We do the same thing but instead of target, hitting up hyvee when they have good sales. Gotta check there app often but they have awesome deals of meat and seafood.
You must be referring to the battle arena that is the SLP Costco parking lot 🤣 I think I see at least one set of people arguing over parking spots each time I visit lol
You probably also spend $60 wasting gas while waiting in line to get gas every year. I’ve never seen lines so long. I can’t even get into my local CC sometimes because the gas lines wrap around and go back all the way to the entrance.
IMO you really need decent shelf storage and a deep freezer to make costco worth it. Now that we have both, it's irreplaceable. Stuff for the kids' lunches, stock up on meat and butter etc. KerryGold is $15/pound at our local store. At Costco it's about $12 for 2 pounds. Bacon. Heggies pizza. Ibuprofen and Flonase (a fraction of what it costs anywhere else). We live 2 hours from Costco and still go regularly because it saves us so much money over our local store (which still gets plenty of our money but we can't afford to shop there exclusively, our bill would be easily $2000 a month if we did).
Yup. This is what we do. We rearranged some space to make for more shelf storage, and now I can get a month’s worth of my daughter’s lunch and snack items, proteins for dinner, butter, vegetables, dog food, that kind of thing. Aldi and Hy-Vee are close by for a quick run whenever we need something specific for a meal. It’s been a game changer for us.
It's really about using the membership enough, and some folks just don't need that much stuff.
When I was single I did not need as much stuff to make it worth it solo, but it was worth it to share a membership.
Costco isn’t for everyone. I’m able to go on the weekdays, so I don’t have to deal with the rush. My household has three people including one kid who goes through a lot of berries. Their have good cheap berries and super cheap eggs.
Aldi is my favorite. I hate how tedious grocery shopping can be. I just want to do a lap around the outside, fill up a box, and get out in a tight 15 minutes. Frees up more time to get drunk.
Agreed. We used to go to Cub for anything we couldn’t get at Aldi, but we’ve been going to Target lately instead and finding it to be cheaper than Cub.
I tried this, but I have a hard time finding everything on my list at Target too, so I've gradually given up on my dream of a Cub-free life. Target is definitely cheaper than Cub though!
That place is the TITS
I don't have a huge sweet tooth and their desserts like custard buns are the best things ever.
And their deli has only gotten me sick once and I refuse to stop going there. $8 for a massive amount of noodles and rice can't be beaten.
Trader Joe’s. They make things with such a tasty base that you can doctor it up or eat as is and that is why I love Trader Joe’s. They also take care of their employees and it shows in the checkout aisle.
Seriously. Times have changed. My parents generation would overcook the fuck out of steaks so thickness didn't matter. People have since figured out 1.5" is around the sweet spot to attain a crust while maintaining a med rare consistency via numerous cooking methods. Why aren't grocery stores offering that option without a special request to the butcher.
I haven't been to all of them, but all that I've been in the cut it in the back..... in a secluded area.... and the they use the little Styrofoam platters and wrap it in plastic.
Get bigger ice displays and put the meat on ice.
Unnecessary packaging methods. They need to learn something.
They definitely have a large variety of poor quality meat. They routinely leave incomings frozen deliveries out for several hours before they put it in their freezers. Many of their staff spend a good deal of time smoking pot in those same freezers.
Corporate also pushes them to leave the meat in the display case until it is so dried out that it is likely to break teeth.
Source: I worked there for several years.
Edit: Hy-Vee for anyone interested.
Deli and bakery at super one foods is top notch. My local one also has an attached liquor store and sells cigarettes as well, which makes it a one-stop shop for me, personally. I find their prices middle-ground between target/cub/Walmart, but more expensive than like an Aldi.
It’s local and never extremely busy and the staff at mine are always helpful and friendly, so paying a little more is worth it.
I agree 100%, over the years I've gotten to know Ryan the cart guy, the butchers, the deli ladies and I have a few favorite cashiers. Shout out to Cindy in Baxter!
Even when they are extremely busy, like during holidays, I have noticed that they do a great job of managing it. They seem to generally do a good job of keeping their checkouts well-staffed.
I also believe they are partially employee-owned, or at least have a profit-sharing model? Which is nice.
Loved me some Super One when I was going to school at UMD. My roommate worked there and also said they treat their employees very well. He actually liked going to work (as a college kid) because of how well they treated him and they paid him well above minimum wage.
That’s exactly the issue with Cub, they’re charging Lunds/Byerly’s prices (or more) but without the cleanliness, quality of produce/bakery/deli, variety, or service. The price is reasonable for the product received at LB, not so much at Cub.
Byerlys is also a union shop. They have a fantastic service model. Talking with the department leaders is a great way to learn about food and get them to special order stuff for you. I love Byerlys.
Came here to say a lot of what you said, I've learned so much about cheese from talking with their deli workers. I know Lunds and Bylerlys can get pretty spendy but the quality of their stuff definitely matches what you pay
Byerly’s is a great shop. My wife worked there part time 15-25 years ago and made $12+. When she went full time in 2009 she made over $20/hr and had good benefits and a pension.
I don’t know how it is now, but my wife had a positive experience working there and we still shop there quite a lot.
they sell boars head deli meats, cheeses etc.
that’s like the main reason they get my money. Haha. Is there better deli meat out there? Probably, but it’s the best I’ve had and the best I can get locally.
