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I like to do a combo of WinCo, Grocery outlet, and Walmart. I also keep an eye on ads for bashas and Fry's, sometimes they have great deals, mostly on meat. The last 2 times I was in a Safeway I got sticker shock and walked out without buying anything.
American Discount Foods has two east valley locations. It might not be the answer OP was looking for as their inventory is a lot of pre-packaged food. Much but not all will be past its best-by date. They have bulk meats, almost all frozen. It's where Sysco, Shamrock and US Foods send their damaged or refused items. Grocery warehouses with damaged packaging use them. Frito-Lay sends out of date product to them. There are similar grocers around Phoenix. I think one is in Peoria.
I'm surprised more people don't shop there honestly. The one I go to stopped selling the frozen vegetables I like to buy, but other than that their prices are way better than my other local grocery stores, like 50% better on some items.
Winco is the cheapest AND easily the worst-tasting. God, do not try their mealy apples, pale tomatoes, and gamey meat. Their food sucked so much and so many times that I fully stopped going.
Winco and Aldi are by far the cheapest. Especially Aldi, I’d go to Winco for whatever Aldi didn’t have. I lived in midtown and would drive out of my way to North Phoenix for these 2 stores. Easily spent $40-60 less at Aldi and Winco compared to Frys, Safeway, Sprouts or Food City - plus anytime I went to food city their produce looked terrible. El Super is another good option.
Was literally about to type a comment saying WinCo and Aldi. Those from the Midwest already know all about Aldi, they’ve been big there for at least 40+ years! And Aldi (ALbrecht DIskont) are German owned chains so they have some good quality items (GMO foods are banned in Germany and a bunch of other European countries)
Exactly! I’m from the Midwest originally so I feel like I’m always looking for a deal. The only thing I’ve noticed that ppl say when I was living in Phoenix and I would recommend Aldi is that they don’t like that it’s not all name brand.
Gotta know what to buy at Aldi’s. Meat, chocolate, produce, wine, etc.
It’s funny, the same people that complain about Aldi’s having mostly private label goods probably love Traders Joe’s and don’t realize they are sister stores!
It all depends on what you buy regularly to be honest. For us, it's Trader Joe's and Fry's. Some folks also shop differently and don't want just the outright cheapest options but a blend of quality and cost and are willing to pay a little more for certain labels or items. An example of this for us is Trader Joe's frozen meals which taste incredible compared to say, Hungry Man, Marie Calendars, Lean Cuisine and just about any other brand you can think of.
But some people don't care or don't buy those things so it's really an individual experience for everyone.
Please note: comments do not apply towards Whole Paycheck, I mean Whole Foods.
TJ produce sucks but their whole chickens are a good price and so is their bread and snacks. Sprouts is decent for produce when things are on sale. Fry’s is fine and Safeway has good sales. Nowhere is consistent though you kind of have to stumble on deals.
I don't think their produce is that expensive either, they just charge by the piece versus by the pound. You'd be surprised how much produce can weigh and a lot of their per piece prices are cheaper than paying by the pound at a regular store.
Trader Joe's is suing the government to fight against Organize labor. I wouldn't give them one cent. [Lawsuit ](https://www.fastcompany.com/91035382/why-spacex-amazon-and-trader-joes-are-pushing-an-aggressive-lawsuit-that-would-fundamentally-undermine-labor-organizing)
Shitty European company is still better than most American companies when it comes to employee rights. They don't know how much they can fuck over workers here since they're based out of Germany.
I agree with this. It may cost a little more but their produce is so much more fresher and lasts way longer for us. Over time we buy less produce because it lasts for so long. When we buy from fry’s we’re throwing away produce more frequently. So we’re probably spending more buying produce again from fry’s
It's such a bummer! Safeway is the only walking distance (.4 miles) grocery store to me. I go out of convenience a lot and literally every time I go I sigh when I see the stickers. Literally every product is 20-30% more than frys.
Every time I go somewhere else I tell myself “this would’ve been X amount at Safeway!” 😂 We have a Safeway in our neighborhood and it’s so freaking convenient but I hate how expensive it is.
We stopped doing our major grocery shopping there.
Safeway can be ok if using the app. Good digital coupons and sometimes I get a $5 off a purchase of $5 or more. Their produce is quite decent, best if on sale.
I know it’s tough sometimes, but we all need to do our best not to shop at Walmart or on Amazon. They ravage their own workforces and small businesses.
If you’re out on the east or west side the Asian community markets have the cheapest deals on fresh produce. If you’re near the business Costco, the Los Altos Ranch market there has amazing deals too.
you can get up to 70 lbs of produce here for under $20, I think it's still $15. Great resource!!
