Ever since I started going to college away from home and buying my own groceries, I have developed a very biased opinion on grocery stores that I shop at. I would like to preface this by saying that I am from a town in Buffalo, New York, where I have access to and have shopped at many major grocery stores. But without any further explanation, here are my top five grocery stores to shop at.
HM: BJ’s Wholesale Club
I feel as though this ranking would not feel complete to me if I did not give an honorable mention to BJ’s Wholesale. I love their products that they sell, and the fact that they usually have decent coupons for items that I buy. However, as much as I love shopping here, I can’t justify buying bulk packs of every item (and my bank account DEFINITELY can’t justify it).
#5: Target
I know. I know what you’re thinking. This came as a shock to me as well. But when I was weighing the pros and cons of other stores on this list, Target happened to fall at the bottom.
In no way am I saying that this is the worst grocery store to shop at. Don’t get me wrong they have some great product selections, and many of the Target brand items are actually worth buying. But I think it goes without saying that one grocery shopping trip to Target can be extremely expensive. As a college student who is buying groceries with my own money, I have to pay much more attention to how much I am spending on each trip.
Just buying basic groceries from there will put you at least $100; I know I could spend that much in one trip. Now try and imagine if you are buying for a family, or a group of people that you live with. For me, there are better options out there than Target, even though it is really hard to resist shopping there with all of the fun clothes and beauty products.
#4: Tops
I grew up in an area where we had a Tops right down the street from me. And now even being at school, there is a Tops right down the street. So, for me, this one was more about convenience.
I really like shopping at Tops. I think they have a good selection of brands, and they cover a wide array of areas needed to shop in. I also love their bakery items, which is something that I feel like other stores, such as Target, lack.
The only downside to Tops is not being a member of their Bonus Card program. It’s free to join and all you need is a phone number, but if you don’t have one, it may very likely take your $40 total and turn it into a $50+. Trust me, you don’t want to get caught at the checkout without a Bonus Card—or accidentally forget the number your dad told you to put in…totally not speaking from experience.
#3: Aldi
This one may be a little controversial for some people. However, I love Aldi.
They have some of the best prices for groceries out there, and not to mention, they have some great produce, meat, and snack selections. They almost always have deals on their items, and they have become very popular as a shopping spot in more recent years.
One of my favorite things about Aldi is their weekly specials that they have. They typically have an entire aisle dedicated to weekly finds. They could be anything from ice cube trays and storage organizers to fun pillows and costumes for your pets. The possibilities are truly endless. I am not ashamed to say that a lot of dorm items I bought are from Aldi.
I just wish that the store was bigger and carried more brands.
#2: Walmart
I have a feeling that there is a large population of people that would switch my #5 with my #2. But let me explain why I like Walmart over Target.
These stores are often pitted against each other, and for very valid reasons. They are comparable in size and brands that they carry. However, the main reason why I would choose Walmart over Target is because, in my opinion, Walmart is more targeted towards grocery shopping.
When I think about it, I will go to Walmart with the main objective of shopping for food. But when I go to Target I like to shop for fun things like beauty items and clothes. And since this list is for grocery stores, I feel as though I had to put Walmart over Target.
I also think that it is worth mentioning that grocery items, and products in general, are much cheaper at Walmart than other stores like Target.
#1: Wegmans
I truly don’t think that I can explain my love for Wegmans. I love their food selections, the brands they carry, their premade/carryout food, and the atmosphere of the place.
It is a very normal thing in Buffalo to run to Wegmans and grab lunch or dinner. I know on nights where I had to figure out my own dinner, nine times out of ten, I would end up grabbing food from Wegmans. They are just so versatile.
But don’t ever try and go there on a Buffalo Bills game day unless you are mentally prepared. All I can say is it’s a lot of people, a lot of chaos, and a lot of “Go Bills!”
When I moved to St. Bonaventure, I was crushed at the fact that there isn’t a Wegmans close to campus. It crosses my mind at least once a day. There are some days where I seriously consider driving all the way to Jamestown just to go there.
I really think that I could write an entire article just on my love for Wegmans, but for this I will keep it short and sweet.
I hope my rankings influenced you to think about what your top grocery stores to shop at are!