The Free Talk Live BBS
Free Talk Live => The Polling Pit => Topic started by: Lindsey on September 21, 2009, 12:51:24 AM
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So? What's the best? I went grocery shopping today here in Illinois for the first time and had to go to four separate stores. I was livid. I'm curious to see what others have to say, and what grocery chains are out there.
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Safeway/Vons. Except for the on on El Cajon/College Ave in San Diego. Douschebag manager there. Every other one I've been to was excellent in service and in price.
*** of course I've never heard of Smith's Publix or Marsh's before. They don't have those in SoCal.
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I am of the opinion that Publix is the nicest grocery store in the world.
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I am of the opinion that Publix is the nicest grocery store in the world.
I completely agree with you. I went to Jewel, Dominick's, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's today instead of just Publix. I flipped my shit and screamed at Jewel.
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Safeway/Vons. Except for the on on El Cajon/College Ave in San Diego. Douschebag manager there. Every other one I've been to was excellent in service and in price.
*** of course I've never heard of Smith's Publix or Marsh's before. They don't have those in SoCal.
Always shopped there around midnight, so I never met the guy.
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Other: Miller and Son's, Verona, WI.
Anyone for miles around will tell you that's the place to go.
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ALDI has the lowest prices of an large chain I've ever shopped at. Super Wal-Mart also has pretty good prices (usually only 5% - 15% more).
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Safeway/Vons. Except for the on on El Cajon/College Ave in San Diego. Douschebag manager there. Every other one I've been to was excellent in service and in price.
*** of course I've never heard of Smith's Publix or Marsh's before. They don't have those in SoCal.
Always shopped there around midnight, so I never met the guy.
Yeah well there's a new one every couple years anyways.
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No one store does everything to my specifications, so I go to 4 different ones for my needs. But I will say Sweetbay overall.
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We've got Tom Thumb around here (north Texas), which is a more upscale version of Albertson's or Kroger but not a yuppie health food store like Whole Foods. Central Market is like Whole Foods, and there's a farmer's market near me called Sprouts which is pretty awesome. No Trader Joe's, though, which makes me very sad.
Can't really say which is best, though, because we go to
Sam's Club for: Diet Coke, beer, olive and vegetable oil, canned or boxed foods, toilet paper and paper towels, etc.
Sprouts for: fruits and veg, meat, bread, sometimes cheese
Albertson's for: everything else
In North Carolina we went to Food Lion. I wasn't very impressed with the selection, though I wish I had picked up one of their tote bags. I've got a collection going. Can't remember the name of the place I went in California, but it had a booze section. That was amazing.
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No one store does everything to my specifications, so I go to 4 different ones for my needs.
This
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Sam's Club for: Diet Coke, beer, olive and vegetable oil, canned or boxed foods, toilet paper and paper towels, etc.
If we are going to include Wholesale Clubs, I'll list Costco as the best. Sure, Costco charges more than ALDI (but so does everyone else). The prices are better than the vast majority of stores. The employees are paid the most of any food store I know of. The company also doesn't give money to politicians and stuff like that. As far as I know, it also does get involved with political issue. I think Wal-Mart and Sam's Club is best known for getting involved with government issues (more than all other stores in the US combined).
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They have Wegmans in the Chicago area, go there.
They have a great cheese selection.
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I put down Whole Foods. But then, I saw a selection for "others," and remembered that our local Rosauers, which is the best supermarket I've ever shopped in.
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"Trader Joe's"
I'd pick Publix too, but they ain't nary a none around here.
Food Lions are dirty!
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I am of the opinion that Publix is the nicest grocery store in the world.
I completely agree with you. I went to Jewel, Dominick's, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's today instead of just Publix. I flipped my shit and screamed at Jewel.
WTF were you trying to buy!? I usually go to Jewel. Sometimes I'll go to Dominick's for various reasons (they tend to have better selection of marginally better quality products in my experience). I never go to Trader Joe's unless I'm going with someone else. I'll go to Whole Foods when I want to find something really expensive but good quality. I also schlep to Chinatown to buy my curry and asian food products. That said, I can find all of my day-to-day needs at Jewel.
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I am of the opinion that Publix is the nicest grocery store in the world.
I completely agree with you. I went to Jewel, Dominick's, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's today instead of just Publix. I flipped my shit and screamed at Jewel.
