Grocery Shopping for cheap? In an economy where lettuce is $7!? Yep, the prices at these affordable grocery stores will have you delightfully surprised!
The current inflation has made us all cut corners at every expense. And the number one area affected by the recent hike in prices is food and grocery. People are baffled at how common grocery items could cost thrice as much as they did just a couple of weeks ago. In fact, USDA reported a staggering 7.1% increase in at-home food prices in April 2023, as compared to last year. This means people’s purchasing power has decreased significantly. They can no longer afford as many grocery items as they once did. But worry not! We have found the cheapest grocery stores in the USA that offer great quality products at the lowest prices! Which ones are they? Let’s find out!
What is the Cheapest Grocery Store and Where to Find it?
There are millions of grocery stores and supermarkets in the United States. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find an affordable store for your budget. Especially, during the time of inflation when prices are off the charts.
Fortunately, we have found the cheapest grocery stores in the U.S. for you. Backed by the Retailer Preference Index Study by Dunnhumby, a customer data science company, this study looked at the top supermarkets and stores people preferred for grocery shopping on a budget, especially during inflationary times.
According to this report, the cheapest grocery store in America is ALDI, followed closely by Market Basket. The former has more than 2000 chains located all over the country. So, you can find it in almost every neighborhood. On the other hand, Market Basket has roughly 100 stores mainly in New England.
Don’t have any of these in your area? Don’t worry! Here are eight more affordable places to buy groceries in 2023! Plus, some more. We’re sure you can find at least one of them in your area.
Top 10 Most Affordable Grocery Stores in the U.S.
1. ALDI
The German-based supermarket chain is shoppers’ number one choice due to its economical prices. Apparently, ALDI offers the cheapest grocery prices in the entire country. They’re especially known to have a large variety of fresh produce and specialty food products from all over the world at low prices.
Location:
ALDI has approximately 2304 stores all over the U.S. with most stores located in Illinois, Florida, and Ohio. Currently, ALDI does not have any stores in some States including Washington, Utah, etc. To locate an ALDI store near you, enter your area zip code on their website.
How do they keep prices low?
ALDI reduces overhead costs by employing fewer staff. It is customary to bag your own groceries, pick the grocery items straight from the crates, and pay 25 cents (refundable) to rent the shopping cart. Moreover, 90% of their products are private-label brands.
Best for:
You can get high-quality baking supplies, wine, cheese, chocolate, fresh produce, and canned goods at the most affordable rates!
2. Market Basket
Market Basket first opened in Lowell, Massachusetts in 1917. Yes! You heard that right, this store chain has over a 100-year history of serving high-quality groceries at affordable rates. There has never been a drastic hike in their prices even during the various recessions and economic instability the country has faced! This is one of the main reasons customers trust this brand so much.
Location:
Currently, MB has approximately 88 store chains throughout New England, mostly in New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
How do they keep prices low?
MB maintains low prices even during inflation times by keeping a small staff and stocking up the same products in all of their stores.
Best for:
Get “More for your Dollar” at Market Basket by getting the best regional produce from New England! Particularly, you have to try the apples from Maine, clams from Rhode Island, and pears from New Hampshire.
3. Walmart
Who isn’t aware of Walmart in 2023? It’s one of the top supermarket chains in the United States. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong if we call it the world’s largest retailer. Known for its giant stores, amazing variety, and low prices, Walmart is the one-stop shop for all your needs. Whether it’s food, grocery, fresh produce, clothes, jewelry, home appliances, DIY, or basically anything – you can find it at Walmart.
Location:
Walmart has about 4,624 stores in all states of the U.S. with most located in Texas. You can find one in your neighborhood by typing in the zip code of your area on the website. Plus, it is available online.
How do they keep prices low?
Walmart has a large number of employees and offers affordable groceries, and numerous discounts and deals. But how do they keep their prices low? They do so by applying economies of scale. Since it’s such a large corporation, it can afford to buy huge quantities of products and lower the per-unit cost that is then sold to the customers.
Best for:
Literally everything! Though their fresh produce section isn’t always the best. You’re better off shopping at the local farmer’s market for guaranteed fresh produce at a low cost.
4. Trader Joe’s
This island-themed grocery store is a fan favorite. Trader Joe’s not only offers the lowest grocery rates but is also super fun to shop at!
Location:
This vacation-themed grocery store has over 562 locations all over the U.S. with most stores located in California. You can also shop online at their website.
How do they keep prices low?
Trader Joe’s is famous for not offering coupons. However, the products are always priced at the cheapest possible rates. TJ does this by eliminating shelving fees for their vendors, who provide the store with discounts in exchange. Plus, their fun theme generates a lot of word-of-mouth marketing and attracts customers so they don’t have to spend a lot on advertisement.
Best for:
You can’t exit a Trader Joe’s store without trying their “unique product offerings.” These adventurous food combos are sure to delight and surprise you!
5. Lidl
Lidle is also a German-based store chain that specializes in affordable groceries. In fact, it is the number #1 stop for all the people who’re trying to eat healthy and lose weight on a budget. Since Lidle is known for its excellent quality fresh produce section. Furthermore, they also offer extra discounts and “super deals” on the weekends.
Location:
Lidl is a relatively smaller supermarket chain with roughly 177 stores across the United States, with most stores located in Virginia. It is also available online.
