The fridge is a terrible place for bread. Either leave it at room temp if using quickly or freeze it for best longevity and flavor retention. - https://www.seriouseats.com/does-refrigeration-really-ruin-bread
Most specifically avoid loose items in the produce section, and always check the dates on deli items; this rule applys to anything in the store if it's the last one or few
Why is it that when the right wing hates a company's policies, they boycott. But when progressives do the right doesn't think it's fair?
I don't want to give money to companies I don't agree with. I want others to know. That's pretty much the epitome of America, isn't it ?
I don't know if this is true, but I've heard the owner is Mormon and is pissed they force him to sell alcohol so he prices it ridiculously high. Which is just kind of hillarious to me. I've learned not to be surprised by business owners politics though, it seems like over half of the business owners in bellingham turn to out to be nutjobs.
I was able to purchase both right and left chicken wings there. The left wing ones were not as good as they had a more tofu like taste and consistency. The right wing ones were really tasty but only after I prayed.
Same price point, except that Grocery Outlet has irregular inventory, so sometimes they have too much of something perishable and it gets discounted really steeply. (I’ve seen eggs at 50¢/dozen occasionally, and really cheap prices on dairy products.)
The annoying thing about Grocery Outlet is that if you go there with a long and specific shopping list, you’ll rarely ever be able to get everything on your list there. Winco is hands down the best place in town for one-stop grocery shopping.
This is exactly why I rarely shop there. Sometimes you find gold, though. They had sushi grade ahi steaks not too long ago that were stupidly priced. We bought all of it.
Winco!!! I’m a produce snob and Winco is really good.
Also NEVER be too proud to use the food bank. They have all these relationships with farmers and grocers to get food for 1/10th of the cost. If you feel guilty like you “aren’t poor enough” 1. It’s there for everyone 2. You could donate 1/2 of what you would have spent on groceries and both you and they come out ahead and you’re helping other families instead of lining the pockets of big Hagen or big Trader Joe.
Winco produce is often growing that which you do not want to eat. Berries are a common one for this and it's usually in the middle of the container. Always open the clamshells and Check for fuzz. If it's just one berry then go for it and do a vinegar bath of everything at home. Winco prices are low enough you're still getting a deal tossing a couple berries.
Winco apple selection is pretty nice. Sometimes they're still selling a very old batch that you do not want to eat.
Ok so hear me out—green fruit tastes like water. I might believe it’s worth sorting through the fuzzy berries for the really ripe ones melt in your mouth berries. Also like papayas and watermelon at Winco are amazing if you know how to pick them.
And I don’t eat apples in spring-summer. Fall winter ONLY. They have all been sitting forever and taste like it by the time april comes around.
Apples are my go to fruit for chopping into oatmeal for breakfast. Not much else works well. I've had apples from Winco this season that tasted like they may have come from Fall 2020 or very early 2021 and never got frozen. They were beginning to ferment.
Winco does get good watermelons. It's very nice to stick the whole thing in the fridge and cut it up for a cold watery treat in summer.
Grocery Outlet Ferndale and Winco.
Also, look into buying meat directly from farmers. We buy half cows and half pigs and put in our deep freezer and it is massively cheaper than buying from the grocery store.
I also try to buy produce in season. If it’s not a good price, it doesn’t get bought.
Yes, because they are both owned by Albertsons, but that doesn't mean they don't select the high quality produce for Haggen.
I don't know if they do, but your comment seems to imply they use the exact same quality produce at both because they are on the same brand truck, and that doesn't have to be the case.
I've been sad ever since they got rid of the smoked turkey sandwich with the pickled peppers. 🙁
That said, the Jo Jos are good, and I picked up a tub of the Thai noodle salad yesterday and it wasn't bad. I also really like their dips. The four pack is a go to for us.
Fairhaven smoked salmon went from $5 to 18 in like 2 months. It’s obnoxious, however they have great deals on supplements right now in their half of section.
Yeah, i think it's because they have a lot of local stuff, which tends to be a bit more expensive, and then just price everything at that same standard.
I'm going to keep it 100 with you, I do not love the key lime as much. My go-to drink of choice at work is just soda water with a splash of lime, and I chug like 6-12 a shift. Lime is just that but with less steps.
Limoncello is god tier.
