For each product, I chose the cheapest available option from all three retailers: Amazon Fresh, Target and Walmart. If an item wasn't available at one retailer, I selected the next closest thing, since that's what a shopper would likely do.

In some cases, a product was only available in a larger or smaller size. In those instances, I prorated the amount and price to ensure it was an even cost comparison. While there are other places to order groceries online , Amazon Fresh, Target via Shipt and Walmart are three of the most popular US grocers with a national presence and the option for online delivery.

You'll also get Amazon Prime Video and a few other perks. As of Feb. All three offer free in-store pickup in some form, although Amazon has fewer locations than Walmart and Target. Target-owned Shipt will send groceries to your door in a matter of hours but there are some staples, including meat, not available for delivery.

While I tried to use only items that were available for delivery, it wasn't always possible. Target and its national shipping partner Shipt don't have every grocery staple available for shipping, particularly fresh meats and some produce.

If you want to shop for your full list of groceries at Target, you're likely going to have to visit a brick-and-mortar location. In general, Walmart and Target offer the same prices online as they do in brick-and-mortar locations, but not always.

Sales items, in particular, are not always coordinated between online and in-store. Amazon Fresh is mostly online-only save for a few locations, although many products on Amazon Fresh can also be found at Whole Foods.

Hungryroot is a cross between a grocery delivery service and meal kit company and encourages you to go rogue from the recipe. Instacart is a popular national delivery service and functions as a third-party shopper and delivery outfit that allows you to order groceries from a selection of local supermarkets.

Fresh Direct is another popular grocery delivery service and one of my favorites. I am so excited to share all the details with you here today!

Settle in. Get ready. There are a lot of details and prices and statistics coming at you! Let me tell you how I found the cheapest grocery store. If you would rather watch a video to hear about this process and the results, here you go! Otherwise, keep reading below. Note: This is my fourth update in five years.

I did this price comparison in for the first time, and updated it in and then again in With the rapidly increasing inflation, I did a complete update in April to help us all save money on our groceries.

I looked at the stores that had the biggest reach. Walmart is national chain that boosts low prices. Is Walmart really the lowest? Aldi claims to beat Walmart but do they really? Meijer and Kroger are considered higher end grocery stores, but they have a large reach with great sales.

I left those stores out of this comparison because I wanted a true comparison. For the sake of this research, Walmart, Aldi, Meijer and Kroger were the four stores I chose to compare.

I started by making a list of the most common grocery items any household would use. Then, I added some more specific items that our family uses regularly.

Finally, I asked the Joyfully Thriving Facebook page for their feedback and got a lot of great requests for items to add to the list. I wanted a fair representation of various areas of the grocery store so I focused on 10 different shopping categories.

The categories I used were:. I came up with a list of items in 10 categories that I compared at all 4 stores. I made a huge spreadsheet with all the grocery items and then I began comparing prices at the stores. Next, I went through the store and wrote down prices for everything on my list.

I also used the store apps to check some prices. Some products were name-brand specific but many were simply for the cheapest generic version of whatever store brands that particular store carried available. I did not include fresh produce in this price comparison since it varies so much by season.

I compared ounces to ounces. If a size was different than what was listed, I noted that on the price comparison, and chose the lowest price per ounce option as the cheapest price. I tried to stick to the same sizes as much as I was able.

For the sake of true comparison, I used everyday prices and did not factor sales into this list. I simply wanted to know who had the lower prices.

Please know that prices vary in different parts of the country. These prices are Northern Indiana prices as of April Wherever you live, I still believe you can use these results to help you save money on your grocery bill.

After multiple store shopping trips and researching through various store apps, my list was finally done. Once I found the price totals, I went through and started comparing price to see which was the cheapest grocery store.

First, I went through and highlighted the absolute lowest price for every item. If there was a store that tied on the price, both those stores were highlighted. As I was comparing results, I realized that several stores were within pennies of each other. If you were already shopping at one store, it makes sense to pick up other items that are still a good deal.

