STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

laken1 · Hermes

what determines where you grocery shop?

Becca · Kate Spade

I go to the most convenient grocery store. It's nicer and a bit more expensive, but it saves me a lot of time. Wal-Mart is a complete nightmare here and I try to avoid it at all costs. I totally don't clip coupons, the only time I use a coupon is if my mom sent it to me thinking I'd probably get use out of it.

-- Edited by aclassicbeauty at 18:03, 2005-09-27

luckylily · Gucci

I go to the big neighborhood grocery store. It is walking distance from my apartment. There are other chains, which would probably offer lower prices, but then I would be paying for gas and my time. I try to use coupons when I see them and stock up on stuff when it is on sale. For example, I bought 3 boxes of Kashi Go Lean Crunch last night and I'll probably go back and buy 3 more before the sale ends. I also try to buy in season organic veggies at the weekend farmers market, they tend to be cheaper at the market than the grocery store.

I try to be frugal, but I feel like we spend a lot of money on groceries.

crystal · Kate Spade

good poll... well, i wish i shopped at trader joe's because i feel like it is a happy medium between whole foods & cheap/regular grocery stores. however, i shop at vons (cheap/regular store). the way i chose it is it is the closest grocery store besides pavillions (which is just a pricier version of vons) to me and it's on the way home from work if i need to shop on a weekday. lately i've been noticing that the produce sucks majorly though and there's a farmers market evey wednesday & saturday about a 20 min. walk from my apartment (actually it's THE farmers market where the old guy ran over people... so sad

), so maybe i should start frequenting that! i never knew it was cheaper, yay!

luckylily · Gucci

crystal wrote:

there's a farmers market evey wednesday & saturday about a 20 min. walk from my apartment (actually it's THE farmers market where the old guy ran over people... so sad ), so maybe i should start frequenting that! i never knew it was cheaper, yay!

Keep in mind that only the stuff at the height of its growing season will be cheaper than the grocery store. Also, if you go at the end of the day, the farmers are often willing to cut deals because they want to get rid of stuff.

erin · Chanel

i usually go to a local chain about a mile from my house. they have a passable organic section and i get money off gas for every 50$ i spend there. (which helps a LOT!) if i just need something quick, there is a grocery store in my neighborhood but they barely carry morningstar and really i just go there to get cereal or something.

if i need something specific i will go to the food co-op, which is about a 10 mile drive. i rarely go there though. i refuse to shop at walmart. (which is fine, because the closest one from me is 30 miles anyhow) i will go with my mom when she goes to costco sometimes. but again, that is about 30 miles from me so it's not often. usually if i need bulk items i will just give her the $$ and get it from her later.

crystal · Kate Spade

luckylily wrote:

Keep in mind that only the stuff at the height of its growing season will be cheaper than the grocery store. Also, if you go at the end of the day, the farmers are often willing to cut deals because they want to get rid of stuff.

how do i know what's in season? do oranges and bananas have a season?? i think berries do... how about lettuce and tomatoes, i need to buy those every week, no matter the season... is there a site i can look at? thanks for the tip about going at the end of the day!

Lilykind · Hermes

My BF and I shop at Trader Joe's and Costco almost exclusively. We pretty much stopped going to Ralph's after the supermarket strike that lasted from around October '03 to June '04. We also shop at the huge supermarket in Chinatown once in a while (the trek is just too much to do all the time). We shop at Costco and TJs because it's cheaper that buying from Ralphs and the food is always fresher and higher quality. Plus TJs tends to be more 'natural' and we like that about it.

Sometimes we fill in with candy from Target or Rite Aid, but that's not something we do often. Also, I'd love it if we could make a habit out of getting up early enough on the weekends so we could hit a farmer's market.

bumblebee · Coach

you know, i quit going to ralph's for a really long time b/c of the strike, too, and i swore i would never get back in the habit. yet i drive directly past one every night on my way home from work, so i am totally back in the habit.

in general, it depends on what i need to shop for, though. if i need lean cuisine or yoplait yogurt or random vegetables and produce, i stop off at ralph's on my way home from work. if i need water bottles and whatever else they sell at trader joe's, i will go there. and if i need something delicious from the deli to eat right then, the italian coffee that i am addicted to, or cheese or all-natural beauty products, then i go to whole foods. so i guess my answer is: i go for convenience.

lynnie · Chanel

in college, i would make a weekly list based on the online Giant Food circular, and shop there with my bonus card- only really buying what was on sale (with some exceptions of course, bread if i needed it, milk) but i wouldn't buy a cereal if it wasn't on sale for example. I also had a separate Trader Joe's list, and I would go there once or twice a month and get what i wanted. So Giant for price/convenience, Trader Joes for yumminess.