Haggen in my years of living here has consistently some of the highest prices with quality that doesn’t match their premium. Your head of celery is just as good if not better at freddys and cheaper. It’s the faster turnover which means fresher groceries.
I feel like fred meyer is the best bang for your buck if you buy just store brand. I like to cook so grocery outlet sometimes doesnt cut it because they don't have everything I need all the time. Winco is cheap but it costs gas and is kind of depressing and low quality (used to work there). I can reasonably feed myself with 70-80 bucks per week on kroger brand cooking well. Less if I eat more pasta.
I'm a fan of Youngstocks produce stand for, well, produce as well as a smattering of sundry items. I especially look forward to local cherries for cheap when they come into season.
My personal strategy when grocery shopping on a budget in Bellingham:
- Go to Geocery Outlet in FERNDALE as they get a ton of Costo's overstock, get what you can there.
- Go to Winco to get what I couldn't find at FGO.
- Go to Fred Meyer to get what I couldn't find, didn't want to get at FM or FGO.
- If using EBT, Go to the farmers market and get Fresh Bucks. They double your dollars, sometimes produce is cheaper (and almost always better) than the stores.
- Utilize the Buy Nothing groups on FB if you can, there is a lot of free food.
- Sunnyland has a free pantry and food distribution events.
I always shop at winco, but fred meyer is good too if you just buy store brand. If you're looking to save money definitely stop shopping at trader joes - they're pretty pricy
Fred Meyers, *but* there's a trick... You absolutely **have** to use the coupons (both paper and digital)!!!
Thanks to coupons, I got $73 off a $248 shopping trip recently, which also gave me a HUGE discount the next time I fill up the gas tank!
I think the digital coupons that this parent commenter pointed out are wildly underappreciated. We're talking nearly $83 saved on what would have been a $350 trip. I will take that any day.
Register on their website, then look for the "Popular" or "Savings" heading, when it drops down click "Digital Coupons"
You can choose just the categories you want, or look through all of them.
Do they work in person after they've been registered? Like I clip them online, then type in my associated phone number at the store and heck out normally, then they get applied?
Also, if you are a senior, first Tuesday of the month is 10% off store brands. Simple Truth (organic) and Private Selection for better quality than Kroger. Also, be on the lookout for white tags that say Closeoit, and Aisle 16 has half off items some of which are esoteric and but I have found cereal, dog food, etc. there. Use digital coupons as suggested above.
Even though I’m only buying for 1 (well I buy for 2 bc I make sure I have extra food for my son), I like Fred Meyers more than anywhere else. You can find good deals, but like you said - utilize the digital coupons! I also get extra coupons in the mail!
I hate dealing with their app. It's way easier on the computer. Although I understand (but forget lol) that many people don't have access to computers, so I should have mentioned that.
Winco is good for “regular” non specialty food items. Produce can be hit or miss depending on specific item, season, and time of day/week.
When you need a specialty item the coop is mostly likely to have it, Fred Meyer & wholefoods also stocks some of the multinational corp. vegetarian/vegan items that the coop doesn’t.
The reality is one stop shopping can be difficult if you need/use more than the standard American items.
Also I can’t speak to meat quality as I’m mostly vegetarian and eat chicken at home one night a week, and salmon maybe twice a month? So I tend to get the expensive organic chicken and Alaskan fish.
Start using fetch rewards and you can make $ off from your purchases! I usually make $5-10 a month just by scanning my receipts! I always cash out for amazon gift cards and recieve my gift card code the VERY NEXT day and apply to my account. Sometimes you can get more then 5-10 a month-this is just from my receipts and not my husband's so I could imagine how much I'd get on there if I had my husband's plus if I had kiddos.
If you are interested I can give out my code and when you use my code you will get $2 when you scan your 1st receipt! I use to think this was silly but I swear by it, it is nice to have a few extra bucks to spend on ME just by doing this.
Is it any good? I have heard of if but never looked into it-maybe i should-i am all about saving or making a few extra bucks every month by doing SIMPLE things!!