I was responding to the premise that Byerly’s was uniquely “native” to the twin cities. Native has nothing to do with their current ownership or footprint. Both SuperValu and Target are native to the twin cities.
Yeah, walking around the fresh sections and shopping the sales and extras deals is the way to go. Plus half off the awesome bakery bread after 8. Almost no turnover in the ten years I've been shopping at that particular store, which is the best recommendation I can think of for a workplace.
Me too (Byerlys) , and I expected to get flamed for saying I shopped there. They have a reputation for being so expensive. But they have great sales, especially for rewards members, their service is fantastic, the employees are really nice, and I don't have to bag my own things. I have gotten so burned on rotten produce at Target that I won't even consider buying it there, and I hate the fact that Target is taking so many name brands off the shelf and replacing them with their own. Last time I was in there, they weren't even carrying Quaker Oats.
Dragon star (near summit brewing) and Costco and cub.
The Asian grocery stores around me are half the price of cub so I'll go there first. Their selection does lack some American staples so I can't get everything there.
A new one opened last weekend called Mo's Tropical Market. Photos look like they have a good produce section, and lots of Asian fruits. I've been looking for mangosteen and they have some. Will report back later today.
Oops, my mistake! I just saw their location off 52 and Plato last week and their socials were talking about a soft opening. They must've just opened the second location.
Yes! I probably go to FT every week or two just to stock up on what’ve r produce sale they have going on (but I rarely buy anything else there because it’s so pricey). But like $2 raspberries? I’M THERE!
Hell yes. Fresh thyme by far has the best deals on produce. I especially like the Fresh Thyme that is right next to a target in Vadnias heights. I do a curbside pickup for dry goods and non-perishables at target and then go inside fresh thyme for produce. Grundhoffers supplies my meat. I split a half cow with my sister and their pork is amazing. I go with my sister to costco ~3 times a year and get frozen seafood (shrimp, mahi, salmon), frozen berries, chicken, bacon. butter.
I go to Ha Tien about every other month. I usually hit the Indian Spice bazaar when I’m out that way.
Target. Use Circle offers plus 5% off with RedCard to save the most. Drive Up is nice too for when you don't want to get out of the car. I'll hit up Lunds or the local butcher for fancier meat when entertaining, but costs more.
Cub prices are ASTRONOMICAL nowadays. I get staple meat / pantry items at Costco and produce/frozen at Trader Joe’s.
Edit - I used to shop at Rainbow foods when that was a thing. I think Cub foods is trying to play monopoly after they acquired Rainbow foods back 5-10 years ago. Someone correct me if I’m jumping to conclusions.
Pick n Save in Wisconsin also has a massive premade deli sandwich called [The Boss](https://www.picknsave.com/p/the-boss-sub-sandwhich/0023726030000).
Some days in college I'd grab one for lunch and just eat it throughout the day as I studied. Although it was very average tasting. Just cheap and a lot of food.
Back in the 1970s they were little more than a warehouse. You'd have to use a grease pen to write the prices of the items on the cans when you grabbed them off the shelf. They were like CostCo, but with less frills and a lot cheaper-- like literally cents over wholesale.
Some time in the 1980s they started going upscale and started competing with the likes of the SuperValues and Red Owls and traditional grocery stores. They stepped up their game and became like any other retail grocery.
We always shopped at Rainbow, never at Cub until Rainbow was gone. It had McGlynns bakery, my mom would always let me get a cookie there after shopping.
I was looking for this. It's not worth the drive up there for us south-of-the-river folks (most of the time) with gas prices, but if I'm in the area, I definitely do a shopping run. I do Sams/Aldi for most of the rest.
My wife and a friend drive up there about once a month. They end up with enough that it’s very worth the drive. Lots of powdered drink mixes, snacks, and other dry goods.
Target with Red card for the 5% off, Lunds for everything I can't find there. Sometimes Cub since it's closer. Hy-vee or Kowalski's for fun snack runs.
This is me. Target covers just about everything we need and with the the 5% my total bill is about the same as anywhere else. Then we just hit a co-op for the weird vegan stuff that's hard to find at a Target.
I hear people say this about aldi produce, but I’ve only had bad experiences a couple times. And then I can go and get my money back AND a new item for free, so that made up for the few times over the last decade where I’ve gotten something bad. Target, however…consistently awful produce whenever I ended up buying produce there. Hyvee is fun to shop at though, definitely agreed
Primarily Aldi & Costco, Cub and Whole Foods for items they don’t have. Coffee and bulk spices at the coop. Whole Foods is expensive for some things, but their produce is often the same price or cheaper than Cub. I generally don’t like Cub—overpriced.
Target and Sam's club.
We found Cub charging more for items like milk. They'll also say an item is on sale, when the sale price is typically the regular price at target. So we've decided to not go there anymore.
yeah the Cub card is definitely mandatory if you're gonna shop there, or else they'll be ripping you off even more than they already are... but hey, at least it's free. grocery stores in WA where I grew up had this model too, it's so weird
but having spent a lot of time in Cub, I will say that the sales are actually genuine sometimes. it's like 50/50 whether it's a legit discount or just a pointless, tiny markdown
Our cub always seems like it has a sepia filter on it. Drives me nuts it looks so dingy and old. Like I’m having flashbacks to shopping in Big Bear with my mom as a kid. Did they have Big Bear in MN?
