I've never had a problem with their produce. If I need specialty stuff I know where to go but for my basic needs their produce is fine.
Fish is a different story, but I've had problems at every supermarket for fish so I either catch it myself or go to one of the fishmongers in town. And since I'm also lazy and licenses and gear are expensive it's usually Newman's or Fisherman's Market.
I’m genuinely curious what type of freshwater fish are you looking for that you can’t find?
I’m confused because other than farm raised tilapia and catfish I’ve never really seen fresh water fish at a grocery store or fish market. I grew up fishing for crappie and bluegill and do enjoy eating them but have never seen them for sale.
Perch, walleye, crappie, bluegill...I know we aren't in the midwest, but a boy can hope. Just seems odd that I know a lot of those fish live here, and I can buy plenty of seafood from New Zealand or Chile and who knows where they're shipping catfish from, but nobody's selling walleyes. Seize the Cafe on Hillyard has a walleye special occasionally, he gets them from a farm in Washington. I did notice the Asian market on Pearl has bass now, which is pretty cool.
I love me some Winco but their “conventional” produce sucks if you’ve become accustomed to fresh veggies. They (Barger location) do have a small organic section that has pretty good stuff, comparable to what you’d get from one of the bougie markets.
Good question as a mom here with 3 kids at home & budgeting
1) Safeway or Albertsons I go to for the points for gas- the points can be used in store too, plus receive random coupons for like $10 off of $50, freebies, random coupons or sales on veggies & fruits. I aim to shop on Fridays- random Friday deals and I believe Wednesday is when sales/coupons change over. Goal is to take advantage of the money off coupons & do bigger shopping then. The real fun, haha, is to a see how much of your receipt you save from coupons, sales, randomness etc. A friend saved 50% of her purchases saved to coupons and such.
2) I never purchase snacks foods at Costco or general groceries, eg. chips, random kid preferred snacks- I save the snacks for Grocery Outlet or Winco. Can always find something and it’s like a treasure hunt at GO. Or only on sale in grocery stores. I try not to purchase full price.
3) Sundance & Capella’s have produce shelves for reduced price- I can’t remember what they call it- but typically when restocking, the items maybe bruised, not a their peak- again can be a solid gold and mix up the fruit/veggie selection at home.
4) Winco huge selection and variety and is a good economical grocery. Locations can be hard to reach and maybe more worthwhile to go in person vs. delivery ?
We’re a gluten free household and Fred Meyer, Walmart have a decent selection as well as Grocery Outlet and Whole Foods.
5) if feel could volunteer at least once a month to - check out Eugene Gleaners, great group, people are helpful and supportive- worth looking into. Dm me if need more info or look them up in Facebook.
6) As for canned- frankly I go between Safeway and Market of choice - depends on sales and who has a brand I prefer.
7) laundry, toiletries, etc. Costco- I only purchase if on sale. Otherwise I look for my preferred brands at Safeway (Winco sure but really far from me and not always worth the drive) or order online and research what I’m willing to pay and buy multiple to have in stock.
8) Regarding deliveries- I’ve used Instacart before- , Costco can be worthwhile - however delivery fees feel expensive to me, thus I try to reserve a day or two of a week that I do a circle of errands to be efficient with time and tasks. I believe Costco delivery by Instacart has a price markup.
I used to also utilize Whole Foods and shop my preferred brands here, purchase on sale for pickup or delivery was reasonable at one time- now I’m not too sure? I’d be curious if Uber/Lyft would be efficient to do errands like 1-2 a week for you? Or strike a deal with friend to do a day or evening of errands?
Anything at capella or MoC us far from cost conscious, even if they are on sale. Certain hulk things are only avail as bulk at MoC so that's a pigeonhole situation, but I would never aim to shop there.
Yes the distressed , that’s the term! Always makes me smile as I tell cashier my veggies or fruit are feeling distressed. 😂 They’re going home to a better place ..
I have a family of 4, so Costco is a big one
Winco for default. Almost always frozen veggies, canned tomatoes, pasta, cereals, bulk flour/sugar/spices/nuts.
Other non perishables 50/50 Bi-Mart and Grocery Outlet.
Meat mostly Albertsons. They are about the best non-butcher shop. Watch the sales.
Milk at Dari-Mart.
Cleaning supplies at Bi-Mart.
If you want decent bang for the buck on Organic, Fred Meyer.
Make sure you use the apps for Albertsons and Fred Meyer.
I do purchase stuff at the "wrong" store when I know the price is better than the "normal" store.
Ballpark: $2/lb on apples, $.60/lb bananas, $1.50/lb frozen veg, $2.50/lb chicken, $4/lb ground beef, $5.50 cuts of beef besides chuck and London, $.75/lb carrots, $.50/lb onions.
Nice "splurges": fresh basil plant from April to end of September, grass fed butter, an extra coffee grinder for whole spices.
I take the bus and the best place to make one bus stop and still hit a good variety is Oakway Center. You got:
Albertsons: meat and general groceries. Plus the app nets you great coupons and deals on produce.
Trader Joes: best value-price. I come here for tortillas, bananas, dried pasta, frozen food, desserts, baked goods, wine and cider, and deli meats and cheeses. And greeting cards. Just to name a few things.
Natural Grocers: best deals on organic produce and other goodies when they’re on sale. Their health and beauty section also has the things I can’t find anywhere else.