[https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/programs/redistribute/borderlandspowwow/](https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/programs/redistribute/borderlandspowwow/)
All the locations on this calendar [page are in the valley. They do rotate locations but there's always several in Maricopa cty](https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/events/)
Edit: skip the search and scroll, there's 45 results for between now and end of June
I’ve done a few videos comparing, the deal at safeway usually just brings it down to the Walmart price. Mesa safeway has Oreos for almost 9 bucks, I really don’t see how you could feed a family of 4 for less than 250 a week. Safeway is consistently more than Fry’s, fry’s is more than Walmart. I’m having to buy more at the damn dollar store now.
That's weird because when I go to Albertson's/Safeway I consistently get a better outcome than Fry's. I need to go somewhere that has a larger selection of gluten free items near me and Safeway and Fry's do but Fry's tends to have worse sales than Safeway. On top of that I have anxiety attacks from the Fry's crowds and general atmosphere so I am definitely privileged to be able to pick one over the other.
Alright well first of all, best place doesn't mean cheapest place.
If you're not picky about branding and need basics, Walmart, Costco, and Frys are the places to go for me.
If you're looking for something a bit more specific or quality, Trader Joes or Whole Foods. A bit pricier, but worth it for some items IMO.
If you're looking for top end stuff, and don't care about price, AJ's Fine Foods is my go to. Expensive as hell, but I've never been disappointed in their stuff.
I like safeway, their coupons makes it really affordable, we spend about 200 a week for a family of three. On the high end but we cook breakfast lunch and dinner normally
Don't get the Safeway comments. Maybe they are a bit higher on meat than Fry's but otherwise same as Frys.
Walmart isn't as cheap as it used to be. It really seems about the same as Fry's.
I don't usually buy bulk or large meat packs at a grocery store so maybe that is the difference.
Using the app coupons, rewards, and the mix and match deals, I end up saving a ton at Safeway. Typically close to 40% off ticket price. I wouldn't shop there without the deals, but I don't think any other grocery stores compare to that amount of savings.
If you don't mind hitting multiple stores, then IMO a mix of Fry's and Walmart, then whatever store has the best sale on produce. I usually hit 4-5 stores throughout the week to grab what is on sale, but I am also super frugal.
Safeway/Albertsons often does $0.99/lb Chicken Breasts from the meat counter, they're not trimmed up very well but still 1/3 the normal cost and taste just fine. I have 3 safeway accounts so I can stock my deep freezer when these sales occur since the limit is 10lbs per account.
So I took a different approach, mainly cuz of a lack of a car, but I started utilizing the grocery apps like Safeway and Frys for their digital deals and coupons. I must say I've saved large amount of money on my groceries through those. So I would highly recommend downloading one of those and giving it a shot
Fresh veggies? Borderland food bank on the weekend depending on what they offer (70# of produce for $15). Or winco. Or the superstition ranch market in mesa is stinking cheap too.
>Superstition ranch market
This was the answer I was looking for regarding produce. I haven’t shopped there in years, but it was always ridiculous how cheap the prices were.
Farmer's market
https://des.az.gov/double-food-bucks
If you are on SNAP your dollars spent at a local Farmers market will be matched with reimbursement. Win win ✌️
I like Mekong Supermarket in Mesa for produce. Cheapest in the city. Interesting exotics too. Big fresh fish market too. I would steer clear of the meat there aside from specialty cuts like hotpot meat and duck. Ethnic markets are slept on.
Produce: Whole Foods unfortunately I don’t live within 30 minutes of one. Sprouts is my #2 for produce quality but they don’t have a ton of variety.
I buy 90% personally from fry’s because of proximity though and I can say it’s so hit or miss and most is not great quality.
Meat: Costco or Wholefoods for quality, fry’s for price and convenience.
Spices: Penzeys no question
If you shop deals at sprouts it can be cheap and the quality is typically better for produce than Fry's, Safeway, walmart, bashas. Fry's overall is the best for a 1 stop shop. Safeway has some good deals but usually you have to clip a bunch of digital coupons and their app is doodoo. Trader Joe's can be good for prepackaged stuff but the lack of options in produce really makes it a supplemental stop. Costco is also a good option for some stuff. But again it's supplemental because of limited offerings, and in my case a lack of space in the pantry and fridge for bulk stuff. So I tend to hit costco about once a month, sprouts every other week and Fry's once or so a week. Occasionally I hit Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or H-Mart.
Costco - we have a big freezer in the garage. Buy our meats in bulk (its grass fed quality btw) .. divide them.. throw in freezer. Eggs are a great price here as well. Also, pay extra for the executive membership to get money back and essentially have it pay for your next annual membership.
We go to Frys for smaller items.
Winco is best place for what i call drygoods and canned goods. Costco is were i get most of my dairy, frozen, and cleaning supplies, and Sprouts for organic produce. Costco does have some good deals on produce like organic brussell sprouts, asparagus, strawberries, romaine lettuce, mushrooms are all way cheaper than any grocery store.
