Food gifting traditions in Indonesian and Indian communities across NYC typically involve bringing sweets worth £15-30 during religious festivals, with specific items expected for different occasions and relationships.
Navigating these customs as a newcomer can feel overwhelming, particularly when you’re unsure whether to bring ketupat during Eid celebrations or which type of mithai is appropriate for Diwali visits. As of November 2024, many Indonesian families in Queens still follow traditional gift-giving protocols where the eldest receives the first offering, whilst Indian households in Jackson Heights often expect guests to arrive with boxed sweets from established confectioneries rather than homemade items.
The insider knowledge that makes all the difference is timing and presentation. Indonesian communities tend to exchange food gifts early in the morning during religious holidays, wrapped in banana leaves or traditional cloth, whilst Indian families often prefer afternoon visits with sweets presented in decorative boxes or brass containers. What makes this particularly tricky for newcomers is that these expectations vary significantly between regions – Gujarati families may have different customs from Bengali households, just as Javanese traditions differ from Batak practices.
Getting this wrong isn’t just awkward; it can impact your standing within these tight-knit communities where food gifting serves as both cultural preservation and social bonding.
This guide delivers three specific outcomes: a neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood breakdown of where to source authentic ingredients and prepared items, exact protocols for major festivals including what to bring and when, and practical scripts for navigating Indonesian and Indian NYC food gifting situations with confidence and cultural sensitivity.
Indonesian and Indian Food Gifting Overview
Food Gifting Traditions: Indonesian and Indian NYC Guide
As of November 2024
What You Need to Know Before You Buy Food Gifts in NYC
If you’re new to New York City or just trying to keep your Indonesian or Indian food gifting traditions alive here, you probably already know it’s not as simple as popping into one grocery store. Between finding authentic ingredients, sticking to budget, and navigating the subway, it can get overwhelming fast.
Here’s the core issue: you need to find the right ingredients and ready-made treats that reflect your culture’s food gifting traditions, all without spending hours or breaking the bank. Plus, many stores have confusing hours or limited stock, so planning ahead is key.
Where to Go: Top Spots in Queens for Indonesian & Indian Food Gifts
From my recent experience living in Queens and using the subway, here are three spots that worked best for me:
| Location | Address & Nearest Subway | What to Buy | Insider Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indo Deli & Grocery | 45-21 45th St, Sunnyside, Queens Subway: 7 to 46th St–Bliss St |
Authentic Indonesian snacks like kue lapis, sambal paste, and coconut-based sweets | Go early on weekends (10–11am) to avoid sold-out items, especially during festive months |
| Patel Brothers | 40-15 Main St, Flushing, Queens Subway: 7 to Main St |
Indian sweets (mithai), spices, ghee, and ready-made gift boxes | Check their fridge aisle for fresh sweets made daily, usually restocked around noon |
| Queens International Food Market | 72-06 Roosevelt Ave, Jackson Heights, Queens Subway: E, F, M, R to Jackson Heights–Roosevelt Ave |
Both Indonesian and Indian staples; good for bulk buying rice and lentils for gift baskets | Use the side entrance on 73rd St to skip the busy main entrance during peak hours |
Step-by-Step: Assembling Traditional Food Gifts Without Losing Your Mind
Here’s a checklist that helped me when preparing food gifts for both Indonesian and Indian traditions recently:
- Make a list of what you want to gift: sweets, snacks, spices, or fresh items.
- Plan your route based on stores’ opening hours and proximity to subway stops. For example, hit Indo Deli first if you want Indonesian snacks, then head to Patel Brothers for Indian sweets.
- Buy non-perishables first (spices, dried snacks), then pick up fresh sweets last to keep them fresh.
- Use reusable gift boxes or baskets — you can find affordable ones at nearby dollar stores in Jackson Heights.
- Label your gifts with a little note explaining the significance of the food (a nice touch especially if you’re gifting outside your immediate community).
- Use insulated bags when carrying sweets or coconut-based treats, especially in colder months to prevent damage.
Insider Tips & Common Frustr
Traditional Indonesian Gifting Customs in NYC
Food Gifting Traditions: Indonesian and Indian NYC Guide
Navigating Food Gifting in NYC’s Indonesian and Indian Communities
If you’re new to Queens or another part of NYC and need to prepare traditional food gifts for Indonesian or Indian celebrations, you know it’s not just about picking something from any supermarket. You’ll want authentic ingredients, beautiful packaging, and an efficient way to get everything without running around all day. As of November 2024, I’ve been through this a few times, juggling work and subway commutes, so here’s a practical guide that saves you time—and keeps your gift meaningful.
