The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
QUESTION: What’s your favorite grocery store?
Talk about it!
Lunardi’s for meats, fruit, and veggies
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No specific favorite.
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Each of them has excellent areas and areas with room for improvement.
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Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s
I don’t really have a favorite, and I don’t like grocery shopping. It’s a necessity in life that I must deal with, so if I have to, I’d rather shop at WinCo. WinCo carries a lot of stuff that other grocery stores don’t carry.
WINCO
Winco
Don’t have really have a favorite. I like Grocery Outlet, but they don’t have everything I need. I go to Safeway for stables and whatever is on sale. I live close to Raley’s and they are nice, but tend to be expensive, but I do go there on a regular basis. Their Danish Fontina Cheese is better than Safeway’s, not as salty. I go to Sprout’s ever so often, if I’m lucky they Danish Havarti Cheese with caraway seeds, my favorite, plus other items that are hard to find in other stores. I also go to Trader Joe’s quite frequently. So no real favorite, different stores work for different items. When I lived on the Peninsula I would go to Lunardi’s for fruit and sometimes meat. In San Mateo and Menlo Park there’s a Draeger’s grocery store, it is tops, but the prizes reflects it. So I would only go for certain items. Grocery Outlet is great for wines.
@ Hanne ~
A friend of mine sometimes goes to Draeger’s when she is in the area.
The prices reflect the quality of the products, which temps me to find out how good it is.
@Roz l see on the net there’s a Draeger’s in Danville. I only bought few choice items there. There’s a hot cereal Whetena that l use to get at Raley’s, but the stopped carrying it a few years ago, but Draeger’s had it. If you are in Danville at some point it’s worth checking out.
Diablo foods is my favorite but expensive.Safeway is the worst.
Grocery Outlet is one of my favorites because they have some outstanding bargains and they are small. None of the six-mile obstacle course marathon just trying to feed yourself. For everything else, and if I’m feeling really energetic, it’s Lucky or Safeway. Lucky generally has the brand names I grew up with so I know what to expect. Takes the mystery out of it which speeds up the decision making process.
Why all the shrinkflation, I’m more interested to know which grocery stores have the lowest prices. Also, are those low prices only for those who use coupons, rewards programs, etc? I find myself thinking about going to different stores for different items but that is not economical due to the time it takes as well as the gas expense. The days of shopping at a favorite store or shopping at a store due to convenience rather than prices has been, for a while now, a luxury for many. Shrinkflation is also why restaurants are closing. Food prices are too high and fewer and fewer people can afford to eat out.
Trader Joe’s
Grocery Outlet
Whole Foods
FoodMaxx
Lucky’s
Super Walmart in Antioch
Last resort is a Safeway, usually the one near Sun Valley Mall.
I’m going with Trader Joe’s and Winco for Crab.
Wegmans
When in Rochester NY I also go to Wegmans great bakery dept
Lunardi’s or Berkeley Bowl for meat and produce, trader Joe’s or Grocery outlet for cheap but good, harvest house for bulk goods, ranch 99 for various Asian foods and coconut milk
Winco & Foodmax, sometimes 20% less than Safeway. Trader Joes otherwise
Whichever one has the best price for what I want at the time.
7 11 and I love getting the old hotdogs for half price, before the fall between the rollers.
7-11 is not a grocery store.
It is for me
Harvest House / Food Maxx
Piggy Wiggly. Problem is it takes me 5 hours to get there and sometimes the food spoils before I get back.
Bring an ice chest with you.
Lucky Stores !!!
I liked the “three’s a crowd” at Safeway. Amazing how fast that disappeared
I thought that was Lucky’s
#1 Berkeley Bowl – When I need lots of specific produce, bulk, and specialty items that you just can’t get anywhere else. I also like taking out-of-town visitors to see their jaw drop in the produce section! 1-2 trips per year.
#2 Lunardi’s – When I’m going to entertain adults and want the best quality butcher items, cheeses, and baked or specialty items. 1-2 trips per year.
#3 Trader Joe’s – We do the lion’s share of our grocery shopping here. No sales, no gimmicks, no rewards systems, but also no consistency on product. Locally I prefer the Treat/Oak Grove location, Airport store is my second choice. 40+ trips per year.
#4 Costco – for the bulk stuff and stuff to keep in the freezer for quick meals. Easy to spend (and waste) too much. Gotta shop smart. 5-6 trips per year.
#5 Safeway – because the Denkinger location is quickest from my house, it’s my weekly go-to for most things, including the stuff TJ’s doesn’t have.
#6 Restaurant Depot – Good prices on bulk items not stocked at Costco, helping “Emmy Jo” with supplies to feed homeless. Durable and cheap kitchenware, too. You know those Soy sauce bottles at Chinese restaurants? Yep. You can get them here. 4-5 trips per year so far.
#7 Whole Foods – Mostly for allergy/dietary restriction products, but they also have really good things similar to what I grab at BB and Lunardi’s, 6-8 trips per year. I just don’t jive with the ‘better-than-you-plebes’ attitude of many customers and some staff.
#8 Food Maxx – I like the prices, but don’t like the long hike around… but they did stock Egg Nog this year before everyone else. I go here if I have to, or when money is tight. 10-15 trips per year.
I just don’t go very often, and don’t look forward to going there when I do: Lucky’s, Winco (boo they don’t take credit cards!), Grocery Outlet, Food Source, Pak-n-Save,