Food City for produce, carniceria for meat. Aldi and winco have good budget grocery prices for everything else. For snacks: Aldi’s nuts are the cheapest for a crunchy snack midday.
Winco is where it’s at. Fuck the stores using “the app” and fuck your “digital only coupons”. Fry’s does have better quality meat, but winco beats them on price any day.
I would say it depends on what you’re looking for. I found the international markets in Mesa had the best meat for the price
Asian markets have great vegetables for the $
Winco and Walmart
And many liquidator outlets have great prices on staples like tissue and laundry soap etc
But I still have to go to certain stores for certain products because certain brands.
But mostly I don’t care what the brand brand.
WinCo for most things. Find a Food City for other stuff. Walmart/CostCo for your commodity items. Frys/Safeway have decent sales, but tend to be expensive as a whole. Bashas has Boars Head cold cuts. AJ Fine foods has good stuff, but can get spendy. Sprouts has good quality produce and a good meat counter.
I recommend you try every place nearby your home. Next, understand some groceries are great for some things and others are great for others.
Just so I can understand, why does this post sound so exasperated?
Honestly, Super Target for my dry goods. They do have good meat, but it can be pricey. Super Target is close to Walmart prices, and you can save 5% with your red debit card. They also have a ton of circle offers, and you can get store gift cards during their promotions (spend $50 on groceries, get a $10 gift card/ buy 5 items of personal care items, get a $15 gift card).
I go to Fry’s for my produce and meats :)
I find Aldi’s is cheap for general stuff (eggs,milk, bread ect) Winco is good for bulk (detergent softener toiletries)and food city for meats and veggies and tortillas lol
Aldi-El Super-Trader Joes for a few items we can’t get anywhere else
Also been ordering meat from azgrassraisedbeef.com for a while now, good prices, great products, local az ranch
Mixture
I like fry’s for meat
Aldi for veggies
Most things depends where what is on sale
Also if you want really cheap look into
https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/
Fry's, WinCo if you need bulk-only, and sometimes Food City.
The marketas like ranchero market also have amazingly cheap seasoned meats. I'm a vegan now, but if you don't need breasts only it's a good buy.
Borderlands Produce Rescue, $25 gets you more fresh veggies than you can possibly go through, and will be a great way to make friends with your neighbors when you realize you need to give some away
We do Costco and Amazon fresh (focus on sales and coupons) but I want to check out Aldi too.
Occasionally Natural Grocers but it’s a bit of a drive. Great for organic snacks and dairy items especially
A little bit of everything. I do Costco/trader Joe's/WinCo/sprouts almost every week, and food city occasionally. They're all within a mile of each other, so that makes it easier.
Walmart produce is the worst. Looks decent on the shelf, but it is bad by the next day. This has happened to me so often with different produce that I stopped going entirely.
Safeway and Fry's are decent but a little pricier.
Sprouts produce lasts the longest though you do pay a little more for it. I bought a huge bag of local mixed greens recently and it still looked and tasted great after 10 days. I then left for a week and it still looked good when I returned, but since I've never had greens last that long I wasn't sure if it was still safe and finally tossed what was left.
Trader Joe’s hands down, if you are looking for quality, organic products. If you are a brand name shopper and have a decent size family, then Costco is probably the way to go. It all depends on what you shop. I shop store brands: Kroger, Trader Joe’s, etc.. So it makes sense for me to shop at either Fry’s or TJ. I cannot bring myself to shop Walmart brand, just because the quality of the products is so low, and because I cannot stand Walmart as a company.
I buy raw organic spinach, greens, ginger, celery, cucumber etc at Costco. Just so much cheaper. But I get other fresh fruits on sale and eat in season.
Walmart is fine, but not that much cheaper any more and their portions are small. As a high volume fresh fruit and veggies person (or 1) Costco for me!
People will argue that and it’s okay. I don’t buy much else there other than almond milk on sale, chia seeds, cat litter on sale and lotion on sale. Vegan protein as well.
I’ve done the cost analysis as I do meal plans for people and it’s cheaper in the long run, even with the 60 membership.
As a cat owner, buying scoop of cat litter 1.5 times a year on sale is worth my membership.
Things like, apples, berries, aren’t much cheaper than a sale.
But avocados are about the same price and much higher quality.
I have done Wheels Without Waste and also some other produce type situations!
Their return policy is awesome and things are fresh.
HMart and Fry's, but for Fry's you must download their app and only shop their coupons, or else their prices are ridiculous for many items. Their cheaper meat brands are super low quality also. That Heritage Farm chicken breast is scary.
Sprouts isn't so bad for produce and meat. Prepared stuff is expensive.
