Um, does anyone here NOT shop at Aldis or Walmart for groceries?

[Jan in SC]

I shop at Whole Foods and earthfare. I will occasionally run into a regular grocery store, because they are much closer. I have never found a single thing at trader joes. Our also is disgusting. Walmart? Nope!

[Lady Florida.]

I'm sure that there are lovely California strawberries but the ones shipped to the East coast have no scent. They may be pretty but they don't smell like strawberries!

 

They don't taste like strawberries either! I'm sure that has to do with picking them early enough to ship them across the continent.

[LucyStoner]

No Aldi's to shop at. And the only Walmart in my entire county is like a 45 minute drive if there is no traffic so even if I would be willing to shop there why the heck would I drive that far, drive past 100+ other stores? I've never been inclined to shop WalMart and I never use the closer to me Sam's Club either.

 

I do periodically loop though the Grocery Outlet which sounds a bit like Aldi's. They have good deals on spices and sometimes other things as well. They are also close to my house and if I need a lemon or some mushrooms last minute I can count on cheap prices for things I'd want to use ASAP.

[Audrey]

I have to confess that I don't understand the cult following for Trader Joe'ss, either.

 

Does anyone else shop primarily through a local butcher or farmer? Given the recent threads here on food, and how many here took the time to watch any of the food documentaries recommended, I'm wondering if anyone stopped shopping at Walmart or Aldis and is now looking into local food.

 

 

I wish more people COULD shop at local butchers and from local farmers.

 

I wish more people had access to real food.

 

I wish more people didn't have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or buying real food.

[Clarkd]

No walmart or aldi's shopping here. Pre-kids we grew most of our food then froze whole meals that got us through most of the year. We bought a ton in bulk from fellow sellers at farmers markets (we sold at three markets). Post kids we have been buying a ton at farmers market, but in WI wenonly have seasonal markets. We haven't been able to freeze all our meals as we had before kids so we do rely on a regional chain grocery and a small natural food store run by a local family. We have stopped selling at markets and have only grown a small portion of our own food. We are working our way back to being more self sufficient.

[Guest inoubliable]

We don't have local butchers or farmers.

 

I shop at Shop Rite mostly.

 

Hey, Wendy. Maybe one of these will be close to you?

http://www.pickyourown.org/nyup.htm

Some of them look a tad touristy but quite a few are organic and list a large selection!

[Jane in NC]

I also buy honey from a local beekeeper who keeps jars of it on a table in his carport. There is a rusted coffee can into which one places the money--all on the honor system. The honey is great but the trust in the community is even better.

[Jennifer3141]

Hey, Wendy. Maybe one of these will be close to you?

http://www.pickyourown.org/nyup.htm

Some of them look a tad touristy but quite a few are organic and list a large selection!

 

 

 

That's a TON!!! Wow.

 

Although I'd avoid that one orchard in Saratoga County. They either have one very mad customer who is obsessed with them or a bunch of annoyed people have been there. :laugh:

 

And there are many farms that aren't on pickyourown.org, either because they don't know about it or don't care about being on it.

 

That list puts us to shame though. :confused1:

[SLT]

 

Uh, not any that I've ever seen. They're more like... the produce that Walmart couldn't sell and the boxed stuff that the Dollar General couldn't sell. IME, anyway.

 

 

 

Not here. At least, not in the "nicer" areas. The produce is usually organic and very fresh (and cheap!).

 

We spend about $40 for the same amount of food (and many times, better quality!) than we did at Harris Teeter. I do miss the short HT "commute," as they are less than .25 of a mile from my home- but the savings and the quick shopping trip definitely make it worth it for us!

[Lisbeth]

I dislike WalMart and Aldi's greatly. I don't go to either one.

[Guest inoubliable]

That's a TON!!! Wow.

 

Although I'd avoid that one orchard in Saratoga County. They either have one very mad customer who is obsessed with them or a bunch of annoyed people have been there. :laugh:

 

And there are many farms that aren't on pickyourown.org, either because they don't know about it or don't care about being on it.

 

That list puts us to shame though. :confused1:

 

 

Seriously. I wish there were that many options here!

[Mommy22alyns]

No, but no local food either. We do Target or Kroger. DH despises WM. I don't think I've ever been in an Aldis.

[4kidlets4me]

We do have a local fishmonger and I love to buy from them. They actually own a fishing fleet, a restaurant, and a few stores. It's one of the few fresh, local, foods I can get.