WTF were you trying to buy!? I usually go to Jewel. Sometimes I'll go to Dominick's for various reasons (they tend to have better selection of marginally better quality products in my experience). I never go to Trader Joe's unless I'm going with someone else. I'll go to Whole Foods when I want to find something really expensive but good quality. I also schlep to Chinatown to buy my curry and asian food products. That said, I can find all of my day-to-day needs at Jewel.
Well, I knew I was going to refuse to purchase any meat or produce from Jewel, so I went there for water, a six-pack of Diet Dr. Pepper because I got the craving, and I ended up getting some Ruffles for mah junk craving. Also I got some cereal and I would buy boxed or canned items from there. I could not find the tea that I like there, so I had to go to Dominick's for that. At Whole Foods I got produce, and this bread I like, and some other stuff. I can't even remember. At TJ's I bought turkey, chicken breast, peanut butter and jelly, some delicious honey wheat pretzels they have there, and some cheese. Probably a few other things. I didn't have a list, which I almost never do.
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You REALLY need to get Shearers ripple BBQ chips.
I'm pretty certain its a regional thing.
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Lindsey is lucky. Chicago has ALDI so she has the least expensive food where she lives. She likely saves a bunch on her month food expenses where she lives now.
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Lindsey is lucky. Chicago has ALDI so she has the least expensive food where she lives. She likely saves a bunch on her month food expenses where she lives now.
I will not go there. I've heard it is filthy. And no, the same stuff I bought in Florida is way more expensive here.
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Aldi sucks. I'll betcha half their stuff is hijacked.
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I went to an Aldi once in the 90's. I've never had the urge to go back.
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Lindsey is lucky. Chicago has ALDI so she has the least expensive food where she lives. She likely saves a bunch on her month food expenses where she lives now.
I will not go there. I've heard it is filthy. And no, the same stuff I bought in Florida is way more expensive here.
Wow, I've found the ALDI stores in the upper middle class towns to be great and the food is even less expensive than a damaged goods store. The best of all worlds.
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Here in NJ it's Aldi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldi) and ShopRite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShopRite_%28United_States%29) by far. The former has lower prices and some unique items, but also much more limited selection, so you kinda end up splitting your shopping between the two: fish only from ShopRite, salsa only from Aldi, etc.
The only other supermarkets I've shopped in over the past few years are Pathmark (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathmark) and Acme (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acme_Markets), and only when they were much closer, or when they were open 24/7 while Aldi / ShopRite weren't. (I'm frequently nocturnal.) That doesn't include farmers' market (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmers%27_market) and small organic shops of course. And also there's a Russian flea market here where you can get a humongous sack of buckwheat, beans, beets, potatoes, or onions so cheap it almost defies the laws of physics! :lol:
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I've been past one of the Chicago Aldi stores on Milwaukee Ave and it did not look appealing from the outside. I've been in another in a different city that was actually pretty good though. They don't carry everything I need, which is a problem. I hate going to more than one store for my food unless it's for a special dish I want to prepare.
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From a plain old grocery store standpoint, I'm generally a fan of Publix.
Each store is different though, and the produce is never quite up to par in my corner of Atlanta.
Overripe, no where near ripe, slightly wilted, not the best selection.
Seems odd, because the stores 15 minutes away in the next county... produce is great.
In my area of town though, I vote for Whole Foods and Trader Joes.
Trader Joes for high quality healthy or decadent products at reasonable prices.
Whole Foods for bulk bins, wider selection, and locally grown produce (it's a big deal with peaches & tomatoes - fewer days from the farm means more yumminess.)
If I had the 90 minutes each week to drive to and from the gigantic farmers market in Decatur, that's where I would do all my food shopping. They're the supplier for many restaurants, so... super fresh produce, from the local to the exotic, at great prices. Bulk dry goods, including spices at less than half what you'd pay for tiny amounts at supermarket. Fantastic wine selection at prices far below Whole Foods. Prices on meat and poultry are lower too, with most being from our region, and cut fresh that day. I often have to wait for a few minutes for them to grind the turkey or chicken behind the counter when I'm planning burgers or such. And the seafood? Pick your trout from a big tank of fast-flowing water, and they'll net it and clean it for you while you wait. Sushi grade tuna and other fish is brought in daily. Live blue crabs and crawfish.
Damn. If have the highways in town weren't under water today, I'd be packing the kidlets (school's closed today) into the truck and heading over right now.
