How much could you save if you just changed grocers? We asked the Nelson family—Alison, owner of the Chocolate Bar, husband Adam, and kids Lulu, 5, and Sailor, 23 months—to let us look inside their shopping bags for one week.* We compared their shopping list (total cost $294.88) with the same items found at three Manhattan grocers and at a Costco in Brooklyn.
Grocery Gristedes Whole Foods Food Emporium Costco Huggies 2T-3T Pull-Ups for Boys 17.99 14.99 12.99 12.69 Pampers Wipes Refills 7.99 9.48 7.99 2.82 Heinz Ketchup 20-oz. Squeeze Bottle 2.79. 1.99 2.99 0.98 Perdue Chicken Nuggets 4.99. 5.79 4.99 1.65 Buitoni Tortellini 9.99 7.98 8.99 2.47 Bananas 2.06 2.29 1.82 1.02 Bachmann Thin Pretzels 6.99 5.98 7.29 2.50 Finlandia Cheese (Gouda) 5.49 5.00 4.25 2.75 Baby Carrots 2.49 5.98 2.49 1.16 Fiorucci Genoa Salami 3.59 4.99 3.79 3.30 Yoplait Thick & Creamy Vanilla Yogurt 6.30 4.74 8.94 2.76 Cake Mate Icing Blue 3.79 N/A 3.59 N/A Duncan Hines Golden Cake Mix 1.99 2.69 2.99 N/A Purina Beneful Chicken Dinner (dog food) 5.58 1.58 2.99 1.83 Delallo Vodka Sauce 7.99 3.79 2.99 3.13 Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers 4.89 3.99 5.59 N/A Teddy Grahams 4.09 2.49 4.29 1.31 Campbell Kids Dora and Shrek Chicken Soup 4.58 3.58 3.98 1.34 Progresso Chicken Corn Chowder 3.69 N/A 3.39 1.37 Progresso Vegetable Barley 2.29 2.79 2.99 1.37 Progresso Chicken Rice with Vegetable 3.69 2.07 3.39 1.37 Horizon Strawberry Milk Boxes N/A 5.00 11.94 4.60 Stonyfield Yogurt Squeeze Tubes Cherry 3.99 3.39 3.99 1.95 Whole Milk (Quart) 1.39 1.29 0.93 0.75 Organic Whole Milk Half-Gallon 4.39 4.49 3.99 3.33 Mixed Berries 3.17 5.29 5.29 1.72 Pineapple Chunks 3.83 3.19 4.47 0.47 Illy Coffee Medium Beans 14.99 9.99 13.99 2.88 Soy-nut Butter 10.29 3.99 6.79 N/A Almond Butter 9.99 6.99 N/A N/A Brownies 4.29 4.99 3.99 1.89 Organic Strawberries 3.99 4.99 4.49 2.50 Wonder Whole Wheat Bread 3.59 3.29 3.59 2.70 Skippy Peanut Butter, Smooth 3.29 2.19 3.69 1.42 Smart Puffs 4.59 2.49 2.69 N/A Pirate Booty 4.59 2.49 2.99 N/A American-Cheese Slices 3.49 6.98 4.29 5.62 Organic Eggs 5.99 3.99 3.99 3.50 Black-and-White Cookies 3.99 5.49 4.99 1.70 Applegate Farms Honey & Maple Turkey Breast (Sliced, Packaged) 5.29 5.99 5.99 1.69 Amy’s Frozen Pizza 8.79 7.99 8.49 4.66 Wellshire Farms Black Forest Ham (Sliced, Packaged) 6.99 5.29 5.99 1.80 Applegate Farms Organic Smoked Chicken Breast (Sliced, Packaged) 5.69 7.49 6.99 2.80 Santa Cruz Cinnamon Applesauce 2.50 4.49 3.99 1.50 Pumpkin Pie (Small) 7.59 6.99 5.99 5.99 Orange Juice 5.79 4.49 4.79 2.67 Prepared Turkey Breast N/A 11.75 N/A N/A Quiche N/A 9.99 8.99 5.50 Frozen Broccoli 2.49 1.69 3.19 1.60 Frozen corn 2.39 1.39 3.79 0.80 Grape Tomatoes 3.50 2.99 2.50 2.50 Bag of Salad Mix 3.99 2.50 2.99 2.34 Prepared Salad (1.43 lb.) 4.28 11.43 8.57 N/A Total $281.72 $278.62 $281.41 $101.25
Annual Savings: $7,339.28
(Based on the sum total of all the cheapest prices above, minus the Nelsons’ shopping tab, and multiplied by 52.)
*The Nelsons did their shopping at Gristedes, Whole Foods, and at a local deli. The prices listed, especially for bulk items, have been adjusted to match the quantities originally purchased by them. For Costco, tack on approximately $37 for car service and $50 for the annual membership fee.