Where do you buy Groceries?

[Houston456]

It may be inresting to know where people are buying Groceries from ? I mean the 'default' grocery store for you ?

Edited November 1, 2007 by Houston456

[Vertigo58]

HEB

Walmart

rarely buy at but dirt cheap:

Foodarama

Food City

Kroger

Fiesta in complete desperation only

[sevfiv]

Disco Kroger - for years.

Whole Foods/Fiesta for fresh vegetables or other things Kroger doesn't carry, depending on what I need.

[gnu]

Kroger for 95% of my groceries

Whole Foods for select items that Kroger doesn't carry.

HEB for select items that Kroger doesn't carry or if they have something on special.

[dbigtex56]

Disco Kroger for name brands, things for which I have coupons, meat, late-night, and interacting with the community .

Fiesta for produce, seafood, exotic/ethnic fare.

Spec's Warehouse for produce, cheese, condiments.

Randall's, rarely; more out of pity than anything.

[west20th]

Voted Kroger but would have chose HEB if there was one close by. Anyone from HEB listening?

[HtownWxBoy]

Kroger! :-)

[Jeebus]

K. Roger. I'll hit WalMart up only if I need bulk or speciality items exclusive to their stores.

[KinkaidAlum]

Rice Epicurean

I like that it is an old time Houston-based store. Plus, I've been going to the same one since I was a kid.

Whole Foods for produce.

[memebag]

I shop at the Kroger on S. Post Oak. Reasonable prices, decent selection, lots of kosher stuff, close to my house.

I loathe Whole Foods. I thought it was OK when there was one of them in Austin, but Wheatsville Co-op was the real deal. Whole Foods has become Wal-Mart with a hippie veneer.

Central Market is weird and annoying. Grocery stores shouldn't need "short cuts". How does that place meet fire code? The phrase "foodie card" makes my skin crawl.

[Daniepwils]

Fiesta for produce, seafood, exotic/ethnic fare.

Spec's Warehouse for produce, cheese, condiments.

Randall's, rarely; more out of pity than anything.

The same! Spec's Downtown is awesome!

[CDeb]

I've drunk fully from the HEB KoolAid, especially with our new Cypress market.

I only go to Randall's and Kroger's for good meat sales.

[mikeybob2]

Kroger on S. Post Oak during the week.. I live in Galveston on the weekends so I shop the HEB on Gulf Freeway and 646 on the way down. Great store.. Central Market products without all hype. Kinda like "quiet money".

[Guest danax]

I loathe Whole Foods. I thought it was OK when there was one of them in Austin, but Wheatsville Co-op was the real deal. Whole Foods has become Wal-Mart with a hippie veneer.

Central Market is weird and annoying. Grocery stores shouldn't need "short cuts". How does that place meet fire code? The phrase "foodie card" makes my skin crawl.

I hadn't thought of Central Market that way but I agree. Seems like just a pretentious HEB and the floor plan has bad feng shui or something.

I go to Whole Foods and sometimes to HEB for bananas, oats, coffee, avocados (when I can find 1 or 2 that haven't been thumb-squished) and maybe soymilk, and then only when I've timed my Whole Foods run wrong and am out. I get the same exact things almost everytime I go so I'm out of there fast. Parking can take as long as shopping sometimes

[memebag]

I hadn't thought of Central Market that way but I agree. Seems like just a pretensious HEB and the floor plan has bad feng shui or something.

Feng shui, schmeng schmui, it's dangerous. I went there last week because I had an Amaretti cookie monkey on my back and World Market didn't have any in stock. The only way I could find to get from the cookies (overpriced, btw) to the register was a little crack between two shelves, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. There were people buffered up on each side, trying to negotiate passage without being able to see each other. I thought "What happens if there's a fire? We just knock the shelves over and climb out?"

[crunchtastic]

Feng shui, schmeng schmui, it I thought "What happens if there's a fire? We just knock the shelves over and climb out?"

he he he. Uh, douse yourself some blood orange and pomegranate soda? Talk about overpriced unnecessary crap.

[TheNiche]

Feng shui, schmeng schmui, it's dangerous. I went there last week because I had an Amaretti cookie monkey on my back and World Market didn't have any in stock. The only way I could find to get from the cookies (overpriced, btw) to the register was a little crack between two shelves, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. There were people buffered up on each side, trying to negotiate passage without being able to see each other. I thought "What happens if there's a fire? We just knock the shelves over and climb out?"

Not that I'm defending any pretentious Central Market/Whole Foods concepts or anything, but when was the last time you heard about a fire in a grocery store?

[memebag]

Not that I'm defending any pretentious Central Market/Whole Foods concepts or anything, but when was the last time you heard about a fire in a grocery store?

October 18th, 2007, when a Randalls on Highway 6 caught fire.

Are you under the mistaken impression that grocery stores are somehow immune from fire and therefore exempt from fire codes?

If so, watch this:

[sifuwong]

October 18th, 2007, when a Randalls on Highway 6 caught fire.

Are you under the mistaken impression that grocery stores are somehow immune from fire and therefore exempt from fire codes?

