It seems like Food 4 less is now FoodMaxx, after some googling the store in my town has the same layout just like Food for less.
Our Costco eggs are $3.19/18 today–it fluctuates. Our rotisserie chicken is also 4.99. They did briefly raise the price to 5.99 but had such a national outcry, it dropped back to 4.99, where it has remained.
I am not a Costco shopper but those prices are quite good. So is the quality the same as what you would get in a regular supermarket as far as meats, produce and dairy? Same brand names only you have to buy in bulk?
I get baby back ribs for BBQ but never steak so I don’t really know the quality. Chicken seems to be the same. Lamb is good.
The quality of the produce (especially fruits) is great, as are the prices. The locations are not near many lower income residents and can be a drive for most folks. We are fortunate that by some fluke, it’s only a 5 minutes drive from our house and we go there at least weekly. The quantiies of meats are generally too much for just two people, unless you divide and freeze for other meals or share with others. Generally, tne neighborhood groceries are 2-3x the prices I can get at Costco, but we do use them to buy smaller amounts–fresh vegetables, meats, fish.
Harvestmoon, I am not a Costco shopper at all because the crowds and size freak me out, but occasionally I go with my sister and the quality is extraordinary. For example, they have prime beef – restaurant quality prime beef – for the same price as grocery store choice beef. The fish is extraordinarily high quality as well. The advantage of Costco to me is NOT lower prices, but higher quality for the same price as grocery store items.
I’ve never priced out the prepared items, like boxed cereals and crackers or canned items because I dont buy a lit if those items and if I do, i buy small quantities.
Costco has quality clothing as well. I have bought many of my jeans and chinos there. We also bought D a nice wook double-breasted jacket and me a down sweater/jacket there.
The prices of the lamb roast and rack is lower than our grocer for higher quality. Salmon is also often cheaper and higher quality. We have bought a roast and cut it into steaks and cooked them out for our kids’ sports teams. It was pretty economical and the kdis LOVED it, served with a pot of hot rice.
It was very handy having Costco when our kids were in sports teams and for entertianing. The prices and quality are great.
Re the clothes, etc.: the only way that I personally can deal with Costco is to know exactly what I am going there to buy and to march purposefully past the clothing, bedding, motorcycles, etc. There must be something wrong with me but if I go to a store to buy a rack of lamb and end up considering a down jacket and diamond necklace, I quite literally get physically ill. Panic and nausea. Costco is NOT for everyone. It is not for me. But, boy, do they have beautiful rack of lamb, prime rib and salmon filets; highest quality imported cheeses; and the like.
Haha I don’t buy clothes there but I used to buy lots of cook books, not anymore. But is it farmed salmon, I never saw wild salmon, unless it’s sockeye.
Our Costco has surfboards and bicycles but have never seen a motorcycle. You do definitely have to be disciplined to save money at Costco, but they DO have some amazing merchandise. The down jacket with hood and stuff sack was only $40–so light and packable for travel! D’s CKlein wool coat was $40 or 50 and perfect!
I mostly go to Costco for food, but have been very happy with their clothing.
I go to Costco for sample foods.
Re: https://www.yahoo.com/food/how-much-food-the-world-eats-in-a-day-did-you-know-116394244921.html
Note the high vegetable consumption in China, which is likely related to the selection of vegetables in grocery stores catering to immigrants from China.
The area appears to have only Aldi-owned Trader Joe’s, not Aldi-branded stores.
Interesting comments from Wonkblog about the Food Stamp Challenge (ignore the title, it’s not just about Gwyneth Paltrow):
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/04/18/gwyneth-paltrow-bought-on-food-stamps-what-only-rich-people-buy/?tid=sm_fb
A few of their observations:
Many people on SNAP don’t have cars, and can’t make frequent trips to the grocery store. They might only be able to go to a grocery store once a month.
Trying new recipes is riskier for people on limited food budgets, because if the kids won’t eat what you just made, you’ve wasted food you can’t afford to waste.
Poor people don’t eat many fruits and vegetables but neither does anyone else.
A mother who is working long hours at two jobs will have trouble finding time to make something like beans that take a long time to cook.
I talked to a lady who only goes to the grocery store every three months. I’m guessing not a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables or milk in her house, but people can do well on canned and frozen, I guess. She goes to one of the mega discount stores, and has many carts of food for her family. She says she is incredibly organized in what she cooks, and is quite proud of herself. I think her family eats pretty well, but I can’t imagine having it figured out like she does. I should have asked her what she spends. She buys things in large bulk quantities.
You may forget include the following items in the $29 budget: buying Starbucks coffee, going to lunch with coworkers, having BBQ with friends on the weekend, buying supplemental vitamins,…
Feeding several people on multiples of $30 is easier in many ways than feeding one person on $30, since you can share larger quantities and make larger meals that can be spread among several.
Alas, there isn’t a Costco in the state of Maine. I wish they would open one!
If one is willing or able to shop in “ethnic” stores such as Patels, Cambodian markets, etc, one can save an extraordinary amount on dried beans and legumes, spices, and some vegetables.
Coolweather, what on earth are you talking about?
I know a lot of people on snap. None of them go to Starbucks. They’re lucky if they can afford coffee to make at home.
^ That’s the whole point. The poor people don’t have money to buy Starbucks coffee and croissant for breakfast, don’t have money to go to lunch with coworkers, don’t have extra money to buy food for weekend parties,… But people who are not poor and want to try the $29 budget may forget about those extra costs.
Well, I don’t have money to buy Starbucks coffee and croissant for breakfast, don’t have money to go to lunch with coworkers, don’t have extra money to buy food for weekend parties. More than likely we don’t spend $29/week per person for food either.
Almost everyone listed their “purchases” using this $29. There are other ways to get good food items without spending $$. Some of them do require a little driving.
Someone we knew built a hem house in the yard and pick fresh eggs every day. They use the waste for their veg garden.