 

 

 

LOL! Strawberries are a winter fruit here. In fact, they are just about at the tail end of peak now. If we want strawberries in the summer we have to buy California strawberries (that seems to be the only place our local stores get them from).

 

 

Strawberries don't grow in the summer there? Wow I may not like living there as much as I thought :svengo:

 

I've spent the last several years talking to my kids about eating seasonally. My youngest will blurt out (loudly) things like "Why are there blueberries on the shelf? It's December you don't eat blueberries in December!"

I have a feeling I'm going to have to relearn and reteach seasonal eating.

[Firefly]

 

Uh, not any that I've ever seen. They're more like... the produce that Walmart couldn't sell and the boxed stuff that the Dollar General couldn't sell. IME, anyway.

 

 

LOL! Erm.... think we will pass if they ever come to our area. :leaving:

[Anne in CA]

I would never shop at Walmart for anything. I do not agree with many of their business practices which are unsavory, to put it charitably.

[Dustybug]

There really isn't any where else to shop in my area that has comparable prices

 

 

This.

[regentrude]

I thought Aldi's was mostly canned food?

 

 

Nope. It is a full grocery store, including produce, dairy, meat.

I do not buy meat because it is enhanced with solution, but I buy almost all our produce, all our cheese (wonderful specialty cheeses for less than half of Kroger's prices), staples. The only canned items I ever buy are tomatoes.

[stripe]

I thought Aldi's was mostly canned food?

No, and not even mostly already prepared food, though they have a lot of that. But so does Whole Foods, not to mention regular stores. They just have a smaller selection of things, and a lot of stuff (but not all) that is their brand, though some of it comes from the regular manufacturer anyway. They have a lot of dairy.

 

Uh, not any that I've ever seen. They're more like... the produce that Walmart couldn't sell and the boxed stuff that the Dollar General couldn't sell. IME, anyway.

That seems a bit harsh. Mine has okay produce, but better boxed stuff than the dollar store! I have bought their crackers, and the chocolate seems good. They have canned stuff, but not that much. I've never seen maple syrup or steel cut oats at a dollar store, or all the German cookies at Christmas. I think this is my third time saying it, but I got a nice enameled cast iron dutch oven at Aldi's, and they have also had Anchor Hocking brand of glass cookware (it's like Pyrex) -pie plates, etc.

 

The environment is kind of warehousey. My grandma, before the dollar store became her true love, used to shop at some bargain grocery store whose name I forgot, where you had to bag your own stuff and the aisles were big and metal stacks in boxes, industrial-like. It's like that. Spartan. They don't even have a phone!

 

You can look at their ad to see what they carry. It's not a mystery.

http://aldi.us/index_ENU_HTML.htm

 

I also got two somewhat faded flowers in hanging baskets for $1 each from the bargain rack that perked right up when I watered them and lasted all summer long last year.

[nukeswife]

I think what Aldis is like varies by where you live. The one near my mom is smaller than the local Walgreens. The produce section consists of bagged apples, oranges and maybe some salad bags. They don't have meat at all. It's mostly cereal, some crackers and canned foods.

[Guest inoubliable]

That seems a bit harsh. Mine has okay produce, but better boxed stuff than the dollar store! I have bought their crackers, and the chocolate seems good. They have canned stuff, but not that much. I've never seen maple syrup or steel cut oats at a dollar store, or all the German cookies at Christmas. I think this is my third time saying it, but I got a nice enameled cast iron dutch oven at Aldi's, and they have also had Anchor Hocking brand of glass cookware (it's like Pyrex) -pie plates, etc.

 

The environment is kind of warehousey. My grandma, before the dollar store became her true love, used to shop at some bargain grocery store whose name I forgot, where you had to bag your own stuff and the aisles were big and metal stacks in boxes, industrial-like. It's like that. Spartan. They don't even have a phone!

 

You can look at their ad to see what they carry. It's not a mystery.

http://aldi.us/index_ENU_HTML.htm

 

I also got two somewhat faded flowers in hanging baskets for $1 each from the bargain rack that perked right up when I watered them and lasted all summer long last year.

 

Peace, peace. I was only relating my experience with my local Aldis. Mine is pretty nasty. The produce was wilted and dying. No one had a clue about country of origin. There was a very small section of some organic blueberries and that was it for organics. Mine is mostly boxed food. And none of it looked appetizing and none of the boxes I checked had ingredients that I'd be comfortable with consuming.

 

As Kel said above, it must vary by where you live.

[regentrude]

What is Aldi's like? Trader Joes type of store?