If so, watch this:

Speaking of grocery stores, which one ssells acai berries? I know HEB doesn't.

[brucesw]

I don't have a default grocery store - I go to different ones depending on what I need and what the store has that's better and, to a lesser extent, specials. Grocery shopping is the only kind of shopping I like to do. I avoid the Fiesta, the store nearest me, because it's a dump. I probably shop at WM Neighborhood Center and Foodtown the most - closest, and least expensive, but you have to pick produce at FoodTown carefully and avoid the beef at WMNC. HEB for better produce, Kosher, frozen goods and some generics but not meat. Kroger Sig on S. Post Oak for meat, kosher, specials, produce, some generics. I get most beef at Sam's however, choice beef that's tastier than the more expensive Angus at K; most beef at K is just select. Also some produce at Sam's if I don't mind buying in bulk. Haven't been to a Randall's in years.

For special items I occasionally go to Whole Foods in Bellaire, Spec's DT or Windsor Plaza or CM.

For spices, Penzey's.

For import foods, Phoenicia Specialty Foods on Westheimer, a Sam's Club for import foods and amazingly good prices. I can spend hours there and come home with tons of stuff that I have no idea how to use! Latest finds: smoked sprats, muhummarah (pureed red pepper spread - pimento - with eggplant, garlic, salt and a little hot pepper plus minced walnuts), kufta (minced beef, onion and herb kabobs).

Edited November 3, 2007 by brucesw

[ricco67]

For personal:

Whatever is closer to home or on the way to home, depending on what I need. I eat out almost all the time so I need very little at home, but it can be the Randalls, HEB, Fiesta, or even the local Quickie Mart. As long as i can get in and out in under 20 minutes.

for my clients:

Central Foods, Kroger, Rice Epicurean, Randall's, or whatever is handy that they don't care about.

[ssullivan]

Randall's when I want to stick close to home. The Kroger is about a 1/4 mile closer, but as much as I've tried, I've never been able to become a fan of Kroger. The Randall's Flagship in my neighborhood is quite nice, and does pretty well for a quick trip. For better produce, Whole Foods and Central Market. I'll also occasionally pick up some things at Super Target on South Main if I happen to be in there for something else, but it's not a place I'd go specifically just to buy groceries.

I miss the HEB that was close to where I used to live. It would be nice if there was one in my neighborhood, but there isn't.

[editor]

Randall's when I want to stick close to home. The Kroger is about a 1/4 mile closer, but as much as I've tried, I've never been able to become a fan of Kroger. The Randall's Flagship in my neighborhood is quite nice, and does pretty well for a quick trip. For better produce, Whole Foods and Central Market. I'll also occasionally pick up some things at Super Target on South Main if I happen to be in there for something else, but it's not a place I'd go specifically just to buy groceries.

Treasure your Central Market while you have it. Especially the meat, seafood, and produce departments. I think that's the thing I miss most from Houston.

[ricco67]

Treasure your Central Market while you have it. Especially the meat, seafood, and produce departments. I think that's the thing I miss most from Houston.

You know, I have to agree. If you're on a budget, CM isn't for you. But damn, you really have to shop around for the quality that they have without going straight to a boat, butcher or a farmers market.

[Ross]

Kroger for most things - the one on 11th is almost within walking distance. We occasionally go to the Randalls at Shepher and Westheimer, and Central Market when we are looking for better produce and meat. The Kroger on West Gray has better stuff than the Kroger on 11th. We've been told the 11th street store is due for renovation and expansion, but haven't seen any signs of it.

[ssullivan]

Treasure your Central Market while you have it. Especially the meat, seafood, and produce departments. I think that's the thing I miss most from Houston.

You're very right about that. And if I should end up moving out of Houston next year, I'm definitely going to miss Central Market.

[Vertigo58]

I grew up comparing prices like millions of others I guess.

a small fresh arrangement of carnations was $4.99 at HEB

at Kroger's (not fresh) was $12.99 (same size). See where this is going?

I depends which Kroger you visit too. I do love the Flagship Kroger across from Lakewood Church. I is like walking into a 4 star hotel compared to others, but only a select choice of items are of reasonable price. If the neighboring community is in the above avergage income range the grocer can afford to have expensive prices it seems. Thats nothing new, but hey you can listen to the dude strumming his guitar as you enter! 4 star!

[memebag]

For import foods, Phoenicia Specialty Foods on Westheimer...

I went there tonight for the first time. Wow. That's my kind of store. 10 different kinds of pickled garlic! Low prices (bottles of sparkling lemonade were half the price of Central Market), and something called "Puff Nazook" from "Lord de Pastry".

Thanks, brucesw, for putting that in my head.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Where do you buy Groceries from ?

Jack-in-the-Box.

[KatieDidIt]

I missed CM so much while we were in the Woodlands. Even Rice was greatly missed ( I love the little one on Memorial). The Randalls Flagship at Town and Country even does a good job with produce.The produce in TW was total crap. Even in their Town Market thing. Little flies, old onions, old garlic, wilting herbs, rubbery eggplant,molding citrus. I don't know if it was because they were last on the delivery route or what.

Edited November 8, 2007 by KatieDidIt