Keeping down grocery costs (Bloomington, Excelsior: purchases, stores, bill)

[mr roboto]

Arizona is right next to California. You guys know that right? Like where most of the country’s produce is grown?

[mn55110]

I am fully aware of that, and I'm sure MN Born-n-Raised is too. Keep in mind the discrepancy between AZ and MN in price and quality extend beyond produce to pre-packaged non-perishable items. Even when talking about items from Golden Valley based General Mills or Minnetonka based Cargill.

Some of our friends and neighbors from Texas talk how Arizona is higher prices than HEB and other stores are there in Texas.

One of the California neighbors was telling us about a chain which opened in the Central Valley, but quickly closed because they made customers bag their own groceries. We were with some of the other Minnesotans in the area who were all surprised, and explained to the new arrivals from California that bagging your own groceries is standard in Minnesota. The look on their face; they couldn't believe stores in MN rarely bag the groceries for you.

I've talked to Iowans relocating from Des Moines-to -Minneapolis thinking a much larger metro would bring better prices and higher quality who were disappointed that stores were worse in the Twin Cities.

For a metro area our size, we need more competitors striving for our business.

[ellysbelly]

I haven't crunched the numbers, but it seems that even in the nearly 4 years that I've been here that the grocery prices have seemingly gotten a touch better/more competitive-- I would assume that the entrance of HyVee and Fresh Thyme, plus the expansion of ALDI has helped that somewhat. I believe that Lucky's is considering entering the MN market, too-- would so welcome Sprouts, Fresh Market, and/or Wegman's.

After living in South Florida, with a ton of farmer's markets (open year 'round, with super low prices), as well as smaller, ethnic and Amish stores with high quality and low cost meats, poultry and fish, moving to MN and seeing the prices was a total shock (and yes, I realize that a good part of it is proximity and transportation costs, but still, groceries are a good bit more expensive here).

[mr roboto]

I’m not aN grocery apologist by any stretch. The competition and selection here is really bad. When I moved back here from Chicago that was a big adjustment. Cub is a dump and L&B is massively overpriced. Target selection limited,WalMart I can’t stand going there. Costco is GREAT but you can’t get everything you need there.

[Thedosius]

Interesting discussion - I didn't realize groceries cost so much here. For those of you who are nerdy wonks like me, the numbers I see in this article corroborate what so many here have noticed:

https://mn.gov/deed/newscenter/publi...ery-stores.jsp

The Grocery Stores per 10,000 Residents chart shows the Twin Cities at the bottom when comparing against regions of the country.

[daboywonder2002]

Originally Posted by mr roboto

I’m not aN grocery apologist by any stretch. The competition and selection here is really bad. When I moved back here from Chicago that was a big adjustment. Cub is a dump and L&B is massively overpriced. Target selection limited,WalMart I can’t stand going there. Costco is GREAT but you can’t get everything you need there.

you're not gonna find that one grocery store that has everything. I go to Aldi's and Target. If they have a sale, then I will go to Fresh tyme. Whole foods and Trader Joes once in a blue moon .

[daboywonder2002]

Originally Posted by Cruz Azul Guy

Unfortunately I have to take back my previous praise for Aldi. We’ve been burned too many times by them with poor quality products. It’s a shame too because I love their business model in theory...just wish they were more consistent.

I only go to Aldi for fruit and snacks. I do not buy meats from Aldi

[daboywonder2002]

Originally Posted by ellysbelly

Haven't used Instacart-- and have only used Amazon for shelf stable goods, not fresh, and paper products-- I live too far out to use Prime Now which offers fresh food, but would absolutely use it if I had the opportunity to do so.

Have used Lunds/Byerly's delivery and 'pick up' services and have found them very convenient and worth the extra $5/$10 for the time saving and convenience.

For the most part, I stock up on meat/poultry/fish/seafood, cheese, frozen items and pantry items whenever they're on sale (we have both a big pantry and an extra freezer), so I just need to pop in to the store once a week for eggs, dairy and fresh produce-- but in the height of school/sports/musical madness, I often relegate that weekly shop to Lund's delivery.

Instacart (I think, but am not certain) adds a surcharge per item and/or you can't get sale prices, if I'm not mistaken-- I know that there was a reason that I haven't yet used them, but the exact reason escapes me now. I'll have to look into it again.

Where do you get your seafood from? It's hard to find a good place here in Minnesota.

[ellysbelly]

Originally Posted by daboywonder2002

Where do you get your seafood from? It's hard to find a good place here in Minnesota.

Coastal seafood and Whole Foods are my top choices - Fresh Thyme, Kowalskis, and/or Lunds & Byerly are more convenient (for me)-- so that's where I often go, in a pinch.

[earslikeacat]

I reticently ambled into the Aldi in Hopkins/Minnetonka and was pleasantly surprised.
What stuck out the most was how many "Whole Food"- type products I found. And being from Chicago (great food everywhere) plus a WF die-hard, I believe I have pretty good taste.
I like HyVee but money flies out of my wallet there, just like L&B. I was not impressed with Fresh Fields in Plymouth.