 

No. Aldi is a regular grocery store. It is a German chain. The reason they can have very low prices is that they carry no brand name items, one store brand only, and one item of each kind (i.e. one kind of corn flakes, not ten; one kind of butter, not five competing brands). They also do not shelve, but leave the groceries in boxes on shelves or pallettes (which works really well since the store has a high turnover; the staff is very quick to remove empty packaging and makes it look neat).

 

We can get almost all the things we need at Aldis, including the majority of our fresh produce. The milk is growth hormone free. I do not buy their meat, because it contains solution, and I prefer to buy my eggs from the farmer; there are a few items I can not get (whole wheat flour, brown rice).

On the upside, they have fabulous imported goodies, European chocolate and cookies, especially at Christmas, and regularly get German or Italian products.

[Lady Florida.]

Strawberries don't grow in the summer there? Wow I may not like living there as much as I thought :svengo:

 

I've spent the last several years talking to my kids about eating seasonally. My youngest will blurt out (loudly) things like "Why are there blueberries on the shelf? It's December you don't eat blueberries in December!"

I have a feeling I'm going to have to relearn and reteach seasonal eating.

 

Nope. No strawberries in summer. No corn on the cob either. But the corn is oh-so-sweet and tender in November (you could eat it raw) and the strawberries are sweet and eat-'em-over-the-sink juicy in February.

 

Yes, you'll have to change your notion of what seasonal means. :)

[LaxMom]

We have a Food Lion here in town, and a Walmart opened last year. I have yet to set foot in it, much to the shock of a good many people.

 

We buy local produce in season (farm country, though we mainly grow chickens and feed here), go to a butcher in Dover, buy dairy from the farm when we can. My husband stops in to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods on his way home from work in the morning when we need odds and ends.

 

Mostly, we buy pantry and frozen stuff (and household/personal care) through a buying club that has delivery once a month. Different way of shopping, but it's what I'm used to after doing it for several years.

 

And, yes, I am willing to pay more to shop with ethical companies. My ability to amass as much crap as humanly possible as cheaply as possible does not trump someone else's ability to live their life in humane and healthy conditions.

[Snoopytwo]

More than 125 posts on grocery shopping and nobody has mentioned Wegmans??

 

Wegmans is the BEST grocery store and the only thing I miss about upstate NY. I could buy everything there in one trip at reasonable prices. And it was always such a pleasant shopping experience. I imagine it helps that they are consistently rated among the nation's top employers.

 

Now I end up shopping a bunch of places for different things: Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Publix. Oh! And my latest crazy find--a small operation called Deal Mart, an "aftermarket" retailer. It's a crummy, no-frills store in a fairly run-down strip mall that sells lots and lots of crap but always a steal of a deal on something I would use. For example, a case of Chobani yogurts for $2. That's less than 17 cents each for an item that sells for $1.49 at Whole Foods! I love those needle-in-a-haystack moments.

 

But I'd trade it all for Wegs. Sigh.

 

I shop at Wegmans. Yes, it is a great store. Their produce is always nice, even in the winter!

[Um_2_4]

I would shop several small ethnic markets, IF I had transportation. I only have about 2 hours to shop at 6am on Sunday morning and I have a STRICT budget, so Walmart it is because we have a full grocery store there, they are open 24 hours and they price match my ads from those ethnic markets. (Plus I'm in CA, so Mexican produce, is almost local for me LOL!) So instead of driving around for 4 hours, I get everything at once.(except meat and bread). Meat I do buy at a local butcher (local to DH's work anyway, far from my home). Bread I buy at a local bakery outlet or DH picks some up from a bakery near work.

I haven't step foot into a Ralph's(our Kroger version) or other chain store in MONTHS because of my schedule and higher prices there (any lost leaders they have in their ad, my WM will match if they carry it.)

TJ and Sprouts are nice and cute and have lots of "fun" things there, but WAY out of my price range. Farmer's Market's are far and pretty much tourist spots (plus Big $$$$ for what produce they do have.)

It would be nice to shop those places again. When I only had DS and budget wasn't so tight I loved Sprouts for all the neat toddler snacks, etc.

[Guest inoubliable]

I shop at Wegmans. Yes, it is a great store. Their produce is always nice, even in the winter!

 

DH is from upstate NY. When we lived there we shopped at Wegman's. Wasn't bad. It was better than Weis or Tops.