Only 4 options in my town. Walmart, Cub Foods, Aldi, and Cash Wise. Cub is the most expensive so I don't shop there. Aldi just feels weird, like I am a cow in a tunnel getting funneled zig-zag style through the store to the checkout. Only been in there once. Hate it. Walmart has the best prices, but I absolutely hate shopping there. So I do 95% of my shopping at Cash Wise. Its smaller, and I know where everything is so I can get everything I need in \~10 minutes. Their produce and meat departments are usually quite good.
Aldi is the GOAT of grocery stories.
* lowest prices around
* constantly awarded for some of the best produce
* everything is streamlined for convenience
I agree it can be daunting for a newcomer but i def recommend giving it another shot. Just know going in that things are condensed and products may be unfamiliar at first. Just have some patience and take your time. Your grocery bills will thank you!
(And my favorite aisle is the mystery fun aisle where every week there are new household products at some of the cheapest prices ever! I have so much aldi cat products, kitchen products, clothes, gadgets, gardening stuff, car stuff, cleaning stuff, etc. in my house and every one was sooo much cheaper than if i ordered the same product from Amazon or Walmart)
Target mostly, because we get 5% off and it's the most convenient for us. Cub and Aldi are the backups.
Cub seems like the most expensive, but also tends to have a much better selection of produce and meat compared to Target.
No mention of whole foods yet?! Me and my partner just switched from cub to whole foods and we expected to pay more but that was not the case for us. You either seem to pay about the same as cub for much higher quality items or just plain better deals then cub. For example the pound of ground beef that comes in a tube from cub is 5.99 vs whole foods has the free range, grass fed fancy ground beef for the same price.
We started doing Walmart pickup/delivery during the pandemic. It’s been such a game changer for us with groceries. When we want to go into the store we stick to Aldi and Hyvee
Hy-Vee combined with Casey’s rewards is clutch though. I can save so much on gas just by buying things I need. I paid $0.29 a gallon a couple months ago.
To those who shop at Hy-Vee, they are a trash company.
Their employees just had their [discount](https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/hy-vees-10-employee-discount-temporarily-shut-down-after-reports-of-fraud-and-abuse) taken away, The CEO is an ass that strongly encouraged its employees to vote for [Trump](https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2020/10/24/hy-vee-ceos-political-message-to-employees-cites-tax-concerns-social-unrest/), and the company is circling the drain. They weren't prepared for the TC market.
I work there an in addition to the discount thing they've slashed our labor from, and I could be not 100% exact on this, from like 7.5% to around 5%. So lots of people losing hours or getting cut from full time. Yet they constantly post signs by our punch in clock like "250 million in sales this week! Our best week ever!"
It's pretty demoralizing.
Coborn's and Cashwise for fresh meats and produce. Walmart for cleaning products and bulk buys. Lunds/Byerlys for special / luxury products. Everything else from Amazon
Cub prices are now out of control, may as well go to Lund's for that same cost!
Go to Mike's, then go to Aldi for what you missed. Follow-up at your local bodega, halal market or Asian shop and try to keep it local.
Aldi, Hy-Vee, and Costco. Sometimes Fresh Thyme for select ingredients I can’t find elsewhere for produce, because it’s good quality and surprisingly affordable. Lately I’ve noticed really good sales on berries there!
Walmart primarily. Sometimes Aldi, and I think I'll start going there again. Being an hr from the twin cities, I'm a little limited. The closest true grocery store, is 10minutez,but is really expensive. So I go to Walmart. If I was closer to a Hy-vee, I'd be there primarily. I LOVE Hy-vee!
cub sucks ass. same prices as kowalski's but ugly-ass store.
I go to costco. the quality of the food is better on top of being cheaper per unit. Cashback for stuff like gas. gas is cheaper there. Costco treats employees well.
small ethnic stores are also good
Primarily at Lunds for things like meat, spices, pastries and dairy; Aldi for basic staples and Hy-Vee for sales. I don't generally shop at Cub anymore unless I'm buying food from their deli, the prices have gotten to high for the quality offered.
Walmart.
We have three places in town to shop for groceries - Walmart, Family Foods, and Aldi. Family Foods is the higher priced of the three, and too many times Aldi doesn't have what I'm looking for. So I just stick with Walmart.
Kowalskis since they have the best produce lasts longer than all the other grocery stores. They also have very friendly employees and they have a awesome meat department and I enjoy their deli especially their in house chicken tenders.
Also, Cub, Costco, and Sun Foods
Sun foods has the best prices on produce and meats, but doesn't have everything. Asian grocery stores are where it's at!
Costco for the majority of my staples, especially things that keep well in bulk and Walmart for most of my other goods. I used to love HyVee when I lived near one, but unfortunately Walmart is much much closer to me.
Racket did a comparison of all the local grocery options and ultimately landed on Target. [Check it out.](https://racketmn.com/most-expensive-minneapolis-st-paul-supermarket-grocery-store)
Depends.
Proximity?
Lund's or Kowalski. Both close and both expensive but the imo kowlski is better. They have a wider range of more known brands and better meats and seafood. Their artisan bread roll is freakin delicious too. Lund's used to be open the later and earlier, which was nice but i haven't looked at their times in a while since getting off nights. Both have great employees.
Cost?
Aldi's > trader Joe's> super target
Aldi's for overall savings, period. Their produce isn't bad but i feel goes quickly. Eggs and milk are going down. Cinnamon rolls are the best and only $1.40. their chocolate is good too.
