Question Of The Day, Friday, October 6

[Winchester]

Good morning! And Happy Friday! It's been a long week here and I'm ready for the weekend.

Let's talk about grocery shopping.....

How do you buy your groceries? Do you shop online and then have your groceries delivered? Do you go to the store? Once, twice, three times or more a week? Less often? Do you visit more than one store? What's your favorite grocery store?

Rick and I do our grocery shopping once a week, usually on Monday nights after work. We have one primary food store that I like, our Giant store. Sometimes we'll stop in at the store on Saturdays, if we're in the area and Rick needs munchies for the football game.

Sometimes we'll stop in at the local Weis store because they have steep discounts on products from time to time; for example, several months ago, they had King Arthur flour for $2 a bag. That was a good savings, so I bought 12 bags, brought them home, put them in large freezer bags and stuck them in the freezer.

We have a butcher shop in town and we'll go in there for some meats that I don't want to buy at the grocery store. If we're getting steaks or large pork chops to fill, we'll go to the butcher.

How do you shop for groceries?

 

[Kat0121]

I shop once a week (unless I forget something) usually on Friday evening at Publix (Florida based grocery chain). Publix is great. They have been voted #1 grocery chain in America several times

 

[LTS3]

For general groceries, I mainly go to Stop and Shop since it's literally across the street at the other end of the complex I live in. I go once a week. Sometimes I drop by the Star Market that's a block away from work on my way home to pick up a few things.

For locally produced milk, local veggies and fruit (even unusual types and lots of Asian types), fresh made bread and goodies, fresh made pasta, and other things I go to the independent market that's across the street on my end of the complex. I go at least once a week.

Trader Joe's is opening a new location that's right on the bus route I take to and from work every day. It opens next week and I'm sure to be a regular customer there. Just hop off the bus, go shop, and then back onto the bus

If I'm going to the doctor's, I'll stop by Wegmans since its in the same building. That's maybe a few times a year. I was just there earlier this week. I like Wegman's selection of mini baked goods and pastries and some of their own brand items like rice / grain blends. The store also has items I can't fnd anywhere else like goat milk yogurt and kefir.

If I need Asian specific items, I go to an Asian supermarket. Usually I go with someone because that person is a frequent shopper at Asian supermarkets and understands the language, a huge help to demystify package labels.

My favorite stores would have to be Wegmans and Trader Joe's since both have unique items not sold in chain stores and the independent market.

I've never done online grocery shopping and don't plan to use it. I like to physically shop in a store and select my own items.

 

[dahli6]

Once every two weeks, at least, I go to Sam's Club for the bulk of my staple goods shopping.
Petsmart is my go to for pet supplies.
For everything else I go to a store called Ingles.
When I moved from west coast to east coast I had a hard time finding the right store.
In Portland Oregon I had worked at a store called Fred Meyer and that was where I did most of my year round shopping. My fallback was a store called Winco and for emergencies or specific items it was Safeway.
I had a hard time finding their overall quality equivalents in Greenville, SC.
I settled on Ingles initially because their prices were good, their selection was perfect for me, and their company origin story was similar to that of Fred Meyer. It is a very comfortable place for me and so it is also my favorite store.

 

[neely]

I've never done online grocery shopping and don't plan to use it. I like to physically shop in a store and select my own items.

Exactly, same here, especially with produce items, i.e. fruits and veggies. I cut out coupons and one of the grocery stores here, (Mariano's), offers double coupon day every Wednesday. I try to avoid going grocery shopping more than once a week but I like several different stores for some of my favorite items so I usually end up going to at least two stores. Since our winters are cold, wind chills below zero and snow storms, I like to stock up on non-perishable items too. In summer I like to go to local farmers markets for fresh bread, fruit, veggies and my personal favorite - homemade veggie burgers.

 

[dahli6]

I prefer to physically shop too but my location and transportation sometimes makes it a necessity for specialty items.
I improvise a lot in cultural cooking and find ingredients that are similar though not identical but it still leaves the recipe lacking. For example, I am at a disadvantage in Thai cooking because I don't know how it is actually supposed to taste. I am familiar with Americanized flavors so if I can find a way to purchase the specific ingredients to the original recipes then I can come pretty close to the original flavor but there are no places to buy certain ingredients in my immediate vicinity so online shopping is a blessing.

 

[artiemom]

I visit Trader Joe's, weekly. I really like their Greek yogurt, and it is much less expensive than grocery store prices.. Their free range eggs are good also, and of course, their munchies, coffee, and frozen foods are excellent.

