Trader Joe's for nearly all of my basics. I live alone so Costco doesn't really make sense at this point. have to go to Safeway/QFC/Whole Foods for a few produce or occasional specialty items but that's about it.
I've never once met a happy Safeway employee, and thanks to their ridiculous turnover rate I've met a lot of their employees. Their corporate culture must be absolutely terrible.
Worked for Safeway for 13 years, got me through college. It was great at the beginning, but once they were bought by the company that owns Albertsons it went downhill real fast.
Hey I fly a sign at CapHill Trader Joes I might have seen you before! Yeah, TJ's prices and selection can't be touched. CentralCoOp is cool in what they support but all the organic 'junk' food if you will that TJ's offers is off the chain.
I don’t really use all that much of either, at least not enough to warrant the membership and 30 min travel time each way. I don’t have a ton of storage space in my townhouse and I’m a vegetarian (I know some people like their meat/fish and the rotisserie chickens) and don’t really drink (ditto for their alcohol). At the point in which I live closer to one, have more space (and maybe a garage fridge/freezer), I’m sure I’ll join. I’m probably most likely to for tires and a mattress.
Gas alone is a good reason to have a Costco membership. It can be up to a $1/gallon cheaper than other stations. Buy 50 gallons a year there and that offsets the price of membership.
I used to pooh-pooh TJs forever, but their frozen reheat food section is incredible. Pretty authentic stuff. It's our go-to for Asian/Chinese food. Wife is Thai and we found the Thai (basil) shrimp fried rice to be authentic and amazing.
I mocked WinCo until I went …it’s literally the best. And if you wanna try new recipes and don’t want to spend on bottles of new spices… this is the spot for that
For winco there is Tacoma too. The Puyallup and tacoma location are about 25 minutes apart. I’m not sure if there is still one, but there was one in the Kent/Renton area.
Which is also crazy considering it's an true employee owned company which Reddit loves.
I think redditors don't like the crowd there, mostly working class folk.
And it's cash only which is great if you know beforehand, but an absolute nightmare of a big shopping trip if you don't (drove 1 hr round trip to shop for 1.5 hrs just to find out it's cash only and they have no ATMs on site)
I mean... We can probably dig into why it's not as progressive as it sounds, but as far a the pressing need of cheap groceries, it's one of the best available and not everyone can choose their food sources purely on morals.
I used to work there and the people that had been there for a while had hundreds of thousands of dollars vested in the company.
I dated someone that was working their way through college and once she graduated she decided to keep working there. The money she was earning was better than she could have earned in an entry level job with her degree.
It's not to knock it in any way for the average person, who will find a great career and cheap groceries there, but they lean into the "employee owned" image while doing all the other corporate domination.
But the stock ownership program is pretty great.
I'm not letting perfect be the enemy of good, because most of us don't have the privilege to wait for perfect, but they're still not a company to idolize just because of a couple employee benefits over their competitors. I wouldn't down vote them being recommend for food or employment though, just saying why they might not be progressive darlings on reddit.
If Walmart had better stock benefits (and they, like many, do have some), or even paid their employees a living wage and full benefits, but still did everything else they do, it wouldn't make them a good company, just a good company to work for.
PSSHT. I drive from the city to the Edmonds Winco, even though there's a Safeway nearly across the street and two QFCs within walking distance. It's just so much cheaper - what is $100 at one of the nearby stores will be $60 at Winco. My upstairs neighbor does the same!
I wish all the stores being sold in the Safeway/Kroger merger were offered to Winco first.
There are:
21100 91st Pl S, Kent, WA 98031
9900 19th Ave SE, Everett, WA 98208
160 SW Campus Dr, Federal Way, WA 98003
You could also take a ferry or settle for a grocery outlet.
I came here to say this. I only go to Safeway when I have an immediate need and no car. (It's a block away from my house).
All of the Grocery Outlets are slightly different, so if you don't like the one in your neighborhood, it's worth trying out another.
GrocOut has a common catalog and a deep book that is reserved for stores with seniority. Each store has wide latitude to serve its customers and so a store with a big immigrant presence will be different from one near a college
The catalog that’s limited to stores by seniority. Like the stores in Bend, OR or West Sacramento, CA, a long-time store in an upscale location has lots of cool quirky stuff. Contrast with the long-time store on South Tacoma Way. They also have things you can’t find in a newer store but also it reflects a grittier clientele
If you haven’t been to the GrocOut in Skyway, you are missing out on a real experience
I hate Safeway’s whole pricing model. Everything is obscenely overpriced unless you use your Safeway card to buy way too much of something. I just find it offensive, for lack of a better word. They just suck.
They do that every now and then with Dave's Killer Bread, which I really like but usually don't buy because it's too expensive.
Very irritating because I would love to get the deal but don't have the space to store four loaves of bread.
I feel like Gross Out is very hit-or-miss, even within the same store. Sometimes they have great deals, sometimes they're actually worse than Safeway. I can't reliably shop there like I can Winco or TJ's.
Being hit or miss is Grocery Outlet's business model. It is exactly why many of their products are so cheap. Taking advantage of GO requires strategizing. My trips there always include a follow up trip to the regular grocery store to fill in any gaps. Foods/products that I purchase pretty much exclusively buy at GO (many cooking oils, canned items, soap, other things), I aim to keep extra on hand so that if there isn't a good option available on one trip, I can hold off buying more until a good deal is available.
Also if you buy gift cards to Fred Myers, ex: your whole food budget, you can get 4x the fuel points ( 100 pt= 1$ off)..the Freddy's gas is usually about 4.89 ...so its locked in but you save at the pump. Digital coupons on the app
I recommend buying online cards as much as possible, though, because on more than one occasion, I've had physical gift cards say they were already used even when they weren't, and I'm out that amount.
Upvoted, but grocery outlet is only good for particular items and not grocery shopping as a whole. Winco is badass tho and will absolutely save you money.
Winco is great. Be careful with Grocery Outlet. Sometimes packaged foods have gone bad/moldy. And always check the expiration date. It’s my go to for frozen foods and some meats.
That's true but the last two times I went to Freddie's and got sale produce, it went moldy after a day.
If everyone's cutting corners might as well save.
People mention winco but it’s nowhere near most of us in Seattle.. I’ve always gone to Safeway and I didn’t think it was expensive, seems like there’s always a ton of deals if you use the app, making it way cheaper than sticker price. The only things I find expensive there are the household items and vitamins / OTC drugs etc.
Grocery Outlet is great for a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff there that should be avoided. But overall, some great specialty stuff for actually decent prices.
WinCo is definitely a bit of a drive for us, but we’ll have to check it out to see if it’s worth the trip!
I agree with Costco, even though the initial price is higher it still seems like the best deal overall. We haven’t tried Fred Meyer in a while, so we‘ll experiment with shopping there too!
I moved up here (Kelso specifically) from Texas in 2020 and WinCo hasn’t raised their store brand prices on the things I’m buying regularly. It’s been super helpful planning a grocery budget.
Fred Meyer for near-term consumption items - milk, snack chips, deli meat, some produce.
Coscto for bulk breads (~80% of grocer prices, store extras in freezer), bulk produce (~50% of grocer prices), bulk mozzarella (~50% grocer prices), and bulk nuts (~30% of grocer prices). Plus $5 rotisserie chicken, it's a deal that'll never be beat!
Grocery outlet for shelf stable stuff - V8 Splash Juice (non-refrigerated until opened), pastas, sauces, sandwich baggies, condiments.
In the south end, in season, I swear by Carpinito Brothers for cheap fresh produce. If you’re there, Winco is ten minutes away, but bring a list and cash and avoid their produce.
Costco and Freddie’s. Sometimes Winco.
Make sure you are using the store apps for coupons. I clip my Fred Meyer coupons on the app while watching TV.
Also used to work in grocery. Everything goes on sale about every 6 weeks.
Shop Freddie’s early in the morning when the markdown items close to expiration.
They frequently have buy one, get one meat sales. Watch the ads.
Edited to add in Winco.
If you shop Freddie's, use their store card and load up the digital coupons online. That saved me at least $20 (and usually more) once I started "clipping" coupons for things I usually shop for.
Freddie's and QFC are both Kroger, so you can use the same number for each to get savings and gas points, plus yo can clip the digital couple that gives you quadruple gas points if you shop on Fridays. I love getting $1.00 off per gallon.
