Asking someone on the street about grocery store sushi likely leads to a negative reaction. It’s true that grocery store sushi often gets a bad rep based on its level of freshness, its display, and its overall appeal. Nonetheless, we went to three grocery stores in the Omaha metro area—Whole Foods, Hy-Vee, and the Asian Market—which are known for their supposedly fresh and fast to-go sushi and gave each a try.

Here are the results:

Each local grocery store has its own style of sushi; Hyvee, Whole Foods, and Asian Market are no exception to this standard. With its creative preparation, varied selection, and use of fresh ingredients, Hyvee’s sushi is a standout option and their dedication to quality was apparent in the assortment. Their sushi selection offers something for every taste, whether creative rolls, such as the spicy crab roll, or a  classic alternative, such as the California roll.

The sushi at Whole Foods is impressive since it emphasizes ingredients that are ethically and organically obtained; however, the rolls tended to contain an overabundance of fish and even fell apart during consumption.

In the Asian Market, their inclusion of traditional flavors and methods is shown in their sushi. Regarding healthy and premium items, you can count on the Asian Market to present an incredibly pleasing role. This being said, their sushi rolls tended to have either an excessive amount of fish or a lack of fish which created an unbalanced roll.

Overall, Hyvee’s sushi offered the best, well-balanced combination of variety, quality, and freshness in their sushi department and were definitely the clear winners of this battle.

Be sure to check back next month when we explore another option for eating sushi in the city!