A TikTok Love Letter to Tradition
A recent TikTok video by user @/eggcoursemail has captured the hearts of Singaporeans online with the simple, heartwarming routine of her 87-year-old grandmother at Tiong Bahru Market.
The video opens with the words, “Things my 87 y/o grandma do at the wet market.”
What follows is a beautiful montage of old-school habits that many Singaporeans grew up seeing, but perhaps rarely practice anymore.
“When it comes to shopping, my ah ma does it best! I love trips with her to the market,” the creator wrote in her caption.
Lessons From Ah Ma’s Market Routine
In the short clip, Ah Ma is seen dressing up neatly, breathing in the morning air, and tasting ingredients before committing to buy.
She gets shocked at prices but buys anyway, smells every vegetable, and even touches fish with her bare hands to check freshness — something that would make younger shoppers hesitate.
She illustrated the art of bargaining; not once, but twice.
“Queue up 30 minutes to get meat only from this stall,” reads one caption in the video.
“Every stall she went to had a queue,” the creator adds.
Between haggling, interacting with stallholders, and even bumping into an old friend, “I wanted your mum to marry this man in the past,” the video unfolds like a slice of old Singapore: unfiltered, familiar, and full of warmth.
The Lost Art of Bargaining
In today’s world of digital payments, promo codes, and loyalty points, bargaining has quietly faded from daily life. But for Ah Ma’s generation, it was not just about saving money, but also about making and nurturing connections.
It was the friendly back-and-forth that built trust between buyer and seller. The laughter after a successful “discount.” The unspoken relationship between regular customers and stallholders who knew exactly what cut of meat or bunch of vegetables they liked.
Ah Ma’s gentle persistence draws the picture of shopping once being a social ritual, not just a transaction.
In her small acts — smelling vegetables, chatting with vendors, and queuing patiently, she preserves a culture that values human interaction.
A Morning at Tiong Bahru Market
The video also shines a light on Tiong Bahru Market, one of Singapore’s most beloved and enduring wet markets.
First opened in 1951 as Seng Poh Road Market, it was rebuilt in 2006 and has continued to thrive as both a heritage landmark and a culinary hotspot.
The market’s lower floor is home to fresh produce, meats, and seafood (check out Uncle Tan’s fish stall), while the upper level is famous for local favourites — from chicken rice to chwee kueh and lor mee.
Even after its recent upgrades earlier this year, the market remains a place where the old and new coexist — where elderly stallholders greet regulars by name and younger visitors rediscover what makes market mornings special.
“This chicken rice is gold standard. It was so tasty!! Ah Ma really knows where to buy good food,” the creator wrote.
Keeping Market Culture Alive
Many younger residents prefer supermarkets or delivery apps for convenience, while older stallholders struggle with rising costs and shrinking customer bases.
But videos like Ah Ma’s remind us that wet markets are community anchors. They hold stories, smells, and sounds that connect generations.
“Grandmas know best!!” one comment read.
“Wish I was able to record moments like this when I was young accompanying my grandma to wet markets too!”
A Legacy Worth Preserving
Ah Ma’s trip to Tiong Bahru Market shows the pride, grace, and spirit of a generation that built Singapore from its kampung roots.
She returns home with groceries to last a week, an order of chicken rice, and core memories for her granddaughter to cherish through the years.
The creator also uploads videos of her Ah Ma’s recipes, capturing family meals that celebrate traditional flavours and the passing down of recipes through generations.
Watch the video here:
@eggcoursemail When it comes to shopping, my ah ma does it best! I love trips with her to the market! #fyp #foryoupage #grandma #sgtiktok #homecooking
More from Wake Up Singapore:-
A Fish Stall That Outlived Generations: Uncle Tan’s 50-Year Legacy at Tiong Bahru
‘Sole breadwinner of his family,’ Video Shines Light on 80-year-old Holland Village Cobbler
The Plate is Empty: The Heartbreak and Aspirations of an F&B Entrepreneur
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