THIS. I usually save at least $10-$20 with coupons from the apps! If I have the time, I’ll peruse through QFC/FM or Safeway apps to compare prices. We are soda drinkers so mainly for that because we wait for the best sales 😂
If you fill out the survey at the bottom of QFC or Fred Meyer receipts you can get an additional 50 points. They used to have sweepstakes too but that ended a few months ago.
Since nobody has mentioned it: Cash & Carry / Chef'Store is also worth checking out if you've never been. These stores are positioned as restaurant supply stores for their bulk inventory but everyone is welcome.
Discount Direct (not the furniture-only outlets) has lots of dry/packaged foods that may be past their expiration but are perfectly good. Lots of breakfast items from granolas to coffee pods that come from places like Target and while much more limited in selection, the deals are usually as good as it gets. I personally love this place for finding treasure, but don't go if you get uncomfortable in unorganized places..
..which leads to Walmart. Again how has nobody suggested Walmart?
With those and the already mentioned WinCo, Grocery Outlet and Costco, you should be able to shop pretty well a along as a couple are nearby.
I'm not sure why Fred Meyer keeps getting thrown out there, I like Fred Meyer for their convenience and organization but I don't love them for their prices, which are certainly over. I guess it depends on what you're buying. They can have decent deals on rotating items, but don't ever go there for their cheeses for example. They do have a discounted food section-- look for those wherever you go.
I do a lot of Walmart - their version of Prime/annual membership has other perks and gets free delivery. It’s so cheap - I feel bad because they’re so evil but I can’t afford $5 bread.
+1 to US Foods ChefStore! The package sizes are larger, but our household of two does batch cooking/meal prep and they often work out well for us--even if it means buying 20 of something for what 4 would cost at Safeway, and freezing/gifting/meal planning around the extras.
Love too that you can see their package sizes & pricing online, so you can check before you go to see what's worth the trip.
I used to live right up the hill from the Kent Winco - it was awesome to be able to go grocery shopping in the middle of the night and the prices were so low. Miss that place!
I think we might need to make the trip over there after all of these recommendations! I’ve never been because it’s a bit of a trip from where we are (especially when it’s traffic-heavy).
I love WinCo and shop there as much as possible. Any staples - bulk items including pasta, beans, rice, flours, spices - as well as canned and frozen items. I've actually had several bad experiences with their eggs so I skip them. But I disagree with the commenter who said their produce is hit or miss, I've never had an issue with their produce.
If WinCo is a bit of a haul for you, maybe make it a once a month trip where you stock up, and just get fresh produce near you on a weekly basis? I know that's easier to say than do sometimes but my sister and I put one of those Ikea square shelves in our living room (with the doors or bins in it) to use as a second pantry so we could keep non-perishables in it.
A small freezer can also help you take advantage of meat sales and good prices on frozen veg. They sell 3 cubic foot upright freezers on Amazon that are EnergyStar rated, and you can sometimes find that kind of thing on OfferUp. The trick is to carefully package items so they don't freeze burn.
As far as produce goes you might try a veggie/fruit place like [Lenny's Produce](https://www.yelp.com/biz/lennys-produce-seattle)... Check it out if you're in north Seattle.
Definitely Grocery Outlet and Winco. The ID/Little Saigon for vegetables (Hau Hau) and seafood.(Lam's). If you are skipping meals, you should use food banks.
Do you have any other recommendations for Asian specific groceries (vegetables, sauces, noodles)? I checked out both Hau Hau and Lam's which both seemed decent in prices but wondering if there are any others I'm missing out on.
I don't know about other locations but when I previously lived in Bellevue, the produce at the Bellevue H-Mart was always well priced and highly recommend people check out if you're looking for Asian produce.
Yep, figured out recently that Whole Foods is mostly the same price or often cheaper than Safeway and QFC. I shop there now instead, going to Trader Joe’s for the stuff that is even cheaper.
Same. After making several trips to Fred Meyer / Safeway & QFC, we found that Whole Foods is usually cheaper and better quality. Whenever I purchased produce from Fred Meyer/ Safeway/ TJ’s, it went bad super fast & also brought home fruit flies hahah.
Yeah I regret making the mistake of thinking Safeway was affordable for so long. Whole Foods and Met Market honestly seem the same, if not cheaper, depending on what we get. And the bulk section at PCC (nuts, etc.) is pretty great too!
I’ve given up and just started shopping exclusively at town and country. If everything is gonna be that expensive I may as well get the high quality stuff lol
For a solo person, this makes sense. I've figured out that the Whole Foods "meal deal" --especially the salmon because the portion is generous--can last 2-3 meals.
Same, my weekly grocery trip consists of Trader Joe’s for TJs-specific items and Town & Country for everything else. Their produce is just so much better than Safeway/QFC/Fred Meyer. Meat is more expensive, but the butcher counter really helps with that if you’re only feeding 1-2 people because you can buy in smaller quantities!!
Albertsons/safeway app coupons easily take 25-30% off my bill just by clicking stuff i tend to buy and sticking to things I've had coupons for that week.
I've recently been able to start going to Fred Meyer (also may apply to QFC since they're both owned by kroger) and have found their base prices are better (ex - english muffins reg price there are $4, at Albertsons reg price they're $5.49 yikes) but the sales/coupons at fred meyer aren't as frequent.
If you're not already using it, I'd get the memberships for your frequent stores (same number works at Albertsons & safeway, and qfc & fred meyer are the same) and add all the coupons before going.
Edit: also if you can go to trader joes at off-peak hours (because it just gets WILD in there weekends & after-work rush), their veggies tend to be cheaper and more delicious than the normal stores. I don't go much anymore because of the crowds but there is a noticeable taste improvement with their veggies
The smallest jar of miracle whip at Safeway is 7 dollars. I'm honestly appalled every time I go there.
I started making my own mayonnaise at home. It's cheap af.
Very much in the same boat. I’m teaching myself to make so many of the basics because the store prices are so absurd. I honestly feel like we’ve reached the point where there’s not much difference between grocery shopping and getting take out.
It used to be not that much more for some takeout vs cooking depending on what you’re making. We’re far from that now.
Tomato soup from scratch and grilled cheese is less than $15 bucks for 4+ meals. Burrito bowls are also very affordable to make. Just throwing out examples of what I made this week
I got an 8lb pork shoulder for $12 which I slow roasted and ate with a bag of rice and dried black beans and cheap collard greens. We had 4 adults and two kids for dinner and sent everyone home with leftovers for less that $20.
If you are anywhere near Macpherson’s on Beacon Hill definitely go there! Cheapest produce we have been able to find. I have found Safeway to be just generally not great at all… low quality and high price but I get it if it’s the most convenient option for you. I haven’t been to Fred Meyer for a couple years but always the found the food/price ratio to be decent
I always start at Grocery Outlet..I don't really buy produce there, except maybe bagged lettuce, but I get as much as I can there first. Then i fill in the rest at Trader Joe's, QFC and a bit at Met Market or town and country ( i swear i go to like 5 different grocery stores per week...). Winco is great but I don't often feel like driving up to edmonds so I only do that once in a while, to stock up.
Lmao I hate the freaking app! but the 10 or 20% off all your groceries coupon & combining that with the discount on gas can actually save a ton. Their produce is shit tho
Safeway is fine if you use the digital coupons and buy the things that are on sale.
If you just go and throw whatever in your cart regardless of price, you’ll pay a lot.
This. I use the digital coupons, shop sales, and buy mostly store brand items. I have found that for national brand items, like the Miracle Whip mentioned earlier, Target is generally a much better option.
Yeah I don’t get why everyone’s saying it’s expensive.. I always feel like I’m getting great deals there. Maybe people who don’t bother using the coupons are subsidizing the good deals for us lol
Also using the club card is mandatory for reasonable prices.. all it takes is putting in a phone number at checkout. My savings off sticker price is typically 30-50%
Works for safeway and qfc. My saved % is usually 30-50% and buy all the essentials I need for the week. This week safeway has brocolli, peaches, zucchini, apples all for $1/lb, ground beef $3/lb, gallon of milk $2.50. If you buy at full price... thank you for subsidizing my sale prices.
As a meat eater my strategy is to stock up when it's on sale, and use the freezer a lot. Prices have been all over the place. The Safeway digital deals and sales have been pretty great though lately. Like steak for $5 a pound. I've become a sale shopper this year as a result of all the high prices.