Keeping that in mind, I went back through the lists and highlighted every price that was within 5 cents of the lowest price.

This gave them a mark for the second lowest price. There were a couple times when stores had the exact same price so multiple stores counted as the lowest price. There were also several times when multiple stores had the second lowest price, coming in close to the lowest.

I counted them all, which is why it might not appear to perfectly add up. If you are a number geek like I am, then it should all make sense! Finally, I tallied up the totals — both in numbers and percentages out of Here is what I found.

You can clearly see that Aldi has the most lowest prices and Kroger has the least. There are a few categories where all 4 stores have prices within a nickel, but only a few. Aldi had the lowest prices on two-thirds of the items on my master comparison list. That is a lot! Years ago, Meijer used to be my go-to store to stock up at everything at a low price — but not anymore!

I was truly surprised by how few of the lowest prices Meijer had. Meijer really does not have the best deals on very many things at all. Aldi was the cheapest in almost a third of the categories. What I found interesting was that they had the lowest prices on over items but the second lowest on only Also, since Aldi does not carry everything, there were several items on the list that could not be compared at Aldi.

As for Walmart? Walmart is giving Aldi a run for their money. Many of the times when Aldi had the lowest price, Walmart was pennies behind. The advantage to Walmart is that they have everything that Aldi does not.

To some people, this is worth paying a couple more cents on items to not have to go to a different store. Kroger is definitely the most expensive if you shop without sales!

This chart does not take sales into account so it is difficult to see that represented. Kroger also has gas rewards and more digital coupons, both of which Aldi and Walmart do not.

That definitely is worth considering when you are comparing prices. If you are going by the everyday low prices at the store, the clear winner to the cheapest grocery store in is Aldi.

Walmart is a runner up, with Meijer and Kroger trailing behind. Walmart is probably the cheapest grocery store available nationwide with overall low grocery prices.

I say probably, because Walmart does not have sales, so that is a factor because sale shopping can save you a lot of money on groceries.

To find the cheapest grocery store near you, do your own quick price comparison at your local grocery stores.

Here is how you can do this project in less than an hour. Start by making a list of 20 to 25 items you buy on a regular basis. Trust me.

Pick the top 2 dozen items you use every week and start there. Then, make a list of the grocery stores nearest to you.

Maybe you will be surprised by your findings! Currently, Aldi sells a Dunnhumby ranked each grocer by its average checkout price, not just how individual items overall compared.

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FoodLess (West Coast) Lidl (Northeast & South-Atlantic) Save-A-Lot

Affordable grocery sales - Market Basket (New England) FoodLess (West Coast) Lidl (Northeast & South-Atlantic) Save-A-Lot

I will occasionally shop the meat sales especially ground beef! at Meijer. Walmart will still be my go to when I need a low price pick-up because their prices are close to Aldi on quite a few things.

I will shop where the prices are the lowest to save me money. Fortunately, I have all these stores very close to me, allowing me to take advantage of the different deals. I will also be using the store apps more regularly to check prices.

That is incredibly helpful and convenient! I compiled way too much information to share in one blog post. This blog post is already quite long, but there is still more I could share. If you want a copy of all my charts with prices and statistics, you are welcome to it!

I compiled all my research into a 51 page printable PDF ebook — with lots of detailed lists! I hope this price comparison helps you save money next time you are shopping!

Will it change where you shop? What is the cheapest grocery store near you? Hello and welcome! Check out how we're thriving when our income has been cut in half , take a look at some of my custom, Biblical books with free printables or learn how to build a stockpile that works for your family.

You can sign up for blog updates with my email newsletter here. Thanks for stopping by! I wish that the tables were labeled.

I see Walmart 68, Kroger The tables are labeled…as it says just above the chart. All numbers and percentages are out of the items I calculated. Good morning Kristen, I enjoyed your article, lot of effort on your part! The one item I did not see was QUALITY.