Maddie · Coach

I never really grocery shopped much until this summer and I realized I'm a huge snob about groceries. I pretty much only shop at PCC, an organic coop in Seattle. I'll also go to this other place called Metropolitan Market which is like a local version of Whole Foods because I can walk there. But I really like buying organic/fair trade/whatever food and I feel like it's worth the extra money. It's better for me and the world. And if food's expensive, maybe I'll eat less. Also, being a vegetarian, these places have a lot of good vegetarian stuff.

At school I shop at Hannaford's (my other options are Shaw's and Walmart) because they sell the most local stuff. Also the farmers' market for the few months that it's open.

sage · Dooney & Bourke

The bulk of my grocery shopping is done at the store very near my apartment. Only because it is close. I really don't like it. The produce never looks happy and they don't carry Kashi Go Lean. And they never have tofu. And the natural food section is one shelf with some ground flax, rice crackers and a loaf of brown rice bread.....but I can see it from my place!! So, every two weeks or so I go to the better grocery store across town and stock up(multiple boxes of Go Lean, like luckylily mentioned whether it is on sale or not, cause I cannot run out!!!!). This other place has a great natural foods section. But I still need to go to the health food store for some things. But I love it there. I just love the way the place smells. And I too feel like we spend way to much on groceries, but I also feel it is something I just can't scrimp on. I am putting this stuff in my body!! I can't buy salon shampoo and cheap out on the eats!!

PS Lilykind I know what you are saying!! Every Saturday I say "We are getting up early and going to the market!!" We make it about once a month!! Gotta change that!!

-- Edited by sage at 19:56, 2005-09-27

Another edit Maddie there is no shame in being a grocery snob!

-- Edited by sage at 19:57, 2005-09-27

Andrea Julia · Coach

Whatever's on my way home. I am totally non-picky about where I buy my food.

NCshopper · Hermes

I go to a mid-priced grocery store (Lowe's) not too far from my house. There's one closer that's cheaper, but the quality of the produce and meat isn't very good. There's another grocery store that's closer too and while it has a better selection, I generally end up spending $40 more per trip when I go there. When I go to Lowe's I use my little rewards card and I can get all our groceries, including a bottle of wine and six pack of good beer for about $60-$70. I abhor coupons, so I don't do them.

I love Whole Foods but I wish it weren't so darn expensive. And I so miss Trader Joe's. Rumor has it we'll get one here within the next year or two, which is just not soon enough!!!!

honey · Gucci

the biggest factor is the kind/quality of the food, 2nd is proximity. i alternate b/t a local chain, target, and the korean markets. i shop at a local chain, when i need basics like oatmeal, rice, etc. it's a "real" supermarket (w/ supermarket brands) which is difficult to find in this area, and they've recently expanded their organic/natural food section which makes me happy. plus they frequently have sales (like crystal light for $1.99) allowing me to stock up on stuff. the only drawback is that it serves a large area (i've seen many a car with ny plates parked there) so stuff sells out a lot. it's really frustrating to go to the store for something specific, only to find that it's sold out. i go to target to get specific stuff that i know is cheaper at target, mainly yogurt & veggie burgers. when i need produce to go to the local korean markets b/c they have really fresh produce that's cheaper than the supermarket. i just got a coupon for freshdirect, so i'm going to try them in the next few weeks.

-- Edited by honey at 12:00, 2005-09-28

Elle · Hermes

We usually shop at Target or Albertson's, with an occasional trip to Costco thrown in for stuff like frozen chicken, yogurt, tortillas, bread, etc. We used to go to Wal-Mart, but it's a 20 min drive to get there, their selection of ethnic & health food is poor, and we always have to wait in line for a half-hour. They really aren't that much cheaper than either Target or Albertson's either. Our Albertson's is a 10 min. walk, and Target is a 5 min drive - just depends on what kind of a mood we're in

.

blink · Coach

I shop almost everywhere. I usually go to the local Kroger or Albertsons for day to day stuff. I check the paper for sales and for double coupon days. I like Super Target, but they don't always have specifics. I do shop at WalMart if I am in a hurry because it's close to my house, but I try not to give them my business too often, for political reasons.