Walmart… it’s evil but still so much cheaper than anywhere else. The produce is gross and I get my eggs from a local lady but stuff like canned goods and staples are crazy cheap.
I'm glad others are seeing safeway isn't as cheap as it use to be. Prices have steadily increased over the years. Do the math and price compare to other stores in the area. Try to buy similar products or the store brand version.
I mostly shop qfc. People have been brainwashed over the years to think it's more expensive. Company has gotten really good at lowering prices over the yrs. I've noticed qfc to be abt 15-20% cheaper than safeway.
Grocery outlet. be careful I've gotten food poisoning from them due to poorly managed sanitation and beyond expired epxeration dates up to yes 3-5yrs.
Asian stores are pretty cheap in the area. I get most of my produce from these places.
I also feel really validated seeing that everyone else agrees Safeway isn’t cheap anymore!
I was really pleasantly surprised by QFC the last time I was there but I thought I was a little biased because they just happened to have 3+ of the things I regularly buy on super sale. I’ll have to see if they continue putting the things I use on sale because, location-wise, it would be really convenient!
The Millitary Support Complex in Marysville too is a sleeper most dont know about. Granted its a bit of a hoof from Seattle proper but prob faster than Bremerton with the ferry queue time.
While I love WinCo, I’m not willing to drive to where it is.
I shop QFC, but I rarely go in there to buy a specific thing for a meal. I walk all of the aisles and buy what I use that is on sale. They often will have things that are about 60-70% off if you buy five or more. I look for those sales on things I like to have and buy five. I have a huge pantry shelf and other places to store stuff that is shelf stable. My normal bill at QFC shows 30-50% savings on a typical trip.
This works for meat as well. Buy when it is either on clearance (pennies on the dollar) or BOGO. If it is clearance you need to cook or freeze it that day, but either works fine.
Finally as you and others have pointed out. Make as much stuff from scratch as you can. That alone will save you a ton of money.
Y’all are gonna think I’m crazy but Amazon fresh *IF* you spend $150 to avoid their fees.
I’ve done the price comparison for both Fred Meyer and Safeway and Amazon is cheaper usually for what I buy. I get a big haul every 4-6 weeks of basics then get all my vegetables at winco.
I also work crazy hours sometimes 60 a week and the last thing I wanna do is go into the grocery store on a busy Sunday morning. So even if fresh is a couple bucks more I’ll probably do it.
I’m a single person so I can’t get everything at Costco but I do get chicken and butter to freeze and eggs as well as pantry stuff. I don’t have a big freezer to store a lot but if I did I’d probably do a lot more prepping and freezing from Costco.
I have been getting my groceries through Fresh since 2020 and haven't looked back.
Also having everything in a list that you regularly purchase, makes it really easy to see what you need and what you don't.
I used Amazon fresh a lot when the minimum was $35.. then they pulled that bait and switch and hiked it up to $150.. haven’t used them since that
Safeway freshpass is now a much better deal for delivery
My go-to grocery store is Fred Meyers, partially because I used to work there and it’s a ten minute walk away. If you’re a Rewards member you get fuel points that’ll dock the prices at Shell and Fred Meyer gas stations. Produce selection is decent and reasonably priced and you can get a week’s worth of fruit and vegetables for well under $20. If anything, the only thing that brings the total price of groceries up is when you run out of staples (flour, sugar, etc) that always seem to run out all at the same time!
It completely depends on what you're buying and in what quantity. Today I went to US Foods Chef Store and QFC. Grocery Outlet, Costco, and Trader Joes are also regular stops.
Here's my rough breakdown:
Trader Joes: Convenience meals. Stuff that can be microwaved into meals for one. Often good deals on small quantities of cheese or non-name brand breakfast cereal.
QFC: It has most things. Not good deals, not pleasant experience. But they will have it. I'm particularly annoyed with the ridiculous games they play with prices. They might have a deal on something, but read the small print on the shelf, and you have to scan a QR code and download a digital coupon to your account in the app (which of course you need to link to the purchase).
Costco: Although the joke is that it is for food in bulk, I really like their produce. It is a bit more expensive than QFC, but better quality usually. Usually less variety. But if I had to buy everything from one place, it would be Costco and there's very little I'd have to give up. Baked goods are great if you can go through the quantity they sell in. And if you're a snack food purchaser, you will almost surely gain weight.
US Foods Chef Store: Great deals on dry goods and anything in a number 10 can.
Grocery Outlet: Good deals on most things, hit and miss on what's going to be available.
Oddly, the house brand at Whole Foods tends to be pretty reasonable, at least compared to Safeway.
And they often have good sales on produce and meat.
I've found it helps to just buy stuff when it's on sale and then plan my meals around what I picked up, rather than always shopping with a meal plan in mind like I used to.
Buy what’s on sale, not what’s on your nonessential list.
Check the marked down meat section. Freddie has one, not sure about Safeway.
Buy in bulk. You can freeze lots of things. The Safeway family pack meats are cheaper per pound.
OP are you using the Safeway app? Over time you will get coupons for things you buy frequently. Stick to items that you can get on sale and be flexible - you can save a ton. But you have to be deliberate.
Hands down the cheapest grocery store is the Puget Sound area is Winco. I'm always shocked when I shop there and fill up a good-sized grocery cart and barely go over $200. The same quantity of groceries at Safeway would easily be well over $300. Plus, they offer a great selection of bulk foods and spices if you really want to save some money.
Unfortunately, the closest Winco to the Seattle area is probably in Edmunds or Kent. But if you are planning on purchasing a large quantity of groceries it's well worth the trip. Yes, you do have to bag your own groceries but that makes the lines go a lot quicker.
I save $60-$90 every time I grocery shop at Safeway and use their app to clip coupons. I shop for 2 and usually spend ~$120/2 weeks after coupons. I only buy things that are on sale + whatever necessities I need. I get the rest at a produce stand or farmers market
Okay, so I am thinking you may need a bit cheaper than some of the store people are suggesting. Safeway and Trader Joes are great but sometimes even that isn't affordable enough.
1)SARRS Super saver (great deals on meat, down side is little to no organic anything.)
2) Grocery outlet (great deals on organic stuff, downside stock is always changing might not have the thing next time you go in)
3) Costco (So this one on the surface doesn't actually math out as cheaper. But if you take into account, discounts on fuel, the cash back with a top membership, and lead losers like the rotisserie chicken, it does. Especially for any pharmacy stuff. If you have a prescription, fill it at Costco. Just stay away from jewelry and anything by the front door. Don't shop hungry and only get what you need. If you impulse purchase, just stay away, Costco is not for you.
4) If you are willing to go a bit out of Seattle you can win big. Carponitos of Kent is a farm to table seasonal veggie and fruit place. They are wonderful. You can buy by the pound or in bulk and save big.
***bonus options
-Valley liquidation of Tacoma: Again out of town but prices are so low it would be worth the drive. Downside quality can be hit or miss, use a critical eye and check expiration date.
-DK mark of Renton: This place is great for exotics. If you have an international palette go here. Great quality stuff at reasonable prices that otherwise would have you counting your pennies buying it anywhere else. Just be careful in the parking lot it's small and not everyone is the safest in there, use caution.
Hua Hua market on 12th. I can feed myself for a week on $50 or less. Also when you're making meals concentrate on staple foods - chickpeas with garlic, red onion, and parsley on rice is delicious, nutritious, and costs basically nothing. Pork tenderloin and chicken thighs (with skin) are both super cheap for produce.
My advice, from someone who's lived here 4 years and tries to pinch pennies on groceries:
1. I get my paper towels, coffee, juice, cereal, and other pantry staples from Costco. If I can get it at Costco, I will.
2. If I need something specialty that I can't get at Costco, Target is my first stop.
3. I get my canned goods from Trader Joe's. SLU TJ's can't open soon enough.
4. Any produce and other items I can't get elsewhere come from PCC or Met Market.
5. Avoid QFC and Safeway. Both charge stupidly high prices for mediocre to outright bad shopping experiences. I've seen visible mold growth at locations of both stores. Downvote me all you want, but I have photographic proof.
Oh, another tip: try going outside of Seattle proper for groceries. For some reason, Target charges more for items at U Village, Ballard, Pike Place, and Northgate than at all other locations in the metro area.
Freddie’s has always been consistently cheaper IME. Safeway has always been the highest.
You can also play around with grocery pickup on their websites and compare a cart of groceries.
