Food shopping in the US (2024)

jenhowse1 Posts: 49

September 2012 in Food and Nutrition

On Saturday I'm off to the US from the UK to work there for 3 months.
Any suggestions for where to shop thats not too expensive but does good quaility meat and fresh vegs, eggs etc.
Are there any places I should look out for (or avoid for that matter!)
I'll be in Boston if thats any help - and I know that not the cheapest place to live!

rivka_m Posts: 1,007 Member
September 2012

Bump. This is probably a Boston-specific question, especially for produce.
I will say though that Whole Foods (although beloved by many here) is known as Whole Paycheck for a reason, but they do have good bulk bins. Just avoid everything else, too pricey.
Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
September 2012

You'd have to ask Mamba about this one.............
jenhowse1 Posts: 49
September 2012

Thanks!
vanillarama Posts: 101 Member
September 2012

I live in the UK, but I'm from the US- I always loved Trader Joe's. Is it still a good grocery store?
jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
September 2012
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I live in the UK, but I'm from the US- I always loved Trader Joe's. Is it still a good grocery store?
I know alot of people who swear by it, but I've never been there myself because the closest one is more than 20 miles from my house.
msiamjan Posts: 326 Member
September 2012

Trader Joe's is good for many things. Don't know if they have one in Boston. It's not the best for produce sometimes though. Costco is good for many things, but quantities are very large. I do almost everything using those two stores, with occasional stops elsewhere.
jcstanton Posts: 1,849 Member
September 2012

On Saturday I'm off to the US from the UK to work there for 3 months.
Any suggestions for where to shop thats not too expensive but does good quaility meat and fresh vegs, eggs etc.
Are there any places I should look out for (or avoid for that matter!)
I'll be in Boston if thats any help - and I know that not the cheapest place to live!
Well, I would say that Boston probably has some "open air" markets for produce and such, but since summer is almost over, that probably won't be an option for you. I agree with others who have said this is probably a question best answered by people who live in the Boston area because most grocery market chains are regional, not national. Not helpful, I know. I'm betting you'll be able to find some great seafood, though, since Boston is a New England seaside city.
Gramps251 Posts: 738 Member
September 2012

Wait until you get there and ask the people you meet. You'll find whatever you need.
jess7386 Posts: 477 Member
September 2012

I'm from Boston... feel free to add or message me if you'd like any tips!
I think Trader Joe's is probably the best bet for what you're talking about.... it's cheap and has quality products. My only issue with Trader Joe's is that I can't find EVERYTHING I need there, but I don't think this seems to be a problem for most people
I do most of my shopping at Whole Foods, which is a big chain natural food store... they are pricey by US standards but probably not if you're coming from the UK. I think their meat/seafood is unparalled and hormone-free and their fruits and veggies mostly organic
There are a lot of communities that have farmers markets, depending on where you live.... if you're somewhere close to the city it's probably easier to find one.
Besides this, there are big box grocery stores... shaws, stop and shop, etc. - the cheapest of the bunch are probably Marketbasket (my mom's favorite) & Foodmaster (can't vouch for the latter). You can also score some cheap groceries (namely frozen food and boxed groceries) at Target or Wal-Mart, which are superstores here - I know many people who do this & then buy their meat at whole foods or trader joes.
Best of luck with the move!
126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
September 2012

Will you have a car? Or will you be relying on the T? That's going to make a big difference in where you'll shop.
jenhowse1 Posts: 49
September 2012

Thanks for the replies! I won't have a car so that will limit me some what.
Had a quick search and it looks like there is a Whole Foods and a Trader Joes relatively close by so I will check those out.
Shannota Posts: 312 Member
September 2012

I live in Indiana, so pretty far from Boston, but you may want to see if there is an Aldi or Ruler nearby. Both are very inexpensive in our area. I haven't yet been to a Ruler (though my brother swears by them), but our Aldi generally has wonderful produce...varieties, however, are limited, but they always have the basics.
jd5351 Posts: 116 Member
September 2012

Trader Joes is great...Good quality food and pretty inexpensive.
DizzyLinds Posts: 856 Member
September 2012

Publix!
joeyk412 Posts: 1
September 2012

if you are looking for cost efficient, Aldi (http://aldi.us/index_ENU_HTML.htm) . If you are looking for specific "healthy food" or "specialty foods", Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are ideal.
Hope this helps!
If you need to purchase wellness supplements, i stick to my guns and go with supplement central. they are quick and located in the U.S. as well.
Good luck!
sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
September 2012

I prefer Kroger brand stores (Sometimes called Fry's, or possibly other names).
Walmart has some decent foods, but many horrible ones too.
Most American supermarkets are set up with fresh, raw foods on the perimeter, and the boxed, prepped foods in the center.
I've gone to Trader Joe's multiple times and hated it every single time. I've gotten out of date food, disgusting food, and just plain bad prices. I've been to more than one so it might just be my area (far from Boston), because other folks seem to pray to Trader Joe's that it is so incredible.
sophie_wr Posts: 194 Member
September 2012

I am from France & moved in SoCal three years ago.
I had a really hard time at the beginning, did not know what to buy (it was my first time in the usa also). You'll be surprised by the size of everything here, it just so crazy !! Then I get used and when I go back home, I find everything ridiculously small.
As recommended previously, Traders joes and whole food are pretty nice (the latest is kinda pricy though). But whatever you choose, you'll have fun to your first grocery shopping trip !
jonnyman41 Posts: 1,031 Member
September 2012

no help to Op of course but ALdi is common in the UK too !
SusieSonshine Posts: 252 Member
September 2012

I'm from Boston... feel free to add or message me if you'd like any tips!
I think Trader Joe's is probably the best bet for what you're talking about.... it's cheap and has quality products. My only issue with Trader Joe's is that I can't find EVERYTHING I need there, but I don't think this seems to be a problem for most people
I do most of my shopping at Whole Foods, which is a big chain natural food store... they are pricey by US standards but probably not if you're coming from the UK. I think their meat/seafood is unparalled and hormone-free and their fruits and veggies mostly organic
There are a lot of communities that have farmers markets, depending on where you live.... if you're somewhere close to the city it's probably easier to find one.
Besides this, there are big box grocery stores... shaws, stop and shop, etc. - the cheapest of the bunch are probably Marketbasket (my mom's favorite) & Foodmaster (can't vouch for the latter). You can also score some cheap groceries (namely frozen food and boxed groceries) at Target or Wal-Mart, which are superstores here - I know many people who do this & then buy their meat at whole foods or trader joes.
Best of luck with the move!
I agree!! However, I try to buy only organic, non GMO foods, free of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, etc. So I would say Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are the best choices!! But Walmart actually does have some of those types of foods, as well as Costco, and is there a Fresh Market in Boston? We don't have them here in California, but I shopped at Fresh Market in Columbus, GA and loved it! It's kind of a cross between a Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods!
All the best to ya on your move!!!

Food shopping in the US (2024)

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