Years ago before there was the internet as we know it, or blogs or tweets there was something simple called a newsletter. It usually arrived in your mailbox and consisted of eight or so pages of information. Back in the day I would eagerly await the moment that the latest edition of The Tightwad Gazette arrived at my door. I would come home from work, grab a cup of warm coffee and pour over every page. This is a time when I saved every cent and even went too far as to freeze in my little home because of my stubborn pride of striving to keep an $18.00 electric bill. I didn't quite get the whole frugal/balance thing.
I remember Amy Dacyczyn telling amusing stories about going to a canned food store and buying unmarked (mystery) food. If memory serves me correct, she would open one of these .5 cent cans and the contents would be part of their dinner that night. She took frugality to an entire different level. I was in complete awe of her.
I've shopped at the store Grocery Outlet for years. I grew up calling it the Canned Food Store so I'm unsure as to whether they changed their name over time or if that is the name my parents used to call it. Monday afternoon the children and I went there to pick up some dinner. Dave was in Texas and I was still mentally in Nashville. I needed something quick, easy and affordable.
The Grocery Outlet offers name brands at 40-60% off of what you might find at your regular retailer. There are 130+ independently owned Grocery Outlets in six Western States. I used to shop at the one in Bremerton when I lived up in Washington. My two local stores are located in Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park.
Here's some of the items I found on Monday.
Organic Pineapple Green Tea $1.99, Romance Tea (4 mini stacking tins) $3.99 (thought it might make a nice gift in a tea basket)
Organic Poppy Seeds $1.49
Scharffen Berger Baking Chocolate $2.49 each.
Wild Smoked Salmon $4.99, Nacho Cheese (natural and gluten free) $1.49, Organic Mango Green Tea $1.99.
Organic Tortilla Chips $1.99, Cruchitos $1.49 and Natural Lime & Salt Microwave Popcorn $1.99 (for 10 mini bags).
Haagen-Dazs Five - Brown Sugar Ice-Cream. $1.50. Have you ever heard of a more delectable flavor of ice-cream? Simple to the point and so scrumptious tasting. I topped it with some Reddi Wip topping $1.49 since I'm still going through whipped cream withdrawals from Blissdom. Have you ever heard of such a thing?
Total amount saved: $45.30.
I could pop into the Grocery Outlet a month from now and not find a single one of these items on the shelf. Their inventory is constantly changing. What I try to do is either stock up if I'm familiar with the product or buy one bag/can/box, take it home, try it out and return to the store to buy more as soon as I can. I'm certainly going to go back tomorrow and buy a few van full of the Haagen Dazs ice-cream. It was beyond mouth watering. Seriously.
I've never had bad luck with an item purchased at the Grocery Outlet. An item might not be as flavorful as I would have liked but that's part of the game of trying any new food product. Overall I've been so satisfied with my purchases. My only disappointment is falling in love with something only to find that they have sold out when I next went shopping. I'd say that is a good problem to have.
Here's an article on Salvage Grocery Stores by Brian Tuttle. It includes a fabulous list of salvage grocery stores in the United States.
We called The Grocery Outlet in Eugene, The Used Food Store. Gross, I know, but funny. Great scores! I also find Yogi Tea at Big Lots all the time!
Posted by: puananim leal | February 11, 2010 at 09:31 AM
I heart Grocery Outlet. :)
Posted by: Monica | February 11, 2010 at 09:33 AM
We used to go to the Rainbow Grocery in Petaluma.
xoxoA
Posted by: amy | February 11, 2010 at 09:46 AM
There is no store like this within 50 miles of me down here in North Florida, but I've been eyeing that same brand of smoked salmon and sample pack of tea for months at World Marketplace. You got a good deal on everything!
Posted by: Van | February 11, 2010 at 10:07 AM
Love the Ben Seibel cup and saucer!
Posted by: Jeanie | February 11, 2010 at 10:10 AM
You've learned the ways of the Grocery Outlet...form no attachment; the pleasures of groceries are fleeting and ever changing. That's my word of warning to all new inductees. Savor the moment and buy like you'll never see it on the shelf again because, well, you probably won't.
I stayed away for years because I thought it would be off-brand soda and Little Debbie Snack cakes. I was surprised, to say the least, the first time I went in. Organic cheese so cheap I almost started crying right in the aisle. And the Haagen Daaz....try the Hawaiin honey and cream one if you ever see it. Angelic choirs start singing in my head every time I open the container. I'll have to try the brown sugar, I've avoided it in hopes of staving off the hundred pounds I could so easily gain eating truckloads of inexpensive ice cream.
Long live GO!
Posted by: Nancy S | February 11, 2010 at 12:25 PM
Grocery Outlet! I so love that you've "outted" me about loving them! We've actually got a third GO near us...in Petaluma! So...I weave amongst all three. Rhonert Park does the BEST job keeping the store clean and organized...And I compliment the employees all the time!