How do they keep prices low?
Lidl keeps its prices low by focusing on the basics. Instead of keeping all the different varieties of the same product, they prefer stocking only the essentials. Additionally, their stores are designed with keeping efficiency in mind, that is, getting the shoppers in & out of the store quickly. Increased shoppers turnover rate means more sales equals more profits equals low costs for consumers.
Best for:
Top–shelf produce and seafood at the lowest rates. Plus, you can get a good selection of spices for under a dollar.
6. WinCo Foods
Mimicking the world-renowned wholesale giant we all know, WinCo is best for bulk shopping. However, there’s a major plus point! WinCo doesn’t require any memberships. Anyone can come and shop here. People love it because they can stock up on their favorites at bulk rates without paying expensive membership fees.
Fun Fact: WinCo Foods is a private company mostly owned by its employees!
Location:
There are about 138 WinCo retail stores in the U.S. with the majority based in Idaho, Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington, Texas, and Utah.
How do they keep prices low?
WinCo stores are built in the form of warehouses. Unlike Trader Joe’s, the exciting location is not the main attraction; it’s the products at the cheapest rates. Furthermore, WinCo Foods buys directly from the farmers and manufactures in bulk quantities, reducing product prices. Plus, they do not accept credit card payments since the transaction fees can rack up quickly.
Best for: Bulk buying. If you’re a large family, it might be better for your financial wellness to bulk buy essentials you use a lot.
7. Food4Less
Among the most affordable grocery stores, Food4Less has a special place. Because it’s not just a grocery store but also offers a pharmacy and an impressive beauty section. Not to mention, their budget-friendly meat selection is to die for!
Location:
Unfortunately for most U.S. citizens, Food4Less only has 101 store locations with over 90 of them located in California.
How do they keep prices low?
The stores are designed simplistically like a warehouse, with a minimum number of employees. Plus, shoppers have to bag their own purchases.
Best for:
Affordable selection of meats and gluten-free items! Moreover, you can get high-quality cosmetics at good rates too.
8. Sam’s Club
Owned by Walmart, Sam’s Club is the cheaper version of Costco. Here, you can find anything you want in bulk quantities and at cheap prices. Though, their biggest selling point is their membership fees, which are lower than Costco or any other wholesale supermarket.
Location:
There are over 600 Sam’s Club stores scattered all across the U.S. with most of them located in Texas. You can easily locate one near you by searching the zip code of your area on their website.
How do they keep prices low?
Sam’s Club uses similar tactics to other wholesale stores. That is, they cut costs by buying and selling in bulk, gaining profit from membership fees, etc. Moreover, they offer faster checkout with their latest “scan & go” technology which allows shoppers to self-checkout by ringing up their purchases right in the cart.
Best for: Stocking up essentials in bulk quantities. Though, you might have to use some budget apps to calculate how much you’re paying in membership fees or if it’s actually worth it.
9. H-E-B
If you ever wondered what Texas would look like in the shape of a grocery store, this is it! No kidding, H-E-B has made a name for itself with its wide variety of Texan specialty products that you can’t find anywhere else. It is probably the most popular and cheapest grocery store in Texas. And yes, it does offer general groceries and everyday essentials along with its Texas products.
Location:
H-E-B has about 380 stores in the U.S. Fun Fact: they’re all located in Texas! Yet, it is among the most budget-friendly supermarkets present in the U.S. according to the Dunnhumby report.
How do they keep prices low?
This unique chain primarily focuses on local foods and stocks up on regional produce, etc. This cuts down the transportation cost significantly.
Best for:
Their line of ‘Don’t Mess With Texas” products and their large selection of regional food varieties that you can get at the cheapest rates.
10. Costco Wholesale
No list of cheap grocery stores is complete without mentioning Costco, the OG wholesale retailer! Though customers have to get a monthly or annual membership to shop there.
Location:
Costco has approximately 584 stores in the U.S. with most located in California. Other locations include Texas, Washington, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Arizona, Virginia, Georgia, etc.
How do they keep prices low?
Costco operates in the warehouse model. Meaning, there are a minimum number of employees and shoppers have to get the products straight from the pallets. Moreover, since they bulk buy, it is easy for them to reduce the per unit cost. Furthermore, Costco is known for not spending money on advertisements, etc.
Best for: Buying bulk groceries at the cheapest rates. The store has almost everything you could ever ask for including their in-home brands such as Kirkland Signature. In addition, Costco partners with other famous brands like Huggies, Starbucks, Duracell, Keurig, etc to produce high-quality products we all love but at cheap bulk rates.
Bonus: Other Affordable Stores that Didn’t Make the List!
Even though there are hundreds of franchises of the above-mentioned grocery stores, they can be quite concentrated in the same area. For people who live in far-off territories or states, check out the following budget-friendly stores to get your weekly groceries. They’re not in the top ten list but these do deserve a mention!
- Walmart Neighbourhood Market
- Smith’s
- Target
- Family Dollar
- Save A Lot
- Amazon
- Amazon Fresh
- Peapod
- Grocery Outlet
Final Words
Grocery bills can rack up pretty high during inflation and times of economic instability. We are lucky to have these affordable places to shop at, in 2023. Not only do they save you money but also offer a wide range of quality products, so that you and your family can eat healthy.
Have you found the cheapest grocery store near you yet? Let us know in the comments below!