My favorite place to shop for actual food to cook is Whole Foods and Central Market (which is very similar to Whole Foods, with organic produce). But these grocery stores are far from my house. They always have the better and bigger asparagus, sweeter peaches, avocados....and they have lots of snacks in less popular brands that I love. Such as Ak Mak crackers.

I use coupons from the Sunday paper whenever I can, I have one of those organizers specifically for coupons. I use them for more household goods than for food. I typically save a few bucks with every big grocery trip.

I WISH that a grocery store that truly had everything would open near me. In my region, products vary so widely, for example, only Kroger carries the brand of pita bread that I like, but they don't have the brand of hummus dip that I can find at Albertsons. I have to drive around a lot and with gas prices today, a trip across two suburbs might cost 5 bucks in gas!

sfcaligirl · Dooney & Bourke

there's a safeway just a few blocks away from my house, but i absolutely HATE shopping there. it's dirty (good old city living) and the produce is horrendous. i only go there if i'm in a pinch and i can't find what i need at a smaller market.

every few weeks, i stock up at trader joe's (i would go every week if i could, but i don't have a car so i have to go whenever i can get a ride from one of my roommates). i love tj's! i tend to buy lots of frozen stuff and regular groceries there (pasta, oatmeal, snacks, sauces, etc), but not as much of their produce. it can be a little iffy sometimes. in between tj's runs, i go to a small market near my apartment for produce and random things that i have run out of (yogurt, bread, etc).

and, for the record, i despise grocery shopping! it is one of my least favorite things to do, no lie. i'd rather clean my bathroom than go to the grocery store. my cupboards are bare right now because i keep putting it off!

janey831 · Kate Spade

sfcaligirl wrote:

there's a safeway just a few blocks away from my house, but i absolutely HATE shopping there. it's dirty (good old city living) and the produce is horrendous. i only go there if i'm in a pinch and i can't find what i need at a smaller market.
every few weeks, i stock up at trader joe's (i would go every week if i could, but i don't have a car so i have to go whenever i can get a ride from one of my roommates). i love tj's! i tend to buy lots of frozen stuff and regular groceries there (pasta, oatmeal, snacks, sauces, etc), but not as much of their produce. it can be a little iffy sometimes. in between tj's runs, i go to a small market near my apartment for produce and random things that i have run out of (yogurt, bread, etc).
and, for the record, i despise grocery shopping! it is one of my least favorite things to do, no lie. i'd rather clean my bathroom than go to the grocery store. my cupboards are bare right now because i keep putting it off!

hahaha! what do you eat then? i dont like grocery shopping either, i always come out with loads of crap, usually drinks and unecessary crap.

sfcaligirl · Dooney & Bourke

janey831 wrote:

sfcaligirl wrote: there's a safeway just a few blocks away from my house, but i absolutely HATE shopping there. it's dirty (good old city living) and the produce is horrendous. i only go there if i'm in a pinch and i can't find what i need at a smaller market. every few weeks, i stock up at trader joe's (i would go every week if i could, but i don't have a car so i have to go whenever i can get a ride from one of my roommates). i love tj's! i tend to buy lots of frozen stuff and regular groceries there (pasta, oatmeal, snacks, sauces, etc), but not as much of their produce. it can be a little iffy sometimes. in between tj's runs, i go to a small market near my apartment for produce and random things that i have run out of (yogurt, bread, etc). and, for the record, i despise grocery shopping! it is one of my least favorite things to do, no lie. i'd rather clean my bathroom than go to the grocery store. my cupboards are bare right now because i keep putting it off! hahaha! what do you eat then? i dont like grocery shopping either, i always come out with loads of crap, usually drinks and unecessary crap.

haha, well i guess i exaggerated a little when i said that my cupboards were completely bare. i do have some basics. i bought some produce at the market the other day, so i've been having a lot of salads. i've also been getting by on pasta and random frozen tj's meals. oh, and take-out!

it's definitely time to suck it up and go to the grocery store...

-- Edited by sfcaligirl at 14:39, 2005-09-29