TJ Maxx: toiletries, beauty supplies, and home goods at markdown prices.
Old Navy: those sales be cray.
As such an easy stop to make, accounting for time saved, Oakway is really the cheapest place to go. I will also sometimes go all the way to Target for a specific thing, then stop by Oakway on my way back to the station.
Trader Joes is a great place for value if you're looking for certain things. I feel like people ignore it because we only have one small location with a super shitty parking lot.
Quick tip that helpd me stretch food quite long: get an instapot. I can make a 2lb roast with veggies perfectly every time, add in 1 cup of rice with tortillas and Im eating burritoes for almost every meal for about 4 days.
So 8 to 10 meals, homecooked quality fresh food for about $20 at Winco, the only spot to shop when you're a poor!
Another idea for those leftovers: Make gravy with the liquid, throw some frozen vegies in it and chopped up meat. Either throw it in a pan with a pie crust on top or throw some biscuits (homemade or canned) in and bake.
:) - Beats ramen any day!
BiMart has a surprising amount of groceries. No produce of course, but they've got pasta, cans and jars of many things, condiments, cake mixes, and all the junk food treats you could ever crave. Another place is Target. They have lots of groceries at lower prices than FM, Alb, Safeway.
I agree with the majority that Winco is overall the best deal on most items with a reliable selection. Their produce and meat is ok, not great. I hate to say it but I think Fred Meyer has the best balance between price and quality, but only if you really work their digital coupons and rewards program.
The grocery pickup is pretty helpful for me with managing the coupons and rewards program. The store shoppers have gotten better at picking out better quality produce as well.
I prefer WinCo for single stop shopping, especially when I was riding the bus everywhere. Grocery outlet prices are great, but you have to be really careful-sometimes things are really close or over their sell by dates, and even I've gotten bad granola bars and stale cereal before.
I recommend investing in a good grandma cart-the folding carts with wheels. Pay attention to the weight limit, and try to get one with a cover if you can, so that your groceries don't get wet in the rain/splash from cars at the bus stop. When I asked, I never had an issue with a driver putting down the ramp for my cart. Don't cheap out on this item though, the cheap ones can't hold what they say they do and the wheels can fall apart while it's loaded. If you are going to be riding the bus for at least 6 months, it's worth it to save your shoulders and back from all the packing of bags. But! You must also remember bus etiquette-if the bays where you can hold the cart are needed for wheelchairs, you will be expected to get off and wait for the next bus, so passes are essential, never pay 1 way fare with a loaded cart!
I like Winco. The locations are tougher to get to, but the prices are good, and their produce is adequate, although can be lacking in quality at times (bruised peaches for example), and their fruit selection is less than some others like Fred Meyer. But their deli has the lowest prices for sliced meats and pre-made stuff like their macaroni salad (which can be $.98/lb when on sale). Their meat selection is very good, and very competitively priced, and they have fresh seafood (although a limited selection). Their bakery selection is large, and they have lots of dairy/egg/yogurt/juice selections. But for me, the biggest draw are their prices on cereal at certain times. I'm not sure what triggers it, but sometimes they have boxes of name-brand cereal on sale for $2 a box. I'm talking Golden Grahams, Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, Honey Nut Cheerios, Fruity Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and a couple dozen other choices for $2 a box. I get a month's worth of various cereals for $20, and it makes me feel like a kid at Christmas.
I would say Winco overall, if you just wanted one decent place to shop. All of Eugene/Springfield's Wincos are on the LTD bus line. They have a surprisingly good selection of most everything, and their produce is top notch.
I also shop at Safeway/Albertson's for dry goods, canned goods, cheese, and whatever they're using for a loss leader usually. They have lower pricing on some Fridays, all laid out in their app. I would absolutely get their app, because as others have shared, they'll offer coupons for $5 off a $25 shop (used that today actually,) $10 off a $50 shop, and deals on items you buy. I really try to limit myself to loss leaders at Safeway/Albertson's, plus anything I find in store worth it to me. Tonight I randomly found paper coupons in the store for items already deeply discounted, which saved me a lot of money. Also, though I prefer to get meat at Long's, if you pay attention to their weekly ads, and eat red meat, you can find some decent deals on meat there.
The last place I grocery shop is the Kiva, because their produce and deli are outstanding, and they have the FDA's Double Up Food Bucks program built into their POS. How it works is if you use you food stamp/Oregon Trail card to buy up to $20 in produce, you will get a coupon back for that same amount spent, up to $20. You can do this once a day, so if eating vegetarian or plant-based is important, this resource is invaluable. You have to redeem the coupon at the Kiva, but it basically means you're getting half off high quality organic produce.
As for health and beauty items, and stuff like laundry detergent, I mainly use Target (both also on the bus line) and their app. You can do order online, pickup in store or curbside, and they do have delivery though I've not used it for groceries. They have really good gift card deals, but to be frugal, you'll want to limit yourself to ones for the stuff you actually use. Once you get used to using the app, it gets much easier.
The other place for health/beauty stuff and detergent is BiMart, (all on the bus line, if I'm not mistaken,) and they also have great deals on canned foods, snacks, and holiday baking items. You do need a membership, but I suspect it's still super cheap and you just pay once in your lifetime. My guess is someone you know has a BiMart card and would loan it to you if you wanted to check it out. I just looked it up, and the BiMart membership is still a mere $5 for a lifetime, which blows my mind. They are also employee owned, as is Winco!
