Meijer, Kroger, Costco.. which do you prefer? (Louisville, St. Matthews: loft, home)

[Nmissi]

Out here in Valley, we have Meijers and Krogers for our big groceries. The new Kroger on Dixie is very nicely arranged, but the parking lot is a mess. I do most of my "big store" shopping there, and I miss the smaller Kroger the new one replaced.

But I prefer to hit the smaller stores when possible. There's a lot to be said for parking near to the door, and for being able to get to the front register with ice cream still unmelted. I've never managed that at Meijer's; by the time we get to the front and through the line, it's going soft. Aldi's is great for staples- dairy, sugar, flour, etc. And I have found that I rather like some of their "upscale" stuff- the fresh salsa they stock is fabulous. For meats, I trust the butcher at Melton's- they take good care of me. If I only need a few things, I'm likely to pay more for the convenience of Melton's, to avoid the time and hassle of a giant grocery store.

And I'm not above going to the B&E Salvage grocery on Greenwood once a month or so- great buys to be had there, and it's a bit of a thrill to find goodies in the junk. Like a grocery yardsale.

[loucardslady]

Seek out one of the Aldi's stores in Louisville. There are locations on Preston Highway, Bardstown Road, and 2 separate locations on Dixie. Aldi will truly save you money but with products that taste wonderful! I was in a Wal-Mart tonight and saw their Value brand (generic) canned veggies for 0.79! You could have gotten the same thing at Aldi's for 0.49-0.59!!!! Plus right now, they have milk for 0.99 per gallon. THAT IS UNHEARD OF!

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by loucardslady

Seek out one of the Aldi's stores in Louisville. There are locations on Preston Highway, Bardstown Road, and 2 separate locations on Dixie. Aldi will truly save you money but with products that taste wonderful! I was in a Wal-Mart tonight and saw their Value brand (generic) canned veggies for 0.79! You could have gotten the same thing at Aldi's for 0.49-0.59!!!! Plus right now, they have milk for 0.99 per gallon. THAT IS UNHEARD OF!

I LOVE Aldi! The fruit and veggies are cheap and very good, too! The only minus is that you have to bag your own stuff.

[beadster]

I perfer both meijer and costco. More and more I would find myself shopping at a walmart supercenter over a meijer. I buy the bulk of my food at meijer. I buy my meat and some vegetables at costco. I can get more out of my money, buying bulk of beef at costco. I am paying the same per pound at meijer or walmart for less meat.

[native_newyorker]

I was the original poster of this thread and I thought I'd share my thoughts after living in Louisville for a year now. I go to Kroger for convenience it's the closest grocery store to my house but I also go to it for produce, the produce at my local Kroger is fresher then at Costco or Meijer's. I like Meijers for items that I can't find at Kroger like the isle of the store they dedicate to other countries cuisine and they also have more household items too (think super walmart but a level up). However, I find a lot of the Meijer's produce lacking.. I've given up after purchasing several items that were bad when I got them home. Also, I don't like the way they preslice the deli meat at their deli counter which dries out the meat. Costco is nice for items that you know you're going to buy regularly and have the family size to make buying in bulk a good decision. Costco also has some good deals on their items like electronics and small appliances.. when you can catch the deals. However, shopping at Costco for just one or even a few items can be frustrating because you're always having to wait in long lines of people that have a ton of stuff. Wish they had an express checkout. I do use Costco exclusively for my gas though which is where my cost savings really adds up. Gas at Costco is usually the cheapest in the area. Also, once in a great while I'll stop into Whole Foods store on Shelbyville Rd and I also like to pick up fresh items at the farmer's market around Louisville.

[tigerlillydownunder]

Originally Posted by cobolt

Yeah...buying bulk just isn't safe anymore. Think of all the food recalls going on. Corporate farming/processing isn't a good thing.

I saw a Piggly-Wiggly when I was in Alabama, believe it or not!

I used to shop at Piggly-Wiggly when I lived in Tennessee. It was in Gallatin. Don't know if it's still there or not. It was a bit more expensive than some other places, but it seemed to be more friendly; everyone was pleasant.

Plus, if i'm extremely honest, I just liked the name! lol

My Mom has always been a Kroger gal; my grandma was emphatically Winn Dixie. I like where ever I can get best value for money and if I'm buying fresh produce, I want it FRESH. I found that a little difficult in Southwest Jeff. Co. The produce isn't always top notch and so I was always more likely to buy frozen--at least I could keep it a while!