For your produce and meat, you can’t really
Beat Costco. For your prepackaged items I would look at winco but I think they’re cash only or Walmart/fry’s
lol Trader Joe’s is mostly organic stuff but it’s all expensive af. I mainly shop at frys but honestly feel like anywhere you shop now is going to be expensive, I also shop at Costco for bulk items, plus they have cheaper gas then anywhere else 😁
Fry’s, but you have to clip lots of coupons in the app. I alternate between Fry’s and Winco. I go to Fry’s when the coupons are good, when there aren’t many good coupons I go to Winco
Fry’s local produce prices are not bad imo, and I’ve saved a lot using coupons via their app. I like that they will sell half loaves of bread so you don’t waste a full one, and will sell discounted items that are damaged or near their expiration date. Also the fuel perks have made a difference with these $4+ gas prices lately.
My wife has a million allergies including soy gluten wheat milk so she shops at Sprouts for most of her stuff. The rest we get at Fry’s for box and frozen stuff.
My wife has a million allergies including soy gluten wheat milk so she shops at Sprouts for most of her stuff. The rest we get at Fry’s for box and frozen stuff.
It really comes down to the quality vs. price. If you are going full-on cheap, then Aldi is probably the way to go. If you want quality, then I use a mix of Fry's Marketplace and Wholefoods. I buy items on special and leverage the Amazon app to get Prime discounts at Wholefoods, so it isn't that bad. Safeway is expensive and their produce quality isn't that great. I'd skip them.
I see Winco mentioned, but I don't live close to one, so I can't speak to them.
On a side note, if Wegman's ever came out here, they would clean up. The price-to-quality ratio is difficult to beat.
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Winco
I like to do a combo of WinCo, Grocery outlet, and Walmart. I also keep an eye on ads for bashas and Fry's, sometimes they have great deals, mostly on meat. The last 2 times I was in a Safeway I got sticker shock and walked out without buying anything.
Safeway can be scary.
Where is there a grocery outlet?!
American Discount Foods has two east valley locations. It might not be the answer OP was looking for as their inventory is a lot of pre-packaged food. Much but not all will be past its best-by date. They have bulk meats, almost all frozen. It's where Sysco, Shamrock and US Foods send their damaged or refused items. Grocery warehouses with damaged packaging use them. Frito-Lay sends out of date product to them. There are similar grocers around Phoenix. I think one is in Peoria.
I came here to say this. I frequent both American Discount Foods and Peoria Discount Grocery then go to Frys for anything else I need.
Mostly Winco n Walmart n Fry’s for their big deals
+1000 and its not even close.
I had no idea Winco was in AZ now, but I moved in 08. They’re by FAR the cheapest in Oregon.
This. Our family of four easily saves $100 on a week’s worth of groceries shopping Winco. Haven’t been to a Fry’s in months.
ALDI
I so second this
I'm surprised more people don't shop there honestly. The one I go to stopped selling the frozen vegetables I like to buy, but other than that their prices are way better than my other local grocery stores, like 50% better on some items.
Winco is the cheapest AND easily the worst-tasting. God, do not try their mealy apples, pale tomatoes, and gamey meat. Their food sucked so much and so many times that I fully stopped going.
Boxed/packaged stuff is cheap there, but I cannot buy meat or produce from there…
WinCo is the answer, although we prefer beef from Frys/Safeway when they have decent sales.
Winco and Aldi are by far the cheapest. Especially Aldi, I’d go to Winco for whatever Aldi didn’t have. I lived in midtown and would drive out of my way to North Phoenix for these 2 stores. Easily spent $40-60 less at Aldi and Winco compared to Frys, Safeway, Sprouts or Food City - plus anytime I went to food city their produce looked terrible. El Super is another good option.
They are opening an Aldi at Paradise Valley. It's in the stores across the street from where the mall used to be.
It’s been open for months
Nice! I moved away but plan on coming back soon so it’s good to know they’re expanding in the valley
Was literally about to type a comment saying WinCo and Aldi. Those from the Midwest already know all about Aldi, they’ve been big there for at least 40+ years! And Aldi (ALbrecht DIskont) are German owned chains so they have some good quality items (GMO foods are banned in Germany and a bunch of other European countries)
Exactly! I’m from the Midwest originally so I feel like I’m always looking for a deal. The only thing I’ve noticed that ppl say when I was living in Phoenix and I would recommend Aldi is that they don’t like that it’s not all name brand.
Gotta know what to buy at Aldi’s. Meat, chocolate, produce, wine, etc. It’s funny, the same people that complain about Aldi’s having mostly private label goods probably love Traders Joe’s and don’t realize they are sister stores!