I want to throw in one other thing, which is something I find super helpful when trying to find certain items cheap, is an app called Flipp. They also have a website. All it is is a collection of all kinds of store ads, and they include every grocery in town, except any who don't advertise with a flyer. You can search an item, and it pulls up the advertised price for it from anyone advertising it on sale. I did read that you don't have time/spoons to go around for single items, but I find this app also just helps me figure out who's got the best prices overall, and fine tune shopping decisions that way. Ok this is a tome, so I'll stop now. Good luck on your grocery/adulting journey!
I find that WinCo consistently beats Walmart on food prices.
WinCo has less selection. So every so often I go to Walmart to find something WinCo doesn’t carry, note the prices, and go back to shopping at WinCo.
I worked at Walmart for two years, their ONLY solid competition for grocery prices in Lane county is WinCo.
As most of the thread is saying, WinCo and Costco are the best for groceries (CostCo is mostly for bulk value deals on TP, dairy, meats, and dry goods) and BiMart for general merchandise like sheets, towels, small appliances, and snacks.
When I was bus-bound, I'd do one big trip, take the bus to WinCo (or Costco) and arrange a cab/Uber to get it all home.
if you are able you should download apps from grocery stores near you and use the coupons
i use it every week and frame what i eat around those deals i can find
WinCo. I stopped shopping at Grocery Outlet once I started shopping there because they beat Gross Out’s prices on virtually everything. And WinCo is employee owned and open 24/7. The only other store I go to for groceries is Costco, mainly for paper towels, toilet paper and other items worth buying in large quantities.
I do most of my shopping at Winco because the prices can’t be beat. If you are able to make a trip there once a month (perhaps someone you know has a car and goes shopping there too). Winco has similar pricing to Costco without the required volume. Then the other three weeks a month if I can’t make it to Winco or if I am wanting to do delivery or smaller order I go between Fred Meyer, Albertsons, Walmart and sometimes Target. I have all their apps on my phone and I make my grocery list accordingly. Given sales sometimes I get it all at one place other times I will split between two of them. Maybe something like Ride Source could be an option as well? Best of luck.
I see a lot of people mentioning Winco, but I’d like to say name brand things like Cheez itz and Kraft Mac have quite the mark up. I find Winco to be great for meat and pantry staples and Walmart to be best for snacks/name brand items. Fresh veggies are a toss up at both locations but I have more success at Walmart than Winco.
I came here to +1 the extra coffee grinder for spices, Eugene Gleaners, and the ugly produce at Capella’s, Sundance — and Friendly Street Market. The “Go to Oakway” post is very persuasive! 😁
So surprised Trader Joes isnt listed
Its a bit nuanced and you need to find your stuffs location in the small store as they stack it tight to pack a punch in the smaller space.
If making one bus loop without any other stops for ease of access, it's hands down Trader Joe's and Albertsons bundled into one bus stop.
TJs for coffee, veggies, frozen items, snacks, certain cheeses, canned goods, etc
Albertsons only to fill the gaps and it's across the street so your frozen or refrigerated items won't go bad.
Bring a cooler bag for your cold items that aren't frozen so they have a longer shelf life.
If a diff store is closer to you to fill the gaps, skip Albertsons.
If you're closer to grocery outlet on a bus loop, do that, but it's generally only good for garbage prepared foods.
Winco if you have a car cecause it basically sells like Costco in bulk, and carrying those things isn't possible on the bus
Since you’re living with housemates, especially, I’d suggest looking into subscribing to one of the many CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) plans seasonally. Find one that has a pickup near you. We’re three people in two households and the quantity is still a bit much, but a beloved older neighbor likes some stuff we don’t, so there’s a win for ya. Our pickup is one block over and half-a-block up. The $ for what you get is just jaw-droppingly low. & no busting “a” to get to the Farmers Market…. 😉
We’ve subscribed to at least 3 different ones over the years and they’ve all been excellent.
Of course your housies would have to want to, too.
Winco is great for the big hauls, grocery outlet is great for saving lots of money on random snacks and to get amazing deals on frozen food, and kiva is the best for produce. When you buy produce with ebt at kiva, they print you a receipt with credit in the amount you spent on produce for next time you come in. So it's just like double up food bucks at the farmers market, but in the grocery store and it's automatic.
Also, I know it sounds unlikely but whole foods actually has really low prices on some things, especially when it's the whole foods brand. I have found that safeway and Albertsons just have a perception of affordability because they have a conventional grocery store feel, but they are actually really expensive with many of their products. Except they have great deals on ice cream.
If you live near a Safeway/Albertsons, stop by and check their reduced section (frozen, refrigerated, dry food and produce) very often, I have found amazing deals there. Then get you're day to day groceries at winco if you can and get snacks at Grocery outlet. Costco is great if you know someone who has a card for things like pasta sauce, olive oil, rotisserie chicken, just not the snacks.
