Cheapest Grocery Stores by County/Neighborhood

[Anonymous]

DCUMers: I am spending an average of $180 in groceries for a family of four every three days. I really need to find a cheaper grocery store. Since we are all spread out far and wide in the DMV, would love to hear what are the cheap grocery stores in your county/city/town? Come on, let's put these greedy, gouging merchants out of business!

[Anonymous]

I would say the cheapest groceries that I have found have in my neighborhood have been at Wegman's in Ashburn. Whenever I travel out of this area, I am amazed by how much cheaper groceries are. We are really being taken to the cleaners.

[Anonymous]

I'm in Alexandria--Shopper's or Aldi's.

[Anonymous]

Where are you shopping now and WTF are you buying? I shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, and I spend about $100 a week for two. I pack lunches, too. So it's not the stores you have to take a look at, it's your approach to food shopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you shopping now and WTF are you buying? I shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, and I spend about $100 a week for two. I pack lunches, too. So it's not the stores you have to take a look at, it's your approach to food shopping.

I buy basics. I cook from scratch. Its not what I'm buying its where I'm buying it.

[Anonymous]

Ok, I looked at my grocery receipts for the one product I buy consistently, which are bananas:

Safeway - .48 cents per pound
Giant - .49 cents
Harris Teeter - .49 cents
Food Lion - .48 cents

[Anonymous]

Aldi

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you shopping now and WTF are you buying? I shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, and I spend about $100 a week for two. I pack lunches, too. So it's not the stores you have to take a look at, it's your approach to food shopping.

She is shopping for a family of four. Why being so aggressive? Please keep the food forum nice

[Anonymous]

Trader Joes would have the lowest prices and best quality goods. Not my opinion - read Food Retailer.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for asking people to be nice, PP. I like it in here .

I am also the one who posted about the price of bananas. I remember not long ago that they were .25 cents a pound at Target. Anyone know how much they are now?

[Anonymous]

$180 every three days is close to $400 a week. I don't care how much from scratch cooking you do, that's ridiculous. Switching from Safeway to Giant isn't going to change that. You can shop anywhere (except maybe Balduccis) and feed a family of four for way less than that, but you have to learn how to shop. What's in season, what's on sale, what is worth it to buy in bulk, what is worth paying extra for organic, what isn't, etc. Who does the best for what. Organic is often the least expensive at Whole Folds, because Giant puts a yuppie markup on the organic foods. Staples like beans and rice, even the fancier kinds, are pretty cheap at Trader Joes. Bananas are 19 cents each at TJs, so that's 20 bananas for four bucks (and would you really eat that many in a week?) Its not the bananas that are driving up your bill.

Eat less meat if you're buying meat from Whole Foods, or use it as a flavoring as part of the dish. Buy things on sale and freeze them. Go to ethnic stores for cheap whatever it is that ethnicity specializes in.

You are asking about stores, but it's your buying habits that need to be looked at.

[Anonymous]

Bananas are not a good gauge. They are one of the cheapest fruits. I think the are 25 cents each at Target rather than by the pound.

Compare meat, organics and
Acereal instead.

[Anonymous]

I think Aldi is a good choice to save $. If you can stand it. I hate that store. Shit in boxes on the floor, quarter to use the damn cart, no bags. My husband said that will be a good store for us when we lose our jobs.

Some things are cheaper at Target -- cereal is well priced. Stick to non-perishables there. The produce/meats feel food desert-ish. A few mushy tomatoes, a stray bell pepper. Weird meat selection. I feel like either Target needs to get all in the food game or just GET OUT.

[Anonymous]

Aldi. I like the quarter to use the cart, because it keeps the carts out of the parking lot. I hate all the lazies who don't take the cart back to the store! I always bring my own bags anyway because I shop in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where are you shopping now and WTF are you buying? I shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes, and I spend about $100 a week for two. I pack lunches, too. So it's not the stores you have to take a look at, it's your approach to food shopping.

Hummus and salsa for a family of four costs about $100 a week at WF for a family of four unless you folks eat through a medicine dropper. Liar liar pants on fire! What's left over for Trader Joes?