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Safeway/Vons. Except for the on on El Cajon/College Ave in San Diego. Douschebag manager there. Every other one I've been to was excellent in service and in price.
*** of course I've never heard of Smith's Publix or Marsh's before. They don't have those in SoCal.
Smith's kicks Vons ass. We got both in Vegas. Vons is always way to expensive and the overall selection sucks. Not mention one can not get a decent cut of meat from them either. Sorry your stuck with just Vons.
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Anyone know if Piggly Wiggly is still around?
Also, I find it amusing for some reason to see Kohls popping up every where as department stores. I believe that got their start in Milwaukee just as a grocery store. It was owned by none other then Herbie Kohl, the WI senator. Who by the way was once picked up, or should I say untied, by Milwaukee police in a public park for being naked and tied to a park bench by his male lover. I saw the arrest report and knew one of the arresting officers personally. It was never reported as ol' Herbie owned not only Kohls but the two newspapers in Milwaukee.
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Great story. Yep, there are still Piggly Wiggly's, I know of one in Monroe, WI.
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I'm really beginning to like Fresh and Easy here in the California. I believe they are in AZ and NV too.
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Demoulas/Market Basket. Not listed.
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Shaw's
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Shaw's
JOHN SHAW'S!
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Last night, I became infuriated. The local Pathmark decided a few days ago to change from 24 hour service to 18 hour service, which ment that when I got there, I couldnt solve my hankering for chips & salsa.
Damn you Pathmark!
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I'm really beginning to like Fresh and Easy here in the California. I believe they are in AZ and NV too.
Yep, in NV too. Haven't tried them yet but have heard nothing but good things. Might give them a shot on Sunday.
BTW, the name is also my nickname for my girl. Ba-da-dum. Makes her giggle at least.
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Shaw's
JOHN SHAW'S!
Don't get caught shoplifting.
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Shaw's
JOHN SHAW'S!
Don't get caught shoplifting.
You steal donuts, you leave with holes.
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There's no profit in shooting shoplifters. You stun them with a nonlethal weapon and then make them pay / work off their restitution. (Gun polishing joke removed to protect the innocent.)
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Publix!
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So I found myself doing activism in Bennington, VT over the weekend. While there, I shopped at ADLI, as it is the closest one to NH. I found that the prices on most of the items I tend to buy to be around 5% to 25% less than Wal-Mart. I bought a ton of food for $37. I'll likely still being eating some of that food, the salty nuts, months from now. It felt sooooo good to be shopping at ALDI again. What a great store!
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Demoulas/Market Basket. Not listed.
Where do you live? Just curious. I've not heard of this store.
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Demoulas/Market Basket. Not listed.
Where do you live? Just curious. I've not heard of this store.
It is a MA based company with most of it's stores (all?) in MA and NH. While the prices are lower than most grocery stores, they tend to be higher than Super Wal-Mart and far higher than ALDI, for example.
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So I found myself doing activism in Bennington, VT over the weekend. While there, I shopped at ADLI, as it is the closest one to NH. I found that the prices on most of the items I tend to buy to be around 5% to 25% less than Wal-Mart. I bought a ton of food for $37. I'll likely still being eating some of that food, the salty nuts, months from now. It felt sooooo good to be shopping at ALDI again. What a great store!
I've shopped at ALDI in England and Denmark. The selection wasn't great, so if you were looking for a specific brand you were pretty much screwed, but the prices were the best to be found and it was a great place to pick up any of the basics.
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I use to like Aldi but their meat prices are no longer the best in town and they should be. The meat is prepared at a packaging plant and frozen so that should equal cheaper per pound but it doesn't. I look for special buys at various markets local to me and purchase in bulk then freeze or canning seasonal great buys. I am not a victim to customer loyalty.
If I had to pick one store from your list as being my favorite it would be Whole Foods. I think my bias is based on the fact that a Libertarian friend of mine works there and loves his job. He loves the medical savings account solution to health insurance and several other things really impress me about Whole Foods. Maybe because the store isn't so large and your chances of snagging healthier food stuffs there is better. I haven't found any other food chain that sales hemp products and my son loves hemp chocolate milk. Hemp chocolate milk is a better source of omega 3s, protein and calcium than regular chocolate milk also has less sugar.