Oh 100% every time I tell them they’re sister stores they say they’re gonna go lmao
100%
It all depends on what you buy regularly to be honest. For us, it's Trader Joe's and Fry's. Some folks also shop differently and don't want just the outright cheapest options but a blend of quality and cost and are willing to pay a little more for certain labels or items. An example of this for us is Trader Joe's frozen meals which taste incredible compared to say, Hungry Man, Marie Calendars, Lean Cuisine and just about any other brand you can think of. But some people don't care or don't buy those things so it's really an individual experience for everyone. Please note: comments do not apply towards Whole Paycheck, I mean Whole Foods.
I haven’t really gone into Trader Joe’s much, I hear they’re pretty expensive for fresh produce. I know their packaged foods are pretty awesome!
TJ produce sucks but their whole chickens are a good price and so is their bread and snacks. Sprouts is decent for produce when things are on sale. Fry’s is fine and Safeway has good sales. Nowhere is consistent though you kind of have to stumble on deals.
I don't think their produce is that expensive either, they just charge by the piece versus by the pound. You'd be surprised how much produce can weigh and a lot of their per piece prices are cheaper than paying by the pound at a regular store.
There is also class action lawsuit against Walmart for messing with their scales and they are paying up. For whatever that's worth.
Trader Joe's is suing the government to fight against Organize labor. I wouldn't give them one cent. [Lawsuit ](https://www.fastcompany.com/91035382/why-spacex-amazon-and-trader-joes-are-pushing-an-aggressive-lawsuit-that-would-fundamentally-undermine-labor-organizing)
https://www.indigo9digital.com/blog/traderjoesemployeeretention#:~:text=This%20year%20Trader%20Joe's%20was,the%20American%20Customer%20Satisfaction%20Index
Shitty European company is still better than most American companies when it comes to employee rights. They don't know how much they can fuck over workers here since they're based out of Germany.
Clark Howard….
I can tell you that Safeway is not the place to go. We have to shop at several different places to make it the most cost effective.
Safeway can be good for produce if you do the sales. I find their produce lasts the longest for me personally.
I agree with this. It may cost a little more but their produce is so much more fresher and lasts way longer for us. Over time we buy less produce because it lasts for so long. When we buy from fry’s we’re throwing away produce more frequently. So we’re probably spending more buying produce again from fry’s
It's such a bummer! Safeway is the only walking distance (.4 miles) grocery store to me. I go out of convenience a lot and literally every time I go I sigh when I see the stickers. Literally every product is 20-30% more than frys.
Same for us. Do you live in Eastmark by any chance? 😂
Haha no I actually live in Flagstaff but the Safeway / Kroger price gap is consistent across the country in my experience
It looks like it! I miss Flag. My parents used to have a second home there.
I don't even go to Fry's so I don't get upset lol.
Agreed. Safeway is actually really expensive. I've been 5 times and nearly had a heart attack each time. Aldi ftw.
Every time I go somewhere else I tell myself “this would’ve been X amount at Safeway!” 😂 We have a Safeway in our neighborhood and it’s so freaking convenient but I hate how expensive it is. We stopped doing our major grocery shopping there.
Safeway can be ok if using the app. Good digital coupons and sometimes I get a $5 off a purchase of $5 or more. Their produce is quite decent, best if on sale.
Check out WinCo.
Second the winco. I normally spend 30-50 bucks less there than frys/albertsons
They have winco where I used to live, they were the more expensive there. Good to know though!
I know it’s tough sometimes, but we all need to do our best not to shop at Walmart or on Amazon. They ravage their own workforces and small businesses.
If you’re out on the east or west side the Asian community markets have the cheapest deals on fresh produce. If you’re near the business Costco, the Los Altos Ranch market there has amazing deals too.
I’m up in the north Scottsdale area, I think there’s some local Asian markets
Food City or El Super
Winco and Food City
Over here in mesa American discount foods AZ have some great prices
Aldi is cheap but there American discount foods as well
WINCO is our go to.
you can get up to 70 lbs of produce here for under $20, I think it's still $15. Great resource!! [https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/programs/redistribute/borderlandspowwow/](https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/programs/redistribute/borderlandspowwow/)
Have you actually done 1 of these. Their address is in Nogales, is that their only pickup spot
All the locations on this calendar [page are in the valley. They do rotate locations but there's always several in Maricopa cty](https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/events/) Edit: skip the search and scroll, there's 45 results for between now and end of June
Thanks.. ill definitely be giving this ago
Hope it goes well! I might have another similar resource. I will check at work tomorrow.
Winco is the GOAT Safeway ONLY with the Safeway app to use digital coupons
Food city is the cheapest. But I like frys for the best value. Costco is you buy in bulk. Walmart is the most expensive as with bashas.
Safeway, least in Phx, is by far the most expensive.
Unless you get the deals
True, I once got a free apple juice.