[ocelotmom]

We shop Walmart (generally has the best price for produce), Safeway (mostly 30-50% off meats), Bountiful Baskets, local butchers, the local convenience store (which has the best price for eggs and a few other things, especially taking time and gas money into account), our henhouse (which doesn't produce enough of them), home butchering, and our garden. No TJs (or much of anything else, really) within an hour drive. We haven't been thrilled with the local farmers markets or local produce store, and they're generally duplicating what we have in our garden.

[Jenny in Florida]

I quit shopping at Walmart about a decade ago, in protest of both their business practices and their appalling awful customer service.

 

Local food is simply not a battle I've chosen to fight. We try to be careful about how we spend our dollars. We carefully examine the ratings in the annual HRC Buyer's Guide, for example, because the issues they champion are especially important to us. And our choice to eat vegan has the nifty side effect of being an environmental boon.

 

However, when push comes to shove, I have to live within the budget I have available and make the best choices I can within that framework. I am, in theory, "willing" to pay more for products that live up to my ethical standards. I hate to tell you how much I spend on shampoo and conditioner, with two teens in the house and a committment to buying only cruelty-free brands. But the unfortunate truth is that, while the spirit is willing, the wallet is too often weak. In each case, I have to balance the needs of my family, our desire to live out our values and the financial realities with which we live.

 

For me, shopping at Aldi fits within those boundaries. Their prices are better than any other store in our area. (Yes, I've done the comparison, pen and paper in hand, on multiple items at multiple stores.) And, like our vegan thing, many of the strategies Aldi uses to keep costs down also align with our values regarding sustainability.

 

I'm old enough to understand that perfection is not something I'll achieve in this lifetime.

[LucyStoner]

Ok, Grocery Outlet is not like Aldi's. It is a lot of random leftovers and value priced produce. They don't package a store brand. Often they have crackers and cereals where a promotional packaging (super bowl, Olympics, movies) have expired.

[nukeswife]

 

No. Aldi is a regular grocery store. It is a German chain. The reason they can have very low prices is that they carry no brand name items, one store brand only, and one item of each kind (i.e. one kind of corn flakes, not ten; one kind of butter, not five competing brands). They also do not shelve, but leave the groceries in boxes on shelves or pallettes (which works really well since the store has a high turnover; the staff is very quick to remove empty packaging and makes it look neat).

 

We can get almost all the things we need at Aldis, including the majority of our fresh produce. The milk is growth hormone free. I do not buy their meat, because it contains solution, and I prefer to buy my eggs from the farmer; there are a few items I can not get (whole wheat flour, brown rice).

On the upside, they have fabulous imported goodies, European chocolate and cookies, especially at Christmas, and regularly get German or Italian products.

 

Again, this will vary by location. I've never seen any imported goods like you mention and seriously the produce was like 3 items tops.

[MomtoCandJ]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/94404039@N07/

Here is a picture of the syrup I made today :) dh just helped pour it into the jars :) yes it's sideways, i can't upload it, says it's too big :( but here's a link to the picture :)

[caroljenn]

I do shop at Tjs, but mostly just buy cereal, strawberry TJ "nutrigrain" type bars and some of their fresh meat - mainly sausages, ground beef and chicken. Most of our food comes from Sprouts. I don't buy any food at Walmart - all they carry is junk. I've never seen an organic product there. I do buy paper towels and stuff like that at Walmart, because it's so cheap.

[Guest inoubliable]

http://www.flickr.co...s/94404039@N07/

Here is a picture of the syrup I made today :) dh just helped pour it into the jars :) yes it's sideways, i can't upload it, says it's too big :( but here's a link to the picture :)

 

Lookin' good!

[Jenny in Florida]

I wish more people didn't have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or buying real food.

 

Honestly, I buy lots of "real food" at Aldi.

 

On most trips, I buy: potatoes, onions, carrots, bell peppers, lettuces, fruit (whatever looks good that day), old fashioned oatmeal, real maple syrup, various kinds of nuts, dried beans, rice, unsweetened frozen fruit, "just tomatoes" tomato paste . . . It's just, you know, food. It's also 20 - 25% less money out of my pocket than I would spend at a "regular" grocery store (and probably less than half what I'd spend at Whole Foods).

[*lifeoftheparty*]

I quit shopping at Walmart about a decade ago, in protest of both their business practices and their appalling awful customer service.

 

Local food is simply not a battle I've chosen to fight. We try to be careful about how we spend our dollars. We carefully examine the ratings in the annual HRC Buyer's Guide, for example, because the issues they champion are especially important to us. And our choice to eat vegan has the nifty side effect of being an environmental boon.

