Where do you shop for groceries?

[CardsFan]

Inspired by the thread drift in the SS @ 70 thread.

How close are your stores?

What stores to you shop at?

15 years ago we lived quite a ways out of town. We had a 30 minute drive, each way to get to the only store in a nearby town (Schnuck's, a St. Louis area store)

When we downsized, we moved to a moderate sized city (St. Charles, MO) about 30 minutes closer to STL.

We now are within a 10-15 minute drive of:

2 Walmarts
4 Schnuck's
1 Dierberg's (another STL area store)
2 Aldi's
1 Fresh Thyme

So, when the flyers arrive on Tuesday in the mail (yes, we still get them) we look to see what is on sale where, and plan accordingly.

We (actually DW) shop Aldi's for most everyday items. Fresh Thyme often has good specials on meat, fish, shrimp, and cold cuts. Got Strip Steaks there last week for $7.99/lb. And a standing rib roast for the same.

Schnuck's is the closest (5 minutes if the lights are with me), so when we need something quick, that is the go to.

Dierberg's tends to be more pricy, and I have to drive by Schunck's to get there, so not a usual place to go.

Walmart only for a few items that are much lower priced, or if I happen to be there for something else.

How about you?

 

[qwerty3656]

We mostly shop at Kroger (walking distance - clip the weekly digital coupons), with occasional trips to Walmart, Meijers, and Sam's (unfortunately they are all +/- 10 miles away)

 

[MC Rider]

We have a big variety of stores and several send fliers weekly.


Too bad there's nothing close enough to walk to better than 7/11.
I usually shop Food4Less, which is a Kroger store. Sometimes Ralphs which is also Kroger, or Vons which is another big chain.

 

[EastWest Gal]

We have a Wegmans that is walking distance. However, when it rains it involves walking through a muddy path part of the way. It is about 1.25 miles each way. Otherwise I shop at our local Giant stores. The brand logo looks like Safeway, which doesn't exist here. Two of them are a 10 minute drive away. I also go to BJs for some items, and even Walmart. Giant has had supply chain issues (example: no distilled water for weeks, and when it came back, the price was doubled)

I've checked out Aldi's, but we rarely buy canned or packaged foods, so I've been disappointed with the selection.

 

[Mr. Tightwad]

Trader Joes for most things, Whole Foods for salmon and sweet potatoes.

Occasionally Sprouts.

 

[Unpaintedhuffhines]

H‑E‑B. If you are in parts of Texas where they are, you’ll know they are the best.

 

[fosterscik]

We're in a small community with limited grocery options (an expensive family run legacy "supermarket", and a dollar tree nearby). We drive ~25 min every 10 days or so to Costco. We prepare every meal from scratch so the bulk groceries/meat/dairy/veg etc. work well for us. We stop every two trips or so at an Aldi or a Kroger for specialty ingredients which are on our way back form Costco.

 

[Mykle57]

Market Basket (local chain in Northeast Massachusetts) AND Walmart for cat food.

Sent from my SM-G998U1 using Early Retirement Forum mobile app

 

[Yipper]

We have a Wegmans that is walking distance. However, when it rains it involves walking through a muddy path part of the way. It is about 1.25 miles each way. Otherwise I shop at our local Giant stores. The brand logo looks like Safeway, which doesn't exist here. Two of them are a 10 minute drive away. I also go to BJs for some items, and even Walmart. Giant has had supply chain issues (example: no distilled water for weeks, and when it came back, the price was doubled)

I've checked out Aldi's, but we rarely buy canned or packaged foods, so I've been disappointed with the selection.

I live in New Jersey but do all grocery shopping in eastern PA (Bucks County) and Giant is common here along with Wegmans, McCaffrey's, etc. I think Giant is associated with Stop & Shop too... wasn't aware of Safeway but that makes sense. Our Giant has been VERY challenged with supply chain issues.

 

[Gumby]

Within one mile of my house (and in order of preference):

Aldi
Big Y
ShopRite
Stop & Shop

 

[iloveyoga]

Walmart delivery for as much as possible. Our local Hy-Vee or Fareway for meat and the rest.

 

[MC Rider]

Trader Joes for most things, Whole Foods for salmon and sweet potatoes.

Occasionally Sprouts.