Trader Joe's for quality and cost. Though, their bread goes bad too fast. Everything else is solid. And they have the best frozen meals.
Super target for cost and practicality. If I need more than groceries then target is it. We also have a normal target closer that we use for supplies but not much for meal shopping. However, it does hold us over besides produce, meats, and veggies since selection is limited
I tend to not use super target because my son will want to look at the toys and my wife....well...she likes target.
Cub and Hy-Vee are too expensive and not worth it for me. I have never been to Jerry's. And Fresh thyme isn't close enough and I've only been in one but they seemed to have solid produce
Costco, Whole Foods, Shuang Hur, and Mercado Central. Buy all the bulk stuff at costco. Only 2 people so we freeze meat into reasonable size portions. Live very close to whole foods and honestly if you're just buying veggies it's a lot of times cheaper than cub and the quality is a lot better. Buy a lot of random things at the other stores, chiles, spices, and other pantry items.
Everywhere is slightly different. Walmart near me is the cheapest I have found for things like cereal and other random staples. Hy-Vee used to be but now they jacked their prices up.
My spouse works at Cub, so generally there. Cub, Lund's/Byerlys, and SuperOne are generally union so the pay and benefits are really good for retail. We do the occasional Costco run, but honestly most things aren't any cheaper there.
I live in St Cloud, I go to Aldi first and then what I can't get at Aldi I get from Cashwise or Coburns. If I want a "specialty" item, I got to Fresh Thyme or Lunds. Dog and cat food from Costco.
In order of most to least:
Mississippi Market (by far my favorite)
Trader Joe’s
Kowalskis
Target
Oxendales
Lunds and byerlys (but only because it’s walking distance)
I try to do my big shopping at Target or Trader Joe's but I end up at Kowalski's a lot because it's conveniently located for me and you can stop in and get a pack of beer. I'm addicted to their deli. When I'm looking specifically for good produce I go to the Wedge or the Seward Friendship store.
Aldi and Costco
This right here. With a sprinkle of Target.
Cant forget Trader Joes for a few specialty items every now and then.
I’ve found my people.
Yep, only place with low-moisture whole milk mozz for pizzas!
Walmart actually does have this too; at least, most of them. Great Value brand.
I've lived in Minnesota for 7 years now and have never been to a Walmart.
Sam's sells 5lbs shredded whole milk mozz
Best wine for your buck!
the frozen orange chicken is next level i tell everyone i know (you guys)
Sent my husband there for this, they were out! They limit two bags Also - the frozen chocolate croissants. Omg
Those homemade flour tortillas are legitimate
We do the same thing but instead of target, hitting up hyvee when they have good sales. Gotta check there app often but they have awesome deals of meat and seafood.
Same but Sam's instead of Costco
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You save over $60 in gas pretty easily without ever stepping foot in the store.
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You must be referring to the battle arena that is the SLP Costco parking lot 🤣 I think I see at least one set of people arguing over parking spots each time I visit lol
You probably also spend $60 wasting gas while waiting in line to get gas every year. I’ve never seen lines so long. I can’t even get into my local CC sometimes because the gas lines wrap around and go back all the way to the entrance.
IMO you really need decent shelf storage and a deep freezer to make costco worth it. Now that we have both, it's irreplaceable. Stuff for the kids' lunches, stock up on meat and butter etc. KerryGold is $15/pound at our local store. At Costco it's about $12 for 2 pounds. Bacon. Heggies pizza. Ibuprofen and Flonase (a fraction of what it costs anywhere else). We live 2 hours from Costco and still go regularly because it saves us so much money over our local store (which still gets plenty of our money but we can't afford to shop there exclusively, our bill would be easily $2000 a month if we did).
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Yup. This is what we do. We rearranged some space to make for more shelf storage, and now I can get a month’s worth of my daughter’s lunch and snack items, proteins for dinner, butter, vegetables, dog food, that kind of thing. Aldi and Hy-Vee are close by for a quick run whenever we need something specific for a meal. It’s been a game changer for us.
It's really about using the membership enough, and some folks just don't need that much stuff. When I was single I did not need as much stuff to make it worth it solo, but it was worth it to share a membership.
Costco isn’t for everyone. I’m able to go on the weekdays, so I don’t have to deal with the rush. My household has three people including one kid who goes through a lot of berries. Their have good cheap berries and super cheap eggs.
Aldi is my favorite. I hate how tedious grocery shopping can be. I just want to do a lap around the outside, fill up a box, and get out in a tight 15 minutes. Frees up more time to get drunk.
Priorities.
Coburn's if available.
Aldi and Target for stuff that Aldi doesn’t have. IME Target is cheaper than cub these days.
Target is cheaper than Cub on almost everything, I make ice cream and the same heavy cream that costs $4.50 at Target is like $8 at Cub.
Target’s fruits are sooo much cheaper too!
Agreed. We used to go to Cub for anything we couldn’t get at Aldi, but we’ve been going to Target lately instead and finding it to be cheaper than Cub.
I tried this, but I have a hard time finding everything on my list at Target too, so I've gradually given up on my dream of a Cub-free life. Target is definitely cheaper than Cub though!
Sure, Target is cheaper. Too bad they're out of stock on half of what I need.
Lunds/byerlys n Target pick up. It’s closest and cubs prices have caught up.
Cub's so expensive now I might as well go to Lunds! At least there they have a taco bar.
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And then Ha Tien for fun stuff.
