[DanaMarley]

Wow! I'm finding food prices really high here in CT. Just wondering what or where CT people like to shop for groceries. There's a couple good groceries stores in the central CT area, but they seem extremely high in price!

I just heard that Fresh Market is moving in west of the river! Hurray! I hope their prices aren't sky high though. They got good service, great food. Their prices are higher, than the mainstream groceries, but not so much they're exorbinant.

Why is the price of food so high in CT to start with?

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

There is no stop n shop or shoprite around? Both are good. Though shoprite can get a lot of walmart people

[DanaMarley]

For one, you gotta spend at least $15 to get a discount, say 30 cents on orange juice or something. That's a bit nuts. I don't want to have to spend a bunch of money to save money.
Also, they're very crowded in their stores, and you wait in line a long time. I like their selection, but ugh, I went there today, to find something to cure poison ivy or sumac, and ALL they had was a single bottle of calamine lotion! That was it. shop & Flop at least, had a few different items for poison ivy on their shelves, but they're kinda expensive too.
At least they dont make you spend a certain amount to save money on items. I dont' like that about Shop Rite, If you want to save money on save bottles of soda, you gotta buy like 4 of them! arrgh...

There's a Mexican grocery store, I heard down on main Street, e. hartford...I don't know the location, but if the prices are cheap and service is good, we'd stop by there

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Originally Posted by DanaMarley

For one, you gotta spend at least $15 to get a discount, say 30 cents on orange juice or something. That's a bit nuts. I don't want to have to spend a bunch of money to save money.
Also, they're very crowded in their stores, and you wait in line a long time. I like their selection, but ugh, I went there today, to find something to cure poison ivy or sumac, and ALL they had was a single bottle of calamine lotion! That was it. shop & Flop at least, had a few different items for poison ivy on their shelves, but they're kinda expensive too.
At least they dont make you spend a certain amount to save money on items. I dont' like that about Shop Rite, If you want to save money on save bottles of soda, you gotta buy like 4 of them! arrgh...

There's a Mexican grocery store, I heard down on main Street, e. hartford...I don't know the location, but if the prices are cheap and service is good, we'd stop by there

Or you should try costco. Buy in bulk once a month.

Binge grocery shopping is really wallet consuming. I'm a victim to that.

Besides, I frequented Whole Foods when my mom was visiting and that was when I started appreciating the shopping places of the common masses - shoprite, stop n shop etc.,

I mean, it's not like I can't afford Whole Foods, but I can find identical quality in other places marked 2 or even 3 bucks down. Whole Foods is just hype.

[DanaMarley]

Yeah, I've thought about joining Costco.. . Honestly for only $50 year I think you can save alot.. even on gas! I see people loading up their carts in droves there.. so they must saving money.

And too, if you're thinking of buying a new cell phone and a new cell phone carrier, that's the place to go.. I think they only charge half price of what the cell phone carriers do, to get a new cell phone..
They got T-mobile, at&T and also Verizon in there.

What do you think of Big Y? I like their stuff, wonder if buying that Silver Coin, thing is worth its while?

I think Whole Foods is hype too. Plus too, they dont' even want to give you your receipt, after you purchase something! What's up with that.. they don't want to offer you a bag either, or as few bags as possible once you buy your groceries.
Once I went there, and this girl wanted to put like 30 lbs of groceries into ONE bag! Eek! I told her, I couldn't carry that much stuff, and she finally moved it.

I've never seen such an expensive grocery store as Whole Foods honestly... at least in our neck of the woods.

[heather121]

Try Trader Joe's in West Hartford or Target (New Britain & Newington both have grocery sections now). Items there are always cheaper there than the same products at Stop & Shop. The only thing I ever go to Stop & Shop for anymore is to stock up on meat, everything else comes from TJ or Target.

[willow wind]

Well, depending on what your definition of central CT is, you've got lots of options to shop.

There are the basic Walmart's & Target's.

If you like buying in bulk and want to join a club type thing, there is Costco in Enfield, plus BJ's & Sam's Clubs.

BJ's has stories in West Hartford & Manchester, Sam's Club in Manchester & Newington.

There is Stew Leonard's in Newington, which is an interesting experience, not cheap but quality is good.

And of course the big three grocery stores, Stop & Shop, Shop Rite & Big Y. Big Y has stores in Rocky Hill, Ellington & Middletown.

Seasonally, for fresh , locally grown produce, you could try the local farmer's markets - click on link search by county

CT NOFA Farmers Markets

If you don't get a newspaper with its store flyers , then it usually pays to look on line weekly by store and see which stores are offering what, figuring out what you need and then planning accordingly.

[JayCT]

People that I know who shop on a budget mix their shopping up among different stores. They shop for specials at Stop & Shop and Big Y but do the bulk of their shopping at Shoprite and Aldi's. They will buy buld items at BJ's or Sam's. They also keep their eyes open for specials in other markets like Highland Park which occasionally has a meat bundle special that is really good. Unfortunately DW and I do not follow their advice and we strictly go with Stop & Shop for convenience.

[nep321]

In order from most expensive to least expensive:

1. WholeFoods
2. Stew Leonards
3. Big Y
4. Price Chopper
5. Highland Market
6. Geissler's
7. Stop & Shop
8. Shop Rite

I usually do my shopping at Price Chopper, because that's closest to my home, but I don't like it much at all. The selection is lacking compared to Stop & Shop and Big Y. Big Y has the best quality, however.

[DanaMarley]

6. Geissler's... Thanks Nep321. I was trying to think of that grocery store. I've been there before... Kinda quiet, which i like, and the prices, at the time I went didn't seem that high.. Now where are they located? I am thinking out E. Windsor way, but not sure.. I'll google them...

Who has good deli meats? I love stuff like Pastrami, and Roast Beef. I thought that Shop Rite though had some good potato salad... they even sold it in a 3 lb tub for only $3 once. Bought that and ate it right up.
While Aldi, has cheaper stuff. I just don't care for the way they run their store. I don't like having to pay for a grocery cart to go into their store with, I don't like not having bags given to me, or the only way you can pay there is with a debit card.....
Also, their prices vary from store to store. I was going thru Newington and they had advertised milk at the Aldi's there for only $1.99. In another town it was $2.19, the same day!
I guess A&P has closed shop huh? that was a good grocery store... Honestly if they had someone like Kroger's move up to the NE, it would be wonderful! They're down in TN and some other states. Good variety, good prices, good staff....

I'll have to check out Gessler though..
Yeah... food from farm stands, was going to start a thread on that too. Which ones have good quality veggies & fruit, at a reasonable price?