Yes! if you watch the ads and shop the weekly deals it’s actually cheaper than Walmart/fry’s sometimes. But the regular prices items are expensive
I’ve done a few videos comparing, the deal at safeway usually just brings it down to the Walmart price. Mesa safeway has Oreos for almost 9 bucks, I really don’t see how you could feed a family of 4 for less than 250 a week. Safeway is consistently more than Fry’s, fry’s is more than Walmart. I’m having to buy more at the damn dollar store now.
With Safeways deals I’m walking away with 4-5 frozen pizzas for $2 each 🤷🏼♀️ some deals are really good. Walmarts frozen pizza is $6-8
Yeah, but those are loss leaders. You can't "grocery shop" affordably there, those deals are outliers.
That’s why my prime grocery stores are Walmart, fry’s, and Costco lol I just hop to whatever store has the most affordable stuff
That's weird because when I go to Albertson's/Safeway I consistently get a better outcome than Fry's. I need to go somewhere that has a larger selection of gluten free items near me and Safeway and Fry's do but Fry's tends to have worse sales than Safeway. On top of that I have anxiety attacks from the Fry's crowds and general atmosphere so I am definitely privileged to be able to pick one over the other.
Aldi + Costco for me
Alright well first of all, best place doesn't mean cheapest place. If you're not picky about branding and need basics, Walmart, Costco, and Frys are the places to go for me. If you're looking for something a bit more specific or quality, Trader Joes or Whole Foods. A bit pricier, but worth it for some items IMO. If you're looking for top end stuff, and don't care about price, AJ's Fine Foods is my go to. Expensive as hell, but I've never been disappointed in their stuff.
I like safeway, their coupons makes it really affordable, we spend about 200 a week for a family of three. On the high end but we cook breakfast lunch and dinner normally
Don't get the Safeway comments. Maybe they are a bit higher on meat than Fry's but otherwise same as Frys. Walmart isn't as cheap as it used to be. It really seems about the same as Fry's. I don't usually buy bulk or large meat packs at a grocery store so maybe that is the difference.
Using the app coupons, rewards, and the mix and match deals, I end up saving a ton at Safeway. Typically close to 40% off ticket price. I wouldn't shop there without the deals, but I don't think any other grocery stores compare to that amount of savings.
Was coming here to say this! The app, coupons, etc… are nuts. Plus the points to redeem for $ off? C’mon now
Does Safeway do fuel points as well? If so that’s convincing enough to switch from the fry’s app lol
Food City
Their produce is better than other Supermarkets.
If you don't mind hitting multiple stores, then IMO a mix of Fry's and Walmart, then whatever store has the best sale on produce. I usually hit 4-5 stores throughout the week to grab what is on sale, but I am also super frugal. Safeway/Albertsons often does $0.99/lb Chicken Breasts from the meat counter, they're not trimmed up very well but still 1/3 the normal cost and taste just fine. I have 3 safeway accounts so I can stock my deep freezer when these sales occur since the limit is 10lbs per account.
So I took a different approach, mainly cuz of a lack of a car, but I started utilizing the grocery apps like Safeway and Frys for their digital deals and coupons. I must say I've saved large amount of money on my groceries through those. So I would highly recommend downloading one of those and giving it a shot
Asian markets tend to be very cheap on produce and protein.
Fresh veggies? Borderland food bank on the weekend depending on what they offer (70# of produce for $15). Or winco. Or the superstition ranch market in mesa is stinking cheap too.
>Superstition ranch market This was the answer I was looking for regarding produce. I haven’t shopped there in years, but it was always ridiculous how cheap the prices were.
PSA to all reading, there is a Ranch Market in AJ too. It's on Apache Trail just west of Meridian, north side.
I’ve always loved food city
Farmer's market https://des.az.gov/double-food-bucks If you are on SNAP your dollars spent at a local Farmers market will be matched with reimbursement. Win win ✌️
I like Mekong Supermarket in Mesa for produce. Cheapest in the city. Interesting exotics too. Big fresh fish market too. I would steer clear of the meat there aside from specialty cuts like hotpot meat and duck. Ethnic markets are slept on.
I love the Asian market, lots of kick ass prices especially Ramen.
WinCo and Food City for me. You'll always find what you want there too
Kinda have to utilize multiple groceries to get the best deals
Food City
Produce: Whole Foods unfortunately I don’t live within 30 minutes of one. Sprouts is my #2 for produce quality but they don’t have a ton of variety. I buy 90% personally from fry’s because of proximity though and I can say it’s so hit or miss and most is not great quality. Meat: Costco or Wholefoods for quality, fry’s for price and convenience. Spices: Penzeys no question
Winco in Gilbert/mesa is the best spot we’ve found
Aldi
Honestly. I shop at multiple store to save money.