For more staple things and the like, I go to the grocery store, Market Basket. There is one in my city. I usually shop there, ever 10 days or so. I can pick up some really good organic baby lettuce there, and stuff.

For meat, since I do not eat much of it, I go to the local butcher shop. They have been around for generations. I feel they will be closing soon, since the owner is elderly and not well. That will be a shame to the community; but the community is not the same as it was before. They have great quality meat, and chicken.

For Fish, which I should eat more often, but Artie is a pain when I do; there is an old fishmonger store~~ a hole in the wall, but good, fresh, fish.

If I want good, old fashioned Chicken soup, or Italian Wedding soup, I found an Italian Deli which makes it fresh.. It is in my city. Strange, it took this long for me to discover it. Kind of intimates me, because it is so Italian.. they do sell a ton of produce. The soup is, if I do not have any in the freezer, and do not feel like canned soup; and if I feel like going out to pick it up. I actually froze some of my recent leftovers, for another day.

Artie's food is from the Vet. His litter is from Petco, so I can get a $5 discount when I spend $100.

 

[maggiedemi]

Usually once a week because we live out in the country, almost 30 minutes from town. We only have Walmart Supercenter, Hannaford, Price Chopper, BJs, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Dollar stores, Tractor Supply. The only grocery type items I really buy online are hot sauce and cooking sauces and spices. One time I bought some British Stilton blue cheese online. We don't have any pet stores, so I have to order from Petco, PetSmart, and Chewy online. Is wine considered groceries? I get that at the liquor stores. Wine & Liquor can't be sold at grocery stores in NY, only beer & malt beverages can. I used to order wine online, but they cracked down on that, now we can only order from places in NY like wine.com.

 

[golondrina]

I do my household and food shopping once a week at a supermarket called Tienda Inglesa inside a large Shopping Center 3 blocks away and get the goods delivered. While at the Shopping Center I usually take care of other routine tasks such as withdrawing money, paying bills, posting mail, visiting the book stores, etc.

Also very near home there is an important fish market and that is where I buy my fresh fish for immediate cooking. . But I like to have some frozen fish always available in my refrigerator and I buy it at the supermarket.

 

[sivyaleah]

I shop on weekends since I work full time. Usually on Saturday. I try to get there early in the morning so it doesn't impinge on my day too much.

My go-to supermarkets are Wegmans or Kings.

I also shop at our local farm which has become a destination spot for a plethora of other items; eggs, milk, breads and they now have a local wine company selling their bottles there. I belong to their food "club", and each week go over to get my box of food.

I used to use Shop Rite exclusively but in recent years haven't been happy with the quality of their produce and other items especially since we now try to eat organic/locavore as much as possible.

Sometimes I go to Whole Foods but I really am not a huge fan of them. They do home service delivery now to my town which did come in handy when I was recently ill for a week with a norovirus. Very expensive to have any supermarket deliver and there's drawbacks to using it such as if they don't have exactly what you ask for it gets deleted from your list. I was happy with the quality of items they picked for me but, several much needed foods weren't available so not so sure I'd use them again except in a pinch.

 

[muffy]

I go grocery shopping maybe 5 or 6 times a month. I go to Safeway, Shoppers, Mom's, BJ's and WalMart. Mom's is a little organic store where I shop the most. There is a Wegmans about 20 miles from here and my neighbor said she would take me there whenever I wanted to go. I will have to wait until I have more room in my kitchen because I'm going to buy the store out. I love that store so much.

I like to go to the store to buy my stuff but I may start buying online sometime in the future. I buy so much stuff and most of it is heavy I'm afraid it will cost a lot and I like to buy different things from different stores.

Muffy

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I shop once a month, and most often it is the only time I get off of the apartment complex grounds for the entire month. Although I'd love the option to shop online for delivery when I'm feeling really bad, right now we don't have that option. There are only three stores for food shopping here in Havelock. There is Walmart, Food Lion, and a Lidl that opened a month or so ago. I do my shopping at Walmart. I'd rather not, but since I have to cab there and back, and my budget is tiny, I need a store where I can do my grocery, household and personal shopping all in one place. LOL, how else am I going to go in a store, buy all of my groceries, pick up a pair of jeans and a winter jacket, and grab a new bookcase? I prefer Food Lion for some things, and go there on the rare occasions that I can catch a ride, and I'd LOVE to be able to go to Lidl and just look around for an hour or so! It might be worth trying to get a ride there once in awhile!