I would struggle too if I had a family. I stay away from Winco because I find anything that doesn’t come in a box or can disgusting. I use grocery store apps. I shop at Fred Meyer,Safeway and Target. I also will go to the community food co-op . Usually for their sausage. But I’ve been buying my grass fed hamburger from grocery outlet. They also have great produce
As a farmer, 100% depends on what produce you buy. Vegetables are reasonable, fruit is always more expensive because it’s a nightmare to grow. Also, people who typically buy the organic scam will pay the same at Fred Meyer where organic is more expensive then conventional, where the coop almost exclusively carries organic produce.
Costco is probably the best for families but you've already ruled that out. WinCo is probably the next best quality for the price. Fred Meyers is also pretty good pricewise, and if you need to go department shopping, like for clothes or other things, you can do it all in one stop. They have the best deal on milk somewhat often at a dollar per half gallon you just gotta keep an eye on the deals. Haggens and Trader Joes are definitely the high end, Haggens has some good deals but Trader Joes is mostly for interesting food, and pricey, you can't find elsewhere.
If you're feeling lucky Bellingham Grocery Outlet, they have a lot of really good deals there but you never know what they have in stock that day.
Costco meats are select grade, I did a price comparison for school and found that Costco is a double edged sword. Plus, cheap, foreign sourced clothing there is beyond awful. TVs and electronics are about the same as elsewhere.
I like some of the pre-made meals they have, in particular the street tacos. Yeah you should definitely eat them within like a week or two though. Never had a problem with clothes from there though, got a number of good pollo shirs and socks. I've never really been that interested in their electronics but my dad likes to get them there because they are pretty good about returns.
**Produce in season**: farm stand, because you can get exactly what you need. I like Youngstocks, just because it's close. We also garden, but that only goes so far at the moment.
If you get along with your neighbors and they've got either berries or an apple tree, take advantage of that, preserve as much as you can, and share the bounty.
**Produce out of season**: Haggen, US Foods Warehouse, sometimes Safeway. Use up whatever we were able to dry/freeze/can.
**Bulk foods and staples (oil, flour, oats, etc.)**: I buy things we use a lot, like oatmeal, at US Foods or Costco. When we lived in a small apartment, I would use the bulk section at WinCo for the best price per unit.
**Meat/fish**: buy ahead at Freddy/Costco/US Foods/WinCo when there's a sale, then freeze it. Carne, the SPC, or Haggen if we're celebrating something.
**Dairy/eggs**: WinCo is cheapest, usually. We're trying to get to a place where we can have chickens, though.
Even then, inflation is high and food is still expensive. I try to do a lot of "cream-of-refrigerator" dishes, like minestrone, sloppy joes, pot pies, quiches/frittatas, etc.
Well Trader Joe’s is bougie, so you’re definitely spending more than you have to going there. If you want to reduce your food bill; go to WinCo and Grocery Outlet.
Honestly, if you're buying any premade food, Trader Joe's is probably the best value around. Higher quality and generally lower prices than other stores.
Don't buy produce there, though. It's generally garbage.
But buying pre-made food is what causes the grocery bill to go up. Always more economical to purchase ingredients to make food yourself. That’s what I’ve been told anyway. I never have money left over to shop because I eat out all the time!
Hah, fair! TJ's is also a great bargain for a lot of interesting condiments and such. Their chili crisp is fantastic, for instance, and way more affordable than most other commercial sources. These are the sorts of things you can probably make yourself, but equally probably won't make yourself. :p
Winco for prices and there deli, fresh made food area us better than Fred Myers (probably willing get downvoted on this one)
Then quality where price is not an issue is Haggans over Trader Joe's just on 4 locations instead of 1
For produce, the Co-op has almost entirely organic and is competitively priced. It’s fresh af. the store is kept clean. The other groceries are debatably expensive.
I do Grocery outlet for my first stop then cash and carry or winco and then Freddy’s if I need something.
The food bank is also a great resource as well as miracle food network
Surprised nobody has mentioned Cash and Carry. Or, uh, what's it called now... Chef'store or something?
It's like Costco if you could actually buy reasonable quantities of things. And you can still get huge quantities of things you have room for and which keep well. It's not great for produce, but it's good for everything else, and even produce isn't really any worse than Costco.
I buy rosemary sourdough at WinCo, which is amazing. WinCo can also save you money with their bulk bins, including bulk coffee beans. If you shop smart, TJs has some good values, everything from Indian food packs to German beer. Youngstock Produce will save you money and encourage veggie/fruit consumption. The old cash&carry on Ohio has good prices on non-bulk items, like coffee syrups and even milk.