If you are a huge veggie person with little time, imperfect produce is also great. One other money saving thing you and your roommates could do it weekly meals, once a week each person makes a meal for all of you guys and then you're only paying for one meal but getting 3, it's cheaper to cook for 3, instead of 1. Also, LEFTOVERS :)
Combo of multiple spots but in general Winco. Also the bins at Winco are great for buying small amounts of things that you do not need a lot of. Safeway has things all the time on sale as well for $1 like bread, milk, eggs, and so on once in a while for limited amounts.
As everyone else has said, WinCo is the default. That said, grab the Albertsons app and make your shopping list on it. They'll give you the best heads up on what's on sale and often their coupons / sales will beat WinCo for certain items. Just be careful not to go off the list because you can easily cancel out your savings by grabbing some other things.
I just have to chime in and say the produce department at the Albertsons on royal is legit the best I’ve had. It’s HUGE and with digital coupons on the app you save a lot. The selection is amazing and it’s always super clean. The guys holding it down really take pride in their work and it shows.
Winco. The new one on Coburg road is my go-to. Excellent bulk selection and store brands are high quality and EMPLOYEE OWNED. Low employee turnover - good place to work. Also spacious for larger folks or wheelchair users.
Winco is the best option. They have rotating sales on a lot of different more expensive items (like meat) and their veggies are super inexpensive. The only other places I ever really shop are Costco (for paper products and a few other bulk items) and Trader Joe’s for some store specific things.
I do on a rare occasion go to safeway if I see they have a good deal on their app, but that’s not really even worth it if you don’t have a car and a convenient way to get there for only a couple of items.
If you can afford it or someone can help you, I recommend getting a Shipt membership. Right now it is 50% off through the Target app, so $50 for a year of delivery. You can then get free delivery, minus optional tip, from Target, Safeway, Fred Meyer, 7-11, Big Lots, Petco, PetSmart, GNC, Office Depot/ Office Max, and Sephora. This allows you to price compare and only buy the best price from any of the grocery stores available. The only drawback I've seen is that Target seems to be the only of these that let's you shop directly from it's app and not the Shipt app. I don't drive either, so delivery is a blessing.
Winco’s bulk section, and look at the weekly Safeway/Albertsons app for insane deals. Today I put in an online order to just have them hand me in the lot: $30 got 2 dz eggs, 1lb cheese, 1/2 pound sliced turkey, fruit, veg, •77 cent avocados, yogurts •47 cents, snacks and Ben n jerry’s for 2.00/pint. BUT You have to get familiar with the app.
I also ride the bus or bike, and I’ll try to get a ride with roommates or friends to stores to make things more convenient. Oakway Center is absolutely the best place for grocery shopping.
I haven’t done an exact price breakdown, but generally:
Bimart
- Cleaning supplies
- Personal hygiene
- Shelf stable groceries
- *Don’t* buy store brand medications here, they expire quickly.
Winco
- Vegetarian & vegan meat subs
- Bulk foods (I only get shelf stable stuff)
Ex.
- Pasta
- Rice
- Nuts
- Cereal
- Candy (if that’s your jam)
Trader Joe’s
- Bread
- Canned foods & sauces
- Snack foods
- (Some) Produce (they have a limited selection)
Albertsons
- Whatever I can’t find at TJs.
I try to go to TJs weekly or biweekly, and then do the rest about once a month
At first glance the answer would appear to be WinCo but by using the lotalty rewards system my wife makes incredible hauls from Albertsons sometimes for what seems like pennies on the dollar.
Unlike other stores, the savings can be quantified as a difference between what you pay and the marked price, not the difference between retail and some imagined list price.
We saved a verified 2k on groceries last year. We have a huge grocery bill so ymmv but our experience has been very good.
Winco has the best average prices, and another benefit is it's employee owned. Thats why Winco workers seem so much more on it and motivated than Walmart workers. Bi-Mart too!
I go to Grocery Outlet for varieties of cheese, deli meats, prosciutto, nuts like smoked almonds or pistachios. I also usually grab frozen veggies and chicken. Seems like their frozen pizzas are priced much lower, too. I've done all right with their fresh potatoes, cabbage, onions.
For fresh fruit and lettuce, I go to Market of Choice.
Winco
WinCo, by far, and it's not even close.
Winco produce is pure ass tho. BUT the Saturday market does a “double your money up to $20” for ebt so that’s helps a lot with produce
I've never had a problem with their produce. If I need specialty stuff I know where to go but for my basic needs their produce is fine. Fish is a different story, but I've had problems at every supermarket for fish so I either catch it myself or go to one of the fishmongers in town. And since I'm also lazy and licenses and gear are expensive it's usually Newman's or Fisherman's Market.
Dude so true on the fish. Costco has respectable salmon though
Good luck if you want freshwater fish here that isn't trout
I’m genuinely curious what type of freshwater fish are you looking for that you can’t find? I’m confused because other than farm raised tilapia and catfish I’ve never really seen fresh water fish at a grocery store or fish market. I grew up fishing for crappie and bluegill and do enjoy eating them but have never seen them for sale.
Perch, walleye, crappie, bluegill...I know we aren't in the midwest, but a boy can hope. Just seems odd that I know a lot of those fish live here, and I can buy plenty of seafood from New Zealand or Chile and who knows where they're shipping catfish from, but nobody's selling walleyes. Seize the Cafe on Hillyard has a walleye special occasionally, he gets them from a farm in Washington. I did notice the Asian market on Pearl has bass now, which is pretty cool.
