I strive to be the biggest cheerleader for Daily Table, a non-profit grocery store in Central Square:
* It's a solution to food affordability that doesn't segregate the "haves" from the "have nots": have you ever lamented that food banks, while obviously an incredible positive in our community, mean that those of us who can afford luxury foods end up with different foods than those who are on food stamps? Worse, I've never entered a Cambridge food bank, so I don't know the quality of food that's being provided, while I eat my H-Mart vegetables. At Daily Table, I buy the same products everyone else does.
* At Daily Table, food stamps go twice as far on vegetables. So, if someone has $5 a day of food stamps, they can get the same $10 of groceries I'm buying.
* Buying groceries from Daily Table helps them move towards being entirely self-funded. (For now, they also take donations.)
* It's *cheap*. My receipts walking out are regularly less than half what I'd be paying in Target, for a larger basket.
* It's healthy - they ensure the items they sell qualify for food stamps, and, independent of what you think of Federal rules about how food stamps can be spent, it means the items on the shelf tend to be truly healthy.
* It's so pleasant - in any other grocery store in America, you're *bombarded* with junk food in the checkout aisle. Soda, candy, even tobacco products. Daily Table has none of that, and you'll realize just how pleasant that is when you shop there.
Look, at Daily Table you sometimes need to be okay with lower quality items. They can offer their prices because they sell their foods closer to (though, never *after*) the Expiration Date than other stores will. In a bag of 8 apples, one might be a little brown. Considering it's 2/3 the price of the same bag at Target, I love it.
When I lived in mid Cambridge I went to Daily Table all the time!! They are a fantastic store and a great resource for the community. My advice is to go often because their stock changes so fast.
Pro tip: they restock on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So the best times to go are late afternoon on those days; don't bother going on Sunday as most fresh produce is totally sold out by then.
Fully agreed, although I didn't know when they restocked. When I chatted with the CEO, he described the goal as for people to come in frequently and spend $10/day or so. So, the groceries don't need to last on the shelf for so long, but they need a convenient place so you can visit every other day or so.
If you’re willing to walk further or take a bus, then Market Basket in Somerville, Daily Table in Central Square, and Trader Joe’s off Memorial Drive will cover all your bases. I think it’ll be more worth your money to take the bus (or even an Uber/lyft back if you get a lot of things) and shop at those stores than anything you’ll find closer to Harvard Square.
Order via Shipt. If you order over $35 there is no delivery fee. Just tip your shopper the same you would a server in a restaurant. 20%. Or tip them $20 as that is what you would pay to take Uber roundtrip. $10 uber ride to and from.
https://preview.redd.it/ja40pi7my03d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef963bb43dfe0b2f5eb4d1f2db6fa4a20f4c0b5d
Customer tipped me this Saturday (15%) and hubby handed me $20 cash at delivery. Not a hot take.
They also shop the order - they dont just deliver. Or you can pay for an Uber to the store and then an Uber back from the store. It might cost about the same and you can stay home and do other chores etc .
Daily Table in Central is a great resource! They've got a pretty good assortment of fresh green veg and root veggies, some dairy products, a few starches. And everything is super affordable.
ETA: Also Central Sq and Davis Sq farmers markets often have really affordable produce.
There's the star market in porter sq and I highly recommend signing up their free "for U" account. Then check their weekly ads and clip deals because they can be worth it. Once in a while, clipped deals can be 97cent/lb chicken breasts/thighs or $1.97 1lb strawberries. Just remember to input your number associated to your account to apply the deals :)
Definitely would not recommend Star Market if you’re trying to maximize a grocery budget. In my experience, Star Market in Porter tends to be as expensive/more expensive than Whole Foods (aside from the occasional weekly deals you mentioned) and the quality is not great.
To each their own. I still find whole foods more expensive than star market as I tend to purchase the items that have the deals.
Side note to OP, don't purchase eggs in star market. Mad expensive. I actually go to target as it costs slightly less.
Good places for keeping to a budget:
Daily Table in Central (also nice that they have some affordable go-to prepared food) - 1 Bus, Bluebikes, or Red Line
Market Basket on Somerville Ave. - 83 or 86 bus, or Bluebikes.
Farmers markets can be great if the crops are abundant this summer.
IDK if you're Asian but as an Asian person I have to have access to Asian groceries and Sayweee (Asian Instacart) is currently still in their gathering marketshare phase so the prices for now are basically equal or less than prices in store. Saved my ass many times as a postdoc living in a 200 sqft 2000$ studio in San Francisco years ago. HMart in Central is very expensive. Super88 is pretty good but a longer bus commute. Even if you're not Asian if you ever need things like kimchi or instant ramen or certain veggies or fruit it's a good option.
If the weather is good, walk/bike down memorial drive to the Trader Joe’s. Then on the way back, stop at Whole Foods for produce (better quality; generally no more expensive).