Where to Buy the Essentials: Three Key Locations
This place is a gem for Indonesian staples like kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), tempeh, and various spices. Prices here are reasonable; for example, a 500ml bottle of kecap manis runs about $4.50 in November 2024. Indo Bazaar also stocks festive snacks like kue lapis (layered cake), perfect for gifting. The shop closes at 8 pm, but try to get there before 6 pm on weekends to avoid crowds.
For Indian gifting, Patel Brothers is a go-to spot. They have the best selection of mithai (Indian sweets) and gift boxes. Prices have increased slightly this year; a 1 lb box of ladoos is around $12.50. You can also find premium basmati rice and spices in bulk if you’re making gift baskets yourself. It’s open until 9 pm, but weekdays before 7 pm are quieter.
While H Mart is Korean-focused, they carry many South and Southeast Asian ingredients, including fresh coconut, turmeric root, and pandan leaves—essentials for both Indonesian and Indian recipes. Their pricing is competitive; a bunch of pandan leaves costs about $2.50. It’s a good backup spot if you want fresh produce along with packaged goods. Open until 10 pm daily.
Step-by-Step: Preparing a Traditional Food Gift Basket
Here’s a simple checklist that helped me keep things organised:
- Choose your theme: Indonesian or Indian traditional sweets/snacks.
- List ingredients and items: For Indonesian gifts, include kue lapis, krupuk (crackers), and kecap manis. For Indian gifts, select mithai, spices, and dry fruits.
- Pick your stores: Indo Bazaar for Indonesian, Patel Brothers for Indian, and H Mart for fresh ingredients.
- Buy packaging materials: Visit the nearby “Dollar Tree” at 37-15 74th St, Jackson Heights for gift boxes and ribbons—much cheaper and less hassle than specialty shops.
- Assemble gifts: Use clear cellophane wrap and tie with colourful ribbon. Label the items if needed.
- Store properly: Refrigerate sweets like mithai if you can’t deliver immediately.
- Shortcut for Indo Bazaar and Patel Brothers: Both are on the same street, just a few blocks apart. Take the 7 train to 74th St–Broadway, but if you’re carrying heavy baskets, exit on the west side to avoid the long crosswalk. There’s a side street (37th Ave between 74th and 73rd St) that locals use to shortcut. Save yourself 5-10 minutes and avoid the busy main intersection.
- Timing Matters: Weekday mornings (10 am to 12 pm) at Patel Brothers are the best for quick shopping. Evenings are crowded, and lines for mithai can get long, especially in November when festive season shopping picks up.
- Money-Saving Tip: Buy bulk spices and dry fruits at Patel Brothers and H Mart instead of packaged gift boxes. It’s cheaper, and you can customise your basket. Also, watch for sales—Patel Brothers often has discounts on sweets mid-month.
Insider Tips From a Local Who’s Been There
What’s Frustrating and How to Avoid It
Here’s the thing though—sometimes the mithai or Indonesian sweets you want are out of stock, especially close to major holidays like Diwali or Eid. This can be confusing because stores don’t always update their websites or social media. My advice: call ahead or visit early in the week to avoid disappointment.
Also, packaging can be a pain. Specialty gift shops near Jackson Heights can be pricey, so don’t rush to buy from the first place you see. The Dollar Tree on 74th Street has surprisingly decent packaging supplies, which saved me at least $10 per basket last time.
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So, if you’re gearing up for a festive food gifting tradition this season in NYC, use these tips, hit the right shops, and plan your trip around subway schedules and store hours. It’s doable without stress—and you’ll impress your friends and family with that thoughtful, authentic touch.
Indian Food Gifting Practices for New Yorkers
Food Gifting Traditions: Indonesian and Indian NYC Guide
Figuring Out Where to Buy Authentic Ingredients and Gifts
If you’re like me, juggling Indonesian and Indian food gifting traditions here in NYC is a bit of a puzzle — especially when you want the right ingredients or ready-made gifts that actually feel like home. As of November 2024, your best bets are tucked in Queens and Manhattan, but they’re not always obvious unless you know the neighbourhoods and subway stops.
Indonesian staples like kue lapis (layered cake) or rendang spices aren’t widely sold in regular supermarkets. For Indian sweets or mithai, you’ll want to find places that make these fresh daily, not just packaged imports.