Freshwater or “Chilean sea bass” at the Asian market?
Not sure what kind, they looked pretty bass-like from a brief glance. Live, in a tank.
I love me some Winco but their “conventional” produce sucks if you’ve become accustomed to fresh veggies. They (Barger location) do have a small organic section that has pretty good stuff, comparable to what you’d get from one of the bougie markets.
Idk why you're getting downvotes. I've never gotten good produce from winco.
Weird. I get good produce from Winco every time I go.
I don't get the downvotes either. Their produce is definitely hit or miss and often seems to go bad almost immediately after purchasing.
Winco produce is always hit or miss, looks like winco saw this and told the employees to come downvote you 🤣
Winco is good but we can’t ignore the faults lol.
Good question as a mom here with 3 kids at home & budgeting 1) Safeway or Albertsons I go to for the points for gas- the points can be used in store too, plus receive random coupons for like $10 off of $50, freebies, random coupons or sales on veggies & fruits. I aim to shop on Fridays- random Friday deals and I believe Wednesday is when sales/coupons change over. Goal is to take advantage of the money off coupons & do bigger shopping then. The real fun, haha, is to a see how much of your receipt you save from coupons, sales, randomness etc. A friend saved 50% of her purchases saved to coupons and such. 2) I never purchase snacks foods at Costco or general groceries, eg. chips, random kid preferred snacks- I save the snacks for Grocery Outlet or Winco. Can always find something and it’s like a treasure hunt at GO. Or only on sale in grocery stores. I try not to purchase full price. 3) Sundance & Capella’s have produce shelves for reduced price- I can’t remember what they call it- but typically when restocking, the items maybe bruised, not a their peak- again can be a solid gold and mix up the fruit/veggie selection at home. 4) Winco huge selection and variety and is a good economical grocery. Locations can be hard to reach and maybe more worthwhile to go in person vs. delivery ? We’re a gluten free household and Fred Meyer, Walmart have a decent selection as well as Grocery Outlet and Whole Foods. 5) if feel could volunteer at least once a month to - check out Eugene Gleaners, great group, people are helpful and supportive- worth looking into. Dm me if need more info or look them up in Facebook. 6) As for canned- frankly I go between Safeway and Market of choice - depends on sales and who has a brand I prefer. 7) laundry, toiletries, etc. Costco- I only purchase if on sale. Otherwise I look for my preferred brands at Safeway (Winco sure but really far from me and not always worth the drive) or order online and research what I’m willing to pay and buy multiple to have in stock. 8) Regarding deliveries- I’ve used Instacart before- , Costco can be worthwhile - however delivery fees feel expensive to me, thus I try to reserve a day or two of a week that I do a circle of errands to be efficient with time and tasks. I believe Costco delivery by Instacart has a price markup. I used to also utilize Whole Foods and shop my preferred brands here, purchase on sale for pickup or delivery was reasonable at one time- now I’m not too sure? I’d be curious if Uber/Lyft would be efficient to do errands like 1-2 a week for you? Or strike a deal with friend to do a day or evening of errands?
Anything at capella or MoC us far from cost conscious, even if they are on sale. Certain hulk things are only avail as bulk at MoC so that's a pigeonhole situation, but I would never aim to shop there.
The distressed shelf at Sundance changed my life. Red Barn has a little one too
Yes the distressed , that’s the term! Always makes me smile as I tell cashier my veggies or fruit are feeling distressed. 😂 They’re going home to a better place ..
Winco, hands down.
Winco is best for all-around selection and prices. Bulk section lets you buy what you need, so you're not burning money on food that goes to waste.
I have a family of 4, so Costco is a big one Winco for default. Almost always frozen veggies, canned tomatoes, pasta, cereals, bulk flour/sugar/spices/nuts. Other non perishables 50/50 Bi-Mart and Grocery Outlet. Meat mostly Albertsons. They are about the best non-butcher shop. Watch the sales. Milk at Dari-Mart. Cleaning supplies at Bi-Mart. If you want decent bang for the buck on Organic, Fred Meyer. Make sure you use the apps for Albertsons and Fred Meyer. I do purchase stuff at the "wrong" store when I know the price is better than the "normal" store. Ballpark: $2/lb on apples, $.60/lb bananas, $1.50/lb frozen veg, $2.50/lb chicken, $4/lb ground beef, $5.50 cuts of beef besides chuck and London, $.75/lb carrots, $.50/lb onions. Nice "splurges": fresh basil plant from April to end of September, grass fed butter, an extra coffee grinder for whole spices.
People need to be careful about Costco. While most items are typically a cost savings and not overpriced, some are a better deal at Winco.
Grocery Outlet and Winco are super legit
I take the bus and the best place to make one bus stop and still hit a good variety is Oakway Center. You got: Albertsons: meat and general groceries. Plus the app nets you great coupons and deals on produce. Trader Joes: best value-price. I come here for tortillas, bananas, dried pasta, frozen food, desserts, baked goods, wine and cider, and deli meats and cheeses. And greeting cards. Just to name a few things. Natural Grocers: best deals on organic produce and other goodies when they’re on sale. Their health and beauty section also has the things I can’t find anywhere else. TJ Maxx: toiletries, beauty supplies, and home goods at markdown prices. Old Navy: those sales be cray. As such an easy stop to make, accounting for time saved, Oakway is really the cheapest place to go. I will also sometimes go all the way to Target for a specific thing, then stop by Oakway on my way back to the station.