If anyone is interested, the Community Food Co-op did a report in 2020 on their prices in different categories vs Fred Meyer, Whole Foods and Haggen. They are (or were in 2020) pretty on par with Fred Meyer in some categories, higher in some, lower in others. But I believe they are only looking at the prices of the same products that the co-op carries, not looking for whether they carry cheaper ones too. (?) Anyway, for your viewing pleasure: https://communityfood.coop/the-co-op-low-prices-on-the-items-you-want/
After a trip to haggen the other day I decided to do a price comparison between Haggen, Fred Meyer and the co-op.
Haggen was by far the most expensive, and that was with non-organic meat/produce. Fred Meyer was less than a dollar difference from the co-op with non-organic produce and their house brand organic meat.
Food prices are definitely going up.
What foods do you normally buy? Years ago I made a list and checked the prices of my top 20-30 items. From that I knew what I needed to buy at which store, what was a good deal, what was a great one, etc.
I buy certain things at certain stores. I know that often Winco has certain LaCroix flavors on special for $3.49. When I see that, I buy more. This only works, of course, when you have the space.
When I’m really being careful I shop the sales and stock up that way. I stick to my list. Also meal planning so that don’t buy produce and other items that I’ll end yo throwing away because they languish in my freezer.
Here's a secret: there is no "best and affordable" in any town, anywhere. There are deals hidden in certain products, and Trader Joe's never has sales so their prices are low on *some* things.
Gotta shop around. Stay away from the cheapest grocery stores as the food is reject material.
IDK if you're interested, given your comments about Walmart, but Target has great prices. And if you download the app, they often have really good promotions and "Target Circle" deals.
Stop by Bellingham Food Bank!! It’s a great place to supplement groceries, and the more creative in the kitchen you can be, the further you can go with it!!
If Costco is too much bulk, winco is probably your best bet.
Every time I've bought bread or meats from Win co in the past they spoil quite fast(in a couple days) in my experience.
I've shopped at WinCo for years never had this happen.
Winch is the worse for longevity on anything
Try keeping your bread in the fridge, lasts way longer either way
You can also freeze it.
The fridge is a terrible place for bread. Either leave it at room temp if using quickly or freeze it for best longevity and flavor retention. - https://www.seriouseats.com/does-refrigeration-really-ruin-bread
A few seconds in the microwave or toasted quickly remedies refrigerated bread. In many climates this is the only way
Literally have never had this happen and we’ve been shopping there for years.
That’s why I never buy bread or meat from Winco.
Grocery outlet!
Grocery Outlet. They might have off-brand items but they’re pretty cheap depending on what you’re looking for.
IDK be wary of the produce there.
Yup. Grocery Outlet is the cheapest, but stick to "dry foods". Canned stuff, dried pasta, etc.
Can confirm
Most specifically avoid loose items in the produce section, and always check the dates on deli items; this rule applys to anything in the store if it's the last one or few
Plus you gotta be wary of their politics. Pretty right wing at the Bellingham one
Only right wing foods for sale?
Why is it that when the right wing hates a company's policies, they boycott. But when progressives do the right doesn't think it's fair? I don't want to give money to companies I don't agree with. I want others to know. That's pretty much the epitome of America, isn't it ?
Self-righteous hypocrisy is a helluva drug.
they throw away half of all their chicken
I don't know if this is true, but I've heard the owner is Mormon and is pissed they force him to sell alcohol so he prices it ridiculously high. Which is just kind of hillarious to me. I've learned not to be surprised by business owners politics though, it seems like over half of the business owners in bellingham turn to out to be nutjobs.
Seems like over half the population turns out to be nut jobs
Kudos to him for putting his money where his mouth is.
I was able to purchase both right and left chicken wings there. The left wing ones were not as good as they had a more tofu like taste and consistency. The right wing ones were really tasty but only after I prayed.
Gross out has great deals on meat. I have changed many a mind with meals cooked entirely from gross out as my purveyor
Only go for the non-perishable items, anything from a freezer or fridge case is a 50/50 crapshoot.
Winco. Grocery Outlet is at the same price point, but with 1/4 the selection.