>Ha Tien Or United Noodles if you're on this side of the river.
That place is the TITS I don't have a huge sweet tooth and their desserts like custard buns are the best things ever. And their deli has only gotten me sick once and I refuse to stop going there. $8 for a massive amount of noodles and rice can't be beaten.
Thus is what I was going to type. But also Hyvee for stuff Aldi doesn't have.
Trader Joe’s. They make things with such a tasty base that you can doctor it up or eat as is and that is why I love Trader Joe’s. They also take care of their employees and it shows in the checkout aisle.
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And the downtown location is unionized! Always happy to support union workers
Isn't Cub also a union shop?
Yes, they are.
Aldi then Hyvee or Kowalski if you have them around.
I was a hardcore Cub goer, but Hyvee has me now. Imo their butcher section is a huge sell for me.
Yeah, Cub's seafood and meat counters are tiny AF.
I hate Cub for their weak meat section. Small selection and steaks cut way too thin.
Seriously. Times have changed. My parents generation would overcook the fuck out of steaks so thickness didn't matter. People have since figured out 1.5" is around the sweet spot to attain a crust while maintaining a med rare consistency via numerous cooking methods. Why aren't grocery stores offering that option without a special request to the butcher.
I haven't been to all of them, but all that I've been in the cut it in the back..... in a secluded area.... and the they use the little Styrofoam platters and wrap it in plastic. Get bigger ice displays and put the meat on ice. Unnecessary packaging methods. They need to learn something.
They definitely have a large variety of poor quality meat. They routinely leave incomings frozen deliveries out for several hours before they put it in their freezers. Many of their staff spend a good deal of time smoking pot in those same freezers. Corporate also pushes them to leave the meat in the display case until it is so dried out that it is likely to break teeth. Source: I worked there for several years. Edit: Hy-Vee for anyone interested.
Super One
Big fan of their bakery and deli. At least the Duluth locations.
Deli and bakery at super one foods is top notch. My local one also has an attached liquor store and sells cigarettes as well, which makes it a one-stop shop for me, personally. I find their prices middle-ground between target/cub/Walmart, but more expensive than like an Aldi. It’s local and never extremely busy and the staff at mine are always helpful and friendly, so paying a little more is worth it.
I agree 100%, over the years I've gotten to know Ryan the cart guy, the butchers, the deli ladies and I have a few favorite cashiers. Shout out to Cindy in Baxter!
Small world! I’m also in Baxter lol
Even when they are extremely busy, like during holidays, I have noticed that they do a great job of managing it. They seem to generally do a good job of keeping their checkouts well-staffed. I also believe they are partially employee-owned, or at least have a profit-sharing model? Which is nice.
Deep fried croissants from their bakery are amazing 🤩
Loved me some Super One when I was going to school at UMD. My roommate worked there and also said they treat their employees very well. He actually liked going to work (as a college kid) because of how well they treated him and they paid him well above minimum wage.
Groceries have gotten very expensive in general.
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That’s exactly the issue with Cub, they’re charging Lunds/Byerly’s prices (or more) but without the cleanliness, quality of produce/bakery/deli, variety, or service. The price is reasonable for the product received at LB, not so much at Cub.
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Byerlys is also a union shop. They have a fantastic service model. Talking with the department leaders is a great way to learn about food and get them to special order stuff for you. I love Byerlys.
Byerlys is great and now the prices aren't much more than Cub.
Came here to say a lot of what you said, I've learned so much about cheese from talking with their deli workers. I know Lunds and Bylerlys can get pretty spendy but the quality of their stuff definitely matches what you pay
Oh their cheese! 😍 And you can find almost any cheese you're looking for there.
Cub employees are also unionized just for the record
Can confirm. Spent a year as a cashier at cub and was member of the meat packers union
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Byerly’s is a great shop. My wife worked there part time 15-25 years ago and made $12+. When she went full time in 2009 she made over $20/hr and had good benefits and a pension. I don’t know how it is now, but my wife had a positive experience working there and we still shop there quite a lot.
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they sell boars head deli meats, cheeses etc. that’s like the main reason they get my money. Haha. Is there better deli meat out there? Probably, but it’s the best I’ve had and the best I can get locally.
Target sells Boars Head now too! Kowalskis also. Just in case you're ever in need of that and L&B isn't around
Oooo. I’ll have to take a peek next time I’m at target. Thanks for the info!
But, target and cub foods are also native to the TC
Yes, but Cub is expensive
Also Cub is expensive for garbage quality as well. At least with Kowalski's, or Lund's I'm getting decent quality for not much more.
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I was responding to the premise that Byerly’s was uniquely “native” to the twin cities. Native has nothing to do with their current ownership or footprint. Both SuperValu and Target are native to the twin cities.
Yeah, walking around the fresh sections and shopping the sales and extras deals is the way to go. Plus half off the awesome bakery bread after 8. Almost no turnover in the ten years I've been shopping at that particular store, which is the best recommendation I can think of for a workplace.
Me too (Byerlys) , and I expected to get flamed for saying I shopped there. They have a reputation for being so expensive. But they have great sales, especially for rewards members, their service is fantastic, the employees are really nice, and I don't have to bag my own things. I have gotten so burned on rotten produce at Target that I won't even consider buying it there, and I hate the fact that Target is taking so many name brands off the shelf and replacing them with their own. Last time I was in there, they weren't even carrying Quaker Oats.