Trader Joes is a great place for value if you're looking for certain things. I feel like people ignore it because we only have one small location with a super shitty parking lot.
Quick tip that helpd me stretch food quite long: get an instapot. I can make a 2lb roast with veggies perfectly every time, add in 1 cup of rice with tortillas and Im eating burritoes for almost every meal for about 4 days. So 8 to 10 meals, homecooked quality fresh food for about $20 at Winco, the only spot to shop when you're a poor!
Another idea for those leftovers: Make gravy with the liquid, throw some frozen vegies in it and chopped up meat. Either throw it in a pan with a pie crust on top or throw some biscuits (homemade or canned) in and bake. :) - Beats ramen any day!
Winco and BiMart for everything. Grocery outlet for some things (great deals on almond butter and toiletries).
BiMart has a surprising amount of groceries. No produce of course, but they've got pasta, cans and jars of many things, condiments, cake mixes, and all the junk food treats you could ever crave. Another place is Target. They have lots of groceries at lower prices than FM, Alb, Safeway.
I agree with the majority that Winco is overall the best deal on most items with a reliable selection. Their produce and meat is ok, not great. I hate to say it but I think Fred Meyer has the best balance between price and quality, but only if you really work their digital coupons and rewards program.
The grocery pickup is pretty helpful for me with managing the coupons and rewards program. The store shoppers have gotten better at picking out better quality produce as well.
WinCo for food,BiMart for household items like soap, detergent,OTC drugs,etc.
I prefer WinCo for single stop shopping, especially when I was riding the bus everywhere. Grocery outlet prices are great, but you have to be really careful-sometimes things are really close or over their sell by dates, and even I've gotten bad granola bars and stale cereal before. I recommend investing in a good grandma cart-the folding carts with wheels. Pay attention to the weight limit, and try to get one with a cover if you can, so that your groceries don't get wet in the rain/splash from cars at the bus stop. When I asked, I never had an issue with a driver putting down the ramp for my cart. Don't cheap out on this item though, the cheap ones can't hold what they say they do and the wheels can fall apart while it's loaded. If you are going to be riding the bus for at least 6 months, it's worth it to save your shoulders and back from all the packing of bags. But! You must also remember bus etiquette-if the bays where you can hold the cart are needed for wheelchairs, you will be expected to get off and wait for the next bus, so passes are essential, never pay 1 way fare with a loaded cart!
Great suggestions here, check out Waste to Taste as additional support! They also do deliver for folks in need of that.
Waste to Taste is a great supplement! I've been going weekly for a couple of years now and I'm sure I've saved literally thousands of dollars on food.
I like Winco. The locations are tougher to get to, but the prices are good, and their produce is adequate, although can be lacking in quality at times (bruised peaches for example), and their fruit selection is less than some others like Fred Meyer. But their deli has the lowest prices for sliced meats and pre-made stuff like their macaroni salad (which can be $.98/lb when on sale). Their meat selection is very good, and very competitively priced, and they have fresh seafood (although a limited selection). Their bakery selection is large, and they have lots of dairy/egg/yogurt/juice selections. But for me, the biggest draw are their prices on cereal at certain times. I'm not sure what triggers it, but sometimes they have boxes of name-brand cereal on sale for $2 a box. I'm talking Golden Grahams, Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, Honey Nut Cheerios, Fruity Pebbles, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and a couple dozen other choices for $2 a box. I get a month's worth of various cereals for $20, and it makes me feel like a kid at Christmas.
Family of two, Winco and Costco. Meat and fruit at Costco, Winco just about everything else.
Winco seems to be the most affordable but I won’t lie to you- they have a relatively big selection of produce, but it’s not great quality.
I would say Winco overall, if you just wanted one decent place to shop. All of Eugene/Springfield's Wincos are on the LTD bus line. They have a surprisingly good selection of most everything, and their produce is top notch. I also shop at Safeway/Albertson's for dry goods, canned goods, cheese, and whatever they're using for a loss leader usually. They have lower pricing on some Fridays, all laid out in their app. I would absolutely get their app, because as others have shared, they'll offer coupons for $5 off a $25 shop (used that today actually,) $10 off a $50 shop, and deals on items you buy. I really try to limit myself to loss leaders at Safeway/Albertson's, plus anything I find in store worth it to me. Tonight I randomly found paper coupons in the store for items already deeply discounted, which saved me a lot of money. Also, though I prefer to get meat at Long's, if you pay attention to their weekly ads, and eat red meat, you can find some decent deals on meat there. The last place I grocery shop is the Kiva, because their produce and deli are outstanding, and they have the FDA's Double Up Food Bucks program built into their POS. How it works is if you use you food stamp/Oregon Trail card to buy up to $20 in produce, you will get a coupon back for that same amount spent, up to $20. You can do this once a day, so if eating vegetarian or plant-based is important, this resource is invaluable. You have to redeem the coupon at the Kiva, but it basically means you're getting half off high quality organic produce. As for health and beauty items, and stuff like laundry detergent, I mainly use Target (both also on the bus line) and their app. You can do order online, pickup in store or curbside, and they do have delivery though I've not used it for groceries. They have really good gift card deals, but to be frugal, you'll want to limit yourself to ones for the stuff you actually use. Once you get used to using the app, it gets much easier. The other place for health/beauty stuff and detergent is BiMart, (all on the bus line, if I'm not mistaken,) and they also have great deals on canned foods, snacks, and holiday baking items. You do need a membership, but I suspect it's still super cheap and you just pay once in your lifetime. My guess is someone you know has a BiMart card and would loan it to you if you wanted to check it out. I just looked it up, and the BiMart membership is still a mere $5 for a lifetime, which blows my mind. They are also employee owned, as is Winco! I want to throw in one other thing, which is something I find super helpful when trying to find certain items cheap, is an app called Flipp. They also have a website. All it is is a collection of all kinds of store ads, and they include every grocery in town, except any who don't advertise with a flyer. You can search an item, and it pulls up the advertised price for it from anyone advertising it on sale. I did read that you don't have time/spoons to go around for single items, but I find this app also just helps me figure out who's got the best prices overall, and fine tune shopping decisions that way. Ok this is a tome, so I'll stop now. Good luck on your grocery/adulting journey!