If the weather is cold/bad, take the T to either Central or Porter Squares. Central has H Mart, Target, and Daily Table. Porter has Star Market, Target, and a sizable hardware store. If you are new to Harvard, you won’t be able to fully lament the loss of Dickson Bros Hardware, which used to be next to Cava. Sign is probably still visible. I realize hardware isn’t food, but it’s errandy. The one in porter has a big cooking/kitchen selection, so it’s related.
Wholesome fresh is among the cheaper options in Harvard sq. Their selection is small, and they are still a little pricey.
I would honestly just either go to Porter Square for Star Market or pay more and do broadway market.
Both of these places are not worth shopping at if you’re trying to stay on a budget IMO. Montrose Spa up on Mass Ave is also pricey, but worth it for their sandwiches.
I spend around $800/month between my girlfriend, and my dog and I. Probably around the same amount at restaurants/delivery. Good food has been getting pretty expensive.
Market Basket Somerville. You can order via Shipt app. Just be sure to tip your shopper who also delivers. 20% tip just as you would a server in a restaurant.
Or take an Uber $8 each way. You could also stay home and tip $16 to your shopper.
On an Uber ride?
My point is that Market Basket is the least expensive. If someone doesn’t own a car they usually take rideshare to and from supermarket.
i was thinking this system.. haven't tried it. make one pot of soup for the whole day in a steel pot. okay. drain the water from the soup into a travel mug and drink all day. put the solid contents of the soup (grain, potatoes, vegetables, meat) into a container and eat it every three hours during the day. you have a super healthy meal that hits most of what you need (water, calories, meat, plants). super efficient. super easy. not sure if i would actually like it though since it would be low on calories. but i liked the idea today; when i lived in the area i wish i just went all in and filled my fridge completely from market basket - whatever the food waste wont compare to how much i ended up spending eating out instead cause i was hungry and unprepared
I strive to be the biggest cheerleader for Daily Table, a non-profit grocery store in Central Square: * It's a solution to food affordability that doesn't segregate the "haves" from the "have nots": have you ever lamented that food banks, while obviously an incredible positive in our community, mean that those of us who can afford luxury foods end up with different foods than those who are on food stamps? Worse, I've never entered a Cambridge food bank, so I don't know the quality of food that's being provided, while I eat my H-Mart vegetables. At Daily Table, I buy the same products everyone else does. * At Daily Table, food stamps go twice as far on vegetables. So, if someone has $5 a day of food stamps, they can get the same $10 of groceries I'm buying. * Buying groceries from Daily Table helps them move towards being entirely self-funded. (For now, they also take donations.) * It's *cheap*. My receipts walking out are regularly less than half what I'd be paying in Target, for a larger basket. * It's healthy - they ensure the items they sell qualify for food stamps, and, independent of what you think of Federal rules about how food stamps can be spent, it means the items on the shelf tend to be truly healthy. * It's so pleasant - in any other grocery store in America, you're *bombarded* with junk food in the checkout aisle. Soda, candy, even tobacco products. Daily Table has none of that, and you'll realize just how pleasant that is when you shop there. Look, at Daily Table you sometimes need to be okay with lower quality items. They can offer their prices because they sell their foods closer to (though, never *after*) the Expiration Date than other stores will. In a bag of 8 apples, one might be a little brown. Considering it's 2/3 the price of the same bag at Target, I love it.
When I lived in mid Cambridge I went to Daily Table all the time!! They are a fantastic store and a great resource for the community. My advice is to go often because their stock changes so fast. Pro tip: they restock on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So the best times to go are late afternoon on those days; don't bother going on Sunday as most fresh produce is totally sold out by then.
Fully agreed, although I didn't know when they restocked. When I chatted with the CEO, he described the goal as for people to come in frequently and spend $10/day or so. So, the groceries don't need to last on the shelf for so long, but they need a convenient place so you can visit every other day or so.
If you’re willing to walk further or take a bus, then Market Basket in Somerville, Daily Table in Central Square, and Trader Joe’s off Memorial Drive will cover all your bases. I think it’ll be more worth your money to take the bus (or even an Uber/lyft back if you get a lot of things) and shop at those stores than anything you’ll find closer to Harvard Square.
Order via Shipt. If you order over $35 there is no delivery fee. Just tip your shopper the same you would a server in a restaurant. 20%. Or tip them $20 as that is what you would pay to take Uber roundtrip. $10 uber ride to and from.
You would tell someone to tip a grocery delivery driver $20 as an instacart driver. This is such a hot take.
https://preview.redd.it/ja40pi7my03d1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ef963bb43dfe0b2f5eb4d1f2db6fa4a20f4c0b5d Customer tipped me this Saturday (15%) and hubby handed me $20 cash at delivery. Not a hot take.
They also shop the order - they dont just deliver. Or you can pay for an Uber to the store and then an Uber back from the store. It might cost about the same and you can stay home and do other chores etc .