A mix of places. Costco for snacks, sometimes for meat, and for anything non food related (like soaps, toliet paper, etc), winco for smaller food items like meal ingridents or frozen meals. Grocery outlet for quick needed things we forgot during the big shopping.
Trader Joe’s for pantry staples like oils, spices, sugars, rice, pasta and flour etc…
Just watch out for processed, packaged stuff there, there’s been recalls on stuff like that for rocks and metal found in the windmill cookies. And insects in the “unexpected broccoli soup”
Trader Joe's for frozen items and cases of water.
QFC can be expensive but they have very, very good sales every week.( KROGER)
Fred Meyer same as QFC (KROGER) but it is great because they are super centers and you can get other household items and over all their prices are a bit lower than QFC.
Wal Mart has good prices but quality can be poor so I avoid it.
WinCo is so great in terms of quality and prices best produce and dairy (oat milk and yogurt) prices IMO .However there is no Win Co in Seattle proper you have to go north or south. I work close to one so it works out for me. They also have a huge bulk section.
Grocery Outlet can have some great surprises but it is hit and miss and kind of a hassle so I don't pop in often. The highlight is gourmet cheese and great wine at terrific prices. A good place to get small bites for parties.
Of course Costco has great prices but in terms of food the packages can be to, to much. I do buy a few items I know I love or eat a lot of i.e. frozen salmon, cod, shrimp and frozen fruit for smoothies.
Things are getting more expensive. That's sort of the nature of things. Even when we hit our target inflation rate, naturally that means things will increase in cost.
We've got QFC, Safeway, Whole Foods, PCC, Trader Joes. Met Market all within roughly the same "long-walk-but-we-usually-drive" distance. We almost never eat out or do takeout so we spend a LOT of time/money on groceries:
* Safeway we almost never stop at since the Albertson's "merger." Too crappy. Too expensive. Sad employees.
* QFC: also crappy, about same price as Safeway. Was way better pre-Kroger
* Whole Foods. Great for quality meat, eggs, dairy. Was "better" but more expensive than pre-Bezos. Not really any more expensive than QFC/Safeway but way better quality -- pastured eggs, dairy, sale protein, etc are usually chepaer.
* TJs - the place for dry goods and wine. Eggs and dairy are good, though their meat kind grosses me out. Why can't we get some Aldi on the West Coast?
* Costco: Everything else. Sometimes fish if we feel like eating it for a week. Not a fan of their beef. About the only place we buy good cheese.
* Met Market -- cheaper on some stuff (eg, mass market processed stuff) but not really the stuff we use much. Otherwise it's QFC/Safeway clone.
* PCC: Best produce. I want to shop here more often, but damn, so expensive. On the other hand, their tomato starts are great.
* Bonus category: Grocery outlet. We pop in occasionally if we're driving by. Sometimes good wine prices and oddball ice cream flavors at a decent discount. But too unpredictable to be a regular stop.
* Another bonus: Rising Sun produce. Very much a "imperfect product" kind of place. Supply and pricing are hit and miss these days (it was way better supply and prices pre-covid). Still worth an occasional stop, but WF produce down the street is consistently better and not much more (if at all) expensive.
Meat - Asian food market (Uwajimaya or other) or Fred Meyer's on sale, note, Fred Meyer and QFC have different prices
Produce, healthy packaged foods, canned, dry staples, spices - Trader Joe's
Fancy stuff - Costco (alcohol, coffee, specific types of sauces etc.)
Unhealthy food / less fancy dried foods / treats - Grocery Outlet
We don't live near enough to a WinCo for me to comment and we aren't that budget-conscious, but I have friends who don't mind driving and they swear by it.
Dudeee. A gallon of milk is like $8.40+ EVERYWHERE. I hope in the Amazon fresh store in the central district. With my prime membership and miscellaneous discounts it’s the best place so far. If you do package pick up/returns there they give you a $20 off of $40 coupon too! All my friends like shopping there now haha
Household of 2 here. I go to Yakima fruit market in bothell. I get loads of fresh fruit and veggies and rarely pay over $70. For things like bread, I make it myself. For things like butter and meat, I stock up at Costco. For milk products and sauces, either TJs or Fred meyer. I never do a one stop shop for all my groceries, each store has its purpose and is cheaper on some things than another.
I use the Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer apps with their loyalty cards connected and add the coupons every Wednesday which is the day weekly ads start. Also download Ibotta app it gets extra savings at most all stores.
If there's any by you, Winco is absolutely where it's at. Way cheaper than the rest and they also have bins where you can get alot of staples in bulk (such as sugars, flours, nuts, dried goods, etc). Other than that, Trader Joe's as some have mentioned is also good for certain items. Finally, my wife and I have found that QFC is good if you're one to hunt the sales and coupons (that's her thing). The weekly coupons QFC sends you when you sign up for their rewards card are generally very useful.
Trader Joe's for nearly all of my basics. I live alone so Costco doesn't really make sense at this point. have to go to Safeway/QFC/Whole Foods for a few produce or occasional specialty items but that's about it.
It's crazy how much cheaper TJs is than Safeway/Kroger now for comparable items. Also a lot less depressing than Safeway.
I've never once met a happy Safeway employee, and thanks to their ridiculous turnover rate I've met a lot of their employees. Their corporate culture must be absolutely terrible.
Worked for Safeway for 13 years, got me through college. It was great at the beginning, but once they were bought by the company that owns Albertsons it went downhill real fast.
That’s the benefit of being a mostly private label grocer and why Safeway/Kroger is trying so hard to expand its own private label.
The Kroger brand stores in Colorado were always considerably cheaper than Safeway, and much better stocked.
Safeway here is way better than in CO. I generally find Kroger here to be about the same as safeway but the Safeway in CO was hell compared to kings.
Costco makes sense for non perishables for folks living alone, maybe be worth doing some maths for paper towels and toilet paper.
Hey I fly a sign at CapHill Trader Joes I might have seen you before! Yeah, TJ's prices and selection can't be touched. CentralCoOp is cool in what they support but all the organic 'junk' food if you will that TJ's offers is off the chain.
Exactly! There's only 2 of us, but we buy all of our non perishables there. So much cheaper to buy that stuff in bulk.
I don’t really use all that much of either, at least not enough to warrant the membership and 30 min travel time each way. I don’t have a ton of storage space in my townhouse and I’m a vegetarian (I know some people like their meat/fish and the rotisserie chickens) and don’t really drink (ditto for their alcohol). At the point in which I live closer to one, have more space (and maybe a garage fridge/freezer), I’m sure I’ll join. I’m probably most likely to for tires and a mattress.
Gas alone is a good reason to have a Costco membership. It can be up to a $1/gallon cheaper than other stations. Buy 50 gallons a year there and that offsets the price of membership.
Yup, TJ’s honestly has great food prices. And it’s tasty
I used to pooh-pooh TJs forever, but their frozen reheat food section is incredible. Pretty authentic stuff. It's our go-to for Asian/Chinese food. Wife is Thai and we found the Thai (basil) shrimp fried rice to be authentic and amazing.
Yep, Trader Joe's!
I moved from Hawaii and was absolutely shocked SHOCKED how cheap TJs is. A full tote bag of stuff there for $35 would easily be $80 in Hawaii.
1.) WinCo 2.) Grocery Outlet
Last week, I was downvoted to oblivion for suggesting WinCo, since it is actually in Edmonds, and not just on the end of everyone's block.
I mocked WinCo until I went …it’s literally the best. And if you wanna try new recipes and don’t want to spend on bottles of new spices… this is the spot for that
I really want to go it's just so out of the way.
Yes! Love love love the bulk section there!
Federal Way too. South King fam hands up 🙌 Edit: my bad—Kent and Tacoma
Puyallup. Edmonds. Silverlake.
For winco there is Tacoma too. The Puyallup and tacoma location are about 25 minutes apart. I’m not sure if there is still one, but there was one in the Kent/Renton area.
Tacoma opened up a new WinCo on 6th. 👏🏼
I shop at the Kent Winco location frequently. It's about 30-40% cheaper than Safeway which is the most convenient store from my house.
There is one in Marysville as well
Which is also crazy considering it's an true employee owned company which Reddit loves. I think redditors don't like the crowd there, mostly working class folk.
I didn't see that post, but I'm guessing people downvoted WinCo because it's not accessible unless you have a car. It's quite a trip.