How can I forget Trader Joes. I get some things there. They have a great selection of cheese, beer, wine, chocolate, and a bunch of other goodies.


I don't do Whole Paycheck, too expensive.
Aldi, cheap, but minimal selection. Nah.

Walmart or Target, not usually for groceries.

I prefer an old school grocery store.

 

[Walt34]

Mostly Martins (which is identical to Giant, the store brands are the same) and Weiss. DW prefers Weiss simply because that's easier to get to at the times she wants to go. Martins is easier in the AM hours but after 10:30 or so forget it. The Weiss store is also convenient to Home Depot if we need anything there at the same time.

Aldi's here is decidedly not impressive. Lots of packaged stuff that we don't buy and the produce is "meh". And while I know they focus on cost-cutting the place radiates "cheap" and that is not always the best value.

There's a Food Lion in Sheperdstown that we'll stop in if we're going past it on the way to/from somewhere else, but the new one they just opened, while nice, is in a poor location for us so we rarely go there.

There's a Wegman's in NVA that is impressive and I wish they'd put a store in near here, but their nearest one is an hour away so we see that one maybe once a year when visiting a relative.

 

[Bamaman]

no bargains at Walmart.

We shop at Aldi's but recognize they don't carry everything.

Otherwise, we shop the sale items at Kroger. If things are not on sale, they will be in the next week or two.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I shop at two stores.

In one direction, I walk ~7 minutes to a Metro Market (Fancy version of Krogers).

20' in the other direction, I walk PAST a Piggly Wiggly, PAST a Walmart, and PAST an Aldi's to get to a local co-op called Outpost (which focuses on local, organic, and bulk goods).

 

[GravitySucks]

Aldis is my go to store - 3 miles away. A Wal-Mart is there too, but it's an awful store and I rarely go in.
Wegmans is 4 miles, not happy with the price increases at Wegmans. Their prices have risen more than other regional chains. But still have some better products for the price, so every two weeks I'll pick somethings up.
Cisco is 15 miles, I'll go when I'm near by or have a large purchase. If it wasn't for the $5 rotisserie chicken I'd drop my membership.

 

[Ronstar]

Mostly Walmart and jewel 12 miles away. Sometimes marianos 25 miles or Trader Joe’s 40 miles if DW is in the neighborhood.

 

[travelover]

Mostly Fred Meyer, a Kroger owned store and Costco. We supplement with a local WinCo, a cash only, employee owned store and Trader Joe's, plus Grocery Outlet for bargain hunting.

 

[RobbieB]

Save Mart (less than a mile), Raley's (2 miles), Costco (8miles) and Trader's when we are close (20 miles, not worth a special trip)

 

[aja8888]

Walmart or Costco, both one mile away.

 

[Calico]

I mostly shop at Harris Teeter. There are two locations within a 10 minute drive of my house, and if one location has an occasional supply chain issue, the other location usually has the item(s).

I occasionally pick up a few things at Whole Foods if I happen to be in the next town over (15 minute drive) and am in need of anything at the time. They are pricey, but I do like getting occasional treats there.

 

[M Paquette]

WinCo for most routine shopping.
Safeway when there are very good deals on something, buying only those special somethings (Ice cream at 22 cents a carton, bacon at $2.39/lb, that sort of thing).
Fred Meyer's when we just need a few things and it is convenient, and for $0.79/lb hams that show up occasionally.

 

[ncbill]

I mostly shop at Harris Teeter. There are two locations within a 10 minute drive of my house, and if one location has an occasional supply chain issue, the other location usually has the item(s).

I occasionally pick up a few things at Whole Foods if I happen to be in the next town over (15 minute drive) and am in need of anything at the time. They are pricey, but I do like getting occasional treats there.

Used to be Harris-Teeter as well but then a Lidl opened roughly the same distance away (but in the opposite direction)

Now we shop at Lidl for literally nearly everything with H-T as backup for whatever we cannot find at Lidl.

 

[MRG]

Four miles to King Sooper add another mile for Walmart. We also get some meat, mostly chicken, at a natural food store. We mail order most other meats too.

 

[rk911]

while at home i shop at Mariano"s (a small chain owned by Kroger). if i can't get what we use there I'll stop at Jewel (owned by Albertson's). both are ~10-minutes from home

when we're out on an RV trip we shop nearly exclusively at Walmart cuz they're everywhere.