 

However, when push comes to shove, I have to live within the budget I have available and make the best choices I can within that framework. I am, in theory, "willing" to pay more for products that live up to my ethical standards. I hate to tell you how much I spend on shampoo and conditioner, with two teens in the house and a committment to buying only cruelty-free brands. But the unfortunate truth is that, while the spirit is willing, the wallet is too often weak. In each case, I have to balance the needs of my family, our desire to live out our values and the financial realities with which we live.

 

For me, shopping at Aldi fits within those boundaries. Their prices are better than any other store in our area. (Yes, I've done the comparison, pen and paper in hand, on multiple items at multiple stores.) And, like our vegan thing, many of the strategies Aldi uses to keep costs down also align with our values regarding sustainability.

 

I'm old enough to understand that perfection is not something I'll achieve in this lifetime.

 

I get giovanni smooth as silk shampoo and conditioner from Amazon, and I subscribe & save it. It doesn't have any sulfates or tested on animals and I LOVE it!! It's the only somewhat natural hair product that will keep my long thick hair tangle free, smooth and shiny, plus it smells like orange dreamsicles :) Just in case it fits your wants/needs and budget :) I know I searched for a while before I found it.... Comes out to about 5-6 dollars a bottle and a little goes a long way.

 

 

[Guest inoubliable]

I get giovanni smooth as silk shampoo and conditioner from Amazon, and I subscribe & save it. It doesn't have any sulfates or tested on animals and I LOVE it!! It's the only somewhat natural hair product that will keep my long thick hair tangle free, smooth and shiny, plus it smells like orange dreamsicles :) Just in case it fits your wants/needs and budget :) I know I searched for a while before I found it.... Comes out to about 5-6 dollars a bottle and a little goes a long way.

 

Thank you!!

[SKL]

I shop at an organic food store. What they don't carry (such as bread that lasts more than 3 days), we buy from the big chain supermarkets. I have looked at what they sell at WalMart, and it just isn't the kind of stuff I eat. Aldi's doesn't have the stuff I want either. However, I am glad it is there for those who like / need it.

[Jenny in Florida]

I get giovanni smooth as silk shampoo and conditioner from Amazon, and I subscribe & save it. It doesn't have any sulfates or tested on animals and I LOVE it!! It's the only somewhat natural hair product that will keep my long thick hair tangle free, smooth and shiny, plus it smells like orange dreamsicles :) Just in case it fits your wants/needs and budget :) I know I searched for a while before I found it.... Comes out to about 5-6 dollars a bottle and a little goes a long way.

 

 

Hmmm . . . I generally have a negative feeling about Amazon, because I resent them for driving real bookstores out of business. But I guess that ship has sailed. I'll check it out. Thanks!

[molon labe]

We shop Wegmans, Polyface (mostly for meat, eggs, bones), and a local farmer (grassfed dairy, seasonal fruits/veggies). We also have done pick-your-own produce at local orchards and farms.

 

I have not been impressed by the local farmers market or Aldi. I'm not opposed to shopping at Wal-Mart, but they have no local/organic/grassfed products. Dh likes Trader Joe's for a few certain items. I have to admit that I've been spoiled by Polyface and my local farmer!

 

In summer we do have a backyard garden but haven't had much success except for cucumbers, watermelon, and okra.

[*lifeoftheparty*]

 

 

Thank you!!

 

You're Welcome :)

[MomtoCandJ]

Thanks KK

[*lifeoftheparty*]

 

 

Hmmm . . . I generally have a negative feeling about Amazon, because I resent them for driving real bookstores out of business. But I guess that ship has sailed. I'll check it out. Thanks!

 

I have seen it at some Targets as well, it's about $8 a bottle there.

[cathmom]

We eat all local meat. I prefer local grocers to Walmart, and Aldi is not out here. Walmart is the cheapest, by far, but I vastly prefer the selection and service at a real grocery store.

 

I think Walmart is cheapest almost everywhere?

 

I know a lot of people who live too rurally to have a Walmart close.

TJ and Sprouts are nice and cute and have lots of "fun" things there, but WAY out of my price range. Farmer's Market's are far and pretty much tourist spots (plus Big $$$$ for what produce they do have.)

It would be nice to shop those places again. When I only had DS and budget wasn't so tight I loved Sprouts for all the neat toddler snacks, etc.

 

I shopped pretty much exclusively at WM for years but then their prices went up so much in 2008 that I ended up shopping at Trader Joe's and buying much better quality stuff for about the same prices. Plus, I love the employees and how fun and friendly they are, and I love small stores.

