I have officially lived in the Garden State for two years this week.You’d think I’d know my way around the damn grocery stores by now, but no. I was hindered my first year here because we were broke. So I spent all my time driving all around Monmouth County looking for the cheapest prices so I could feed my family of five on around $150 a month. (Can we say, “Hello Walmart generic brands”?)
Then, just when I started to get a little bit of food budget stored up, I had to get myself used to the sticker shock of non-Walmart prices. Why not just stay at Walmart you ask? It’s far away from my house and their healthy food choices are still pretty limited. My re-entry to normal grocery stores took a few months. I finally established a favorite store but it’s not the closest one to my house so I don’t always go to it.
Here is the third and worst problem: the stores keep changing! Just when I get a bit of a routine and the money to follow that routine, every single store in my area goes through some crazy renovation. Target and Walmart both became “Super”. Stop & Shop went gourmet and Food Town plain went crazy. Acme stayed the same, but it’s pretty much a dump so that’s not entirely reassuring.
How the heck am I ever supposed to feel like I belong here if I can’t even get comfortable in a grocery store? I spend half my life in grocery stores. I should be able to get through them in my sleep.
Seems I’ll feel an outsider just a bit longer. Oh, well.
There is some hope. Trader Joe’s is coming. I am a TJ’s seasoned vet. I know that place like the back of my hand no matter what city or state it’s in. I went on the website nearly every day the first year I lived here and requested they build a store in this town. I might be single-handedly responsible for this new store come to think of it.
Can’t wait until my T.J.’s opens its doors.
Then I’ll rule this town baby.
*This post was inspired by the book, Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English
$150?!? wow!
i agree with april, aldi's is a good one.
our trader joe's is really far away,
i've only been there twice. 🙁
As someone who can't stand grocery stores and grocery shopping, I don't think there will ever be a store I'm comfortable in enough get to through when I'm half awake, let alone asleep. I just want to get in and out as quickly as possible, but TJ's is my go-to.
If you know how to feed a your family on $150 a month, I'd love to know your secret! I spend almost that a week on my family of three! But I am into the healthier stuff too and my little boy likes a variety of snacks.
Being a New Jerseyan I can relate. The closest three supermarkets to me are all Stop & Shops! Walmart is too much of a zoo. Target has some good prices…
But being disabled it is too hard for me to go to more than one store, so I guess I am stuck with my choice of Stop & Shops!
I love my Trader Joe's too. Especially because it's super close. They're always changing things around or discontinuing my favorite things though.
Do they have Aldi's in NJ? When I lived in Rochester, Aldi's was a great place to get lots of low-priced items. Limited options, but still worth the trip!