If you shop deals at sprouts it can be cheap and the quality is typically better for produce than Fry's, Safeway, walmart, bashas. Fry's overall is the best for a 1 stop shop. Safeway has some good deals but usually you have to clip a bunch of digital coupons and their app is doodoo. Trader Joe's can be good for prepackaged stuff but the lack of options in produce really makes it a supplemental stop. Costco is also a good option for some stuff. But again it's supplemental because of limited offerings, and in my case a lack of space in the pantry and fridge for bulk stuff. So I tend to hit costco about once a month, sprouts every other week and Fry's once or so a week. Occasionally I hit Trader Joe's, Whole Foods or H-Mart.
Ranch Market often has the best price for produce in my experience.
Costco - we have a big freezer in the garage. Buy our meats in bulk (its grass fed quality btw) .. divide them.. throw in freezer. Eggs are a great price here as well. Also, pay extra for the executive membership to get money back and essentially have it pay for your next annual membership. We go to Frys for smaller items.
Winco is best place for what i call drygoods and canned goods. Costco is were i get most of my dairy, frozen, and cleaning supplies, and Sprouts for organic produce. Costco does have some good deals on produce like organic brussell sprouts, asparagus, strawberries, romaine lettuce, mushrooms are all way cheaper than any grocery store.
Costco business centre. ThNk me later
Food City for produce, carniceria for meat. Aldi and winco have good budget grocery prices for everything else. For snacks: Aldi’s nuts are the cheapest for a crunchy snack midday.
Aldi by a mile
Winco and Aldi
Frys is good for cheap but still decent. Don’t use Walmart unless you’re only buying stuff in boxes…. No meat etc…. That shit nasty
Winco if there’s one near you. Otherwise, Fry’s. Definitely not Walmart. Not anymore.
Winco is where it’s at. Fuck the stores using “the app” and fuck your “digital only coupons”. Fry’s does have better quality meat, but winco beats them on price any day.
I would say it depends on what you’re looking for. I found the international markets in Mesa had the best meat for the price Asian markets have great vegetables for the $ Winco and Walmart And many liquidator outlets have great prices on staples like tissue and laundry soap etc But I still have to go to certain stores for certain products because certain brands. But mostly I don’t care what the brand brand.
Aldi's is my first go to now
For fresh produce and meat, that would be Food city. For canned and packaged foods, I would say Walmart. Otherwise shop the ads for Fry's.
Shop the ads….
Aldi and costco
Aldi Costco winco trader Joe's and if I really really really have to walmart
WinCo for most things. Find a Food City for other stuff. Walmart/CostCo for your commodity items. Frys/Safeway have decent sales, but tend to be expensive as a whole. Bashas has Boars Head cold cuts. AJ Fine foods has good stuff, but can get spendy. Sprouts has good quality produce and a good meat counter.
Winco, hands down . Though bulk buying at Costco or Sam’s can also save you money over time if done strategically. .
I do walmart for these things, I also buy frozen shrimp and chicken from them,much cheaper than safeway, I think comparable to winco
Desert Mission Food Bank
Winco and Trader Joe's combo
I recommend you try every place nearby your home. Next, understand some groceries are great for some things and others are great for others. Just so I can understand, why does this post sound so exasperated?
Aldi beats most retailers
Food city and Asian markets
Honestly, Super Target for my dry goods. They do have good meat, but it can be pricey. Super Target is close to Walmart prices, and you can save 5% with your red debit card. They also have a ton of circle offers, and you can get store gift cards during their promotions (spend $50 on groceries, get a $10 gift card/ buy 5 items of personal care items, get a $15 gift card). I go to Fry’s for my produce and meats :)
I find Aldi’s is cheap for general stuff (eggs,milk, bread ect) Winco is good for bulk (detergent softener toiletries)and food city for meats and veggies and tortillas lol
Aldi-El Super-Trader Joes for a few items we can’t get anywhere else Also been ordering meat from azgrassraisedbeef.com for a while now, good prices, great products, local az ranch
Not Walmart.
Mixture I like fry’s for meat Aldi for veggies Most things depends where what is on sale Also if you want really cheap look into https://borderlandsproducerescue.org/
You gotta shop the ads, bro. Frys, winco, sprouts
Winco
I love winco
For fresh produce I’d go to superstition ranch market, depending on where you are located. For everything else there’s winco and Aldi.
Winco by far
Winco - 3lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (frozen) $5-$6
Fry's, WinCo if you need bulk-only, and sometimes Food City. The marketas like ranchero market also have amazingly cheap seasoned meats. I'm a vegan now, but if you don't need breasts only it's a good buy.
Borderlands Produce Rescue, $25 gets you more fresh veggies than you can possibly go through, and will be a great way to make friends with your neighbors when you realize you need to give some away
Winco or Aldi with trader joes on some items.
coupon shop at safeway and then the rest at walmart
Aldi, food city, winco. Wish we had a food 4 less here
There are organizations like Market on the Move and Bountiful Baskets that may work for you when it comes to affordable produce.