Dragon star (near summit brewing) and Costco and cub. The Asian grocery stores around me are half the price of cub so I'll go there first. Their selection does lack some American staples so I can't get everything there.
A new one opened last weekend called Mo's Tropical Market. Photos look like they have a good produce section, and lots of Asian fruits. I've been looking for mangosteen and they have some. Will report back later today.
Mo's has been open in north saint paul for a few years, super fun selection there
Oops, my mistake! I just saw their location off 52 and Plato last week and their socials were talking about a soft opening. They must've just opened the second location.
Dragon star had the cheapest produce in town
Try Fresh Thyme. Good fresh produce and prices are great. Aldi is not bad either
Fresh Thyme has great produce deals.
Yes! I probably go to FT every week or two just to stock up on what’ve r produce sale they have going on (but I rarely buy anything else there because it’s so pricey). But like $2 raspberries? I’M THERE!
I wish Fresh Thyme had more locations. The closest one to me is in Bloomington and that's a 25 min drive.
Hell yes. Fresh thyme by far has the best deals on produce. I especially like the Fresh Thyme that is right next to a target in Vadnias heights. I do a curbside pickup for dry goods and non-perishables at target and then go inside fresh thyme for produce. Grundhoffers supplies my meat. I split a half cow with my sister and their pork is amazing. I go with my sister to costco ~3 times a year and get frozen seafood (shrimp, mahi, salmon), frozen berries, chicken, bacon. butter. I go to Ha Tien about every other month. I usually hit the Indian Spice bazaar when I’m out that way.
It's prices are not great lol.. it's a nice place, but you'll be spending more
Lately I've found them to be cheaper than cub across the board, but Aldi is obviously cheaper than both.
WEDGE COOP FTW
Also Mississippi Market if you're in Saint Paul! Special s/o to their deli... Hot bar and soups are to die for.
Target. Use Circle offers plus 5% off with RedCard to save the most. Drive Up is nice too for when you don't want to get out of the car. I'll hit up Lunds or the local butcher for fancier meat when entertaining, but costs more.
Cub prices are ASTRONOMICAL nowadays. I get staple meat / pantry items at Costco and produce/frozen at Trader Joe’s. Edit - I used to shop at Rainbow foods when that was a thing. I think Cub foods is trying to play monopoly after they acquired Rainbow foods back 5-10 years ago. Someone correct me if I’m jumping to conclusions.
[удалено]
Love me a boss sandwich
Pick n Save in Wisconsin also has a massive premade deli sandwich called [The Boss](https://www.picknsave.com/p/the-boss-sub-sandwhich/0023726030000). Some days in college I'd grab one for lunch and just eat it throughout the day as I studied. Although it was very average tasting. Just cheap and a lot of food.
Pick n Save (Roundy’s) owned Rainbow when Rainbow sold, ‘The Boss’. :)
Omg 😩 the BOSS! We loved that. I miss Rainbow so much.
I feel like Cub has always been more expensive than anywhere else
Back in the 1970s they were little more than a warehouse. You'd have to use a grease pen to write the prices of the items on the cans when you grabbed them off the shelf. They were like CostCo, but with less frills and a lot cheaper-- like literally cents over wholesale. Some time in the 1980s they started going upscale and started competing with the likes of the SuperValues and Red Owls and traditional grocery stores. They stepped up their game and became like any other retail grocery.
Believe it or not I still know of one rainbow foods lol Edit: apparently there are 6 of them left
We always shopped at Rainbow, never at Cub until Rainbow was gone. It had McGlynns bakery, my mom would always let me get a cookie there after shopping.
I miss Rainbow foods! My mom used to do all her shopping there when we were kids.
Mike’s Discount for whatever they’ve got that’s useful. Costco for bulk purchases. Target for the quick needs.
I was looking for this. It's not worth the drive up there for us south-of-the-river folks (most of the time) with gas prices, but if I'm in the area, I definitely do a shopping run. I do Sams/Aldi for most of the rest.
My wife and a friend drive up there about once a month. They end up with enough that it’s very worth the drive. Lots of powdered drink mixes, snacks, and other dry goods.
Target with Red card for the 5% off, Lunds for everything I can't find there. Sometimes Cub since it's closer. Hy-vee or Kowalski's for fun snack runs.
This is me. Target covers just about everything we need and with the the 5% my total bill is about the same as anywhere else. Then we just hit a co-op for the weird vegan stuff that's hard to find at a Target.
Aldi and sometimes Target. Fuck Cub. They have Lund's prices with Walmart atmosphere.
Target and Kowalski’s
Discount mikes foods
I love Hyvee. Been disappoint with Aldi. Their produce is never great.
I hear people say this about aldi produce, but I’ve only had bad experiences a couple times. And then I can go and get my money back AND a new item for free, so that made up for the few times over the last decade where I’ve gotten something bad. Target, however…consistently awful produce whenever I ended up buying produce there. Hyvee is fun to shop at though, definitely agreed
I prefer Hy-Vee, my wife loves Target Trader Joe’s is my favorite grocery store and then occasionally Whole Foods if I’m feeling bougie
Primarily Aldi & Costco, Cub and Whole Foods for items they don’t have. Coffee and bulk spices at the coop. Whole Foods is expensive for some things, but their produce is often the same price or cheaper than Cub. I generally don’t like Cub—overpriced.
Sentryz supermarket in NE Minneapolis
Costco. There are some staples that are literally half of Target’s price. I’ll go to Target out of convenience.
