Do you buy food at the Dollar Store?

[Moxie]

I love love love the Dollar Tree! I go there at least once a week. Really, it is my happy place.

 

But, I can't make myself but food there. I don't even go down the food aisle. It creeps me out.

 

Am I just being a snob or am I wise to avoid dollar store food?

[Cottonwood]

Welp, since we try to eat whole, non packaged foods I have to say no. But I did die laughing recently, like, throw my head back and howl laughing...at the newest sign up in our Dollar Tree: Steak! $1 for 2 oz!

[Arcadia]

We had bought snacks and ice-cream (chest freezer near cashier) for ourselves there. My kids didn't have any issues with the food. We buy snacks at Daiso too. As usual check expiry because the canned food can sometimes be close to expiry date.

[Erica in OR]

We cruise the food aisle once in awhile. They had coconut milk one time, so we bought some of that. Another time, there was a name-brand cereal we wanted to try, so we got that.

 

Erica in OR

[marbel]

I never have but I'm not sure why.  I seem to have a "thing" against food sold in non-food stores.  For example, I won't buy food at Michael's craft store or Joann Fabric either.  Granted the food items in those stores are not the healthy options.  But, sometimes we buy gum or candy and I can't bring myself to buy them at a store that doesn't ... specialize? ... in food.

[Guest]

I never have but I'm not sure why. I seem to have a "thing" against food sold in non-food stores. For example, I won't buy food at Michael's craft store or Joann Fabric either. Granted the food items in those stores are not the healthy options. But, sometimes we buy gum or candy and I can't bring myself to buy them at a store that doesn't ... specialize? ... in food.

Maybe that is my issue. DH is always telling me how cheap the milk is at the gas station. Um, no, not even for free.

[kewb]

Dollar store food does kind of whig me out.  Like, where did they get this food that they can sell it for a dollar.  That can't possibly be a quality item.  I am sure I also have a little bit of food snobbery, too.

[T'smom]

We buy the movie theater size candy. Before movie nights with the kids and if I am by myself I get one to hide from the kids!

[Um_2_4]

Well, Dollar store around here carries a lot of stuff not made in the US, so no I skip those, but the candies that are the same as walmart/grocery store? Yep. When they want a treat that is usually where we go.

One dollar store around here is an outlet for a bread company (same as sold in the grocery stores including sara lee) so I'll buy their whole wheat if we need bread. They have one brand with no HFCS. Same store is an outlet more than a $ store (but still 99% of stuff there is a $1 or less) and often carries Udi, Glutino, Quaker, etc. etc. So if it is undamaged and a brand I would buy anyway, then yes.

But I'll buy food at non food stores. Here any place that sells ANY food has to be inspected. So grocery store or ______= same storage standards/handling etc.

[Pawz4me]

I bought a loaf of bread at a Dollar General once.  I was in a hurry and it was convenient.  But that's about it.  No reason other than I really don't go to dollar stores very often, and when I buy groceries I like to do it at a store where I can get everything I need in one stop.

[MooCow]

When I need sugar free candy- they usually have a good selection.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I've looked at it, but never really saw anything I wanted.  I don't really think the prices are that great either.  For example, they even sell containers of heavy cream for a dollar.  But they are tiny containers.  So if I buy the big container at the regular store it is cheaper unit wise. 

[Orthodox6]

Never have; never will.

[Miss Tick]

We have a large box hardware store that carries a lot of "food" and I feel the same about that place. Sort of "huh? No."

[Peach]

Ever since the dollar store toxic toothpaste scare a few years ago, I am wary of edible stuff at these stores. 

[Ali in OR]

We just bought some Minute Maid frozen lemonades. We've had them a few times from the concession stand of the girls' high school at football games and basketball games. They're really good! I've never seen them in a regular grocery store here. I think we pay $2.50 at games for them, so $1 sounds pretty good. We'll have our first or second hot day today and I plan to have my frozen lemonade while watching dd at soccer tryouts today.

 

We've also purchased movie candy as mentioned above and once got some cinnamon sugar--made in usa, only cinnamon and sugar as ingredients. We were actually looking to get more of that this week but they didn't have it anymore. Some of the stuff on the shelves is unusual--brands you don't see elsewhere--but a lot of it looks like what you get anywhere. It's all shelf-stable pantry food here--no bread, meat, etc. And the freezer section.