Where do u grocery shop and why?

beachylove

Nob Hill/Raleys - Their meat and produce are amazing plus I find that they have a better selection of local/organic produce than most other stores around. They also have great bulk bins with grains, nuts and dried fruit which I love.

Target/Costco - For frozen foods, cereals and other misc household stuff since they have better prices for those items.

seltzermint555

My husband and I are just a two-person household but we are really frugal. We do eat a lot of foods that are not processed and a lot of produce, ethnic grocery items, etc, but we are not the types who would be willing to pay more (at this point, anyway) for all organic, local, etc. In our area, the farmer's markets in particular are LOCO...prices are like $6/each tomatoes, $20 jar of local honey because it is accented with lavender, $9.50 for a loaf of artisan bread...you get the picture. Not gonna happen!

We currently spend about 40% of our grocery budget at Aldi. I am very familiar with the old school crowded & filthy Aldi, we used to have one of those -- but our current store is spotlessly clean and organized with short lines. We get staples there like milk/almond milk, eggs, Sandwich Skinnies, shredded or block cheeses, hummus, baking supplies, steel cut oats, and whatever produce they have that looks good (usually a LOT) or is on sale and works with our weekly menu. We also love their frozen seafood offerings (especially the salmon and shrimp).

We spend another 40% at Food 4 Less, a discount supermarket more similar to a "regular" supermarket (i.e., not a club store, only offers groceries, carries all of the major name brand items). It's within easy walking or biking distance of our home and we often go there to pick up 1-2 items. We buy a lot of produce there and sometimes they have awesome sales like Organic Girl greens in a big tub for 88 cents because they're going out of date soon. We like their bread, brown rice, natural peanut butter, beans, lentils, plain yogurt, etc. They also fill in the gaps from Aldi like whole wheat bread flour or less common spices and seasonings.

I would say the rest of our budget for food is split between Target and a locally owned whole food store (it's more crunchy than trendy). At Target we stock up on veggie burgers/sausage, dark chocolate, Clif Z bars, noosa, and occasionally pick up La Croix sparkling water in cans. It's the cheapest for those items in our town and we often get coupons at the register for next time. At the whole food store we get fresh herbs, tofu, rice noodles, curry, bok choy, super cheap bulk spices and coconut milk, etc. It is also about a 10-minute walk from home which is nice.

4-5 times a year we hit up larger/specialty Asian grocery stores in a couple of larger cities in our region. We stock up on our favorite ethnic items at those times. Once in awhile I'll buy something grocery-related on Amazon too (specialty items...Trader Joe's cookie butter mmm). Occasionally we will see a great deal at Big Lots on Bob's Red Mill staples, protein bars/smoothies, or Nutkao and take advantage of that.

ETA: We don't buy meat to cook/eat at home. My husband is pescetarian and I usually just have beef or chicken a few times a month at restaurants.

sjohnny

Regular everyday staples I get on the school/office supply aisle at the grocery store. Bigger staples I get at Home Depot. Fencing staples I get in a big 50 pound bucket from Tractor Supply. But I haven't had to buy any of those for a long time and still have most of a bucket full left.

ThinLizzie0802

Meijer- best produce department, easy to navigate, lots of specials. We have a brand new one and the quality and prices are just great

Ruler Foods- Kroger's discount store- best price on almond milk, paper plates, reg milk. I get only certain items here

Farmer's Market- sometimes worth it- we have a great one, but I tend to go crazy

Occasionally Schnucks because it is literally around the corner from my house, but this is when I only need one or two things and don't have time to make the trip to Meijer

_lyndseybrooke_

Publix is my favorite place to shop, but it's a little more expensive than other grocery chains. We have a couple of health food stores locally that are ridiculously priced, so I steer clear of those places. If we want to save money, we shop at Walmart (aka the bane of my existence).

Nothing like a trip to Walmart to make you hate people with a burning passion.

I don't like Food Lion, Bi-Lo (or Bi-Hi as we call it around these parts), Kroger, etc. I find the quality of food to be lacking. I haven't stepped foot into an Aldi since I was a kid and I have no plans to change that.

eddiesmith1

It's a little time of year dependent. We have a couple of really good No Frills near us with proper butcher counters run by local Portuguese butchers and as a rule the stores are very low cost to boot. Once the Farmers markets start up again a good portion of the veg,cheese and meats will come from there (we have some year round markets but mostly they sell the same food terminal product that no frills does and the ones that don't are pretty much limited in winter

general_misconception

I actually frequent Walmart a lot, too. With the ad-match policy, I'm able to get my fruits and veggies so much cheaper by bringing in newspaper ads from the Hispanic grocery stores around my city.

I can find some pretty great deals at the 99c store, too. (Can you tell I'm really cheap yet?)