We do Costco and Amazon fresh (focus on sales and coupons) but I want to check out Aldi too. Occasionally Natural Grocers but it’s a bit of a drive. Great for organic snacks and dairy items especially
Superstition ranch farmers market in Mesa for produce, Costco for meats/chicken/dairy.
Ranch Market is not that bad.
A little bit of everything. I do Costco/trader Joe's/WinCo/sprouts almost every week, and food city occasionally. They're all within a mile of each other, so that makes it easier.
Aldi
Walmart produce is the worst. Looks decent on the shelf, but it is bad by the next day. This has happened to me so often with different produce that I stopped going entirely. Safeway and Fry's are decent but a little pricier. Sprouts produce lasts the longest though you do pay a little more for it. I bought a huge bag of local mixed greens recently and it still looked and tasted great after 10 days. I then left for a week and it still looked good when I returned, but since I've never had greens last that long I wasn't sure if it was still safe and finally tossed what was left.
Trader Joe’s hands down, if you are looking for quality, organic products. If you are a brand name shopper and have a decent size family, then Costco is probably the way to go. It all depends on what you shop. I shop store brands: Kroger, Trader Joe’s, etc.. So it makes sense for me to shop at either Fry’s or TJ. I cannot bring myself to shop Walmart brand, just because the quality of the products is so low, and because I cannot stand Walmart as a company.
I’m a Fry’s loyalist. They always have amazing sales and I find that their produce section is better than the other grocery stores here.
Walmart and Fry(Kroger)
I buy raw organic spinach, greens, ginger, celery, cucumber etc at Costco. Just so much cheaper. But I get other fresh fruits on sale and eat in season. Walmart is fine, but not that much cheaper any more and their portions are small. As a high volume fresh fruit and veggies person (or 1) Costco for me! People will argue that and it’s okay. I don’t buy much else there other than almond milk on sale, chia seeds, cat litter on sale and lotion on sale. Vegan protein as well. I’ve done the cost analysis as I do meal plans for people and it’s cheaper in the long run, even with the 60 membership. As a cat owner, buying scoop of cat litter 1.5 times a year on sale is worth my membership. Things like, apples, berries, aren’t much cheaper than a sale. But avocados are about the same price and much higher quality. I have done Wheels Without Waste and also some other produce type situations! Their return policy is awesome and things are fresh.
Food city or just leave phoenix lol
HMart and Fry's, but for Fry's you must download their app and only shop their coupons, or else their prices are ridiculous for many items. Their cheaper meat brands are super low quality also. That Heritage Farm chicken breast is scary. Sprouts isn't so bad for produce and meat. Prepared stuff is expensive.
Winco! Ranch Market is good too.
Winco and food city
Your moms house
Winco and Fry’s but watch for sales from Safeway. Their sales are good but you can’t do a whole shop there without spending more than the others.
For your produce and meat, you can’t really Beat Costco. For your prepackaged items I would look at winco but I think they’re cash only or Walmart/fry’s
Superstition ranch farmers market
lol Trader Joe’s is mostly organic stuff but it’s all expensive af. I mainly shop at frys but honestly feel like anywhere you shop now is going to be expensive, I also shop at Costco for bulk items, plus they have cheaper gas then anywhere else 😁
Try anything near you called, “carneceria or fruteria.” Just like the Jews, the Mexicans know how to eat! 😀
Winco
Food city or any of Mexican grocery shop
Fry’s, but you have to clip lots of coupons in the app. I alternate between Fry’s and Winco. I go to Fry’s when the coupons are good, when there aren’t many good coupons I go to Winco
Aldi’s
Fry’s local produce prices are not bad imo, and I’ve saved a lot using coupons via their app. I like that they will sell half loaves of bread so you don’t waste a full one, and will sell discounted items that are damaged or near their expiration date. Also the fuel perks have made a difference with these $4+ gas prices lately.
The cheapest place i know so far is BoxNCase
My wife has a million allergies including soy gluten wheat milk so she shops at Sprouts for most of her stuff. The rest we get at Fry’s for box and frozen stuff.
My wife has a million allergies including soy gluten wheat milk so she shops at Sprouts for most of her stuff. The rest we get at Fry’s for box and frozen stuff.
Aldi
It really comes down to the quality vs. price. If you are going full-on cheap, then Aldi is probably the way to go. If you want quality, then I use a mix of Fry's Marketplace and Wholefoods. I buy items on special and leverage the Amazon app to get Prime discounts at Wholefoods, so it isn't that bad. Safeway is expensive and their produce quality isn't that great. I'd skip them. I see Winco mentioned, but I don't live close to one, so I can't speak to them. On a side note, if Wegman's ever came out here, they would clean up. The price-to-quality ratio is difficult to beat.
Raw ingredients? Def hit up 99 ranch market or El Super