Where do you do the majority of your grocery shopping? Big chain store or the local grocer?
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Us Girls..Our Views 
I go to a local store called “Mustard Seed Market.” As far as I know, there are only 2 locations. They sell organic, all-natural, that type of stuff. They have a cafe upstairs where they have live music on weekends. They also have cooking, gardening, and health-oriented classes.
That sounds awesome.
We have a BI=LO one mile from our house, a SUPER WAL-MART about two miles away and a PUBLIX less than three miles away. I typically check the sales fliers to see who has what we need and want. Although WAL-MART honors competetors sales prices I haven’t quite figured out how to make that work for me in a timely fashion.
Now as for produce. Wow! there are two road side farmer’s market type stands near us. One just over a mile and the other less than two miles. In addition to the fresh produce they also have local honey, james/jellies, relishes and that sort of stuff.
HOWEVER, in a few weeks I should be able to begin picking our own vegetables out of our back yard. Loving that!
For the big time grocery shopping we usually got to Wal-Mart, although meat (when we have to buy it) comes from Cub or Cashwise. We do shop at the local Marketplace when we need a *few* items, but they are so expensive that I could never do all of my shopping there!
I do 95% of our grocery shopping at our Super Walmart. Meat, I generally go to Cub for that because they have a butcher on site, so I know it’s fresh. The big bags of frozen chicken breasts, Angus burgers (frozen) I will get at Walmart. Their produce isn’t too bad. During the summer I get tomatoes and corn on the cob from a farmers market stand down town. I’m so excited to be closer to that! We *could* walk there now. Their fruit is pricey, but it is really good.
For some snacks (cereal bars, crackers) I go to the dollar store which is next door to Walmart, very convenient .
I used to be strictly a Marketplace girl because for me, I’m never in Buffalo or any other bigger town that has the Walmarts and Cubs so for me, I’m not driving an extra half hour or 45 minutes to safe $20 or $30 so I can put it in the gas tank. That doesn’t make sense to me. You save money on one hand but are spending it with the other hand. But since my mom got sick I’ve gotten used to Cub and I do like shopping there when I’m going to be there anyhow. Or Paul will pick things up during the day when he’s there. Our quick trips are to the Marketplace which is under 10 minutes away. I don’t like buying ANYTHING at Walmart that’s fresh. I think their produce is awful as well as their meat. If it’s frozen or boxed I’ll buy it there but that’s it. I love Walmart but not for our food. Too much of it comes from places I never heard of.
We’ve got a SuperWal-Mart in town, an a Fareway across the street. I do about half and half, although any beef that I need ALWAYS comes from Fareway. They have better prices, their meat is fresher, and if I need something specific, the butchers can recommend the best cut for whatever it is that I’m doing. I also get salmon there when they bring in the Sockeye (the really red salmon. YUM-o). Dry goods I can get at either place – being so close together, they keep a close eye on prices, so they’re pretty much the same. Walmart seems to have better produce, so I tend to get it there, although I scored some gorgeous strawberries at Fareway last night.
And, now that it’s almost summer, we have a Farmer’s Market popping up in town at the end of May, so I’ll be getting a lot of produce there. I’m not a gardener, so I don’t often grow my own, but I have friends who are willing to share, in exchange for a batch of chocolate chip cookies or ooey-gooey brownies. (hmmm, that brownie recipe. I should put that one up. It’s wicked)
Added: I DID put it up! It’s here.