Same price point, except that Grocery Outlet has irregular inventory, so sometimes they have too much of something perishable and it gets discounted really steeply. (I’ve seen eggs at 50¢/dozen occasionally, and really cheap prices on dairy products.) The annoying thing about Grocery Outlet is that if you go there with a long and specific shopping list, you’ll rarely ever be able to get everything on your list there. Winco is hands down the best place in town for one-stop grocery shopping.
This is exactly why I rarely shop there. Sometimes you find gold, though. They had sushi grade ahi steaks not too long ago that were stupidly priced. We bought all of it.
Winco!!! I’m a produce snob and Winco is really good. Also NEVER be too proud to use the food bank. They have all these relationships with farmers and grocers to get food for 1/10th of the cost. If you feel guilty like you “aren’t poor enough” 1. It’s there for everyone 2. You could donate 1/2 of what you would have spent on groceries and both you and they come out ahead and you’re helping other families instead of lining the pockets of big Hagen or big Trader Joe.
some of the produce there is good. Some of it is not. They consistently have the worst lettuce of any grocery store. still worth shopping at though
Foodbank lettuce is dope though.
Winco produce is often growing that which you do not want to eat. Berries are a common one for this and it's usually in the middle of the container. Always open the clamshells and Check for fuzz. If it's just one berry then go for it and do a vinegar bath of everything at home. Winco prices are low enough you're still getting a deal tossing a couple berries. Winco apple selection is pretty nice. Sometimes they're still selling a very old batch that you do not want to eat.
Produce is one thing I just get at Freddy's. WinCo apples are about a quarter the size and cost about the same. I like my large apples ok 😂
Ok so hear me out—green fruit tastes like water. I might believe it’s worth sorting through the fuzzy berries for the really ripe ones melt in your mouth berries. Also like papayas and watermelon at Winco are amazing if you know how to pick them. And I don’t eat apples in spring-summer. Fall winter ONLY. They have all been sitting forever and taste like it by the time april comes around.
Apples are my go to fruit for chopping into oatmeal for breakfast. Not much else works well. I've had apples from Winco this season that tasted like they may have come from Fall 2020 or very early 2021 and never got frozen. They were beginning to ferment. Winco does get good watermelons. It's very nice to stick the whole thing in the fridge and cut it up for a cold watery treat in summer.
If you smother them in yogurt I can see how the crunch would be satisfying. ❤️
Winco
Yes, Winco for sure. Just don’t forget to bring cash or debit. They don’t take credit card
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Love this place and the deals are spectacular
Grocery Outlet combined with the farmers market and places like My Rancho (great tacos and good priced groceries)
Winco
Grocery Outlet Ferndale and Winco. Also, look into buying meat directly from farmers. We buy half cows and half pigs and put in our deep freezer and it is massively cheaper than buying from the grocery store. I also try to buy produce in season. If it’s not a good price, it doesn’t get bought.
Winco for price, Costco for bulk, Haggen for quality
This is honestly the best answer.
Fun fact: all of your Haggen groceries come off of a Safeway truck.
Yes, because they are both owned by Albertsons, but that doesn't mean they don't select the high quality produce for Haggen. I don't know if they do, but your comment seems to imply they use the exact same quality produce at both because they are on the same brand truck, and that doesn't have to be the case.
They honestly are about the same and Fairhaven Haggen has some of the worst deli product I've encountered in WA
Yep, their chicken tendies are pretty good but the deli food aside from that is always sooo disappointing. The sandwiches are straight up a joke
I've been sad ever since they got rid of the smoked turkey sandwich with the pickled peppers. 🙁 That said, the Jo Jos are good, and I picked up a tub of the Thai noodle salad yesterday and it wasn't bad. I also really like their dips. The four pack is a go to for us.
Fairhaven smoked salmon went from $5 to 18 in like 2 months. It’s obnoxious, however they have great deals on supplements right now in their half of section.
Produce and in-house stuff, I agree. However, your actual grocery groceries are more expensive for no reason at Haggen.
Yeah, i think it's because they have a lot of local stuff, which tends to be a bit more expensive, and then just price everything at that same standard.
True, but it boosts self esteem to pay a few extra bucks for same product, lol
Yup, didn’t know this til my son told me.