Have you tried their meats? I gave them a chance. Not for my family. I use Aldi for canned goods, bread great selection , crackers, cereal, cheese, snacks, etc. Great insights, Greg! I agree with you. I skip the produce at Aldi as well. It never lasts for me. And meats? I go to Meijer or Kroger where I get a much better quality meat than at Walmart or Aldi.

I agree that price is not the only important factor. Sometimes, you have to weigh in other factors as well. Thanks for taking the time to read and share your insights as well! I have learned to shop the weekly and 5X digital sales at Kroger.

They also frequently have markdowns. I brew my own kombucha and kefir and I can anticipate the sales on fruit juice and milk where I buy multiple items to last me until the next sale. Aldi rarely has lower meat prices. I basically shop the sales for my needs and avoid processed foods and sugary items.

I also bake my own keto bread which, in turn, generates keto breadcrumbs. I freeze in bulk as well. Good points! I buy ahead on the Kroger sales too.

They really make for some fabulous deals! As for meat, the sales at Kroger often beat Aldi for me too. Taking into account as well, the viability of travel distance and time required.

Kroger knows this and thus often has the biggest and most diverse inventory…as does WallMart. This study is great, but only if you have all four options fairly close to each other. Using coupons for items you are going to buy anyway is still a good option, and you are helped by stores like Kroger and Meijer that often mail you coupons for such items.

Presently I find myself shopping at Aldi and supplementing with Kroger along with coupons. Hi, Daniel! No, I have not, as Costco is exclusive to members and does not publically share prices on their website.

If I ever add those two stores to my price comparison, I will let you know! Walmart has equal or higher prices than Meijer. Meijer has very good sales that Walmart never has.

While I agree that Meijer has good sales that Walmart does not have and I shop those regularly! This was true where I lived in Chicagoland. Both areas had other stores that were known to have higher prices. Sometimes I could even get a nice toy almost free when combining a coupon with clearance.

I would just go to Aldi once per month to stock up on stuff that was always cheapest there. Thanks so much for the info. I have always wondered about Aldi.

I will certainly take your advice! I find your article very interessting I think that two years has made a major change in pricing.

We only have two local stores Piggly Wiggly and Dollar General Market. The PIG is very overpriced since we are in a tourist area. Walmart s are about an hour away 4 within 15 minutes of each other and are among at least six other grocery stores in that area.

Aldis in past home locations has always been lower than Walmart on everything they sell.. Every where prices have sky rocketed and most stores have large gaps on shelves.

The closest ones to us have now priced themselves higher than several Grocery chains. The only advantage shopping Walmart is being able to get a larger selection of types of things in one trip. They also have lots of missing items.

Now waiting until we have a appointment in that area and going store to store for sales and selecting on sale items to eat rather than preferred items is our only way to save in the Florida panhandle especially right now. Several articles have rated Aldis brand products and COSCO products as high or higher than name brand products.

That is certainly not all of them. but makes them worth trying. They also seem to have less pricing errors than Walmart.

Additionally, it tends to stock products that people use on a regular basis — think pasta, canned tomato paste, and produce staples like cabbage and carrots — that often move in and out of the store pretty quickly.

There aren't many products that are going to sit on the shelf for a long time, which means that the company isn't waiting around for a return on investment. Plus, it takes less labor to run a Lidl than it would to operate a larger, more expansive grocery store.

Fewer products means less need for a ton of workers, and the fact that the store displays its products in the boxes they're shipped in is just one of the ways the store cuts its labor costs. For those with big families or just a lot of roommates , shopping at Costco seems like a no-brainer.

The chain cuts down on costs by keeping its stores relatively simple — you'll notice the bare-bones design that's more about utility and function than it is about style and ambiance. Meat and protein plus many prepackaged items are cheaper than average at Costco, even when you're opting for brand name items over the in-house Kirkland brand.

