March 20, 2011 - 4:36pm
Groceries in Ann Arbor
BY ERIN GREEN
- Meijer store photo courtesy Midmichigandining on Photobucket
So you want to cook.
You’re gonna need some basics. Since I’m a student, I’m definitely on a budget, which affects my choice of grocer the most. Here are my top 5, starting at where I shop most:
1. Meijer on Carpenter Rd. Why Meijer? Because it’s huge, cheap, and they have pretty good produce. Why Carpenter Rd? Because it’s the cheapest of the Meijer stores in the general vicinity, given its location in lower-income Ypsilanti (where I live).
2. Trader Joe’s on Stadium. Trader Joe’s is great for organic and “good-for-you” foods at a totally reasonable price. Small store though, so I shop here for mostly specialty items or if I just need something quick on the way home. Also great for prepared healthy food if you don’t feel like cooking.
3. Hiller’s on Washtenaw. Generally way too pricey, but it’s on my way home, so I occasionally stop. They have great produce and good deli meat (Boar’s Head) and an impressive international and Asian food selection (get the Pocky!). They often have great meat sales too (like really cheap filet mignon!) and good-quality meat in general.
4. Whole Foods. Again, pretty pricey, but sometimes you can get really good food at bargain prices if you follow the sales and shop their store brand. I got some amazing swordfish for really cheap here last summer that we did on the grill. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and will help you out if you, for example, have never cooked swordfish before and need some pointers (I did!). Their prepared guacamole is the best I've ever had as well.
5. Sam’s Club. So Sam’s Club is a little overwhelming, and you do have to pay for a membership, but it’s good if you like buying in bulk (especially for baking) or if you like throwing parties–really, they sell mass quantities of beer on the cheap.
6. Sav-A-Lot. This is a new store added to my repertoire since I've become extra-poor. They have $1 boxes of Pasta-Roni, which makes me giddy, I love the stuff. They have a very limited selection of groceries, canned and dry goods, and frozen foods and meat. They have very few healthy choices. But if you need really cheap food or the very basics for something like chili with simple ingredients, it's a good place to check out.
