11 Little Luxuries (for $6 or Less!) to Pick Up at H Mart This Holiday Season

Irene Yoo
·4 min read
Exterior view of the H Mart.
Credit: Kit Leong/Shutterstock Credit: Kit Leong/Shutterstock

Normally, my holiday season is packed with lots of social engagements through the month of December (work parties! Friend parties! Cookie swaps! Gift exchanges!), culminating in long-distance travel to immerse myself deep into family gatherings and holiday festivities. Which is all well and good, but this year I’m not doing any of that. I’m staying put in my own cozy apartment, saying yes only to intimate friend hangs and making video calls to say “hi” to the family.

Instead, I’m leaning into the small ways I can celebrate the season through cheap yet luxurious finds at my local H Mart (I’m always on the lookout!). There will be warm stews cooking on the stove with fancy veggies atop, overflowing bowls of ornamental and delectable fruits on all my countertops, and sweet snacks for gifting and for eating (one for you, one for me!). Here are all the little delights I’m stocking up on this season.

rice cakes on shelf with price tag
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1. Enoki Mushroom, 200 grams, 2 for $5

Enoki mushrooms are just the luxe touch you need to adorn your cozy soups and stews — an easy way to make something humble look restaurant-worthy. They’ve also been especially expensive lately, so this two-for-one situation is a deal you can’t miss.

pears individually wrapped
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2. Honey Pomelo, $1.49 per pound

Pomelos are the largest citrus fruit, which makes them quite the auspicious host gift to bring to your next party. It’s fragrant and sweeter and less bitter than grapefruit, and incredibly shareable with your friends and family.

orange tomatoes in crates
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3. Fuyu Persimmon, $0.99 each or Hachiya Persimmon, $1.99 each

It’s persimmon season! Whether you’re a Fuyu fan (the squatter, crunchier, non-astringent version) or have a thing for Hachiyas (astringent, but turn sweet when super ripe), this is the time to stock up on these jewel-like fruits for the winter.

clico pejoy matcha in blue and green boxes on shelf with price tag
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4. Glico Pejoy Matcha, $1.49 for 1.98 ounces

Biscuit sticks feel so luxurious — they’re long and elegant and have that satisfying snap. I’m excited to try this matcha cream-filled version (versus the more commonly dipped ones).

chinese mabo tofu in red box on shelf
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5. House Foods Chinese Mabo Tofu Sauce, $2.88 for 5.29 ounces

If you’re a Chinese-food-for-Christmas type of girl like me, let me introduce you to my go-to: mabo tofu! My family has long reached for this iconic red box since I was a kid; it’s easy to mix in with ground pork and cubed tofu for a deeply satisfying meal.

choco heim candy cookies on shelf with price tag
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6. Crown Choco Heim Hazelnut, $4.99 for 10.02 ounces

When I was a kid I used to think that these hazelnut chocolate stuffed wafers were so fancy, like I was a lady at tea time. Well, to be honest, I still think they’re fancy! The cookies come individually wrapped so they’re easy for me to share with company over coffee.

vegetable seaweed wraps
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7. Mini Handroll, $5.99 for 6

Am I the only person who needs to have a snack post-grocery trip? All this food shopping makes me hungry! These finger-sized gimbap fill the brief; the veggie-stuffed rice rolls are something that would be too much of a hassle to make myself normally, and are conveniently bite-sized for munching on my way home.

rice sticks with chocolate tips in pink and white box
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8. Q1 Churros Mix Powder, $3.99 for 8.46 ounces

I’m a big fan of the boxed dessert mixes at H Mart; during holidays past I’ve grabbed them as impulse buys and have been really been impressed by how easy they are to make and how tasty they are. This year I’m trying out this churro mix, which comes with the necessary piping bag and star-shaped tip for extruding.

tapioca balls in orange bag on shelf
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9. Induk Mini Rice Cakes, $4.99 for 2.2 pounds

These little dumbbell-shaped rice cakes bring me absolute joy whenever I cook with them — they’re so darn cute! Use these to level up your next ddukbokki, veggie stir-fry, or stew.

spiral cut sweet potato fries on shelf with price tag
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10. Wang Tornado Potato, $4.99 for 14.1 ounces

You may have seen these spiral-cut deep-fried potatoes on a stick at food festivals, Korean street food stalls, or on the internet. While you could make them yourself at home, why bother? These pre-cut, pre-garlic powder-seasoned potatoes are easy to air fry, leaving you more time to wow your kids without any of the hard work.

badlove seaweed cheese chips
Credit: Irene Yoo Credit: Irene Yoo

11. KT Badalove AlgaChip Cheese Laver, $2.99 for 1.23 ounces

Gimbugak, or deep-fried seaweed chips, are popular Korean anju (drinking snacks). I’ve been loving the souped-up versions I’ve been seeing at H Mart lately, like this one sprinkled with cheese powder. It’s what I’m grabbing for my New Year’s Eve snack table.

What little luxuries are you picking up at H Mart this holiday season? Tell us in the comments below.