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Black Belt Shopper Shopping Tips for Grocery Store Strikes As I write this column, Southern California is in the midst of a supermarket strike that is having a profound influence on how people shop for food. A friend who works at one of the markets being struck tells me that his store, which usually does $100,000 a day, is doing a mere $10,000 a day. * * * Everywhere I go I hear the question, "Where have you been shopping?" as SoCal is massively behind the strike. Regardless of what you feel about the strike, this is a good time to think about grocery shopping and where to get the best deal. The supermarket is a great innovation. It allows you to meet all of your food needs under one roof. It certainly saves time for people who don’t have time to go to a bakery, produce shop, butcher, and a host of other shops. The wide range of products, long hours, relatively efficient layout, and numerous locations make supermarkets extremely convenient. If you are a better budgeter, you may be better off getting at least some of your groceries elsewhere. Where else can you go? Specialty Food Stores When I want spinach feta pie, meatless meatballs, pumpkin butter, and other unusual foods, I go to Trader Joe’s, a store that bills itself a most unusual grocery store. Last night I found out that Trader Joe’s sells the extra lean hamburger meat I buy for less than the supermarket. As I went through the store, I found a lot of other "ordinary" items at great prices. If you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, check them out. If you don’t, you may find another specialty grocery store you thought only offered pate, tofu cheese, and the like, has mayonnaise and ketchup, perhaps even at lower costs. Produce stores are also abundant in some areas and many of those stores offer other grocery items, often at lower prices than the supermarket. Ethnic Stores Yesterday in my quest for fresh foods, I ventured into the Hawaii Supermarket, a large ethnic Chinese store in my area. Besides seeing dishes that I had never heard of before, I saw ground beef for 99 cents a pound and similar bargains on produce. A supermarket employee explained to me that these ethnic stores are able to offer low prices because they don’t have a large corporate structure and have a built-in clientele that they can attract without advertising in the most expensive media. Quality varies among ethnic stores. Walking through some of them can be a daunting experience. But if you live in an ethnic kind of area, you may want to check them out at least once. Smaller Chains In most cities, a few chains dominate the grocery scene. Most areas also have a number of smaller regional chains of grocers that may not advertise as much, but that may offer good food and good prices. Some are general supermarkets similar to the majors while others have a unique air to them. In San Diego, for example, Henry’s has a full range of products, but specializes in natural foods. It offers quality produce at bargain basement prices. It reportedly does this by keeping corporate costs small and being open fewer hours than the majors. Dollar Stores Pasta sells for two pounds for 99 cents. Applesauce for 99 cents a jar. A French bread loaf for 99 cents. Five pounds of carrots for 99 cents. Martinelli’s or a house brand that’s just as tasty for 99 cents a bottle. These are among some of the offerings of the 99 Cent Store. Dollar Tree and other dollar stores have similar offerings. Once the home of trinkets, dollar stores have increasingly turned to selling groceries. Some of the larger ones are actually as large as a supermarket. The stock of many dollar stores is remarkably consistent. I know that I will always able to find pasta, ketchup, mustard, relish, and various other items at the 99 Cent Store in my area. There also is a certain "treasure hunting" aspect of buying groceries in dollar stores as manufacturers sell off excess inventory when they make subtle changes in packaging. If you haven’t been to a dollar store lately, check one out! Club Stores If you have a large family, club stores are often worth looking at. Their large packages are usually well-priced. They may not offer many brands, but their food is generally of good quality. Club stores are increasingly offering produce, meats, and semi-prepared foods such as deli trays. While the major chains (Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s) charge a membership fee, there are others, such as Smart and Final, that don’t. "B" Stores I just learned this term yesterday. Many of the major chains offer smaller chains of less expensive stores, with fewer frills. Some are not open as many hours as the majors. Some require you to bag your own groceries. Others have more of a warehouse feel. Some don’t advertise as much as the parent stores, so you may not be as aware of them. Here in Southern California, Ralph's offers Food for Less and Albertson’s offers Max Foods. Sometimes their produce is not as good as the majors and the selection may not be as good, especially for newly introduced items. But they’re great places to buy laundry soap, tomato sauce, and other basics at good prices. Farmers’ Markets Many communities have farmers’ markets set up in specified locations on a weekly schedules. Often these markets include craft fairs, exhibits, and other fun elements. I haven’t found the prices to be that much better than the supermarkets, but I do find very high quality produce and great breads at farmers’ markets. If you need help finding your local farmers’ market check with your parks and recreation center, or community service departments. Grow Your Own If you have a greener thumb than I do, you may be able to save money and get a little outdoor or family time by growing your own vegetables. Don’t think that you need a big yard to do this. Many cities offer community gardens where you can, for a nominal fee, rent a plot and then go there and take care of your own garden. Check it Out This month, many Californians are, for the first time, paying attention to Jill St. John describing on the radio the latest arrivals at Trader Joe’s. Others are hearing over a loudspeaker, "the 99 Cent Store has all your holiday needs for only 99 Cents." For the first time. Many are finding some of these alternative sources not only good places to get food, but also fun places to hang out. Most of us probably will probably continue to shop at supermarkets for the bulk of our food needs. Strike or no strike, many of us here in California are finding the alternative sources pretty attractive at times. A little exploration can trim your food budget while allowing you a more varied diet. * * *
Copyright © 2003 by Larry Wiener Want more money-saving tips? Get a FREE subscription to our monthly Ezine!
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