Local Grocery Basics
This is a revision of the post I originally made in 2008. The post was so popular I made its very own page. A few things have changed since then, so I’ve added/changed/deleted them. Enjoy!
Also read this post: Do You Keep a Price Book?
Please leave a comment and let us know your best tip for local Omaha grocery basics!
Whether it’s a weekly trip to replenish the kitchen cabinets, or a quick “omigish!” dash to get more milk, where you pick up your groceries can give you Cheap Thrills, or drain your wallet.
Omaha is lucky to have a variety of sources for food items, from the Big Boxes, to small neighborhood stores like Wohlner’s, and even the organic chains. We have specialty meat markets like Stoysich, marvelous specialty bread stores like Great Harvest Bread, and fresh local produce on the corner lot. Most familiar to us are the Big Three grocery chains, and the Lesser Three discount grocery chains. The grocery market has changed quite a bit in Omaha in the past six or seven years, but looks like it’s stabilizing for a while.
You can find deals at all these places, along with some of the best quality food you’ve ever tasted. To regularly shop for savings, though, I have a weekly routine that takes me to where I consistently find that magic blend of quality and price. Since I cook from scratch(ish) quite a bit, I look mostly for value in the basics: lean protein, whole grains, fresh produce (frozen or canned in winter), and, of course, milk. Not one outlet alone will suffice for me. I like the hunt more than that. And I like the thrill of getting an unexpected, incredible deal on a special treat, or even a staple item (like spaghetti for .25/lb.). Everyday savings add up fast. Here’s where I shop.
About Double Coupons in Omaha – There are no stores in Omaha that regularly double coupons. Occasionally, HyVee will have a “double coupon coupon” in its ad, allowing you to use that coupon to double up to 10 coupons (usually limit .55, and other restrictions apply). Every Blue Moon, No Frills will have a double-coupon week, when they double up to 10 coupons (usually extra value limit up to .55, and other restrictions apply), and you don’t need a special coupon to do that. Maybe other stores will join in the game. It is possible to get some FREE and Cheap deals when stores double; but finding those deals and planning which 10 coupons to use, in the least amount of time, is the key. (Which is why we share deals here.)
Bag N Save – BnS has friendly grocery clerks and stockers, which makes for a pleasant shopping experience, but also allows me to get more for my money. In a casual conversation with a stocker, I might learn that one variety of a product just isn’t selling well. I’ll keep my eye out for a manager’s special on that, and possibly combine it with a coupon. I also enjoy the personal relationships with these folks. BnS carries regional discount brands like Our Family, and has a dollar aisle which often (but not always!) provides products at a great price. This store has some of the best fresh meats in the area, and they don’t sit around forever. Their prices on chicken beat the other places’ sale prices most weeks. You used to have to bag your own groceries at BnS (hence the name), but they changed all that a few years back. Now you have to ask if you want paper bags (and eyebrows will raise). It’s important to know that if you bring your own reusable bags, present them before your groceries, and you should receive .05 credit for each bag used. Overall, of the Big Three, this provides the best value for food. Not much in the way of ambience, but I don’t want to pay for ambience in a grocery store. Here is their coupon policy. Not many organics. Their organics offerings are increasing, and they carry the Nash Brothers line of natural/organic products throughout the store. Coupon friendly, in my experience…they do check the fraud book, but I’m very okay with that.
Aldi – I do much of my non-sale shopping at Aldi . While most of their regular prices are rock-bottom cheap, they sometimes do have to move a product, and the deal is even sweeter. Again, becoming friendly with the clerks will provide information on when seasonal items are expected, why there has been no cauliflower in the produce area for months, and who the actual name-brand processor of that ham might be. I actually like the self-bagging and the store set-up. Aldi’s web site has some good info on where their products come from. If it’s not a loss-leader or clearance item at another store, I’ll probably get it at Aldi. But they don’t sell everything, so you’ll need to supplement your shopping at a conventional grocer. Great unexpected deals I’ve found include up to $2 off meats, loaf bread for .65, and bag lettuce for .39. Milk is the lowest regular price per gallon in the area ($2.49 as of January 2012). Here is more info on my trips to Aldi. Rare organics. No coupons.
No Frills — Across the street from my Aldi is a No Frills. This is comparable to BagNSave, in my opinion. NF carries the Our Family brand, and another store brand, Best Choice, as well as Nash Brothers organics/natural products. Their biggest draw: they price match! However, as of February 2011, they aren’t matching produce prices. So you could do a lot of your deal-getting in one store. You get the .05 reusable bag discount here, too. No Frills stores usually have full services like larger chains. Organic produce selections. Coupon friendly! Occasional double coupons, but rare.
I sometimes shop at these stores:
Baker’s – Baker’s is now owned by Dillon’s, which is owned by Kroger. I know on various days of the week, the store near me will mark down meats for quick sale. Sometimes there’s an incredible deal (check price per pound!). While I’m there, I scour the aisles for the tags that indicate discontinued, markdown items, and will check out the cooler case for fast-sale discounts on items like yogurt or prepared meats. We like certain Kroger brand products, and I keep an eye out for them. Loss leaders can be a bargain at Baker’s if you can combine them with coupons. Short-dated dairy is often a bargain at Baker’s, but must be used soon. Good selection of organics throughout the store. I’m told they now offer fresh peanut butter grinders, too. Digital coupons when you register your shopper card online; some coupon stacking issues.
