We usually go to Meijer's but for some reason I had the urge to go to Aldi again and wow! I filled our cart completely to the top for less than $80! I mean full... It's been about 4 years since we shopped there and we actually stopped because Meijer's was cheaper. Well not anymore!
We are 60 miles from any Aldi's store yet we still go to stock up about every 2-3 months. Totally worth it.
We go to Aldis every week and get certain things however for us we have learned what things we like from there and what things they have done a ghastly job at reproducing. Some of it is great if not better than name brands and some not so much. For almost everything else we go to Kroger. Once you learn there sales patterns we can usually get what we need there cheaper than Walmart and Kroger is the only place around here with good produce.
Here in Maine, we have several options to really good grocers. Just 3 miles down the road we have a Hannafords that is reasonable and well stocked. I do like to go to the local Independent Grocery shops and local butcher shops. ( Ballards or Emery''s) as well as several farmers markets. Only the two of us so bargain hunting isn't a top prority.
Only thing we had growing up in Maine was IGA. Here its Walmart or Fred Meyers. Also have Carrs but they are generally really expensive. Cart load of food, of CHEAP stuff runs $200-300 easy. Gotta love Alaska pricing Even worse in the villages.
I've mentioned that we make trips to Aldi's, but we also shop at Fareway, Hy-Vee and on rare occasion Wal-Mart for soda and some more exotic items. We also frequent a local store owned by a friend. His prices are high but he is willing to stock some specialty items for me so I try to do right by him.
I raise, hunt, or buy from family for ALL my meat. We raise most of our own veggies. 75% of the rest comes from Aldi...25% from Sam's club.
Wally's, Meijer, Sam's (maybe twice/yr.), and Freddie's.....local grocery that's trying to be a mini Meijer/Wally's (wife works there p/t). New Meijer being built in Alpena, so we can avoid Gaylord when that's done. Haven't been to Aldi's in a few years. We also hit Gordon Food every once in a while.
Well, you sure know what you are eating when you get your own food. Too bad that way of life has change so much. Not any way to use those welfare cards out in the woods or in a hot field. Life sure has changed a lot. We used to get all our bought food in glass, cans, or waxed paper. Nothing frozen. We did have a refrigerator, but some still used ice boxes and had ice delivered to their homes just as we had a milk man who also sold produce.
We are getting close to being self sufficient for most veggies, raising meat rabbits-- close to our first butchering!
I miss Wegmans. Now we do most of our shopping at Krogers, with the occasional trip to Walmart or the local butcher shop. Hoping to put a whole hog in the freezer this fall.
Look for a new Winco near you. An Idaho based store, I think, with several locations in the west. Consistently low prices year round. I find them to be better than Costco, Walmart or anywhere else. They deal in volume like warehouse store and always have USDA Choice meats. Picked up some ribeye today for $3.90 pound
Haven't seen it on here yet, but I'm a big fan of Market Basket.. Prices that compete with the military commissaries... Unfortunately, the shelves haven't been so well stocked lately.. Hopefully they'll get that fixed.. http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...t-organizer/GP6CcpuPSvUwglQTXfw6XL/story.html
The story behind those unstocked shelves is amazing. The workers are protesting because a long time popular CEO was let go by the corporate because the CEO was investing profits back into the business instead of lining the pockets of the owners. I can't remember many other circumstances when the workers supported the CEO The workers said the CEO was a hard azz but very fair.
Usually Meijer, or Family Fare for the usual groceries. I haven't been to Aldi in a quite a while. It was hit and miss for me there a few years back, but maybe things have changed a bit. Pete (or anyone else in Michigan for that matter) - if you ever find yourself near Howard City/Ensley Center, I highly recommend stopping by Birds Meat Market. It's a small, locally owned farm store/meat market . Great prices, great quality, and all raised locally. My wife and I make a couple trips a year and stock the freezer, usually one trip in the spring and another in the fall. Their prices are about 40% less than the grocery store meat prices, especially if you pay attention to their specials.
Great post! It's a local story to us, the DeMoulas family. Ousted CEO kicked to the curb by his own blood and now his former employees are sticking up for him to return.
We just got an Aldi's here, opened last month. I stopped there two weeks ago... and wow, produce is insanely cheap. I've shopped there twice since, huge bags of asparagus for $2.60- been eating it grilled a few times a week. Did get a deal on some fresh wings, but their meat section is lacking. I stick to Winn Dixie for my meats. We frequent the local independent grocery as it's convenient - decent prices, not worth the gas money to go all the way to town and back for the difference. Walmart for all the paper goods some canned stuff as well as beer & juices etc. I may just buy a Sam's Club membership as a new one is opening ~12miles from the house, seems like deals can be had there.
Aldis is really something , we have family of 5 and at Walmart its always over $200. Aldis we can get groceries for $120 -$130. Just a few things that are good at Aldis: Chicken Salad CranChicken Salad Strawberry Apple Sauce in single servings. Ham Salad All kinds of Aldis brand Potato chips Turkey Smoke Sausage cant tell its turkey and its leaner Pastry Crisps in Strawberry and Blueberry Fresh veggies are high quality