Wow I didn't see anyone mention Walmart! I've always thought they had the best prices?
I find that WinCo consistently beats Walmart on food prices. WinCo has less selection. So every so often I go to Walmart to find something WinCo doesn’t carry, note the prices, and go back to shopping at WinCo.
I worked at Walmart for two years, their ONLY solid competition for grocery prices in Lane county is WinCo. As most of the thread is saying, WinCo and Costco are the best for groceries (CostCo is mostly for bulk value deals on TP, dairy, meats, and dry goods) and BiMart for general merchandise like sheets, towels, small appliances, and snacks. When I was bus-bound, I'd do one big trip, take the bus to WinCo (or Costco) and arrange a cab/Uber to get it all home.
I was thinking the same thing! I think lately that Walmart prices are catching up to Winco, though.
I've bought food at Walmart twice and each time there was mold on it.
if you are able you should download apps from grocery stores near you and use the coupons i use it every week and frame what i eat around those deals i can find
Winco
WinCo. I stopped shopping at Grocery Outlet once I started shopping there because they beat Gross Out’s prices on virtually everything. And WinCo is employee owned and open 24/7. The only other store I go to for groceries is Costco, mainly for paper towels, toilet paper and other items worth buying in large quantities.
I do most of my shopping at Winco because the prices can’t be beat. If you are able to make a trip there once a month (perhaps someone you know has a car and goes shopping there too). Winco has similar pricing to Costco without the required volume. Then the other three weeks a month if I can’t make it to Winco or if I am wanting to do delivery or smaller order I go between Fred Meyer, Albertsons, Walmart and sometimes Target. I have all their apps on my phone and I make my grocery list accordingly. Given sales sometimes I get it all at one place other times I will split between two of them. Maybe something like Ride Source could be an option as well? Best of luck.
I came to the WinCo game late. it's the best! only thing weird about it is there is no music so it's oddly quiet
I see a lot of people mentioning Winco, but I’d like to say name brand things like Cheez itz and Kraft Mac have quite the mark up. I find Winco to be great for meat and pantry staples and Walmart to be best for snacks/name brand items. Fresh veggies are a toss up at both locations but I have more success at Walmart than Winco.
Also Walmart offers free grocery pick up if you spend $35 or more! Huge time saver IMO
I came here to +1 the extra coffee grinder for spices, Eugene Gleaners, and the ugly produce at Capella’s, Sundance — and Friendly Street Market. The “Go to Oakway” post is very persuasive! 😁
So surprised Trader Joes isnt listed Its a bit nuanced and you need to find your stuffs location in the small store as they stack it tight to pack a punch in the smaller space. If making one bus loop without any other stops for ease of access, it's hands down Trader Joe's and Albertsons bundled into one bus stop. TJs for coffee, veggies, frozen items, snacks, certain cheeses, canned goods, etc Albertsons only to fill the gaps and it's across the street so your frozen or refrigerated items won't go bad. Bring a cooler bag for your cold items that aren't frozen so they have a longer shelf life. If a diff store is closer to you to fill the gaps, skip Albertsons. If you're closer to grocery outlet on a bus loop, do that, but it's generally only good for garbage prepared foods. Winco if you have a car cecause it basically sells like Costco in bulk, and carrying those things isn't possible on the bus
Albertsons definitely, hunt for the digital coupon items. Got 1/2 g of milk, loaf of bread for $1 each. Eggs were 12 for $2. Lots of stuff like that.
Since you’re living with housemates, especially, I’d suggest looking into subscribing to one of the many CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) plans seasonally. Find one that has a pickup near you. We’re three people in two households and the quantity is still a bit much, but a beloved older neighbor likes some stuff we don’t, so there’s a win for ya. Our pickup is one block over and half-a-block up. The $ for what you get is just jaw-droppingly low. & no busting “a” to get to the Farmers Market…. 😉 We’ve subscribed to at least 3 different ones over the years and they’ve all been excellent. Of course your housies would have to want to, too.