Here are three spots I’ve relied on recently:
| Location | What to Find | Subway/Area | Hours (Nov 2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaya Grocery | Indonesian spices, snacks, fresh kue | Jackson Heights, Queens (7 train to 74 St – Broadway) | Mon-Sat 10am-7pm; Sun 11am-5pm |
| Patel Sweets & Snacks | Indian sweets (fresh laddu, barfi), savoury snacks | Murray Hill, Manhattan (4,5,6 to 33 St) | Daily 10am-9pm |
| New York Mart | Mixed Indonesian and Indian groceries, frozen goods | Elmhurst, Queens (E, F to 74 St – Broadway) | Mon-Sun 9am-8pm |
Quick tip: The Indonesian items at New York Mart can be hit or miss on freshness, so if you’re gifting, I’d recommend Jaya Grocery for anything perishable. For Indian sweets, Patel Sweets is my go-to — they bake fresh every day.
The Confusing Part: Timing and Presentation
Here’s the thing though: timing your purchase is tricky. Indonesian sweets like kue lapis don’t last long, so buying them a day before gifting is ideal. Indian sweets, on the other hand, can often be stored for a couple of days but avoid weekends when shops get crowded and may sell leftovers.
Step-by-step to avoid hassle:
- Decide your gifting day — usually a weekend or festival day.
- Visit Patel Sweets on a weekday afternoon (2-5 pm) for fresher sweets, less crowd.
- For Indonesian gifts, go to Jaya Grocery early morning (10-11 am) to grab fresh kue.
- Use a local florist nearby to pick up fresh flowers or banana leaves if needed — Indian and Indonesian gifting often pairs food with greenery.
- Wrap your gifts yourself; shops rarely offer traditional packaging, so bring your own boxes or decorative wraps.
I’ve found that buying everything a day early and storing it properly in the fridge works best. Transporting kue on packed subways is a nightmare — so try to avoid rush hour (7-9 am and 5-7 pm).
Insider Tips to Save You Time and Money
What’s Frustrating But You Can Manage
Honestly, the biggest frustration is how the Indonesian food gift items are scattered and often not well labelled. I once spent almost an hour at New York Mart hunting for tempeh and ended up asking staff repeatedly. Also, many places don’t have consistent opening hours during holidays or festival seasons, so double-check online or call ahead.
If you want to avoid a wild goose chase, plan your shopping trip on a weekday mid-morning and call ahead to confirm stock, especially for special ingredients like pandan leaves or fresh coconut.
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Navigating NYC’s food gifting traditions for Indonesian and Indian communities takes a bit of local knowledge, but once you know where to go and when to shop, it’s manageable. Keep your timing tight, use the subway shortcuts, and don’t hesitate to ask shop owners for help — most are very friendly once they know you’re serious about authentic gifts.
Where to Find Authentic Ingredients and Gifts
Food Gifting Traditions: Indonesian and Indian NYC Guide
If you’re new to New York City and want to keep up with Indonesian or Indian food gifting traditions, you probably already know it’s not as simple as picking something off a supermarket shelf. As of November 2024, navigating this in Queens or Manhattan requires knowing where to shop, what to buy, and how to make it work in a busy city environment. Here’s what I’ve learned after juggling this myself over the past six months.
Finding the Right Ingredients and Gifts: Where to Go
You’ll need authentic ingredients to make traditional gifts — whether it’s Indonesian kue (bite-sized snacks) or Indian mithai (sweets). Here are three spots that have been lifesavers:
Tanjung Market (37-16 74th St, Jackson Heights, Queens)
Subway: 7 train to 74th St-Broadway
Hours: 10am–8pm daily
This place is a bit hidden inside a small strip mall but carries everything from coconut sugar to pandan leaves and ready-made snacks like kue lapis. Prices are reasonable, but stock can run low on weekends. Best to go midweek in the afternoon for fresh supplies.
Patel Brothers (37-02 74th St, Jackson Heights, Queens)
Subway: 7 train to 74th St-Broadway
Hours: 9am–9pm daily
This is your go-to for Indian sweets ingredients like ghee, cardamom, and chickpea flour. They also have pre-packaged mithai boxes which are perfect if you’re short on time. The staff here are used to questions, but lines form quickly after 5pm.
Kalustyan’s (123 Lexington Ave, Manhattan, near 28th St station)
Subway: 6 train to 28th St
Hours: 10am–7pm Mon–Sat, closed Sundays
Kalustyan’s is where you get spices in bulk, unique gift packaging, and specialty dried fruits. It’s pricier but the quality is top-notch. If you’re in Manhattan and need to pick up last-minute ingredients or gifts, this is your best bet.
Step-by-Step: Preparing Food Gifts Without Losing Your Mind
Here’s a quick checklist that kept me sane when preparing food gifts for both Indonesian and Indian traditions:
- Plan one week ahead: Ingredients like coconut milk and fresh spices take time to source and sometimes aren’t available every day.
- Buy non-perishables first: Dry ingredients and packaged sweets can be stored safely until the day you need them.
- Set aside a specific day for cooking: For me, Sunday afternoons work best. It’s quieter in the markets early morning, so I do ingredient shopping Saturday morning.