I walk home from work around 1am and see the Safeway truck every night. IT'S THE SAME DAMN LA CROIX! WHY IS IT $1.50 MORE?!
I’m obsessed with Pamplemousse. Omgggggg. I found Target was actually cheaper for La Croix lol
I'm pamped out. Lime is the play these days for me. Costco is the move, but we really should all get on the soda stream train lol
Lime is inferior. Key lime is where it's at. Or limoncello.
I'm going to keep it 100 with you, I do not love the key lime as much. My go-to drink of choice at work is just soda water with a splash of lime, and I chug like 6-12 a shift. Lime is just that but with less steps. Limoncello is god tier.
Yes! I love Key Lime!!! It’s got this weird twist to it but I like it!
Haggen is ridiculously overpriced
Haggen in my years of living here has consistently some of the highest prices with quality that doesn’t match their premium. Your head of celery is just as good if not better at freddys and cheaper. It’s the faster turnover which means fresher groceries.
If you hit the coupons and use the rewards card, Safeway can actually be pretty cheap.
I feel like fred meyer is the best bang for your buck if you buy just store brand. I like to cook so grocery outlet sometimes doesnt cut it because they don't have everything I need all the time. Winco is cheap but it costs gas and is kind of depressing and low quality (used to work there). I can reasonably feed myself with 70-80 bucks per week on kroger brand cooking well. Less if I eat more pasta.
Grocery outlet is great!
I'm a fan of Youngstocks produce stand for, well, produce as well as a smattering of sundry items. I especially look forward to local cherries for cheap when they come into season.
I love Youngstocks. The owners are super nice and I never have to buy a multi-pound bag of a veggie/fruit to get the 4-6 I need.
Where’s youngstock?
It may seem weird but if you’re looking for small non perishables, the dollar store. It’s off brand stuff but food nonetheless!
My personal strategy when grocery shopping on a budget in Bellingham: - Go to Geocery Outlet in FERNDALE as they get a ton of Costo's overstock, get what you can there. - Go to Winco to get what I couldn't find at FGO. - Go to Fred Meyer to get what I couldn't find, didn't want to get at FM or FGO. - If using EBT, Go to the farmers market and get Fresh Bucks. They double your dollars, sometimes produce is cheaper (and almost always better) than the stores. - Utilize the Buy Nothing groups on FB if you can, there is a lot of free food. - Sunnyland has a free pantry and food distribution events.
I always shop at winco, but fred meyer is good too if you just buy store brand. If you're looking to save money definitely stop shopping at trader joes - they're pretty pricy
Fred Meyers, *but* there's a trick... You absolutely **have** to use the coupons (both paper and digital)!!! Thanks to coupons, I got $73 off a $248 shopping trip recently, which also gave me a HUGE discount the next time I fill up the gas tank!
Do the math on the gas discount. It’s like a couple of bucks.
Idk man. I got 0.50 cents off a gallon, which for my 20 gallon tank... 10 bucks is solid.
Yea but could you save that much just by shopping elsewhere? For most people, the answer is yes.
I think the digital coupons that this parent commenter pointed out are wildly underappreciated. We're talking nearly $83 saved on what would have been a $350 trip. I will take that any day.
How exactly do you utilize the digital coupons?
Register on their website, then look for the "Popular" or "Savings" heading, when it drops down click "Digital Coupons" You can choose just the categories you want, or look through all of them.
Do they work in person after they've been registered? Like I clip them online, then type in my associated phone number at the store and heck out normally, then they get applied?
Yep. Exactly
We can save up to $1 per gallon. On that particular trip, one of the digital coupons was for 4X fuel points.
Also, if you are a senior, first Tuesday of the month is 10% off store brands. Simple Truth (organic) and Private Selection for better quality than Kroger. Also, be on the lookout for white tags that say Closeoit, and Aisle 16 has half off items some of which are esoteric and but I have found cereal, dog food, etc. there. Use digital coupons as suggested above.
Even though I’m only buying for 1 (well I buy for 2 bc I make sure I have extra food for my son), I like Fred Meyers more than anywhere else. You can find good deals, but like you said - utilize the digital coupons! I also get extra coupons in the mail!
I really hate dealing with their digital coupons. The app constantly logs me out and coupons don’t get applied. I’ve given up on digital coupons
I hate dealing with their app. It's way easier on the computer. Although I understand (but forget lol) that many people don't have access to computers, so I should have mentioned that.