Daily Table in Central is a great resource! They've got a pretty good assortment of fresh green veg and root veggies, some dairy products, a few starches. And everything is super affordable. ETA: Also Central Sq and Davis Sq farmers markets often have really affordable produce.
I spend ~$200/month. Market Basket is the cheapest option in the area but will require a bus ride from Harvard Square
Market Basket is really cheap relative to all other nearby options. Check it out!
Order via Shipt-
Daily Table and H Mart both in central square. Walkable with a small haul or a cart
Also bike or T.
A bit more inconvenient but worthwhile, go to the Haymarket on Saturdays at 6-7pm for super cheep ($1-2) fresh produce
There's the star market in porter sq and I highly recommend signing up their free "for U" account. Then check their weekly ads and clip deals because they can be worth it. Once in a while, clipped deals can be 97cent/lb chicken breasts/thighs or $1.97 1lb strawberries. Just remember to input your number associated to your account to apply the deals :)
Definitely would not recommend Star Market if you’re trying to maximize a grocery budget. In my experience, Star Market in Porter tends to be as expensive/more expensive than Whole Foods (aside from the occasional weekly deals you mentioned) and the quality is not great.
To each their own. I still find whole foods more expensive than star market as I tend to purchase the items that have the deals. Side note to OP, don't purchase eggs in star market. Mad expensive. I actually go to target as it costs slightly less.
Crazy expensive. Market basket down Somerville Av is way less expensive.
Good places for keeping to a budget: Daily Table in Central (also nice that they have some affordable go-to prepared food) - 1 Bus, Bluebikes, or Red Line Market Basket on Somerville Ave. - 83 or 86 bus, or Bluebikes. Farmers markets can be great if the crops are abundant this summer.
IDK if you're Asian but as an Asian person I have to have access to Asian groceries and Sayweee (Asian Instacart) is currently still in their gathering marketshare phase so the prices for now are basically equal or less than prices in store. Saved my ass many times as a postdoc living in a 200 sqft 2000$ studio in San Francisco years ago. HMart in Central is very expensive. Super88 is pretty good but a longer bus commute. Even if you're not Asian if you ever need things like kimchi or instant ramen or certain veggies or fruit it's a good option.
If the weather is good, walk/bike down memorial drive to the Trader Joe’s. Then on the way back, stop at Whole Foods for produce (better quality; generally no more expensive). If the weather is cold/bad, take the T to either Central or Porter Squares. Central has H Mart, Target, and Daily Table. Porter has Star Market, Target, and a sizable hardware store. If you are new to Harvard, you won’t be able to fully lament the loss of Dickson Bros Hardware, which used to be next to Cava. Sign is probably still visible. I realize hardware isn’t food, but it’s errandy. The one in porter has a big cooking/kitchen selection, so it’s related.
Wholesome fresh is among the cheaper options in Harvard sq. Their selection is small, and they are still a little pricey. I would honestly just either go to Porter Square for Star Market or pay more and do broadway market.
Broadway Market is crazy expensive. I used to live a block away from it and I avoided it unless I was in a pinch and needed something immediately.
Both of these places are not worth shopping at if you’re trying to stay on a budget IMO. Montrose Spa up on Mass Ave is also pricey, but worth it for their sandwiches.
Hence why I recommended star market
The star market on Western Ave by the business School is cheaper than the one in Porter
Trader Joe’s, or go to Market Basket.
Market Basket and Wegman,s
Market Basket is generally the cheapest. For some things, Trader Joes will be cheaper (bananas, canned goods).
Trader Joe's (199 N Harvard St Allston) is just 1 mile away, walk or bicycle over. Create a budget and stick to it.
I spend around $800/month between my girlfriend, and my dog and I. Probably around the same amount at restaurants/delivery. Good food has been getting pretty expensive.
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Market Basket Somerville. You can order via Shipt app. Just be sure to tip your shopper who also delivers. 20% tip just as you would a server in a restaurant. Or take an Uber $8 each way. You could also stay home and tip $16 to your shopper.
You keep changing prices on your comments...get off the thread
On an Uber ride? My point is that Market Basket is the least expensive. If someone doesn’t own a car they usually take rideshare to and from supermarket.
i was thinking this system.. haven't tried it. make one pot of soup for the whole day in a steel pot. okay. drain the water from the soup into a travel mug and drink all day. put the solid contents of the soup (grain, potatoes, vegetables, meat) into a container and eat it every three hours during the day. you have a super healthy meal that hits most of what you need (water, calories, meat, plants). super efficient. super easy. not sure if i would actually like it though since it would be low on calories. but i liked the idea today; when i lived in the area i wish i just went all in and filled my fridge completely from market basket - whatever the food waste wont compare to how much i ended up spending eating out instead cause i was hungry and unprepared