Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Healthiest grocery stores

This blog began with grocery deals--"getting her food from afar." In that spirit, here's a list of the healthiest grocery stores, via Boomama.

Harris-Teeter remains my all-time favorite, in terms of healthy products, great loss leaders, and customer service. What's yours?

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm in love with Publix. They have great sales, great produce, and the people that work there are just so darn nice. Couldn't get any better.

Oh, and they always insist on taking your groceries to the car. It makes getting two littles in the car so much easier.

I heart Publix! LOL

Betsy

Anonymous said...

Unfortunately I don't live near any on that list! I rely on ordering organics by the case from Amazon or direct from the manufacturer.

Unknown said...

I love, love, love Publix. Great sales, great staff, great produce!

Chief Family Officer said...

I'm sure I'm not the only one to say Trader Joe's. They consistently have the lowest every day prices on just about everything, and a huge selection of organic and hormone/antibiotic-free products.

Anne Marie@Married to the Empire said...

Sprouts is my favorite. I can get more "friendly" products there, such as eggs from cage-free, free-roaming nesting hens. They cost more, but that's okay with me. They also have bulk bins with tons of different types of flours, nuts (ick), seeds, etc. And their meats are top-notch. I'll no longer buy deli meat anywhere else.

Albertson's is my second favorite. They have a very good selection of high-quality foods, and their sales are fantastic!

Mary Ellen said...

I love Harris Teeter too! Just finished up a four day triple coupon event there last week and saved big! And I can typically find organic fruits and veggies on quick sale at one of the stores I shop.

Also love Kroger for their markdowns on meat and organics and their mix and match promotions.

Marsha said...

I like Trader Joe's an awful lot. Not enough to go out of my way to get to one but if I'm in the neighborhood it's a must-stop.

I'm surprised that Food Lion was on the list. When we lived in Charlottesville that was the one store I refused to shop - it didn't strike me as healthy at all.

Wegmans up in the mid-Atlantic is a great chain of family-owned stores. They're very often on the "Best Places to Work" lists and have wonderful store brands and extensive inventories of "health foods". They have a reputation for being spendy but I never found them to be, particularly when weighing out cost vs. value.

Mary said...

Actually a co-worker of mine was reading an article last night at work from CNN and Harris Teeter was #4 on the list of healthiest grocery stores in our part of the country! Yeah!! I love my Harris Teeter!

Marsha said...

I was disappointed that Wegmans wasn't on the list (since it doesn't have enough stores to be considered a large chain yet.) I would stack Wegmans against ANY grocery store in this country for the healthy varieties available, including Whole Foods. And unlike "Whole Paycheck," Wegmans is competitively priced. In fact, they just lowered many of their prices on common foods as a response to the poor economy.

Rachel said...

None of those listed are anywhere near where I live. :) I rely on our garden, nearby farms (for milk, eggs, poultry, beef), and Wal-Mart's expanding organic line!

Lisa D. said...

Trader Joe's is my all-time favorite. I do 90% of my shopping there. You can't beat the quality of their products, imo.

mama k said...

I love Big Lots. I often find organic cereals and canned goods. I've also found Seventh Generation and Tom's of Maine products there as well.

mama k said...

PS and I meant to say Trader Joe's rocks. I just wish one was closer to me.

Essential Oil Premier University said...

Thanks for the tips.

Blessings,

Sher

3boysmama said...

Trader Joes, hands down. I can't find everything I need there, so that is a bummer. They have really good deals on organic meat, snack foods, and on dairy products.

A said...

Trader Joe's family all the way!!! A lot of people don't understand that they do have lots of great and exotic foods, but they have SO many staples at way less the price for a much better product!!! Thankful to live less than a mile from one! :)

Anonymous said...

Love Wegmans, Trader Joes and whole foods.

Although I find Wegmans a bit overwhelming at times.

My whole Foods undercuts Trader Joes on Organic dairy and a few other things.
The WF and TJ are only a couple of blocks from each other and compete for the same group of customers so I think that helps keep prices lower than other Whole Foods stores.

When it comes to cheaper organic produce WF undercuts most regular grocery stores in my area too.

LynnMarie said...

Hannaford is the ONLY store on the list that is near me at all so I guess my choice is limited to that one. I do like there guiding stars however.

Amy said...

None of those are here except Super Target, but I am not a huge fan of their prices. I wish we had some of those here- hopefully something will come out here one of these days

Sandy said...

We have a store that is locally owned (a few in OR) that is kinda ware-housish. Very large, the best health food section, not always the cleanest but the best buys! That is what I look for. Sometimes Grocery Outlet and of course Costco (but have to be SMART there!)
How's the babe?

Anonymous said...

Honest?

Aldi, Pick N Save, and Walmart with the occasional Sentry run are all favorites...and the only grocery stores near me in Wisconsin.