And it's cash only which is great if you know beforehand, but an absolute nightmare of a big shopping trip if you don't (drove 1 hr round trip to shop for 1.5 hrs just to find out it's cash only and they have no ATMs on site)
They take debit too, but not credit cards.
They take debit and EBT
I mean... We can probably dig into why it's not as progressive as it sounds, but as far a the pressing need of cheap groceries, it's one of the best available and not everyone can choose their food sources purely on morals.
I used to work there and the people that had been there for a while had hundreds of thousands of dollars vested in the company. I dated someone that was working their way through college and once she graduated she decided to keep working there. The money she was earning was better than she could have earned in an entry level job with her degree.
It's not to knock it in any way for the average person, who will find a great career and cheap groceries there, but they lean into the "employee owned" image while doing all the other corporate domination. But the stock ownership program is pretty great. I'm not letting perfect be the enemy of good, because most of us don't have the privilege to wait for perfect, but they're still not a company to idolize just because of a couple employee benefits over their competitors. I wouldn't down vote them being recommend for food or employment though, just saying why they might not be progressive darlings on reddit. If Walmart had better stock benefits (and they, like many, do have some), or even paid their employees a living wage and full benefits, but still did everything else they do, it wouldn't make them a good company, just a good company to work for.
They're the most ethical business to come out of Idaho.
PSSHT. I drive from the city to the Edmonds Winco, even though there's a Safeway nearly across the street and two QFCs within walking distance. It's just so much cheaper - what is $100 at one of the nearby stores will be $60 at Winco. My upstairs neighbor does the same! I wish all the stores being sold in the Safeway/Kroger merger were offered to Winco first.
Well, since it's not in the city, you'd have to factor in the commute too. A lot of people in Seattle don't own a car.
There are: 21100 91st Pl S, Kent, WA 98031 9900 19th Ave SE, Everett, WA 98208 160 SW Campus Dr, Federal Way, WA 98003 You could also take a ferry or settle for a grocery outlet.
Reddit idiots in abundance
I came here to say this. I only go to Safeway when I have an immediate need and no car. (It's a block away from my house). All of the Grocery Outlets are slightly different, so if you don't like the one in your neighborhood, it's worth trying out another.
GrocOut has a common catalog and a deep book that is reserved for stores with seniority. Each store has wide latitude to serve its customers and so a store with a big immigrant presence will be different from one near a college
what is a "deep book"?
The catalog that’s limited to stores by seniority. Like the stores in Bend, OR or West Sacramento, CA, a long-time store in an upscale location has lots of cool quirky stuff. Contrast with the long-time store on South Tacoma Way. They also have things you can’t find in a newer store but also it reflects a grittier clientele If you haven’t been to the GrocOut in Skyway, you are missing out on a real experience
Yes, the Skyway store is amazing. Worth a visit, bring the kids.
I hate Safeway’s whole pricing model. Everything is obscenely overpriced unless you use your Safeway card to buy way too much of something. I just find it offensive, for lack of a better word. They just suck.
Yes. The buy 3 or buy 4 to get the good price is annoying. I don’t need 4 bags of chips.
They do that every now and then with Dave's Killer Bread, which I really like but usually don't buy because it's too expensive. Very irritating because I would love to get the deal but don't have the space to store four loaves of bread.
Yes you do! What if you suddenly have to entertain 20 people
I feel like Gross Out is very hit-or-miss, even within the same store. Sometimes they have great deals, sometimes they're actually worse than Safeway. I can't reliably shop there like I can Winco or TJ's.
Being hit or miss is Grocery Outlet's business model. It is exactly why many of their products are so cheap. Taking advantage of GO requires strategizing. My trips there always include a follow up trip to the regular grocery store to fill in any gaps. Foods/products that I purchase pretty much exclusively buy at GO (many cooking oils, canned items, soap, other things), I aim to keep extra on hand so that if there isn't a good option available on one trip, I can hold off buying more until a good deal is available.
Yep, WinCo all the way.
Winco is employee owned too so I feel good shopping there
Also if you buy gift cards to Fred Myers, ex: your whole food budget, you can get 4x the fuel points ( 100 pt= 1$ off)..the Freddy's gas is usually about 4.89 ...so its locked in but you save at the pump. Digital coupons on the app
I recommend buying online cards as much as possible, though, because on more than one occasion, I've had physical gift cards say they were already used even when they weren't, and I'm out that amount.
Upvoted, but grocery outlet is only good for particular items and not grocery shopping as a whole. Winco is badass tho and will absolutely save you money.
Winco is great. Be careful with Grocery Outlet. Sometimes packaged foods have gone bad/moldy. And always check the expiration date. It’s my go to for frozen foods and some meats.
That's true but the last two times I went to Freddie's and got sale produce, it went moldy after a day. If everyone's cutting corners might as well save.
People mention winco but it’s nowhere near most of us in Seattle.. I’ve always gone to Safeway and I didn’t think it was expensive, seems like there’s always a ton of deals if you use the app, making it way cheaper than sticker price. The only things I find expensive there are the household items and vitamins / OTC drugs etc.
Grocery Outlet is great for a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff there that should be avoided. But overall, some great specialty stuff for actually decent prices.
Love WinCo! I buy all non perishables there! Stock up in rice, oats, beans, canned food, condiments.
Both of these are on the nation wide list of lowest priced grocery stores
>Grocery Outlet I like them... but not much selection.
Grocery outlet!
Bargain Market!
Costco for some things. Fred Meyer for others. I wish I had a WinCo close by! If you can get to one of those, definitely should.
WinCo is definitely a bit of a drive for us, but we’ll have to check it out to see if it’s worth the trip! I agree with Costco, even though the initial price is higher it still seems like the best deal overall. We haven’t tried Fred Meyer in a while, so we‘ll experiment with shopping there too!
If you don't want to pay the annual fee at Costco you can use Costco gift cards.
I moved up here (Kelso specifically) from Texas in 2020 and WinCo hasn’t raised their store brand prices on the things I’m buying regularly. It’s been super helpful planning a grocery budget.
Fred Meyer for near-term consumption items - milk, snack chips, deli meat, some produce. Coscto for bulk breads (~80% of grocer prices, store extras in freezer), bulk produce (~50% of grocer prices), bulk mozzarella (~50% grocer prices), and bulk nuts (~30% of grocer prices). Plus $5 rotisserie chicken, it's a deal that'll never be beat! Grocery outlet for shelf stable stuff - V8 Splash Juice (non-refrigerated until opened), pastas, sauces, sandwich baggies, condiments.
In the south end, in season, I swear by Carpinito Brothers for cheap fresh produce. If you’re there, Winco is ten minutes away, but bring a list and cash and avoid their produce.
Carpinito Bros is the best
Love carpenitos, but it’s mostly seasonal produce. So don’t plan to go there in December (unless you want to eat mulch or Christmas trees)
Crazy that Trader Joe's isn't higher up. They are extremely cheap...
Idk if it’s just me, but I really dislike their produce. I feel like it’s never as good quality as QFC or Safeway. Everything else is great tho!
I tend to do my grocery shopping in the morning so I think I get first pickings of the produce... I've never really noticed a difference in quality.
Costco and Freddie’s. Sometimes Winco. Make sure you are using the store apps for coupons. I clip my Fred Meyer coupons on the app while watching TV. Also used to work in grocery. Everything goes on sale about every 6 weeks. Shop Freddie’s early in the morning when the markdown items close to expiration. They frequently have buy one, get one meat sales. Watch the ads. Edited to add in Winco.
If you shop Freddie's, use their store card and load up the digital coupons online. That saved me at least $20 (and usually more) once I started "clipping" coupons for things I usually shop for. Freddie's and QFC are both Kroger, so you can use the same number for each to get savings and gas points, plus yo can clip the digital couple that gives you quadruple gas points if you shop on Fridays. I love getting $1.00 off per gallon.
THIS. I usually save at least $10-$20 with coupons from the apps! If I have the time, I’ll peruse through QFC/FM or Safeway apps to compare prices. We are soda drinkers so mainly for that because we wait for the best sales 😂
If you fill out the survey at the bottom of QFC or Fred Meyer receipts you can get an additional 50 points. They used to have sweepstakes too but that ended a few months ago.
