Shaw's - Groceries, Coupons, Weekly Ad, Recipes and Pharmacy:
http://www.stopandshop.com/
I think it's safe to say that I can lump these two together, since I don't have much to say about them, and I have the same praises/complaints about both.
Shaw's and Stop and Shop, especially the new ones, are nice and big. I love how wide the aisles are; I can easily veer around that family with four screaming kids to get to whatever I'm getting.
What am I getting? Well, at these stores, I promise you, I am only getting things that are on sale. The biggest problem with both of these stores is that if the item is not on sale, I promise you it is more expensive than anywhere else in town. ALSO, in both of these stores, you need to have the "customer card" to get the sale price on any item. This is such a terrible way to treat customers. The only time I go to either of these stores, clean, shiny, and pretty as they are, is when there is something I am need and they are the only stores open, or they are having a deal I can't resist, like four 12-packs of soda for $10.
In both of these stores, the produce and meat are hit-or-miss, and very very expensive. The deli is so expensive at both of these stores, again, I don't see how anyone can afford with a family can afford them unless they only buy what is on sale. I will say that Shaw's fruit has been better in the last few years than it used to be, but the prices have not improved with the quality. Also, and I have absolutely no basis for this, I do not trust their store brands.
I used to shop in a Stop and Shop in CT that was, pretty much, the dirtiest, cheapest, lamest "supermarket" I've ever been to. That always struck me as funny because it was adjacent to a really rich town. But it was really dirty. And old. And the fruit was almost always rotten.
So, again, if you can be bothered to have the customer loyalty card, and only buy what is on sale, go to these stores. Or, if it's midnight and your niece needs contact solution and it's the only store near your house, go ahead and get it there but know you're paying a lot more than you would anywhere else.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Grocery Store Week, pt. 2
Hannaford | Supermarket, Grocery, Coupons, Pharmacy & Recipes | Hannaford:
Hannaford is my "go to." There are lots of reasons for this. Probably the biggest reason is that when I was a kid, the grocery stores all around me were "Shop and Save" stores. Hannaford bought out the chain and so it is the store I have known my whole life and trust.
Hannaford is not the cheapest grocery store. I will say this, though. For the quality of the produce and meat, it is the best deal in town. One of the things I keep my eye on (price-wise) is Chobani Greek Yogurt. Now, come on, this product makes a huge profit. Everyone should know that. And there is absolutely no reason why a 6oz cup of this product should cost more than $1. You can imagine my disappointment when Hannaford recently raised the price of it to $1.19. Come on, Hannaford. That's an unreasonable price. Half-gallons of organic milk are reasonably priced in the store, but the greek yogurt no longer is. And I KNOW that part of the reason for this price point is to increase sales of its store brand. But really.Come on. What else can I say about this.
Also, recently, Hannaford has been promoting their new "100% sustainable fish/seafood" policy. Again, my inner cynic...I don't like this. I feel it's misleading. I don't think there is any way a grocery store can actually enforce this policy, what with so many suppliers in the chain. Secondly, for example, in the fish counter today, all the shrimp was from Thailand. I will admit that I am not the most educated about sustained fishing but I did hear an article recently about the affect of shrimp farming on Thailand's ecological system...so, who is this "sustainable" for?
To say that my opinion of Hannaford has been sullied recently would be accurate. I used to claim this store as my favorite. I have to remember that times change, and maybe being absorbed by a large conglomerate (Delhaize) changed the general philosophy of the brand. Again, a big company more concerned with making profits and saying the right thing rather than looking at the best interests of its customers.
Hannaford is my "go to." There are lots of reasons for this. Probably the biggest reason is that when I was a kid, the grocery stores all around me were "Shop and Save" stores. Hannaford bought out the chain and so it is the store I have known my whole life and trust.
Hannaford is not the cheapest grocery store. I will say this, though. For the quality of the produce and meat, it is the best deal in town. One of the things I keep my eye on (price-wise) is Chobani Greek Yogurt. Now, come on, this product makes a huge profit. Everyone should know that. And there is absolutely no reason why a 6oz cup of this product should cost more than $1. You can imagine my disappointment when Hannaford recently raised the price of it to $1.19. Come on, Hannaford. That's an unreasonable price. Half-gallons of organic milk are reasonably priced in the store, but the greek yogurt no longer is. And I KNOW that part of the reason for this price point is to increase sales of its store brand. But really.Come on. What else can I say about this.
Also, recently, Hannaford has been promoting their new "100% sustainable fish/seafood" policy. Again, my inner cynic...I don't like this. I feel it's misleading. I don't think there is any way a grocery store can actually enforce this policy, what with so many suppliers in the chain. Secondly, for example, in the fish counter today, all the shrimp was from Thailand. I will admit that I am not the most educated about sustained fishing but I did hear an article recently about the affect of shrimp farming on Thailand's ecological system...so, who is this "sustainable" for?