I suppose I could go to Woodmans, but why when I have a store literally 4 minutes away from me in 4 different directions?

We don't do much organic here - I just can't justify almost $7 a gallon for organic milk when I know the store brand milk I'm buying in WI is (by law) hormone free. Makes no sense to me. I DO like Eggland's best eggs though, when I can't get eggs from a local farmer - when there are double coupons, they're the most inexpensive eggs.

Other than that, I cook a TON from scratch, so I'm not all that concerned about healthy, I guess...the food is right from my own hands. ;)

But I won't give up my Sara Lee Whole Wheat Soft and Smooth bread for sandwiches. No way, dude.

Oh....and King Arthur Flour ROCKS! The stores around here don't carry their products, but I order from them - they have some FABULOUS mixes. A bit pricey, but for the quality, the level of customer service, and the guarantees they provide, I will buy from them over and over. Best cake flour ever...and don't get me started on their whole wheat oatmeal cranberry cookies - to die for!

Linds84 said...

Well for us Canadians Loblaws/RCSS is the absolute winner I think. They carry a wide range of organic and health conscious in their PC line. As well they teach cooking classes right in the store, the best part is that they're FREE!

JessieLeigh said...

I loved Publix when I lived in FL... and Harris Teeter when I lived in VA... how sad that, here in IN, we do not live anywhere close to even ONE of the top ten. :( Of course, we're also one of the fattest states in the country so, there you go...

Tubo Family said...

My favorite is Grocery Outlet...suprisingly large selection for a discount/closeout chain and it's like a treasure hunt. I supplement with Trader Joe's and Bel Air/Raley's.

Amy @ Amy's FMQ Adventures said...

Last week on grocery shopping day I told my hubby I had to go meet the Merchant ships. He liked that.

When I lived in Florida, I loved Publix. When we moved here, there was a Harris Teeter, which was a big plus for us. But it quickly was sold out to a series of failed grocery stores, was then torn down and rebuilt by our local Foodlion when they wanted a remodel, leaving a huge empty store on Main St.

I'd love my favorite store to be our local independant store, but they're so busy trying to have all the same departments as the Foodlion and Superwalmart, (Cards, medicines, etc.) that they don't have much room for a good food selection. So I then have to go to Walmart or Foodlion.

Walmart ends up being my main grocery store by default.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

PUBLIX!

Did I shout that? I probably did because I love it. :-)

And the thing I love best about Publix is how much they give back to the communities they serve. They are not only clean, have great service, and good products (including organic items), but they have a big HEART. There isn't another grocery store in my opinion. They win hands down. And no, I'm not an employee. LOL! Just heart them big time.

Publix... where shopping is a pleasure!

Sheila

Mary Ann said...

I like Super Bi-Lo the best other than a regular health food store. They have terrific sales on organics and a nice selection all around. Great mark-downs on dairy, too. Not long ago, I got Eggland's Best eggs for $1.25 a dozen.

I was also surprised that Food Lion was on the list. I know our stores have a small variety of packaged health foods but almost no organic produce. The produce section usually isn't that great either. I buy some sale items there but they do not double coupons so I get more for my money at Super Bi-Lo.

jenn said...

Not related to the topic: BUT!

There is an offer on the Oprah website with a link to a free snapfish book- you only pay shipping! ($6.99) What a cool gift idea!

http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/oprahshow/20081029_tows_messyhouse/7

Julie Clark said...

how about my garage! organic freezer beef! ;o)

Melissa Lester said...

I still miss the grocery stores in Nashville. When we moved to Alabama, I was surprised not to find nice ones in Montgomery. Publix has since come to our area, and it is such a nice, clean and friendly place to shop. We also have a smaller Fresh Market, which is more expensive on most things, but fairly reasonable on flowers and some specialty items. Living outside Montgomery, though, I do most of our grocery shopping in our small town at Wal Mart.

The Quintessential Magpie said...

I love Publix because it's clean, has helpful personnel, and it has the Green Wise line with many products being organic. We eat organic whenever we can. When we moved to Florida, we started shopping at Publix and haven't stopped. I shopped with them in various locations where we lived, and they've always been about quality in all aspects of the store. I don't think you can beat that.

From years ago, they used to have a slogan, "Where shopping is a pleasure," and it is. I have found when I ask the store manager if they would consider stocking a product (like Amy's Organic Split Pea Soup), they do it. That's my personal favorite, is very healthy, and has no white potatoes in it which I wasn't allowed to eat on a diet I was on for a while. They happily added this to their line of soups. Their produce section in organic foods is good, too.

Add me to the list of someone who hearts Publix.

Sheila

Anonymous said...

I sure hope the rest of the family has not been stricken with strep. You are missed!

Martha A. said...

I cannot afford to shop at most of those stores, and I find that Smiths (in the Kroger family) has the best prices even on natural stuff. They have a large selection as well.