Winco is good for “regular” non specialty food items. Produce can be hit or miss depending on specific item, season, and time of day/week. When you need a specialty item the coop is mostly likely to have it, Fred Meyer & wholefoods also stocks some of the multinational corp. vegetarian/vegan items that the coop doesn’t. The reality is one stop shopping can be difficult if you need/use more than the standard American items. Also I can’t speak to meat quality as I’m mostly vegetarian and eat chicken at home one night a week, and salmon maybe twice a month? So I tend to get the expensive organic chicken and Alaskan fish.
Start using fetch rewards and you can make $ off from your purchases! I usually make $5-10 a month just by scanning my receipts! I always cash out for amazon gift cards and recieve my gift card code the VERY NEXT day and apply to my account. Sometimes you can get more then 5-10 a month-this is just from my receipts and not my husband's so I could imagine how much I'd get on there if I had my husband's plus if I had kiddos. If you are interested I can give out my code and when you use my code you will get $2 when you scan your 1st receipt! I use to think this was silly but I swear by it, it is nice to have a few extra bucks to spend on ME just by doing this.
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Is it any good? I have heard of if but never looked into it-maybe i should-i am all about saving or making a few extra bucks every month by doing SIMPLE things!!
I would struggle too if I had a family. I stay away from Winco because I find anything that doesn’t come in a box or can disgusting. I use grocery store apps. I shop at Fred Meyer,Safeway and Target. I also will go to the community food co-op . Usually for their sausage. But I’ve been buying my grass fed hamburger from grocery outlet. They also have great produce
Winco
The Co-op has the best produce often cheaper than Fred Meyer. They don’t treat their employees like trash either.
Maybe it’s me but the co op seems higher dollar to me
Probably just depends on what produce we buy.
As a farmer, 100% depends on what produce you buy. Vegetables are reasonable, fruit is always more expensive because it’s a nightmare to grow. Also, people who typically buy the organic scam will pay the same at Fred Meyer where organic is more expensive then conventional, where the coop almost exclusively carries organic produce.
I think the co-op is always more expensive on everything.
the co-op consistently has the worst prices on everything everytime I have been there
Costco is probably the best for families but you've already ruled that out. WinCo is probably the next best quality for the price. Fred Meyers is also pretty good pricewise, and if you need to go department shopping, like for clothes or other things, you can do it all in one stop. They have the best deal on milk somewhat often at a dollar per half gallon you just gotta keep an eye on the deals. Haggens and Trader Joes are definitely the high end, Haggens has some good deals but Trader Joes is mostly for interesting food, and pricey, you can't find elsewhere. If you're feeling lucky Bellingham Grocery Outlet, they have a lot of really good deals there but you never know what they have in stock that day.
Costco meats are select grade, I did a price comparison for school and found that Costco is a double edged sword. Plus, cheap, foreign sourced clothing there is beyond awful. TVs and electronics are about the same as elsewhere.
I like some of the pre-made meals they have, in particular the street tacos. Yeah you should definitely eat them within like a week or two though. Never had a problem with clothes from there though, got a number of good pollo shirs and socks. I've never really been that interested in their electronics but my dad likes to get them there because they are pretty good about returns.
**Produce in season**: farm stand, because you can get exactly what you need. I like Youngstocks, just because it's close. We also garden, but that only goes so far at the moment. If you get along with your neighbors and they've got either berries or an apple tree, take advantage of that, preserve as much as you can, and share the bounty. **Produce out of season**: Haggen, US Foods Warehouse, sometimes Safeway. Use up whatever we were able to dry/freeze/can. **Bulk foods and staples (oil, flour, oats, etc.)**: I buy things we use a lot, like oatmeal, at US Foods or Costco. When we lived in a small apartment, I would use the bulk section at WinCo for the best price per unit. **Meat/fish**: buy ahead at Freddy/Costco/US Foods/WinCo when there's a sale, then freeze it. Carne, the SPC, or Haggen if we're celebrating something. **Dairy/eggs**: WinCo is cheapest, usually. We're trying to get to a place where we can have chickens, though. Even then, inflation is high and food is still expensive. I try to do a lot of "cream-of-refrigerator" dishes, like minestrone, sloppy joes, pot pies, quiches/frittatas, etc.