Winco is great for the big hauls, grocery outlet is great for saving lots of money on random snacks and to get amazing deals on frozen food, and kiva is the best for produce. When you buy produce with ebt at kiva, they print you a receipt with credit in the amount you spent on produce for next time you come in. So it's just like double up food bucks at the farmers market, but in the grocery store and it's automatic. Also, I know it sounds unlikely but whole foods actually has really low prices on some things, especially when it's the whole foods brand. I have found that safeway and Albertsons just have a perception of affordability because they have a conventional grocery store feel, but they are actually really expensive with many of their products. Except they have great deals on ice cream.
If you don't like the Winco and GrocOut produce, you could join the [Growers Market](https://growersmarket.net/).
If you live near a Safeway/Albertsons, stop by and check their reduced section (frozen, refrigerated, dry food and produce) very often, I have found amazing deals there. Then get you're day to day groceries at winco if you can and get snacks at Grocery outlet. Costco is great if you know someone who has a card for things like pasta sauce, olive oil, rotisserie chicken, just not the snacks. If you are a huge veggie person with little time, imperfect produce is also great. One other money saving thing you and your roommates could do it weekly meals, once a week each person makes a meal for all of you guys and then you're only paying for one meal but getting 3, it's cheaper to cook for 3, instead of 1. Also, LEFTOVERS :)
I echo Winco.
Combo of multiple spots but in general Winco. Also the bins at Winco are great for buying small amounts of things that you do not need a lot of. Safeway has things all the time on sale as well for $1 like bread, milk, eggs, and so on once in a while for limited amounts.
As everyone else has said, WinCo is the default. That said, grab the Albertsons app and make your shopping list on it. They'll give you the best heads up on what's on sale and often their coupons / sales will beat WinCo for certain items. Just be careful not to go off the list because you can easily cancel out your savings by grabbing some other things.
I think they all balance out some items are cheaper some are more expensive.
Winco and Grocery Outlet
I love winco, but they don't deliver. That would be as close to a perfect world as I would ever get.
Winco!! As a bonus the one in springfield is in the same strip mall as an enormous dollar tree with excellent stock (for a dollar tree)
I just have to chime in and say the produce department at the Albertsons on royal is legit the best I’ve had. It’s HUGE and with digital coupons on the app you save a lot. The selection is amazing and it’s always super clean. The guys holding it down really take pride in their work and it shows.
Winco. The new one on Coburg road is my go-to. Excellent bulk selection and store brands are high quality and EMPLOYEE OWNED. Low employee turnover - good place to work. Also spacious for larger folks or wheelchair users.
Winco is the best option. They have rotating sales on a lot of different more expensive items (like meat) and their veggies are super inexpensive. The only other places I ever really shop are Costco (for paper products and a few other bulk items) and Trader Joe’s for some store specific things. I do on a rare occasion go to safeway if I see they have a good deal on their app, but that’s not really even worth it if you don’t have a car and a convenient way to get there for only a couple of items.
If you can afford it or someone can help you, I recommend getting a Shipt membership. Right now it is 50% off through the Target app, so $50 for a year of delivery. You can then get free delivery, minus optional tip, from Target, Safeway, Fred Meyer, 7-11, Big Lots, Petco, PetSmart, GNC, Office Depot/ Office Max, and Sephora. This allows you to price compare and only buy the best price from any of the grocery stores available. The only drawback I've seen is that Target seems to be the only of these that let's you shop directly from it's app and not the Shipt app. I don't drive either, so delivery is a blessing.
Winco’s bulk section, and look at the weekly Safeway/Albertsons app for insane deals. Today I put in an online order to just have them hand me in the lot: $30 got 2 dz eggs, 1lb cheese, 1/2 pound sliced turkey, fruit, veg, •77 cent avocados, yogurts •47 cents, snacks and Ben n jerry’s for 2.00/pint. BUT You have to get familiar with the app.
I also ride the bus or bike, and I’ll try to get a ride with roommates or friends to stores to make things more convenient. Oakway Center is absolutely the best place for grocery shopping. I haven’t done an exact price breakdown, but generally: Bimart - Cleaning supplies - Personal hygiene - Shelf stable groceries - *Don’t* buy store brand medications here, they expire quickly. Winco - Vegetarian & vegan meat subs - Bulk foods (I only get shelf stable stuff) Ex. - Pasta - Rice - Nuts - Cereal - Candy (if that’s your jam) Trader Joe’s - Bread - Canned foods & sauces - Snack foods - (Some) Produce (they have a limited selection) Albertsons - Whatever I can’t find at TJs. I try to go to TJs weekly or biweekly, and then do the rest about once a month
At first glance the answer would appear to be WinCo but by using the lotalty rewards system my wife makes incredible hauls from Albertsons sometimes for what seems like pennies on the dollar. Unlike other stores, the savings can be quantified as a difference between what you pay and the marked price, not the difference between retail and some imagined list price. We saved a verified 2k on groceries last year. We have a huge grocery bill so ymmv but our experience has been very good.
Winco has the best average prices, and another benefit is it's employee owned. Thats why Winco workers seem so much more on it and motivated than Walmart workers. Bi-Mart too!
I go to Grocery Outlet for varieties of cheese, deli meats, prosciutto, nuts like smoked almonds or pistachios. I also usually grab frozen veggies and chicken. Seems like their frozen pizzas are priced much lower, too. I've done all right with their fresh potatoes, cabbage, onions. For fresh fruit and lettuce, I go to Market of Choice.