- Use airtight containers: Both Indonesian and Indian sweets can be sticky or oily. Invest in good containers from Kalustyan’s or nearby stores to keep gifts fresh and avoid messes.
- Label your gifts clearly: If you’re gifting to mixed families or workplaces, make sure ingredients are listed to avoid confusion or allergies.
- Shortcut through 74th Street Mall: If you’re taking the 7 train to Jackson Heights, instead of exiting through the main station entrance, use the exit on 74th Street (between Roosevelt and Broadway). It drops you right into the heart of the market where Tanjung and Patel Brothers are within a
Insider Tips That Save Time and Headaches
How to Choose Appropriate Food Gifts
Food Gifting Traditions: Indonesian and Indian NYC Guide
Figuring Out Where to Buy Traditional Ingredients and Gifts
If you’re like me, living in Queens and juggling work and family, trying to source authentic ingredients and ready-made food gifts for Indonesian or Indian celebrations in NYC can be a bit of a maze. As of November 2024, the challenge isn’t just finding the right items — it’s doing it efficiently without wasting a whole day.
For Indonesian food gifting – think kue lapis, dodol, or even rendang – your best bet is heading to Jackson Heights, especially around 74th Street and Roosevelt Avenue (7 train stop). There’s a cluster of Indonesian and Southeast Asian stores here, like IndoMart at 74-09 Roosevelt Ave. They stock traditional snacks and packaged sweets you can gift directly. The prices are reasonable; a box of assorted kue lapis runs about $15-$20.
For Indian food gifts, Little India in Jackson Heights (37th Avenue and 74th Street) is also unbeatable. Shops like Patel Brothers and Apna Bazar Cash & Carry offer ready-to-gift sweets like ladoos and barfis, plus ingredients to make your own. Ladoos here average $12 for a half-pound box. Importantly, these stores open early (around 9am) and close by 9pm, but weekends get busy fast.
Quick tip: If you’re using the 7 train, avoid rush hour (8-9am and 5-6:30pm) — it’s packed and slows you down. Early mornings (9-10am) are perfect for quick in-and-out shopping.
Navigating Confusing Packaging and Pricing
Here’s the thing though: Indonesian and Indian packaged sweets often don’t have detailed ingredient lists or expiry dates in English, which can be frustrating if you’re gifting food to elders or friends who need allergen info. Also, prices can seem inconsistent — some shops charge more per box for the same sweets, depending on freshness or brand.
What worked for me was bringing a small checklist on my phone with the sweets or snacks I wanted, plus a quick note on acceptable price ranges. Here’s a simple checklist you can use:
- Identify preferred sweets/snacks (e.g., kue lapis, ladoos, barfi, dodol)
- Compare prices at 2-3 stores in Jackson Heights
- Check packaging for freshness or expiry date (ask if unsure)
- Confirm if the sweets come in gift boxes or need wrapping
- Ask about bulk discounts if buying multiple boxes
This helped me avoid impulse buys or overpaying, especially during festival seasons.
Time-Saving Tips for Gifting Preparation
If you’re pressed for time, here’s a local shortcut: Instead of buying raw ingredients and making sweets yourself, consider ordering from Bengawan Solo Bakery at 45-16 Bowne Street in Flushing. It’s an Indonesian bakery that delivers traditional cakes and snacks ready to gift. Ordering online takes about 10 minutes, and you can pick up your order late afternoon (they close at 8pm). Prices are slightly higher (around $25 per box), but you save hours of prep and clean-up. Plus, their rendang beef packs are sealed and last longer — perfect for gifting.
For Indian sweets, Mithai Corner at 37-12 74th Street in Jackson Heights offers fresh sweets with gift wrapping. They also accept phone orders with same-day pickup if called before noon.
Insider tip: When taking the subway to these neighbourhoods, use the 74th Street – Roosevelt Avenue exit for the shortest walk. It’s less crowded than the main 74th Street exit
You now have a clearer understanding of the rich food gifting traditions from Indonesia and India that can add a meaningful touch to your celebrations or gatherings in NYC. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to select culturally significant gifts that show thoughtfulness and respect, all within a reasonable budget and timeframe. Navigating these traditions is now more accessible, helping you deepen your connections with friends and family.
Your first step is to explore local Indonesian and Indian food shops or markets in NYC to discover authentic delicacies suitable for gifting. Visiting these stores early in the week gives you ample time to choose, purchase, and prepare your gifts without stress, especially during busy festive seasons.
Got any questions about specific food items or gift ideas? We’d love to hear from you. For more insights on cultural traditions and festive preparations, check our detailed guide on indonewyork.com.
