Buying groceries here or there?

[Greenfield1984]

We will be driving down and staying offsite in a condo. Im considering buying as many groceries as space and laws permit in Canada before driving down.

Then upon arrival we pick up the rest.

My reasoning is that it would save on precious vacation time and possible be cheaper due to the exchange.

What says yous?

 

[Disneylover99]

We always bring food sandwiches, drinks and snacks for our drive down. But half the fun is going to the grocery stores in the States and buying food we can’t get up here.
So we’d probably hit up a Publix just before we check in.

 

[Sue M]

Publix is our fav. I always go shop there. And they are one of the few stores that carry Indian River oJ, and Jones breakfast sausage. Both are a must have for us. Plus they have a pretty good Key Lime Pie!

 

[Greenfield1984]

Interesting....
Youve peaked my interest.

Key lime pie, jones breakfast sausage. Both sound great...what other goodies should we be getting down there?

Either way we will be getting groceries in both countries. Its just a matter of how much.

Am i right to assume that the prices are worse south of the border when exchsnge is factored in?

And again. Plz let me know of yalls favorite american items you buy.

 

[Sue M]

Interesting....
Youve peaked my interest.

Key lime pie, jones breakfast sausage. Both sound great...what other goodies should we be getting down there?

Either way we will be getting groceries in both countries. Its just a matter of how much.

Am i right to assume that the prices are worse south of the border when exchsnge is factored in?

And again. Plz let me know of yalls favorite american items you buy.

Those and the Indian River OJ are musts for us. Also the cheap wine! Lol. I also pick up Adobo seasoning Goya brand. Like Thomas’s English Muffins too.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

No advice on which is better because I know less than nothing about the prices of groceries in Canada but just incase you didn’t know, you can look at the Publix sales flyer online. Sales run from Thursday to Wednesday. IMO, Publix is on the expensive side for groceries but are notorious for buy 1 get 1 free items. If you plan on doing a lot of cooking in the condo, I would plan on stopping at both Aldi’s or Walmart and Publix.

 

[Greenfield1984]

No advice on which is better because I know less than nothing about the prices of groceries in Canada but just incase you didn’t know, you can look at the Publix sales flyer online. Sales run from Thursday to Wednesday. IMO, Publix is on the expensive side for groceries but are notorious for buy 1 get 1 free items. If you plan on doing a lot of cooking in the condo, I would plan on stopping at both Aldi’s or Walmart and Publix.

Thanks for the heads up. Am i to understand Walmart would be the least expensive option?

 

[Traveling on cc points]

Thanks for the heads up. Am i to understand Walmart would be the least expensive option?

For most staples, yes.
Eggs & milk for instance are about half the price at Walmart than at Publix but like I mentioned, Publix does do a ton of b1g1 deals so the week you go, they may have strawberries, soda or chips ect. b1g1 so it is worth checking out the flyer ahead of time.

 

[scrappinginontario]

We often go to Walmart to do a big grocery shop even when just hopping to the US for a day. We love the variety and options offered there although I will say Canadian options are getting better each year.

Some of our favourites are:
- fun Pop Tart flavours
- potato bread
- interesting yogurt flavours
- Tillamook brand cheese (Target)
- Chex Snack Mix
- Bagel Bites (no longer in Canada)
- Bugles (no longer in Canada)
Like any groceries, some are cheaper in Canada and some in the US but for us it’s the variety and choices we like.

Next trip it looks like I’ll need to add Indian River OJ to my list based on the many recommendations.

I’m sure you’re aware but it’s always good to mention that it’s best to check border restrictions too about what can/cannot be taken across.

 

[Paradise18]

For me I will be buying Cocoa Rice Krispies. Every other type of chocolate cereal on my local shelves, but not Cocoa Rice Krispies.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Shopping in U.S. grocery stores is something we look forward to. The sheer volume of choice and variety is mind numbing. They have so much more from which to choose (pretty much across the board) than we find here. So for us, it's part of the fun

 

[samsteele]

The Publix fried chicken in their deli section is just as good if not better than Homecomin' fried chicken.

Price of wine and beer in Walmart is very good. No hard liquor sold in Walmart. Coolers like Mike's hard lemonade has malt as base instead of vodka. It is a different flavour.

I try to pick up a few different cooking spices and spice mix in Walmart to bring home as different and better selection than Ontario.

 

[mort1331]

We just purchase down there. After being stopped and car stripped when they found apples in the car,,,just less stress. Cost is about the same,,I do the shopping here and there.
Agriculture on both sides are strict,,so make sure you know what you are and are not allowed to bring both ways. Thats why for us easier to get once there.
Any of the stores mentioned are good.

 

[Juventus]

Aldi's has been the cheapest for us by a mile, Publix the most expensive, but publixs' offerings are much better imo.

Think of Aldi as a food basics maybe?

 

[EasinEpcot]

We fly and use the free transportation so we never have had a car. I've done Instacart orders from a few different grocery stores, they will bring it right to the resort lobby. One time my delivery person even helped me carry the bags to the pool area by AoA (so nice). We always get sandwich fixings, fruit, veggies to snack on, instant oatmeal and a few things that can be microwaved.

