind this most affordable of affordable snacks: Someone is covering the real cost, and it’s not you. Little G’s owner explains why, detailing a particular experience in an Instagram post. (I highly encourage tipping.)

 

Sunday is the only day you can buy Little G’s pizza by the slice. Alongside classic offerings like margherita and pepperoni, you can choose toppings like zucchini, potato, corn and penne vodka; specials differ depending on the day. There’s a level of care in the details as well as the service—when one customer asks for a slice of Sicilian pizza, the employee asks if they want a corner or middle slice.

 

 

Waiting in line to order, the aroma of freshly baked dough washes over me. The anticipation makes my mouth water.

 

I take my slices outside and bite into the cheesy end. This pizza was meant for me. It’s just so good. Tender and chewy, with a fresh tomato sauce that makes me eat even more slowly, savoring the sweetness. Not to be overly dramatic, but in this moment, I feel taken care of. This is a pizza you sit down and eat.

 

Check Little G’s Instagram for the latest specials.

 

808 Sheridan St., @littlegcafe

 

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SEE ALSO: Garibaldi’s Offshoot Little G Cafe is Slinging Pizzas at 808 Center

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Melissa Kim is a journalist, podcaster and media consultant. Her coverage of independent films, Korean talent and Asian American artists has been published at NBC News, Character Media and Koreanfilm.org. She enjoys trading food recs and is always game for providing K drama picks.