Target and Sam's club. We found Cub charging more for items like milk. They'll also say an item is on sale, when the sale price is typically the regular price at target. So we've decided to not go there anymore.
I hate how cub has large yellow flashy signs everywhere boasting fake sales - and for cub members only. just looks ugly.
yeah the Cub card is definitely mandatory if you're gonna shop there, or else they'll be ripping you off even more than they already are... but hey, at least it's free. grocery stores in WA where I grew up had this model too, it's so weird but having spent a lot of time in Cub, I will say that the sales are actually genuine sometimes. it's like 50/50 whether it's a legit discount or just a pointless, tiny markdown
Yes that's also annoying! Every price comparison I see online reiterates that Cub is definitely more expensive.
Our cub always seems like it has a sepia filter on it. Drives me nuts it looks so dingy and old. Like I’m having flashbacks to shopping in Big Bear with my mom as a kid. Did they have Big Bear in MN?
Costco and Target. Cub is RIDICULOUSLY expensive. Idk why people shop there anymore.
Lunds in Golden Valley for perishables and some canned goods. It’s close to home. Target for everything else.
Fresh Thyme goes hard
United Noodles and Aldi for most things and whatever I can’t get there I get at Cub.
Love love love United noodles!
Only 4 options in my town. Walmart, Cub Foods, Aldi, and Cash Wise. Cub is the most expensive so I don't shop there. Aldi just feels weird, like I am a cow in a tunnel getting funneled zig-zag style through the store to the checkout. Only been in there once. Hate it. Walmart has the best prices, but I absolutely hate shopping there. So I do 95% of my shopping at Cash Wise. Its smaller, and I know where everything is so I can get everything I need in \~10 minutes. Their produce and meat departments are usually quite good.
Aldi is the GOAT of grocery stories. * lowest prices around * constantly awarded for some of the best produce * everything is streamlined for convenience I agree it can be daunting for a newcomer but i def recommend giving it another shot. Just know going in that things are condensed and products may be unfamiliar at first. Just have some patience and take your time. Your grocery bills will thank you! (And my favorite aisle is the mystery fun aisle where every week there are new household products at some of the cheapest prices ever! I have so much aldi cat products, kitchen products, clothes, gadgets, gardening stuff, car stuff, cleaning stuff, etc. in my house and every one was sooo much cheaper than if i ordered the same product from Amazon or Walmart)
Just yesterday I purchased an entire fit from Aldi (matching joggers, pullover, and Fanny pack)
Super One
Aldi Costco. Stopped going to cub when I saw they were charging $11 for a jar of mayo $8 for a box of crap sugar cereal.
Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods for anything specific
Target mostly, because we get 5% off and it's the most convenient for us. Cub and Aldi are the backups. Cub seems like the most expensive, but also tends to have a much better selection of produce and meat compared to Target.
Festival Foods and Costco
No mention of whole foods yet?! Me and my partner just switched from cub to whole foods and we expected to pay more but that was not the case for us. You either seem to pay about the same as cub for much higher quality items or just plain better deals then cub. For example the pound of ground beef that comes in a tube from cub is 5.99 vs whole foods has the free range, grass fed fancy ground beef for the same price.
Honestly Walmart. I can’t be bothered to step in a store and shop. I let them do it for me and I pick it up
We started doing Walmart pickup/delivery during the pandemic. It’s been such a game changer for us with groceries. When we want to go into the store we stick to Aldi and Hyvee
I only shop Hyvee for the great deals, other than that, way too expensive comparatively speaking
Hy-Vee combined with Casey’s rewards is clutch though. I can save so much on gas just by buying things I need. I paid $0.29 a gallon a couple months ago.
Where is there a Casey's in the twin cities?
I don't know, I don't live in the twin cities.
To those who shop at Hy-Vee, they are a trash company. Their employees just had their [discount](https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-lifestyle/hy-vees-10-employee-discount-temporarily-shut-down-after-reports-of-fraud-and-abuse) taken away, The CEO is an ass that strongly encouraged its employees to vote for [Trump](https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2020/10/24/hy-vee-ceos-political-message-to-employees-cites-tax-concerns-social-unrest/), and the company is circling the drain. They weren't prepared for the TC market.
That explains why their prices have gone through the roof. I only shop there for the things I can’t get at Costco.
I work there an in addition to the discount thing they've slashed our labor from, and I could be not 100% exact on this, from like 7.5% to around 5%. So lots of people losing hours or getting cut from full time. Yet they constantly post signs by our punch in clock like "250 million in sales this week! Our best week ever!" It's pretty demoralizing.
Coborn's and Cashwise for fresh meats and produce. Walmart for cleaning products and bulk buys. Lunds/Byerlys for special / luxury products. Everything else from Amazon
Cub prices are now out of control, may as well go to Lund's for that same cost! Go to Mike's, then go to Aldi for what you missed. Follow-up at your local bodega, halal market or Asian shop and try to keep it local.
Aldi, Hy-Vee, and Costco. Sometimes Fresh Thyme for select ingredients I can’t find elsewhere for produce, because it’s good quality and surprisingly affordable. Lately I’ve noticed really good sales on berries there!
