My Favorite Grocery Stores in 2023 (Part Two)

PART TWO.

So as I said, the first part of the list is my FAAAAAVORITE stores - but they’re the stores I don’t get to as often as I’d like.

This part of the list is the stores I tend to go to more often. My regular, routine stores. The ones I really like and the ones I go to when I have to. I didn’t start out planning my list this way but it’s how things worked out.

And no, I’m NOT sure if this list would change if I had full, free, on demand access to every store for as often as I’d like to go with infinite funds.

And I thought it was going to be a top ten but SPOILER ALERT I had more than ten to talk about…..

6 Lidl. I bet you thought I’d say Aldi here, and I might’ve placed Aldi higher a few years ago, but as of right now I prefer Lidl. The stores are similar and I have favorites at each one, but lately I’ve preferred Lidl for shopping EXPERIENCE. The aisles are roomy, the store is spacious. They have an amazing corn salsa. Their produce is really solid. Their spices are great. Their house-brand organics are all good. You know what they DON’T carry? Bagel thins. Weird, right?

7 Heeeeeeere’s Aldi! Yes, I have the full Aldi drip. Yes, I love Aldi. But….it has lost a bit of its luster, and my local store is sometimes on the chaotic side. Aldi’s middle aisle (some on the Intertubes call it the “aisle of shame”) is better than Lidl’s even though Lidl’s is bigger. (To be more specific, I like Aldi’s “stuff” better than Lidl’s stuff - but I think they’re PRETTY EQUAL for limited time food, and I think Aldi’s aisle is just better looking.) Aldi has better wine and seltzer. Aldi has bagel thins. (NOTE: When on sale, I buy name brand and there is a HUGE difference. But for a quick and inexpensive breakfast, Aldi’s bagel thins are just fine.) I like Aldi cream cheese better than Lidl cream cheese. I like random other Aldi things better. Aldi’s fast and easy too - small footprint, 99% store brands which means limited selection which means I don’t have to stand there and compare anything. When I need basics, I will probably just go to Aldi.

8 Publix. Not the cheapest. Not always the best. But their tagline is “where shopping is a pleasure” and they lean into that and when the store isn’t overly crowded it is pretty pleasant. Their marketing is about FEEEEEELINGS not low prices or a great assortment. FEEEEEELINGS. (That weird snowman in the attic ad, amirite?) Stick to the weekly BOGOs, the coupons, and the deals (iheartpublix dot com has the details, and don’t forget to use the rebate apps.) I can walk to Publix now so I do. It’s fine, it’s fine.

9 Whole Foods. I mean….it’s fine. I am entangled in the Bezos-verse and I’m sorry but I am, so I get extra bonus discounts when I shop there. It’s expensive but not as bad as it used to be if you are careful. I go for VERY SPECIFIC THINGS WHEN THEY ARE ON SALE and that’s….basically it. I don’t mind wandering though and just seeing what’s what but it’s not a regular spot for me. The one near my house is smallish (started life as a WF365 for a minute) but the one near my office is fancy and nice and fun.

10 Sprouts. The bulk bins are the saving grace - they’re super fun. I hate the layout. I think they’re overpriced - MORESO THAN WHOLE FOODS. They have a few things I can’t find anywhere else and if those things go on sale, I’ll go. Eh. Meh.

11 because this list goes to 11 - Kroger. Because….well, the one I could walk to closed (RIP Baby Kroger/Krodega), I NEVER go to the huge one that’s a bit further away because while it does have a great selection, it’s a huge store and with what always feels like way to few cashiers - basically, it’s a giant pain. The chain has great digital coupons, terrible jump-through-hoops sales, and Dolly Parton cake mixes. I just don’t like Kroger as a shopping experience, but the prices are decent so I’ll go if I must.

Honorable mentions: Your Dekalb Farmer Market aka YDFM (has fallen out of the top 10 because I used to shop ONLY THERE - if you can imagine that - but now I just….don’t go, so I love it but I can’t rank it right now); Target (because I don’t think of Target as a grocery store even though yes I think of Costco as a grocery store don’t ask me to explain - but also I’ll make a whole separate post about Target soon and ALSO WHY DO I WANT THIS SO MUCH - if I forgot to check before I post this, I apologize in advance if the link goes to a page not found because that thing is GOING TO SELL OUT); Patel Brothers and Cherians (I liked both when I went, but I truly just haven’t gone often enough to rank them at this time - they’re both a bit out of the way and I find them both overwhelming, but they carry stuff I can’t find anywhere else), and First Oriental Market (teeny tiny locally owned Asian grocer that I can walk to and that is as far as I know the ONLY place in the entire Southeast to get May Wah/Lily’s Vegan Pantry products as well as a few other frozen vegan-meats - but everything else in that store is random, hit or miss, bought at Costco or HMart and marked up 2x - which, that’s cool, I HAVE bought these things from them) and sometimes a year out of date or dusty - but I hope they never ever leave me because of the aforementioned vegan meats).