SuperTarget – No more local small Targets here: they’re all going “Super.” That means they’re adding a grocery store and other amenities, which translates into savings. Clearance items are the real value here. It may be a short case of seasonal product, or a few short-expire products, but finding those little orange tags is like spotting diamonds on the ground. This is a great store to find full variety of cleaning products, seasonal items, and paper goods at incredible prices, and use Target coupons. And before you go, visit Totally Target for the latest in deals and coupon matchups. ST offers many organics and natural foods throughout the store, at various price points, and they often can be purchased at great prices on sale and with coupons. Some of the best deals: Gold’n Plump chicken on quick sale with MQs, and Hormel products on quick sale with MQs. They also price match, but you have to go to Customer Service for that, and many find that a hassle. Coupon friendly, in my experience. Edited to add: Recently (1/2012), there have been discrepancies on my receipt between the shelf price and scan price. Because of the location of the screen, it is not always possible to catch these errors. Caveat emptor!
SuperSaver — The company that owns SS also runs ALPS. SS is in Millard, and if you’re in the area, is a great mini-warehouse store. They offer weekly deals, Cash Saver deals, special weekend deals, and price matching! The environment is bare-bones, and you have many brands to choose from, and many deals to do. Surprise deals wait around almost every corner. You bag your own groceries here, but you have to be fast so the next guy can do his, too! SS is known for low meat prices, but you often have to buy large quantities. Great prices on basics, paper products and store brands, especially. Always friendly here, and always helpful. SuperSaver has a price match policy to make it worth the trip — they’ll go a penny below the competition, and they honor in-ad coupons where prices are listed! However, as of 3/2/11, the competition is redefined as HyVee, BagNSave, and WalMart. Coupon friendly!
Before I head to these stores, I check out their weekly ads. I like to see the ads early on Wednesday, and the grocery papers don’t arrive in my mailbox until 3:00 pm. So I make quick visits early in the morning to their sites when no one can see me in my bunny slippers. Most of them have email feeds now, too, which is nice, but notices come later in the day. No Frills’ paper ad is often a tad different than the online ad. And to price match, you need the whole ad in-hand.
Now, I have friends who make the rounds to all the stores, and I used to do that, too, when I had more time. And gas was cheaper! Years ago, when the grocery wars were happening, I lived within five minutes of five groceries, Kmart, Target and everything else I needed. I got groceries for free sometimes, with the double-coupon offers (which I was used to in another city). But now I’ve streamlined my grocery shopping to take advantage of my travel pattern and what I know to be a bargain.
More well-known stores I don’t often shop:
HyVee — In my opinion, this is a high-end, high-priced store for those so inclined. They sometimes have great loss leaders, which you can usually price match at other stores. HV is employee-owned, which you would think would lead to great service. Produce, salad bar and deli are fresh, fresh, fresh. Organics department (“health market”) offers a good selection of quality products. Edited to add: The newly-renovated HV at 132/Dodge is friendlier than it has been, and much more pleasant to be in. I plan to include this location on my route, for loss leaders and occasional double-coupon deals.
WalMart — Known for their low prices and price matching, there are several WalMarts in the Omaha area. Shelf prices are often lower than the competitors’ sale prices. If you can get past the tempting aisles of various “stuff,” and have the discipline to stay on your list, this is a great place to get grocery bargains. The cashiers know most of the price matches by Thursday afternoon, but you still should bring the ads. (I’ve had cashiers tell me about other PMs while ringing my order.) However, you should be careful at WalMart. I no longer shop there, unless strongly compelled.
Other Stores in Omaha:
Wohlner’s – This is an Omaha original. Now with two stores at Aksarben Village and Midtown Crossing, Wohlner’s is a true neighborhood grocery offering the freshest meats, produce and dairy, as well as grocery staples and some gourmet items, at competitive prices. They also carry Our Family brand products. Here is their concise coupon policy: “Please note that only one coupon may be used per order.”
Trader Joe’s – TJ opened in October 2010. Owned by the same family holding company, this is an upscale, natural foods version of Aldi. Read more HERE. I stop in when I’m in the area. Saturdays are super crowded. Excellent prices on organic, even beating conventional. Parking is an issue, however.
CVS – There are CVS stores opening frequently throughout Omaha, not without controversy. That’s from neighborhood residents, other developers, and disillusioned shoppers. I had two bad experiences early with CVS, and never got the $4 Extra Care Bucks I was promised for signing up.
Walgreens. “That’s all I have to say about that.”
Whole Foods — Whole Foods is billed as a natural foods/organics market, and the Omaha location is near Westroads. You can find some great products, at pretty good prices, and can even find coupons for many items they carry. Meats, deli and bakery have pretty good products. Visit their site for deals and coupons. Boycotting because of what they did to Wild Oats.
Costco — I don’t shop warehouse stores, but there is a Costco off West Dodge between 120th and 132nd. Here’s more info on Costco.
Sam’s Club — We also have a Sam’s Club at 132nd and L in Millard. They’re pretty much the same everywhere, huh?
If you have additional information you’d like to list, please email me.