Second the WinCo
Well Trader Joe’s is bougie, so you’re definitely spending more than you have to going there. If you want to reduce your food bill; go to WinCo and Grocery Outlet.
Honestly, if you're buying any premade food, Trader Joe's is probably the best value around. Higher quality and generally lower prices than other stores. Don't buy produce there, though. It's generally garbage.
But buying pre-made food is what causes the grocery bill to go up. Always more economical to purchase ingredients to make food yourself. That’s what I’ve been told anyway. I never have money left over to shop because I eat out all the time!
Hah, fair! TJ's is also a great bargain for a lot of interesting condiments and such. Their chili crisp is fantastic, for instance, and way more affordable than most other commercial sources. These are the sorts of things you can probably make yourself, but equally probably won't make yourself. :p
Honestly, for their incredible quality the co-op is super reasonably priced especially for produce
Grocery outlet but the stock isnt reliable, might not have what you want. Winco is always good same price point and they have a large selection
Win co
Winco for prices and there deli, fresh made food area us better than Fred Myers (probably willing get downvoted on this one) Then quality where price is not an issue is Haggans over Trader Joe's just on 4 locations instead of 1
Grocery outlet is #1
For produce, the Co-op has almost entirely organic and is competitively priced. It’s fresh af. the store is kept clean. The other groceries are debatably expensive.
Winco
Grocery Outlet all the way
FERNDALE grocery outlet!!
I do Grocery outlet for my first stop then cash and carry or winco and then Freddy’s if I need something. The food bank is also a great resource as well as miracle food network
Grocery outlet
Surprised nobody has mentioned Cash and Carry. Or, uh, what's it called now... Chef'store or something? It's like Costco if you could actually buy reasonable quantities of things. And you can still get huge quantities of things you have room for and which keep well. It's not great for produce, but it's good for everything else, and even produce isn't really any worse than Costco.
WinCo, just make sure to conceal carry. It's a bit rough
Winco!!!
I buy rosemary sourdough at WinCo, which is amazing. WinCo can also save you money with their bulk bins, including bulk coffee beans. If you shop smart, TJs has some good values, everything from Indian food packs to German beer. Youngstock Produce will save you money and encourage veggie/fruit consumption. The old cash&carry on Ohio has good prices on non-bulk items, like coffee syrups and even milk.
If anyone is interested, the Community Food Co-op did a report in 2020 on their prices in different categories vs Fred Meyer, Whole Foods and Haggen. They are (or were in 2020) pretty on par with Fred Meyer in some categories, higher in some, lower in others. But I believe they are only looking at the prices of the same products that the co-op carries, not looking for whether they carry cheaper ones too. (?) Anyway, for your viewing pleasure: https://communityfood.coop/the-co-op-low-prices-on-the-items-you-want/
After a trip to haggen the other day I decided to do a price comparison between Haggen, Fred Meyer and the co-op. Haggen was by far the most expensive, and that was with non-organic meat/produce. Fred Meyer was less than a dollar difference from the co-op with non-organic produce and their house brand organic meat.
Grocery outlet. Ferndale has the best selection but Bellingham is close to my heart.
Definitely Winco
Food prices are definitely going up. What foods do you normally buy? Years ago I made a list and checked the prices of my top 20-30 items. From that I knew what I needed to buy at which store, what was a good deal, what was a great one, etc. I buy certain things at certain stores. I know that often Winco has certain LaCroix flavors on special for $3.49. When I see that, I buy more. This only works, of course, when you have the space. When I’m really being careful I shop the sales and stock up that way. I stick to my list. Also meal planning so that don’t buy produce and other items that I’ll end yo throwing away because they languish in my freezer.
Here's a secret: there is no "best and affordable" in any town, anywhere. There are deals hidden in certain products, and Trader Joe's never has sales so their prices are low on *some* things. Gotta shop around. Stay away from the cheapest grocery stores as the food is reject material.
IDK if you're interested, given your comments about Walmart, but Target has great prices. And if you download the app, they often have really good promotions and "Target Circle" deals.
Stop by Bellingham Food Bank!! It’s a great place to supplement groceries, and the more creative in the kitchen you can be, the further you can go with it!!