To say that my opinion of Hannaford has been sullied recently would be accurate. I used to claim this store as my favorite. I have to remember that times change, and maybe being absorbed by a large conglomerate (Delhaize) changed the general philosophy of the brand. Again, a big company more concerned with making profits and saying the right thing rather than looking at the best interests of its customers.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Grocery Store Week, pt. 1
Grocery shopping. I have found that there are two types of grocery shoppers--people who do it out of necessity and people who relish it. I happen to (usually) be the latter. I LOVE to check out a new grocery store. When I move somewhere, I make it a point to check out all the grocery store options. I'm not the kind of girl who typically is loyal to only one store in town; I'll find the best quality for the best price on an item, and get it there. For example, I am one person living in a small townhouse, and I eat out a LOT; however, I still consider three different grocery stores my "regular" shopping stops. I just want what I like; if I have to go three different places to get it all, that's ok with me. So here, in no particular order, is a rundown of most of the grocery stores I would consider myself pretty experienced with. If you happen to have the chance to go into any of these stores for the first time, you can trust that my opinions here will put you on the right track (I have put a LOT of research into this!). Friends and readers, I bring you Grocery Store Week!
Wegmans: I thought about putting this at the end of the list, sort of "saving the best for last," but let's be honest here: 1. I am all for instant gratification, and 2. By the time you get to the last, you are usually already satisfied with whatever you are in-taking, and the last seems redundant, too much, "no thanks, I've already read about seven other grocery stores (not like I was going to go to any of these anyway), I don't need another" so I didn't want you to miss this one. IF you are lucky enough to have a Wegmans within an hour of you, go to it. It is the best grocery store I have seen in the US. People ask me why--Is it more like a Trader Joe's, more like a Whole Foods? The only answer I can ever come up with is, it's EVERYTHING. Wegmans is family-friendly. It has the bulk chicken legs you need and the pop-ice you know you want. It has a great store brand that is always good, consistent quality. It is organic produce. It is bulk sale. I like that I can weigh and tag my own produce to get through the check-out a little faster. At Wegmans, you can get artisan bread, cheese, and chocolate, but you don't HAVE to. You can get grass-fed, organic beef, or you can get irradiated ground beef in plastic tubes for $1.19/lb (I have been in both financial situations).
There are at least four different places in Wegmans to buy cheese, including their own shop in the middle of the store. Try the Israeli feta. Try the Parisian Feta. Once you do, the feta that comes in the tubs with Greek font will never measure up again. Some have a little wine shop in them. Some have little florist shops. They also have tons of seasonal things that seem out of place for a "grocery store" (I'm sure right now it is lawn shop and bbq goods) and a kitchen section that sells cute dishes and small appliances.
One of the rows I'm allowed to go in but not buy anything is the bulk candy aisle. It's like one of those mall candy shops where they have every candy imaginable by the pound. Except it's Wegmans, so it's bigger than the mall store and therefore has more candy.
There are aisles of food that are imported from all over the world--India, Mexico, Europe (even a UK/Ireland section...go get your salad cream or spotted dick at Wegmans!)
To sum up--not more expensive than any other store, very fresh produce, great selection of everything (did I mention the shelves and shelves of Kosher baked goods?), and I didn't even get to the food court, which, in the newest store in MA rivals the size of a shopping malls with much better food, this is no secret. Wegmans openings draw record crowds for a reason, and if you can go anytime other than the weekend, you should!
Wegmans: I thought about putting this at the end of the list, sort of "saving the best for last," but let's be honest here: 1. I am all for instant gratification, and 2. By the time you get to the last, you are usually already satisfied with whatever you are in-taking, and the last seems redundant, too much, "no thanks, I've already read about seven other grocery stores (not like I was going to go to any of these anyway), I don't need another" so I didn't want you to miss this one. IF you are lucky enough to have a Wegmans within an hour of you, go to it. It is the best grocery store I have seen in the US. People ask me why--Is it more like a Trader Joe's, more like a Whole Foods? The only answer I can ever come up with is, it's EVERYTHING. Wegmans is family-friendly. It has the bulk chicken legs you need and the pop-ice you know you want. It has a great store brand that is always good, consistent quality. It is organic produce. It is bulk sale. I like that I can weigh and tag my own produce to get through the check-out a little faster. At Wegmans, you can get artisan bread, cheese, and chocolate, but you don't HAVE to. You can get grass-fed, organic beef, or you can get irradiated ground beef in plastic tubes for $1.19/lb (I have been in both financial situations).
There are at least four different places in Wegmans to buy cheese, including their own shop in the middle of the store. Try the Israeli feta. Try the Parisian Feta. Once you do, the feta that comes in the tubs with Greek font will never measure up again. Some have a little wine shop in them. Some have little florist shops. They also have tons of seasonal things that seem out of place for a "grocery store" (I'm sure right now it is lawn shop and bbq goods) and a kitchen section that sells cute dishes and small appliances.
One of the rows I'm allowed to go in but not buy anything is the bulk candy aisle. It's like one of those mall candy shops where they have every candy imaginable by the pound. Except it's Wegmans, so it's bigger than the mall store and therefore has more candy.
There are aisles of food that are imported from all over the world--India, Mexico, Europe (even a UK/Ireland section...go get your salad cream or spotted dick at Wegmans!)
To sum up--not more expensive than any other store, very fresh produce, great selection of everything (did I mention the shelves and shelves of Kosher baked goods?), and I didn't even get to the food court, which, in the newest store in MA rivals the size of a shopping malls with much better food, this is no secret. Wegmans openings draw record crowds for a reason, and if you can go anytime other than the weekend, you should!
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