If you know you're going to use these products anyway or you just remember to freeze them before you use them , doing a monthly shop at Costco might just save you some of your hard-earned cash. Of course, we can't forget about the membership costs — you have to have a Costco card to shop at the retailer.

But the savings you'll accumulate throughout the calendar year should more than make up for that cost.

If you're lucky enough to live in the Northeast, you may just have a Market Basket near you. The regional grocery chain is a fan favorite for those who love to save money on their grocery bill because of its surprisingly low prices. One of the main ways the company keeps its prices so low is by making sure it stays debt-free.

While this may seem like a logical move, it's one that most companies — including most grocery chains — don't stand by. Another way Market Basket offers such competitive prices is by offering pretty much the same goods at all of its locations.

Because of this strategy, it can buy in bulk, ensuring a lower wholesale price. It can then pass those savings on to its customers, who keep going back to the store to take advantage of those low prices. One of the main benefits of shopping at Market Basket is the fact that you can get a lot of your favorite name-brand products for significantly cheaper than you would find them at other grocery stores.

If you've never gone to a Market Basket before and you happen to live near one, you have to check it out — you may just be shocked at how low the prices are. Like Costco, Sam's Club is a membership grocery store with a focus on selling products in bulk.

When you're shopping this way, you may be spending more upfront, but generally, you're going to save money in the long run as long as you use what you buy. Of course, the membership cost of shopping at Sam's Club helps the company offer lower prices.

Although Sam's Club offers its membership prices for less than Costco does, you'll generally find lower prices on goods at Costco. But that doesn't mean you can't get a good deal at Sam's Club too. Particularly if you're a frequent shopper, you can save significantly on your annual grocery spending by shopping at Sam's Club.

In fact, you can even save more than you would by shopping at Walmart, which is the parent company of Sam's Club. If you're looking for a Costco alternative, Sam's Club is a solid way to go. WinCo is another celebrated low-cost grocery store with locations that can be found in the West and Midwest, with prices that are sometimes below what even Costco can offer.

But why is the chain so cheap? First of all, the chain buys a lot of its products directly from producers. By not going through a wholesale middleman, WinCo can get those products for less money, and it then passes those savings on to its customers.

But the store has another tactic under its belt: It doesn't accept credit cards. Oftentimes, processing credit cards can be expensive for a store, and by only accepting other forms of payment, WinCo doesn't have to pay that premium price. The upside?

You don't need a membership to shop at WinCo like you do at stores like Costco and Sam's Club. The downside is that you'll have to remember to bring a form of payment that's not a credit card.

Ask any Texan what their favorite grocery stores are, and chances are that they'll mention H-E-B. This chain has a cult following amongst citizens of the Lone Star State, and it's no wonder why. For each product, I chose the cheapest available option from all three retailers: Amazon Fresh, Target and Walmart.

If an item wasn't available at one retailer, I selected the next closest thing, since that's what a shopper would likely do. In some cases, a product was only available in a larger or smaller size. In those instances, I prorated the amount and price to ensure it was an even cost comparison.

While there are other places to order groceries online , Amazon Fresh, Target via Shipt and Walmart are three of the most popular US grocers with a national presence and the option for online delivery. You'll also get Amazon Prime Video and a few other perks. As of Feb. All three offer free in-store pickup in some form, although Amazon has fewer locations than Walmart and Target.

Target-owned Shipt will send groceries to your door in a matter of hours but there are some staples, including meat, not available for delivery.

While I tried to use only items that were available for delivery, it wasn't always possible. Target and its national shipping partner Shipt don't have every grocery staple available for shipping, particularly fresh meats and some produce.

If you want to shop for your full list of groceries at Target, you're likely going to have to visit a brick-and-mortar location.

In general, Walmart and Target offer the same prices online as they do in brick-and-mortar locations, but not always. Sales items, in particular, are not always coordinated between online and in-store. Amazon Fresh is mostly online-only save for a few locations, although many products on Amazon Fresh can also be found at Whole Foods.