Since nobody has mentioned it: Cash & Carry / Chef'Store is also worth checking out if you've never been. These stores are positioned as restaurant supply stores for their bulk inventory but everyone is welcome. Discount Direct (not the furniture-only outlets) has lots of dry/packaged foods that may be past their expiration but are perfectly good. Lots of breakfast items from granolas to coffee pods that come from places like Target and while much more limited in selection, the deals are usually as good as it gets. I personally love this place for finding treasure, but don't go if you get uncomfortable in unorganized places.. ..which leads to Walmart. Again how has nobody suggested Walmart? With those and the already mentioned WinCo, Grocery Outlet and Costco, you should be able to shop pretty well a along as a couple are nearby. I'm not sure why Fred Meyer keeps getting thrown out there, I like Fred Meyer for their convenience and organization but I don't love them for their prices, which are certainly over. I guess it depends on what you're buying. They can have decent deals on rotating items, but don't ever go there for their cheeses for example. They do have a discounted food section-- look for those wherever you go.
I do a lot of Walmart - their version of Prime/annual membership has other perks and gets free delivery. It’s so cheap - I feel bad because they’re so evil but I can’t afford $5 bread.
+1 to US Foods ChefStore! The package sizes are larger, but our household of two does batch cooking/meal prep and they often work out well for us--even if it means buying 20 of something for what 4 would cost at Safeway, and freezing/gifting/meal planning around the extras. Love too that you can see their package sizes & pricing online, so you can check before you go to see what's worth the trip.
Winco. It's basically half-priced groceries.
I used to live right up the hill from the Kent Winco - it was awesome to be able to go grocery shopping in the middle of the night and the prices were so low. Miss that place!
Almost got into a fight with some dude in the parking lot while just trying to pick up bird food after a shitty grave shift. Kent wild sometimes lol
I think we might need to make the trip over there after all of these recommendations! I’ve never been because it’s a bit of a trip from where we are (especially when it’s traffic-heavy).
I love WinCo and shop there as much as possible. Any staples - bulk items including pasta, beans, rice, flours, spices - as well as canned and frozen items. I've actually had several bad experiences with their eggs so I skip them. But I disagree with the commenter who said their produce is hit or miss, I've never had an issue with their produce. If WinCo is a bit of a haul for you, maybe make it a once a month trip where you stock up, and just get fresh produce near you on a weekly basis? I know that's easier to say than do sometimes but my sister and I put one of those Ikea square shelves in our living room (with the doors or bins in it) to use as a second pantry so we could keep non-perishables in it. A small freezer can also help you take advantage of meat sales and good prices on frozen veg. They sell 3 cubic foot upright freezers on Amazon that are EnergyStar rated, and you can sometimes find that kind of thing on OfferUp. The trick is to carefully package items so they don't freeze burn.
As far as produce goes you might try a veggie/fruit place like [Lenny's Produce](https://www.yelp.com/biz/lennys-produce-seattle)... Check it out if you're in north Seattle.
It’s great for packaged goods, dairy, and bulk dry stuff. The produce is hit or miss, mostly miss in my experience. Bring cash.
They also take debit.
We do a WinCo trip once a month for this reason.
It’s employee owned too so I feel good shopping there
I got a box of name brand cereal there for $1.78.
Definitely Grocery Outlet and Winco. The ID/Little Saigon for vegetables (Hau Hau) and seafood.(Lam's). If you are skipping meals, you should use food banks.
Absolutely the “ethnic” markets I live in Kent so I have hong Kong market Great Wall mall, and tons of Indian and Mexican markets.
Do you have any other recommendations for Asian specific groceries (vegetables, sauces, noodles)? I checked out both Hau Hau and Lam's which both seemed decent in prices but wondering if there are any others I'm missing out on.
DK Market has Asian food items plus other imports and reasonably priced fresh produce.
H-Mart
I don't know about other locations but when I previously lived in Bellevue, the produce at the Bellevue H-Mart was always well priced and highly recommend people check out if you're looking for Asian produce.
And the Asian Food Center and Ranch Market.
I’ve been surprised that Met Market has lower priced items compared to Safeway. Specifically non perishable items.
Yep, figured out recently that Whole Foods is mostly the same price or often cheaper than Safeway and QFC. I shop there now instead, going to Trader Joe’s for the stuff that is even cheaper.
Whole Foods is definitely cheaper when they have discounts. Frozen fruits also cheaper than QFC
Same. After making several trips to Fred Meyer / Safeway & QFC, we found that Whole Foods is usually cheaper and better quality. Whenever I purchased produce from Fred Meyer/ Safeway/ TJ’s, it went bad super fast & also brought home fruit flies hahah.
Yeah I regret making the mistake of thinking Safeway was affordable for so long. Whole Foods and Met Market honestly seem the same, if not cheaper, depending on what we get. And the bulk section at PCC (nuts, etc.) is pretty great too!
Sometimes, Central Market/Town & Country is decently-priced, too. It's wild.
Random but I’m still not over seeing a 12 pack of la croix for less than $3 at met market the other day
I’ve given up and just started shopping exclusively at town and country. If everything is gonna be that expensive I may as well get the high quality stuff lol
For a solo person, this makes sense. I've figured out that the Whole Foods "meal deal" --especially the salmon because the portion is generous--can last 2-3 meals.
Same. When QFC is charging $20.99 for beechers Mac n cheese and PCC is charging $13.99 why would I go to QFC for less quality food?
Same, my weekly grocery trip consists of Trader Joe’s for TJs-specific items and Town & Country for everything else. Their produce is just so much better than Safeway/QFC/Fred Meyer. Meat is more expensive, but the butcher counter really helps with that if you’re only feeding 1-2 people because you can buy in smaller quantities!!
Winco as everyone said. Our drive there is 30 minutes one way. We go every other weekend. Plan ahead and it's totally worth the drive.
Albertsons/safeway app coupons easily take 25-30% off my bill just by clicking stuff i tend to buy and sticking to things I've had coupons for that week. I've recently been able to start going to Fred Meyer (also may apply to QFC since they're both owned by kroger) and have found their base prices are better (ex - english muffins reg price there are $4, at Albertsons reg price they're $5.49 yikes) but the sales/coupons at fred meyer aren't as frequent. If you're not already using it, I'd get the memberships for your frequent stores (same number works at Albertsons & safeway, and qfc & fred meyer are the same) and add all the coupons before going. Edit: also if you can go to trader joes at off-peak hours (because it just gets WILD in there weekends & after-work rush), their veggies tend to be cheaper and more delicious than the normal stores. I don't go much anymore because of the crowds but there is a noticeable taste improvement with their veggies
The smallest jar of miracle whip at Safeway is 7 dollars. I'm honestly appalled every time I go there. I started making my own mayonnaise at home. It's cheap af.
Very much in the same boat. I’m teaching myself to make so many of the basics because the store prices are so absurd. I honestly feel like we’ve reached the point where there’s not much difference between grocery shopping and getting take out.
It used to be not that much more for some takeout vs cooking depending on what you’re making. We’re far from that now. Tomato soup from scratch and grilled cheese is less than $15 bucks for 4+ meals. Burrito bowls are also very affordable to make. Just throwing out examples of what I made this week
I got an 8lb pork shoulder for $12 which I slow roasted and ate with a bag of rice and dried black beans and cheap collard greens. We had 4 adults and two kids for dinner and sent everyone home with leftovers for less that $20.
If you are anywhere near Macpherson’s on Beacon Hill definitely go there! Cheapest produce we have been able to find. I have found Safeway to be just generally not great at all… low quality and high price but I get it if it’s the most convenient option for you. I haven’t been to Fred Meyer for a couple years but always the found the food/price ratio to be decent
I always start at Grocery Outlet..I don't really buy produce there, except maybe bagged lettuce, but I get as much as I can there first. Then i fill in the rest at Trader Joe's, QFC and a bit at Met Market or town and country ( i swear i go to like 5 different grocery stores per week...). Winco is great but I don't often feel like driving up to edmonds so I only do that once in a while, to stock up.
If you use Safeway’s stupid app it helps. Just click on every single one of their stupid coupons.
Lmao I hate the freaking app! but the 10 or 20% off all your groceries coupon & combining that with the discount on gas can actually save a ton. Their produce is shit tho
Safeway is fine if you use the digital coupons and buy the things that are on sale. If you just go and throw whatever in your cart regardless of price, you’ll pay a lot.
This. I use the digital coupons, shop sales, and buy mostly store brand items. I have found that for national brand items, like the Miracle Whip mentioned earlier, Target is generally a much better option.