[Um_2_4]

I shopped pretty much exclusively at WM for years but then their prices went up so much in 2008 that I ended up shopping at Trader Joe's and buying much better quality stuff for about the same prices. Plus, I love the employees and how fun and friendly they are, and I love small stores.

 

Oh, I never pay walmart prices, I just use them to price match. I don't know who could afford WM prices $1.57-$1.97/lb for apples (not organic)???... no thanks, I price match for .33/lb in the local market ad. I usually buy 10 lbs a week. I could not afford $15/wk for apples. $3.30/week? yes I can do that...

 

Strawberries (local non organic) are 2.98/lb at WM, price match to .99/lb at local market...much more likely to make it into my basket

 

I would go to those markets instead of WM, but they do not open at 6am on sunday and they are much farther (plus I don't have time to hit 4 stores in 2 hours).

 

Maybe if I get a van soon I will start shopping normal hours during the week and shop more stores (though not sure about that with cost of gas).

 

Edit to add: And for those who say Walmart doesn't carry what I eat... well, that depends on the WM, mine carries organic whole Wheat flour, Bob Mills flax seed, a local brand of WW bread with no preservatives or HFCS, tons of other "healthier" options. Not everyone who shops at WM lives on Hamburger Helper (which my DC hate, I tried once as I had fond memories since my mom didn't cook much :laugh: so in my memories it tasted good, now not so much!)

[Spy Car]

TJs has some things we like, such as nut butters, certain cheeses, nitrite/nitrate free hotdogs are a little cheaper. My local TJs seem to have issues with fresh meats; when I was in a different state, no problem, but here here they have been iffy more than a few times! Organic dairy is also a bit more affordable at TJs, and they have a lot of hormone free, non organic dairy for reasonable prices. It is not a place we shop weekly, but we do swing in. It is really close to our local WFs, so that helps.

 

We shop at WFs, Costco (coleman organics), our local farm sells raw, tested dairy and pastured meat and eggs. We also hit Giant and Shoprite. There are certain things that are cheaper at each store, so we do a mix, but not every store every week!

 

I shop at walmart about 1x a year. I like Aldi's hummus; that's about the only thing I've really liked from there.

 

 

Hate to burst your bubble, but the hot dogs you think are "nitrate free" actually say "no added nitrates except those naturally occurring in celery juice"

 

The labeling is deceptive. What the label doesn't say is that when you add celery juice or powder and lactic acid then nitrates are formed. And that is what they do. They add lactic acid and celery, and then deceive the public into thinking the meats are not cure with nitrates, when they are.

 

Nitrates are nitrates. It doesn't matter I'd they are shaken from a jar or created by a chemical reaction of celery and lactic acid.

 

It is a sore spot with me. I like Trader Joes, but the "No Nitrates Added" processed meats and hot dogs are a fraud on the consumer and undermine my trust in the company.

 

Bill

[Cafdog]

No Aldi's here, and I loathe WalMart. I shop at Raley's (A Northern California chain), the farmer's market in season, and occasionally at WinCo. I have a small family, so I rarely shop at Costco. I would love to have a Trader Joe's - but we are about 25 miles from a TJs in any direction. Boo.

[Cafdog]

I forgot Mi Pueblo! A Mexican supermarket that came to town last year. Awesome produce...and the best meat department in town. Yum.

[jhschool]

I went to the Aldi's once. It was all processed foods and annoying.

 

I went to the Walmart twice. It was filthy and the parking lot was

full of trash.

[tex-bex]

I can walk to a Walmart more quickly than I can drive to my grocery store, but I do not. For many reasons.

There isn't anything at Aldi for me, so I don't go there.

When I'm near Trader Joe's, I go there for a few select snack items, chocolate, and wine. :D

 

We are trying to find better local options for meats and veg. And getting ready to make our first planter boxes!

[SunnyDays]

The Aldi's stores in my area are, sadly, nothing to write home about. And I set foot in Walmart as seldom as possible... like once or twice a year.

 

I do shop at Trader Joe's.... in our area, they have very good prices for many items that are of better quality. But I usually only go in about once a month for a few specific items.... the cereal/breakfast bars, bagged lettuce, Orange Chicken, etc.

 

Mostly, I do my shopping at SuperTarget (which has decent prices but is much nicer than any of our Walmarts, plus I like their store brands), or HyVee, which is a regional (midwest) grocery chain. I like HyVee a lot because there's still a very local feel to it, because it is employee owned, and because they are very good at giving their employees flexibility and opportunity.

 

Oh, and Costco... How could I forget Costco? ;)