Then I'll shop at Albertson's if they have a good deal or sale.

Not sure where the Farmers' markets are here in Vegas, so I haven't been able to go to one. Plus, I don't make it a point to stay in the heat for too long... DX

xo

laurelthistle

Walmart because we live in a small town and it's cheaper than SuperOne, which is the only other option.

We don't buy meat there, though because we raise our own chickens and ducks for meat and eggs and we buy a pig to slaughter each year for pork from a local farmer. We're able to purchase hamburger from a coworker of mine that is so lean that there is no liquid fat in the pan when the meat is cooked because they turn the entire cow into burger - and it only costs $3.50 a pound!!!

seltzermint555

I actually frequent Walmart a lot, too. With the ad-match policy, I'm able to get my fruits and veggies so much cheaper by bringing in newspaper ads from the Hispanic grocery stores around my city.

I can find some pretty great deals at the 99c store, too. (Can you tell I'm really cheap yet?)

haha I feel ya. I am, too. I forgot to add that we buy a lot of frozen fruit and minced garlic from Dollar Tree.

Serah87

Walmart, because it's cheaper.

Produce market, open year round, I get fresh eggs, fruits and veggies. 5 mins from our house.

ETA: Being in Florida, we get fresh seafood at our local seafood market.

Bounce4

Local grocery store - quick trips and if I run out of produce or milk. expensive.

Hyvee - my major shopping trips. Better price and selection, better deli and I like the produce better than Walmart - can find things I want easier. Walmart agitates me.

Walmart - I get food items there if I'm already there and need a few things. Dairy is cheaper at Walmart but unless it is my last stop I don't get it because I have to drive it home and remembering to bring a cooler never happens.

^^ those are my only options.

Dill_Dough

I grocery shop at grocery stores because they have groceries.

shano25

All over the place.

Local discount grocery store for picking up stuff I'm out of
High end grocery store for certain organic products
Local vegetable store
Mennonite store for when I was eating meat
Farmers Market and Food Share program for vegetables.

ClementineGeorg

Hypermarket (I don't know if the term is also used in other countries, but in Europe it's a common term) - I buy most of my groceries here (meat, dairy, cans, more `exotic` / hard to find veggies and fruits, spices, and so on).

Veggies/fruit market - I buy mostly in the warm seassons, as more local produces come to the market. In the winter people import veggies/fruits (except for potatoes and other veggies that last better) from other countries and it's basically the same thing as buying them from hypermarket.

Plafar (natural pharmacy, medical plants store, I don't know how they are called in English speaking countries) - I buy nuts and dry beans, as well as some spices and dry herbs. Most `organic` brands are easier to find there.

Nearby supermarket/conveniency store when I'm in a hurry and I lack a few ingredients.

47Jacqueline

Whole foods is right across the street from my apartment building, so I shop there mor than I like. I also shop at a smaller grocer called Garden of Eden - the fruit and veggies are cheaper. Sometimes I shop at the small fruit stands on rhe street.

Confuzzled4ever

Where ever what I want is cheapest.

But since I have a million grocery stores around me, it's not that hard to do.

and Farm markets when I can

massromanticfool

Now that I'm in France for a bit, I shop at Monoprix, which is the French version of Target, for staples. I go to the vegetable stand for veggies and a boulangerie for bread if I have the time, but if I don't I'll get them at Monoprix too. I also buy things at Picard, which is an all-frozen food store but has some really amazing things, including a line of healthy ready-to-eat meals that are usually whole-wheat and thus high in fiber, have lots of protein, are low in sodium, and are delicious to the boot for less than 400 cals a tray. Leave it to the French to perfect frozen food... :laugh:

Back home it was Ralph's (what Safeway is called in CA) and Vons for staples and Trader Joe's and Whole Foods for speciality items/organic produce.

cuinboston2014

Mostly Pick n' Save because they have everything and multiple locations so there is one by my work, one on the way home from work, and one on the way home from the gym and several near the house.

In the summer I go to farmer's markets and grow my own veggies.

Occasionally I'll get odds and ends from Target because I'm there anyways, and some stuff liek certain protein bars might be on special there or I have coupons for coffee, creamer etc

If it's on my way to somewhere I'll stop at Trader Joes but it's out of my way right now

If I'm really in a terrible bind and need something at work and don't have my car for some reason or need to be out and back in <10 minutes I will go to the Fresh Market. I avoid this at all costs though as it is ridiculously overpriced.

For "fun" stuff I go to World Market as it's also across the street from my work!

lilRicki

Costco, Superstore and Walmart. Costco because I feed big appetites and I like their butcher, Superstore because they have Canadian grown veggies and the prices are reasonable, Walmart because it's super close to my house.