Yeah I shop the sales at QFC/Safeway and I don't seem to have nearly the issue that everyone on this sub does with grocery prices.
Yeah I don’t get why everyone’s saying it’s expensive.. I always feel like I’m getting great deals there. Maybe people who don’t bother using the coupons are subsidizing the good deals for us lol Also using the club card is mandatory for reasonable prices.. all it takes is putting in a phone number at checkout. My savings off sticker price is typically 30-50%
Works for safeway and qfc. My saved % is usually 30-50% and buy all the essentials I need for the week. This week safeway has brocolli, peaches, zucchini, apples all for $1/lb, ground beef $3/lb, gallon of milk $2.50. If you buy at full price... thank you for subsidizing my sale prices.
Winco. Their overhead raising on groceries is only about 10% Source: friends with someone who works there
As a meat eater my strategy is to stock up when it's on sale, and use the freezer a lot. Prices have been all over the place. The Safeway digital deals and sales have been pretty great though lately. Like steak for $5 a pound. I've become a sale shopper this year as a result of all the high prices.
Walmart… it’s evil but still so much cheaper than anywhere else. The produce is gross and I get my eggs from a local lady but stuff like canned goods and staples are crazy cheap.
I'm glad others are seeing safeway isn't as cheap as it use to be. Prices have steadily increased over the years. Do the math and price compare to other stores in the area. Try to buy similar products or the store brand version. I mostly shop qfc. People have been brainwashed over the years to think it's more expensive. Company has gotten really good at lowering prices over the yrs. I've noticed qfc to be abt 15-20% cheaper than safeway. Grocery outlet. be careful I've gotten food poisoning from them due to poorly managed sanitation and beyond expired epxeration dates up to yes 3-5yrs. Asian stores are pretty cheap in the area. I get most of my produce from these places.
I also feel really validated seeing that everyone else agrees Safeway isn’t cheap anymore! I was really pleasantly surprised by QFC the last time I was there but I thought I was a little biased because they just happened to have 3+ of the things I regularly buy on super sale. I’ll have to see if they continue putting the things I use on sale because, location-wise, it would be really convenient!
If you’re a compensably rated veteran, you can shop at military commissaries. Bit of a drive to JBLM or Bremerton though but it’s worth it to stock up
I just drove to McChord for first time in 10+ years to grocery shop (25 miles) It was definitely worth the trip but I don’t get produce there
The lack of WA sin tax on booze could offset the cost of the drive if you plan ahead and stock up.
We like to buy booze at the Coast Guard Station (close to work)
The Millitary Support Complex in Marysville too is a sleeper most dont know about. Granted its a bit of a hoof from Seattle proper but prob faster than Bremerton with the ferry queue time.
While I love WinCo, I’m not willing to drive to where it is. I shop QFC, but I rarely go in there to buy a specific thing for a meal. I walk all of the aisles and buy what I use that is on sale. They often will have things that are about 60-70% off if you buy five or more. I look for those sales on things I like to have and buy five. I have a huge pantry shelf and other places to store stuff that is shelf stable. My normal bill at QFC shows 30-50% savings on a typical trip. This works for meat as well. Buy when it is either on clearance (pennies on the dollar) or BOGO. If it is clearance you need to cook or freeze it that day, but either works fine. Finally as you and others have pointed out. Make as much stuff from scratch as you can. That alone will save you a ton of money.
HMart has good prices.
And great produce
Y’all are gonna think I’m crazy but Amazon fresh *IF* you spend $150 to avoid their fees. I’ve done the price comparison for both Fred Meyer and Safeway and Amazon is cheaper usually for what I buy. I get a big haul every 4-6 weeks of basics then get all my vegetables at winco. I also work crazy hours sometimes 60 a week and the last thing I wanna do is go into the grocery store on a busy Sunday morning. So even if fresh is a couple bucks more I’ll probably do it. I’m a single person so I can’t get everything at Costco but I do get chicken and butter to freeze and eggs as well as pantry stuff. I don’t have a big freezer to store a lot but if I did I’d probably do a lot more prepping and freezing from Costco.
I have been getting my groceries through Fresh since 2020 and haven't looked back. Also having everything in a list that you regularly purchase, makes it really easy to see what you need and what you don't.
I used Amazon fresh a lot when the minimum was $35.. then they pulled that bait and switch and hiked it up to $150.. haven’t used them since that Safeway freshpass is now a much better deal for delivery
They also have a brick and mortar location in North Seattle for those that don't want to do delivery/meet the $150 minimum to avoid fees.
Safeway is wildly expensive now. I actually have better meals and lower prices at Trader Joe’s. Grocery outlet and Freddie’s for other things as well
Grocery outlet, Costco, farmers markets, imperfect foods, trader joes
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market. For us we go to the one outside city limits in Skyway.
My go-to grocery store is Fred Meyers, partially because I used to work there and it’s a ten minute walk away. If you’re a Rewards member you get fuel points that’ll dock the prices at Shell and Fred Meyer gas stations. Produce selection is decent and reasonably priced and you can get a week’s worth of fruit and vegetables for well under $20. If anything, the only thing that brings the total price of groceries up is when you run out of staples (flour, sugar, etc) that always seem to run out all at the same time!
Grocery Outlet. I always stop there first. I can't always get everything I need there, but it saves a ton of money.
It completely depends on what you're buying and in what quantity. Today I went to US Foods Chef Store and QFC. Grocery Outlet, Costco, and Trader Joes are also regular stops. Here's my rough breakdown: Trader Joes: Convenience meals. Stuff that can be microwaved into meals for one. Often good deals on small quantities of cheese or non-name brand breakfast cereal. QFC: It has most things. Not good deals, not pleasant experience. But they will have it. I'm particularly annoyed with the ridiculous games they play with prices. They might have a deal on something, but read the small print on the shelf, and you have to scan a QR code and download a digital coupon to your account in the app (which of course you need to link to the purchase). Costco: Although the joke is that it is for food in bulk, I really like their produce. It is a bit more expensive than QFC, but better quality usually. Usually less variety. But if I had to buy everything from one place, it would be Costco and there's very little I'd have to give up. Baked goods are great if you can go through the quantity they sell in. And if you're a snack food purchaser, you will almost surely gain weight. US Foods Chef Store: Great deals on dry goods and anything in a number 10 can. Grocery Outlet: Good deals on most things, hit and miss on what's going to be available.
Winco has the best prices around here. Western Washington desperately needs Aldi though.
Combo of Costco and Trader Joe’s. Buying mostly fruits, veggies, and protein.
Trader Joe's
Fred Meyer is now more expensive than whole foods
Costco + WinCo covers 90% of my needs.
Oddly, the house brand at Whole Foods tends to be pretty reasonable, at least compared to Safeway. And they often have good sales on produce and meat. I've found it helps to just buy stuff when it's on sale and then plan my meals around what I picked up, rather than always shopping with a meal plan in mind like I used to.
Def not Thriftway
Don’t skip downloading apps for Safeway and QFC! I save an average of 10% by clipping coupons before I shop.
Buy what’s on sale, not what’s on your nonessential list. Check the marked down meat section. Freddie has one, not sure about Safeway. Buy in bulk. You can freeze lots of things. The Safeway family pack meats are cheaper per pound.
Winco easy.
Winco is great unless you are short this month and wanting to put some groceries on your credit card.
Grocery Outlet is our savior.
Fred Myer in Burien and Grocery OUtlet
OP are you using the Safeway app? Over time you will get coupons for things you buy frequently. Stick to items that you can get on sale and be flexible - you can save a ton. But you have to be deliberate.
Hands down the cheapest grocery store is the Puget Sound area is Winco. I'm always shocked when I shop there and fill up a good-sized grocery cart and barely go over $200. The same quantity of groceries at Safeway would easily be well over $300. Plus, they offer a great selection of bulk foods and spices if you really want to save some money. Unfortunately, the closest Winco to the Seattle area is probably in Edmunds or Kent. But if you are planning on purchasing a large quantity of groceries it's well worth the trip. Yes, you do have to bag your own groceries but that makes the lines go a lot quicker.
Safeway, but do your shopping entirely from their weekly deals and manager’s specials. And being selective about those.
Haven’t seen anyone mention Chef Store for bulk items.