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

I shop once a week or less. For major purchases there are two local groceries, The Pig and Food Lion. Sometimes I pick up things at Wal Mart, but never meat, dairy or produce. All of that is never fresh. I might get cereal, bread, canned things, etc. We do have a Lidl Store, but it is an hour away. I don't go often, but I did today. They have wonderful buys on delicious coffees that I like. Their produce is fresh too. I bought a pumpkin there for $2.50 and a bunch of fresh cut flowers for the dining room table at $3.99. Their fruit and dairy things are really fresh. It was super cold in there today though, so I didn't stay long.

 

[Blakeney Green]

I mostly shop at the small local grocery store. It's not a national chain; they just have two stores, both in this county.

Usually I do my main grocery shopping once a week on one of my days off, then I pick up fresh fruit and vegetables on the way home from work a couple of other times per week.

 

[denice]

Usually once a week, sometime on the weekend. I go early morning so I don't have to deal with crowds. I go to Kroger because it is the most convenient for me.

 

[margecat]

I hate grocery shopping. There. I've said it.

I have to grocery shop for two places: home and the volunteer kitchen. I spend a lot of time hauling heavy groceries into the volunteer kitchen, with no help, and it's an awkward place, with stairs, to deliver to. It gets tiresome (and I have to do it again tomorrow ; I went shopping tonight). I usually shop at Wegmans, with dash of BJ's . Hubby does most of the grocery shopping, and usually shops at Giant. We do buy some of our own groceries, which explains why I shop at Wegmans, and he at Giant!

I dream of home delivery for groceries...I often see an Acme delivery truck on my street, and I fantasize about the lifestyle of the person who can afford home delivery...sigh...(and the same with the cleaning lady next door )

 

[golondrina]

When I lived in France and also here in Uruguay delivery has always been free depending on the importance of the purchase. As I buy all my groceries in the same supermarket and only once a week my bill is always high enough to be entitled to free delivery. I live on a 6th floor and they deliver it right up inside my kitchen.

 

[raysmyheart]

I shop every other day or daily so as to economize. It works best for me. It is usually after 10:30 pm on my way home from my second job. (Very convenient).

The reason I shop so often is I have gotten into a mode of trying to get just what I need. For me, doing a large amount of groceries sets me into panic mode (Oh no, I might run out) so I overbuy. I am all alone and end up throwing away tons of food if I overbuy for the week ahead.

This being said, I have been in the situation previously taking care of my Dad around the clock, not being able to get out of the house easily at all and had to plan big shopping trips and it was a major struggle, I know, if you can't get to a store or if transportation or home care is a problem. The only reason now I can shop for small amounts so frequently is that they have recently opened a wonderful Market32/Pricechopper on my way home from work! It is open until midnight! I love to go in and get their dairy products about to expire which they mark down very considerably. I consider myself very fortunate to have this store on my route. It is not easy if you have trouble getting to the store.

I do remember fondly when I was growing up, every Friday night my Mom would take us grocery shopping and we would often eat at the snack bar. (My eyes are misting over).

I also love Hannaford's which is a wonderful store close to where I live.

 

[Boris Diamond]

In June, a Lidl's opened not too far from here. I've been trying stuff from there. At first just a few items. Over time, I have tried more and more. There was one item I wasn't fond of, but everything else was of good to very good quality. And the prices are sooo cheap!

The Greek yogurt is $.55. When they put it on sale, it is $.35! I really like it. Vegetables and fruits are soooo cheap, often cheaper than Costco, and I don't have to buy a mega-pack! The $1.50 cantaloupe was great! Meats are as cheap as Walmart. 12 grain bread is $1.25 for a lb. loaf. It is different from the $6.00 loaf of 12 grain at Lowe's, but I like it as well . Cheese is good. Everyone who has tried the ice cream bars on a stick has liked them - $1.09 for six. Milk is good quality and 10% more than Walmart - sorry Walmart, I have been told you water down your milk. I can't say you do, but why will your milk not lighten my coffee the way Lidl's (and other's) milks do? A dozen locally sourced eggs is $.50. Their selection is not as good as Publix's, Lowe's or Food Lion, but it is a regular stop for me. I think I save $20-30 a week shopping there. There are some name brands there, but much of their stuff has no brand, just a description of what it is. If you are as as cheap as I am, you should try it.

For the rest of my grocery shopping, I go to Lowe's or Costco. I like Publix's, but it is too far away to shop at regularly. I shop every six days or so.

 

[Norachan]

All the cat food is bought online. I've found a couple of good budget pet-supply sites and they always send me free samples with my monthly order.

Human food I buy once a week from the local supermarket. We live too far away from the shops for me to just pop out and get something, so I have to plan what to buy. Need to work out what will fit in the fridge and make a list today.