I also like to buy from local farmers at their produce stands. This family is probably unique in that my husband hunts and we do from time to time enjoy wild game. But if we ever have to become dependent on my ability to grow food we are so screwed. My little garden only produced 5 tomatoes. Other plants flowered and I attempted to use cotton swabs to pollinate them due to a lack of bees but no luck. Maybe next year I can set up a better bed for growing and give my victory garden another shot.
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So I found myself doing activism in Bennington, VT over the weekend. While there, I shopped at ADLI, as it is the closest one to NH. I found that the prices on most of the items I tend to buy to be around 5% to 25% less than Wal-Mart. I bought a ton of food for $37. I'll likely still being eating some of that food, the salty nuts, months from now. It felt sooooo good to be shopping at ALDI again. What a great store!
I've shopped at ALDI in England and Denmark. The selection wasn't great, so if you were looking for a specific brand you were pretty much screwed, but the prices were the best to be found and it was a great place to pick up any of the basics.
That's what I've found at ALDI, too. All purpose flour, sugar, rolled oats, canned milk, etc... their prices can't be beat. Once we get settled in the new house, where I'll have an actual pantry, as opposed to just two cabinets, I'll be stocking up on those items about once every 6 weeks at ALDI. The pasta, rice and oat/whole wheat flour will still be coming from Whole Foods or the bulk bin at the Farmers Market, but Aldi is going to save about $20-25 each month, making it well worth the trip.
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I also like to buy from local farmers at their produce stands. This family is probably unique in that my husband hunts and we do from time to time enjoy wild game. But if we ever have to become dependent on my ability to grow food we are so screwed. My little garden only produced 5 tomatoes. Other plants flowered and I attempted to use cotton swabs to pollinate them due to a lack of bees but no luck. Maybe next year I can set up a better bed for growing and give my victory garden another shot.
Yeah, our tomatoes got infested with some bug or another and had to be scrapped. But I've heard it's a good time of year (http://growlively.typepad.com/growlively/2009/09/time-to-plant-broccoli-seeds.html) to be planting broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.-- if you're still having warm weather, that is.
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I also like to buy from local farmers at their produce stands. This family is probably unique in that my husband hunts and we do from time to time enjoy wild game. But if we ever have to become dependent on my ability to grow food we are so screwed. My little garden only produced 5 tomatoes. Other plants flowered and I attempted to use cotton swabs to pollinate them due to a lack of bees but no luck. Maybe next year I can set up a better bed for growing and give my victory garden another shot.
Yeah, our tomatoes got infested with some bug or another and had to be scrapped. But I've heard it's a good time of year (http://growlively.typepad.com/growlively/2009/09/time-to-plant-broccoli-seeds.html) to be planting broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.-- if you're still having warm weather, that is.
My tomatoes were infested too, but by chipmunks. I think I was only able to pull 4-5 clusters of ripe grape tomatoes, and one heirloom. The rest were nabbed by fat little rodents as soon as they started to turn from green to orange. Never even made it all the way to red.
It is the perfect time to start the cabbage family of plants in the southern half of the country. Not only will they be delicious, they also look quite nice surrounded by pansies and mums, as part of a pretty fall flower bed.
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I also like to buy from local farmers at their produce stands. This family is probably unique in that my husband hunts and we do from time to time enjoy wild game. But if we ever have to become dependent on my ability to grow food we are so screwed. My little garden only produced 5 tomatoes. Other plants flowered and I attempted to use cotton swabs to pollinate them due to a lack of bees but no luck. Maybe next year I can set up a better bed for growing and give my victory garden another shot.
Yeah, our tomatoes got infested with some bug or another and had to be scrapped. But I've heard it's a good time of year (http://growlively.typepad.com/growlively/2009/09/time-to-plant-broccoli-seeds.html) to be planting broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, etc.-- if you're still having warm weather, that is.
My tomatoes were infested too, but by chipmunks. I think I was only able to pull 4-5 clusters of ripe grape tomatoes, and one heirloom. The rest were nabbed by fat little rodents as soon as they started to turn from green to orange. Never even made it all the way to red.
It is the perfect time to start the cabbage family of plants in the southern half of the country. Not only will they be delicious, they also look quite nice surrounded by pansies and mums, as part of a pretty fall flower bed.
chipmunks are like the plague this year, some of the old folks say they've never been this over-populated...
chipmunk stew anyone?
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