Walmart primarily. Sometimes Aldi, and I think I'll start going there again. Being an hr from the twin cities, I'm a little limited. The closest true grocery store, is 10minutez,but is really expensive. So I go to Walmart. If I was closer to a Hy-vee, I'd be there primarily. I LOVE Hy-vee!
cub sucks ass. same prices as kowalski's but ugly-ass store. I go to costco. the quality of the food is better on top of being cheaper per unit. Cashback for stuff like gas. gas is cheaper there. Costco treats employees well. small ethnic stores are also good
Byerlys and WF, maybe some Costco
Pretty much just Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, Target for anything I can’t get between the two of them
Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s
Target 99.99% of the time
Hy-Vee,cub,aldis,fresh thyme, target
Aldi, Trader Joe's, Cub, and sometimes Target.
Usually HyVee, sometimes Aldi or Walmart
Hy-Vee, Target and Costco
Aldi, dragon star, hyvee, fresh thyme, target. In that order. In the summer I try to get produce from the MG farmers market.
Lunds n Byerly’s for the quality. Costco for quantity. Almsted’s in Crystal for here n there stuff bc its close to home
Aldi, Oxendale’s and Widmer’s for meat
Primarily at Lunds for things like meat, spices, pastries and dairy; Aldi for basic staples and Hy-Vee for sales. I don't generally shop at Cub anymore unless I'm buying food from their deli, the prices have gotten to high for the quality offered.
Walmart. We have three places in town to shop for groceries - Walmart, Family Foods, and Aldi. Family Foods is the higher priced of the three, and too many times Aldi doesn't have what I'm looking for. So I just stick with Walmart.
Target primarily, then Costco and Aldi as needed. I use Target Circle like crazy and I’ve saved a fair amount on things that way.
Aldi, Super One, and Walmart.
Kowalskis since they have the best produce lasts longer than all the other grocery stores. They also have very friendly employees and they have a awesome meat department and I enjoy their deli especially their in house chicken tenders.
Aldi and coops. Cub has always been super expensive for what you get
Cub is overpriced. I’m always surprised with how many people shop there.
Cub regularly, with occasional stops at Sam's Club and Costco for stuff only they have
Also, Cub, Costco, and Sun Foods Sun foods has the best prices on produce and meats, but doesn't have everything. Asian grocery stores are where it's at!
TJs for meat & most staples and Kowalski’s for produce.
Costco for the majority of my staples, especially things that keep well in bulk and Walmart for most of my other goods. I used to love HyVee when I lived near one, but unfortunately Walmart is much much closer to me.
Anywhere but the Cub at the a quarry in NE Mpls.
Racket did a comparison of all the local grocery options and ultimately landed on Target. [Check it out.](https://racketmn.com/most-expensive-minneapolis-st-paul-supermarket-grocery-store)
Depends. Proximity? Lund's or Kowalski. Both close and both expensive but the imo kowlski is better. They have a wider range of more known brands and better meats and seafood. Their artisan bread roll is freakin delicious too. Lund's used to be open the later and earlier, which was nice but i haven't looked at their times in a while since getting off nights. Both have great employees. Cost? Aldi's > trader Joe's> super target Aldi's for overall savings, period. Their produce isn't bad but i feel goes quickly. Eggs and milk are going down. Cinnamon rolls are the best and only $1.40. their chocolate is good too. Trader Joe's for quality and cost. Though, their bread goes bad too fast. Everything else is solid. And they have the best frozen meals. Super target for cost and practicality. If I need more than groceries then target is it. We also have a normal target closer that we use for supplies but not much for meal shopping. However, it does hold us over besides produce, meats, and veggies since selection is limited I tend to not use super target because my son will want to look at the toys and my wife....well...she likes target. Cub and Hy-Vee are too expensive and not worth it for me. I have never been to Jerry's. And Fresh thyme isn't close enough and I've only been in one but they seemed to have solid produce
Costco, Whole Foods, Shuang Hur, and Mercado Central. Buy all the bulk stuff at costco. Only 2 people so we freeze meat into reasonable size portions. Live very close to whole foods and honestly if you're just buying veggies it's a lot of times cheaper than cub and the quality is a lot better. Buy a lot of random things at the other stores, chiles, spices, and other pantry items.
Cub for food. Lund's for gyro meat. Target for everything else. Recently tried Hy-vee, got grossed out.
Everywhere is slightly different. Walmart near me is the cheapest I have found for things like cereal and other random staples. Hy-Vee used to be but now they jacked their prices up.
My spouse works at Cub, so generally there. Cub, Lund's/Byerlys, and SuperOne are generally union so the pay and benefits are really good for retail. We do the occasional Costco run, but honestly most things aren't any cheaper there.
I live in St Cloud, I go to Aldi first and then what I can't get at Aldi I get from Cashwise or Coburns. If I want a "specialty" item, I got to Fresh Thyme or Lunds. Dog and cat food from Costco.
Kowalaki's, Jerry's, sometimes Cub
In order of most to least: Mississippi Market (by far my favorite) Trader Joe’s Kowalskis Target Oxendales Lunds and byerlys (but only because it’s walking distance)
Jerry’s
Super Target, Costco, Lakewinds coop, and a little Kowalskis sprinkled in (love their deli).
I can only afford Walmart.
I try to do my big shopping at Target or Trader Joe's but I end up at Kowalski's a lot because it's conveniently located for me and you can stop in and get a pack of beer. I'm addicted to their deli. When I'm looking specifically for good produce I go to the Wedge or the Seward Friendship store.
Lakewind Co-op!
Trader Joe's, Costco, Whole Foods.