Hungryroot is a cross between a grocery delivery service and meal kit company and encourages you to go rogue from the recipe. Instacart is a popular national delivery service and functions as a third-party shopper and delivery outfit that allows you to order groceries from a selection of local supermarkets.

Fresh Direct is another popular grocery delivery service and one of my favorites.

Video

Affordable grocery sales - Market Basket (New England) FoodLess (West Coast) Lidl (Northeast & South-Atlantic) Save-A-Lot

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org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply. Go to Series Main Page. With grocery bills up nearly 6. Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index, any savings can help, even if it means going somewhere new.

AARP Membership. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine. Join Now. The variety on store shelves, the quality of the food , handling and labor costs, competition and the demographic of the shopper all play into the prices a particular retailer charges.

Stores that cater to lower-income shoppers tend to keep prices lower, while supermarkets that have a lot of variety may have higher prices as a result. There are discount stores where you can get big bargains on select items, traditional grocery stores that amp up the savings by offering generics and loyalty programs, and one-stop shops where you can get everything from bread to batteries in one place.

Proximity to the store and the type of food you purchase will play a role in how much you save. But all things being equal, in some categories, location is everything when it comes to getting a deal. The totals are based on non-sale prices and do not include coupons, loyalty discounts or taxes.

Here are our results. Walmart has been a part of American culture since , when the first store opened in Rogers, Arkansas. Today there are 4, stores across the U. Walmart is known for its low prices, and that is true of its groceries.

Across most categories, Walmart came in first or second when it comes to price. The ability to buy everything under one roof on the cheap appeals to many consumers, including Robert and Sherri Evans.

The 74- and year-old retirees say they shop at Walmart for the convenience and to save. Privacy Policy. But by and large, they are drawn to Walmart because of the pricing and selection.

The key to saving is to know your prices and be willing to compare, the couple say. Shopping Tip : Know your prices and be willing to comparison shop. Hailing from Germany but now headquartered in the U. It also focuses on keeping costs down so that it can pass on the savings to its customers.

Coupons for Local Stores. Save on clothing, gifts, beauty and other everyday shopping needs. Popular with Aldi shoppers is its weekly Aldi Finds. Every Wednesday the retailer puts out new discounted food items, small kitchen appliances, seasonal decor, outdoor furniture, gardening tools, apparel and other items.

It's a big draw for Victor Sukhai, who started shopping at Aldi on the recommendation of his brother. Sukhai comes for those Aldi finds and to purchase peanuts and other food items he knows he can get for cheap.

The key to really saving at Aldi, as Sukhai sees it: Get there early. But they were sold out. Shopping Tip: The early bird gets all the deals. The grocer has been around for more than years, hawking everything from produce to specialty cheeses. After all, as a regional chain it offers a huge selection of both name-brand and generic items.

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These little decisions can add up in a big way by the time you get to the checkout counter. But a new study shows that perhaps the most important food buying decision occurs before shoppers even enter the store. While many people might expect to pay a premium for organic produce or certain cuts of meat, according to the Dunnhumby retail preference index which measures consumer data , food prices on the exact same items can vary widely by store.

Aldi , a German grocer widely known for its great value, earned the top spot. In general, Aldi offers buyers a smaller selection of products when compared to giants like Costco — and features private-label options at lower-than-average cost, which is similar to Trader Joe's model. But smaller regional grocers like Market Basket, a Northeastern chain; Winco, a West Coast and Midwest grocer; and Food4Less which has stores in California, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio made the top five.

TODAY Food tested the data science analysis by comparing prices of a few items at six of the top national, brick and mortar grocers to see if the results measured up. It turns out that these stores differ in the items they stock, not just the prices at checkout.

And, depending on the item, Aldi might not always offer the cheapest option. Take a popular cereal brand, for example. Currently, Aldi sells a