I don’t know about you, but when I shop at the grocery store these days I get sticker shock at check out. Even the basic ingredients for an All-American breakfast- eggs, bacon, bread and orange juice- cost an arm and a leg. I know there were supply chain issues during the pandemic, but haven’t they been resolved? Why are groceries so expensive? Inflation? Shrinkflation? Who knows?

But that’s not the subject of this blog. Grocery store prices are crazy, but what can you do about it? That’s what this blog is about.

Let’s start at Publix– “Where shopping is a pleasure”- but not so much when you feel you’re getting price-gouged. I really feel the prices at Publix have become more inflated than at other grocery stores; even prices between Publix stores can vary. While I expect Whole Foods and Fresh Market to have crazy prices, that didn’t used to be the case at Publix, yet here we are.

Publix

The best deals at Publix are their BOGO’s (buy one get one free). A flyer in the mail will tell you what these are, but if not, the flyers are in the grocery store, when you walk in and BOGO’s are also on the Publix app. I have the Publix app and with it you get perks, like a free bouquet of flowers and dessert from the Bakery on your Birthday.

A look at the BOGOs this week indicates they are celebrating Italian Food so: Sargento Grated Cheese, Fresh Express Salad Kit, Rana Pasta, Progresso Broth, Barilla Pasta and Vandori Prosecco, are all buy one get one free. These are all items I would stock up on. In addition to BOGOs, the flyer also lists items at a “surprisingly low price.” Recent ones included brussels sprouts for $2.99 and yellow onions for $1.69 a pound. It seems most surprisingly low prices at Publix are on basic vegetables.

The other way to save money at Publix is to buy the store brand, instead of name brand items. Sometimes the quality is the same, but not always, so this is a trial and error option, but there is usually a significant difference in price. I usually get the store brand for baking goods and butter.

Trader Joe’s

I am a Trader Joe’s fanatic, but unfortunately, you can’t do ALL your shopping there. What I always get there are: vegetables, wine and cheese, because they have a good variety and low prices for these items. Their bananas, eggs, olive oil, spices, nuts and breads also have great prices. And I rarely leave TJ’s without picking up some kind of frozen item, such as dumplings, tamales, shrimp, Orange Chicken, Hold the Cone mini ice cream cones or frozen fruits and vegetables. Their canned vegetables- like corn, beans and artichoke hearts- are also priced well, although their selection is limited. And, just for fun, they have a great selection of flowers, cute greeting cards and yummy chocolates. Shopping at Trader Joe’s, even if their prices have increased slightly, always makes me happy.

Whole Foods

Whole Foods isn’t a bargain by any means. I once had a tour guide of a winery in Napa say:

It’s called Whole Foods because they take your whole paycheck.

Far Niente Tour Guide

However, I do find items here that I can’t find at other grocery stores. I also think their seafood is very good and have found the prices on bulk items- like nuts and grains- to be better than pre-packaged varieties at other grocery stores. My daughter-in-law Courtney is into everything organic so shops here a lot and says their fruits, vegetables and eggs are cheaper than Publix. Also, organic boxed grains like Rice Pilaf and Couscous are reasonably priced, as are bagged organic snack items, like popcorn.

For savings, try the 365 Brand, which is Whole Foods store brand. Also, if you’re an Amazon Prime member you get 10% off storewide sales, exclusive Prime member deals (on Tuesday and Friday) and free pick-up. Deals on Tuesdays include $2 off Rotisserie Chicken and buy one brick of Whole Foods Lean Ground Beef, get one 50% off. On Fridays, they have a dozen wild caught oysters and any large 1-topping pizza, both for $12. And if you bring your own grocery bag, you’ll saving a whopping 10 cents. Every penny counts these days!

Fresh Market

I don’t shop here often, as there’s not one near me, but Fresh Market does have Saturday and Weekend Deals, as well as a limited amount of BOGO’s. Also, their yogurt-covered pretzels are addictive.

Walmart

I don’t normally shop at Walmart but when I was in Tallahassee recently, I stopped by there to pick up ingredients for a Chicken Cacciatore dinner I made for my son and his wife. I was pleasantly surprised at the prices- $1.97 for a Baguette, $5.58 for Chicken Thighs, $2.38 for Organic Salad and $2.77 for Blackberries. My son Christopher shops there a lot because of the low prices.

B.J.’s or Cotsco

If you have memberships at either of these Warehouse Clubs, the prices on many things are usually pretty good, especially for their brand name items, under the names of Wellsley Farms, Berkley Jensen (BJ’s) and Kirkland (Cotsco). Of course, some of the items at these places are sold in bulk, so you need room to store them and people to consume them in a reasonable amount of time. Since we are only two at home now, I rarely shop at Cotsco and, when I do, I use Instacart– my shopping savior during the Pandemic.

Hopefully, I’ve offered a little ray of sunshine in your grocery shopping days. The days of clipping coupons and traveling to different stores to get the best deal are long gone for this shopper. But with a little useful information and some grocery apps, I feel more in control of getting some good deals. Happy shopping!

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