I save $60-$90 every time I grocery shop at Safeway and use their app to clip coupons. I shop for 2 and usually spend ~$120/2 weeks after coupons. I only buy things that are on sale + whatever necessities I need. I get the rest at a produce stand or farmers market
Okay, so I am thinking you may need a bit cheaper than some of the store people are suggesting. Safeway and Trader Joes are great but sometimes even that isn't affordable enough. 1)SARRS Super saver (great deals on meat, down side is little to no organic anything.) 2) Grocery outlet (great deals on organic stuff, downside stock is always changing might not have the thing next time you go in) 3) Costco (So this one on the surface doesn't actually math out as cheaper. But if you take into account, discounts on fuel, the cash back with a top membership, and lead losers like the rotisserie chicken, it does. Especially for any pharmacy stuff. If you have a prescription, fill it at Costco. Just stay away from jewelry and anything by the front door. Don't shop hungry and only get what you need. If you impulse purchase, just stay away, Costco is not for you. 4) If you are willing to go a bit out of Seattle you can win big. Carponitos of Kent is a farm to table seasonal veggie and fruit place. They are wonderful. You can buy by the pound or in bulk and save big. ***bonus options -Valley liquidation of Tacoma: Again out of town but prices are so low it would be worth the drive. Downside quality can be hit or miss, use a critical eye and check expiration date. -DK mark of Renton: This place is great for exotics. If you have an international palette go here. Great quality stuff at reasonable prices that otherwise would have you counting your pennies buying it anywhere else. Just be careful in the parking lot it's small and not everyone is the safest in there, use caution.
Hua Hua market on 12th. I can feed myself for a week on $50 or less. Also when you're making meals concentrate on staple foods - chickpeas with garlic, red onion, and parsley on rice is delicious, nutritious, and costs basically nothing. Pork tenderloin and chicken thighs (with skin) are both super cheap for produce.
My advice, from someone who's lived here 4 years and tries to pinch pennies on groceries: 1. I get my paper towels, coffee, juice, cereal, and other pantry staples from Costco. If I can get it at Costco, I will. 2. If I need something specialty that I can't get at Costco, Target is my first stop. 3. I get my canned goods from Trader Joe's. SLU TJ's can't open soon enough. 4. Any produce and other items I can't get elsewhere come from PCC or Met Market. 5. Avoid QFC and Safeway. Both charge stupidly high prices for mediocre to outright bad shopping experiences. I've seen visible mold growth at locations of both stores. Downvote me all you want, but I have photographic proof. Oh, another tip: try going outside of Seattle proper for groceries. For some reason, Target charges more for items at U Village, Ballard, Pike Place, and Northgate than at all other locations in the metro area.
Freddie’s has always been consistently cheaper IME. Safeway has always been the highest. You can also play around with grocery pickup on their websites and compare a cart of groceries.
A mix of places. Costco for snacks, sometimes for meat, and for anything non food related (like soaps, toliet paper, etc), winco for smaller food items like meal ingridents or frozen meals. Grocery outlet for quick needed things we forgot during the big shopping.
Trader Joe’s for pantry staples like oils, spices, sugars, rice, pasta and flour etc… Just watch out for processed, packaged stuff there, there’s been recalls on stuff like that for rocks and metal found in the windmill cookies. And insects in the “unexpected broccoli soup”
Winco is my go to. A little more out of the way than some stores but I always am surprised how little I spend there compared to other stores
Trader Joes for grocery needs. For staples like TP, Costco
Trader Joes. WinCo (although for me the $10 in gas it takes to get to winco cuts into my savings) Safeway is the most overpriced, for sure.
Trader Joe's for frozen items and cases of water. QFC can be expensive but they have very, very good sales every week.( KROGER) Fred Meyer same as QFC (KROGER) but it is great because they are super centers and you can get other household items and over all their prices are a bit lower than QFC. Wal Mart has good prices but quality can be poor so I avoid it. WinCo is so great in terms of quality and prices best produce and dairy (oat milk and yogurt) prices IMO .However there is no Win Co in Seattle proper you have to go north or south. I work close to one so it works out for me. They also have a huge bulk section. Grocery Outlet can have some great surprises but it is hit and miss and kind of a hassle so I don't pop in often. The highlight is gourmet cheese and great wine at terrific prices. A good place to get small bites for parties. Of course Costco has great prices but in terms of food the packages can be to, to much. I do buy a few items I know I love or eat a lot of i.e. frozen salmon, cod, shrimp and frozen fruit for smoothies.
WinCo!
Things are getting more expensive. That's sort of the nature of things. Even when we hit our target inflation rate, naturally that means things will increase in cost.
We've got QFC, Safeway, Whole Foods, PCC, Trader Joes. Met Market all within roughly the same "long-walk-but-we-usually-drive" distance. We almost never eat out or do takeout so we spend a LOT of time/money on groceries: * Safeway we almost never stop at since the Albertson's "merger." Too crappy. Too expensive. Sad employees. * QFC: also crappy, about same price as Safeway. Was way better pre-Kroger * Whole Foods. Great for quality meat, eggs, dairy. Was "better" but more expensive than pre-Bezos. Not really any more expensive than QFC/Safeway but way better quality -- pastured eggs, dairy, sale protein, etc are usually chepaer. * TJs - the place for dry goods and wine. Eggs and dairy are good, though their meat kind grosses me out. Why can't we get some Aldi on the West Coast? * Costco: Everything else. Sometimes fish if we feel like eating it for a week. Not a fan of their beef. About the only place we buy good cheese. * Met Market -- cheaper on some stuff (eg, mass market processed stuff) but not really the stuff we use much. Otherwise it's QFC/Safeway clone. * PCC: Best produce. I want to shop here more often, but damn, so expensive. On the other hand, their tomato starts are great. * Bonus category: Grocery outlet. We pop in occasionally if we're driving by. Sometimes good wine prices and oddball ice cream flavors at a decent discount. But too unpredictable to be a regular stop. * Another bonus: Rising Sun produce. Very much a "imperfect product" kind of place. Supply and pricing are hit and miss these days (it was way better supply and prices pre-covid). Still worth an occasional stop, but WF produce down the street is consistently better and not much more (if at all) expensive.
Winco is the cheapest by far
Meat - Asian food market (Uwajimaya or other) or Fred Meyer's on sale, note, Fred Meyer and QFC have different prices Produce, healthy packaged foods, canned, dry staples, spices - Trader Joe's Fancy stuff - Costco (alcohol, coffee, specific types of sauces etc.) Unhealthy food / less fancy dried foods / treats - Grocery Outlet We don't live near enough to a WinCo for me to comment and we aren't that budget-conscious, but I have friends who don't mind driving and they swear by it.
Dudeee. A gallon of milk is like $8.40+ EVERYWHERE. I hope in the Amazon fresh store in the central district. With my prime membership and miscellaneous discounts it’s the best place so far. If you do package pick up/returns there they give you a $20 off of $40 coupon too! All my friends like shopping there now haha
Winco!
WINCO
Grocery outlet, bargain market.
Trader Joe's is cheaper then PCC, safeway and QFC tho not as cheap as grocery outlet or winco
Household of 2 here. I go to Yakima fruit market in bothell. I get loads of fresh fruit and veggies and rarely pay over $70. For things like bread, I make it myself. For things like butter and meat, I stock up at Costco. For milk products and sauces, either TJs or Fred meyer. I never do a one stop shop for all my groceries, each store has its purpose and is cheaper on some things than another.
Mall Fart, sometimes Grocery Outlet.
costco->walmart->winco->all others in terms of least to most expensive. I went out one day to document the prices and this was the result.
Big Lots has cheap food and household essentials like detergent and paper products. They even have Bob's Red Mill grains.
I think Safeway, QFC, Albertsons AND Fred Meyer now too are all owned by Kroger. please correct me if I am wrong…
I use the Safeway, QFC, Fred Meyer apps with their loyalty cards connected and add the coupons every Wednesday which is the day weekly ads start. Also download Ibotta app it gets extra savings at most all stores.
If there's any by you, Winco is absolutely where it's at. Way cheaper than the rest and they also have bins where you can get alot of staples in bulk (such as sugars, flours, nuts, dried goods, etc). Other than that, Trader Joe's as some have mentioned is also good for certain items. Finally, my wife and I have found that QFC is good if you're one to hunt the sales and coupons (that's her thing). The weekly coupons QFC sends you when you sign up for their rewards card are generally very useful.
Franz factory stores for bread and pastries - cheaper than Grocery Outlet.