Small depart from topic, but what is the documentary on Wal-Mart a few people have mentioned? I'd be interested in watching that.

[tigerlillydownunder]

Originally Posted by missymomof3

I LOVE Aldi! The fruit and veggies are cheap and very good, too! The only minus is that you have to bag your own stuff.

We have Aldi here too!--but not where I'm at.....we just have 1 Coles, which is like a Kroger. But I do live VERY remotely. Shopping in the cities is heaps better.

When I was in Louisville I would have been insulted to have to bag my own stuff! lol But NOW, since I've moved to Oz, I much prefer to do my own bagging, if for nothing more than the simple fact that nobody here seems to be able to pack a decent bag of groceries. They use not an ounce of common sense. It's nothing to come home with your "fresh" produce packed in with, say, a leaky bottle of Liquid-Plummer (just as example), or for them to pop your 'fresh hot chicken' in with ice cream or other meltables. They will cram 3 2litre bottles of soft drink into one flimsy plastic bag and gaze in amazement as the bottom busts out and your drinks roll all over the place; and in the next bag a single bottle of dish detergent.....and nothing else. Fresh bread in first, canned goods on top of it. A carton of eggs up on it's end........

NO. Common. Sense.

And I hate plastic bags anyway, prefer the "green" bags because I can use them over and over and they are stronger, but the checkout people gripe and complain, to the point that one would think they were in a cattle car in Nazi Germany, because the bags dont fit the plastic bag frame, hence doesn't sit open. Too much efforto have to open the bag to put items in. Can just throw them in when it's not sitting gaping open!

So it's just easier, although somewhat more time consuming, for me to bag my own stuff. It appears, that the older I get, the more I'm turning into my grandmother! Nobody could satisfy her either! lol

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by tigerlillydownunder

I used to shop at Piggly-Wiggly when I lived in Tennessee. It was in Gallatin. Don't know if it's still there or not. It was a bit more expensive than some other places, but it seemed to be more friendly; everyone was pleasant.

Plus, if i'm extremely honest, I just liked the name! lol

My Mom has always been a Kroger gal; my grandma was emphatically Winn Dixie. I like where ever I can get best value for money and if I'm buying fresh produce, I want it FRESH. I found that a little difficult in Southwest Jeff. Co. The produce isn't always top notch and so I was always more likely to buy frozen--at least I could keep it a while!

Small depart from topic, but what is the documentary on Wal-Mart a few people have mentioned? I'd be interested in watching that.

UGH I miss Winn-Dixie. Aldi always has fresh produce AND there is a Farmer's Market at Valley High school every Saturday morning

[missymomof3]

Originally Posted by tigerlillydownunder

We have Aldi here too!--but not where I'm at.....we just have 1 Coles, which is like a Kroger. But I do live VERY remotely. Shopping in the cities is heaps better.

When I was in Louisville I would have been insulted to have to bag my own stuff! lol But NOW, since I've moved to Oz, I much prefer to do my own bagging, if for nothing more than the simple fact that nobody here seems to be able to pack a decent bag of groceries. They use not an ounce of common sense. It's nothing to come home with your "fresh" produce packed in with, say, a leaky bottle of Liquid-Plummer (just as example), or for them to pop your 'fresh hot chicken' in with ice cream or other meltables. They will cram 3 2litre bottles of soft drink into one flimsy plastic bag and gaze in amazement as the bottom busts out and your drinks roll all over the place; and in the next bag a single bottle of dish detergent.....and nothing else. Fresh bread in first, canned goods on top of it. A carton of eggs up on it's end........

NO. Common. Sense.

And I hate plastic bags anyway, prefer the "green" bags because I can use them over and over and they are stronger, but the checkout people gripe and complain, to the point that one would think they were in a cattle car in Nazi Germany, because the bags dont fit the plastic bag frame, hence doesn't sit open. Too much efforto have to open the bag to put items in. Can just throw them in when it's not sitting gaping open!

So it's just easier, although somewhat more time consuming, for me to bag my own stuff. It appears, that the older I get, the more I'm turning into my grandmother! Nobody could satisfy her either! lol

LOL!!!!!
Aldi did start there in Australia, and the idea of self bagging is so that they don't have to hire as many employees, so the food remains cheap.

[HatesWinter2118]

I heard just the other day that we have 27 farmer's markets in Louisville ~ much more than I initially would have guessed.