 

[bankr63]

Thanks for the heads up. Am i to understand Walmart would be the least expensive option?

Yes, WallyWorld is probably the price leader on most stuff, but whatever you do, don't hit a WalMart anywhere near Disney on a Saturday or Sunday. It really isn't worth the $10 you save for the aggravation. The store will be crazy, the parking lot will be crazy. Publix will be much more civilized, have a wider full selection but yes, will be a bit more expensive. A SuperTarget is a good middle alternative - more civilized experience, better prices, more limited selection similar to WalMart.

Overall, I think prices come out as a wash in the US. Produce is often surprisingly expensive, meat is reasonable, and most groceries are comparable. Pop (soda, soft drinks) are shockingly expensive - I was wondering if it was actually the trade sanctions on our aluminum that pushed the prices of cans up so much? I remeber reports of can shortages down there during COVID. Wine and Beer are very reasonably priced though. As another poster indicated 2 for 1 deals are really big at Publix.

We grocery shop all over the US; I guess we are food tourists, and Publix is one of our favorite stores, as well as Harris Teeter, Wegmans, Trader Joe's, Aldi, Price Chopper (depending on where you are) for a variety of reasons.

Things we look for in the US include:
Cheerwine (soft drink, local to the Southeast)
Blenheim's Ginger Ale - HOT! (from South Carolina)
Publix tin foil - seriously thick compared to the Canadian counterparts
Boar's Head sauces/mustards - the chipotle is incredible
Carolina BBQ sauce
Campbell's Skillet and Slow Cooker sauces (quick easy meals, and good nutritional panel)
Blue Top Sauces (although I have found them at WalMart and Sobey's here now)
Kerrygold Irish Butter
Cabot Cheeses (their Cheddars are all Lactose Free)
Badia Cilantro Lime and Mojo marinades (seriously - we have about 6 bottles in the pantry)
Hominy (about $1 a can down there and in every grocery, $5 a can if you can find it in Canada, or order a can from Amazon for $60). We make a mean Pozole.
...and about a billion other things that we never see here.

Seriously a US grocery store is a tourist attraction to DW and I.

 

[bankr63]

Aldi's has been the cheapest for us by a mile, Publix the most expensive, but publixs' offerings are much better imo.

Think of Aldi as a food basics maybe?

I think of Aldi as more like Giant Tiger here. About half groceries, half totally random department store stuff. But really good deals yes,
The problem with Aldi is you are kind of stuck with what is in stock, so if you pre plan a few things you might not find the ingredients you need.

 

[ElCray]

We bring a lot of food with us when we go. I find that with the exchange rate, food is more expensive in the US compared to home. Plus I buy all of our food in Canada when it's on sale, and you can't count on things you need being on sale when you get there.

We bring non-perishable things like cereal, oatmeal, tortilla wraps, bagels, granola bars and other snacks, coffee and filters, jam, Ramen noodles or cup-a-soup, KD, spices for what we plan to cook (like taco spice), and drink flavors. We also bring all the stuff to bring our food to the park each day to save money, so a soft-sided cooler, aluminum foil, Tupperware, ice packs, plastic plates, plastic cutlery, sharp knife, etc. Then we make a grocery run to fill it in with fresh food like produce and meat - usually at Publix. It's more effort, but we've got lots of space in our luggage and it saves us a lot of money.

Just be aware that there are restrictions on what you can bring across the border. Meat and fruit come to mind!

 

[samsteele]

Add Appalachian Sippin' Cream to your Orlando shopping list. Butter Pecan is heavenly. Packaged in a mason jar with a fancy label. If you enjoy Bailey's, its even better.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

We bring a lot of food with us when we go. I find that with the exchange rate, food is more expensive in the US compared to home. Plus I buy all of our food in Canada when it's on sale, and you can't count on things you need being on sale when you get there.

We bring non-perishable things like cereal, oatmeal, tortilla wraps, bagels, granola bars and other snacks, coffee and filters, jam, Ramen noodles or cup-a-soup, KD, spices for what we plan to cook (like taco spice), and drink flavors. We also bring all the stuff to bring our food to the park each day to save money, so a soft-sided cooler, aluminum foil, Tupperware, ice packs, plastic plates, plastic cutlery, sharp knife, etc. Then we make a grocery run to fill it in with fresh food like produce and meat - usually at Publix. It's more effort, but we've got lots of space in our luggage and it saves us a lot of money.

Just be aware that there are restrictions on what you can bring across the border. Meat and fruit come to mind!

This is what we do too. I found the grocery prices were a lot higher on some of our regular non perishable favorites. Add in the exchange and blech! Fresh produce and meat, dairy products, canned goods, we ordered for delivery. But we've flown southwest so checking an extra bag wasn't an issue. If we had to pay for it I'd just order it for delivery.

But driving? Yeah I'd be watching sales and bringing what I could from home.

We will have 3 picky kids and a DIL with allergies next trip so we definitely will be packing what we can from home that we know they will and can eat.