Where I live outside of New Jersey, I have many options for shopping.
Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, several local and regional chains, and even large retail stores like Target and Walmart are only four miles from my home.
In addition to the chains, I have a health food store, a fish market, and Indian and Asian markets for more specific items.
With so many options, it can be difficult to judge which company offers the best value for money. I recently visited three supermarkets near me and bought the same 14 staples to find the best prices.
It was difficult to buy exactly the same items in all stores, so I adapted to the available selection. For example, ShopRite had no loose yams, so I got a fancier and more expensive red sweet potato.
For Cheddar cheese, each store had a different MyWegmansConnect selection and size than standard Cheddar cheese, so I tried to get blocks of the same weight. For grapes, Wegman assumed $ 1.99 per pound for red grapes, so I had to buy green grapes for an extra dollar.
Despite these small differences, it was clear that Whole Foods was the third most expensive supermarket. The price difference was more pronounced for raspberries, where Whole Foods only offered organic options that obviously cost more. Items like apple juice, cookies, and chicken are also more expensive at Whole Foods than at the other two supermarkets.
Whole Foods, on the other hand, MyWegmansConnect offered better deals than cabbage, carrots, and cheese.
I spent a total of $ 56.38 on my Whole Foods trip, compared to $ 49.38 for Wegmans and $ 48.29 for ShopRite.
You have to judge for yourself which chain offers the highest quality food, but when it comes to cost, you’re better off with Wegmans or ShopRite.