You left out how great the "sundries" are...Many "high end" hair/face/personal care items that are amazing! It's the way I afford all organic for the bathroom!
I made a pilgrimage to their headquarters in Berkeley and swooned! Yes! I'm definitely a FAN!
Posted by: Joy | February 11, 2010 at 01:29 PM
Ohhh.. everything looks SO good! And brown sugar ice cream!?!? YUMMY! lol!! I don't think we have any grocery outlets here at all... you got some awesome finds!
Posted by: Carla | February 11, 2010 at 01:40 PM
First of all, thank you for writing! I really enjoy your posts. The closest thing I've been able to find to a Grocery Outlet near me is Big Lots (http://www.biglots.com). It's a deceptive little store - looks like a standard discount chain but they have a grocery section as well, with an ever-changing variety of items.
Some are sketchy off brands but mixed in are some grocery bargains. Last time I picked up Kashi cereals for $2 a box, organic tortilla chips for 75 cents a bag, Muir Glen organic sauces for $1.50 a bottle, Yogi tea for $1 a box... You do have to follow the "no attachment" rule because what's there today will be gone tomorrow. I've been known to bring something home, make sure it's tasty and then go back to stock up the next day.
Posted by: Melissa | February 11, 2010 at 02:40 PM
Just found your blog, and am enjoying catching up on the archives. I too heart grocery outlet, my mom also called it the canned food outlet, weird. Keep up your good work on promoting a frugal healthy lifestyle. I want to switch us to organics but money has been holding us back, you are an inspiration!
Ophelia
p.s. My big sister is Lisa of the Salvage Studio! Glad you like her work, I have been a fan for years!;)We are planning my May wedding,so far all decor is thrifted/repurposed goods.
Posted by: Ophelia | February 11, 2010 at 02:43 PM
Gosh...I wish we had a Grocery Outlet on Vancouver Island (or even one on the mainland)! I also subscribed to the Tightwad Gazette during the day...even though she was ahead of the internet/blog world we live in now...she was amazingly popular!
Posted by: Carol | February 11, 2010 at 03:06 PM
I don't have one of these stores specifically, but we do have a salvage shop that I hit regularly. It's always such a treasure hunt! My favorite find happened just before I hosted a girls' garden luncheon when I discovered Pellegrino in one aisle and some of those fancy fruit syrups in another. French sodas for everyone! I froze raspberries in ice cubes and the effect with the ribbons of syrup in the bubbly sodas was so beautiful.
Man, I need to get back there. It's been a few weeks - who knows what I've missed!
Posted by: Marsha | February 11, 2010 at 03:23 PM
My MIL loves going to this type of store and she's found some great deals. My only warning is to read the expiration dates and not be too disappointed when your food/tea/spices taste a bit stale.
Posted by: Michele | February 11, 2010 at 06:39 PM
Thank you so much for this post...been feeling lately like trying to cut down on the money spent on groceries. I love your thrifty posts!
Posted by: kristen | February 11, 2010 at 07:23 PM
If the ginger ice cream is available--and you like ginger--I recommend loading your van up with it!
Posted by: OtterX | February 11, 2010 at 07:41 PM
Great scores!!!! I also find Yogi Tea at Big Lots all the time!!!!
Posted by: Eco chic Shopping | February 11, 2010 at 07:59 PM
No GO near me, but I wanted to thank you for sharing and let you know that you inspired me to write this: http://sunflowermama.blogspot.com/2010/02/one-thing-leads-to-another.html
Enjoy all your finds! The only ones I can consume are the poppy seeds and green tea, but everything looks so, so good. (You take great food shots!)
best, Patricia
Posted by: Patricia | February 11, 2010 at 09:13 PM
wow, here in Italy we only have what are called hard discount stores -no organic/fancy brands (but yogurts are good, made in Germany, don't know why but they make the best yogurts-
sounds all soo yummy!!
Posted by: Antonella | February 12, 2010 at 01:52 AM
Love Grocery Outlet. In fact, I may get there today ....
Also, Amy D.'s book impacted me and Paul in a big way when we were first married. I learned so much from her! :)
Happy Friday!
Posted by: Sandy | February 12, 2010 at 07:44 AM
Hi Selena,
Thanks for this post. Since I live in your area, and was just driving by the Grocery Outlet on 4th St. the other day and wondering about this!
I love thrifting also, so was happy to discover your blog!
Nancy
Posted by: Nancy | February 12, 2010 at 12:18 PM
they are great bargains... haagen dasz retails for about 5€ here (Ireland), that's 6.80$ (and it used to be 6€ (8.16$before the recession bit!)! There's no discount or outlet shops for food here (as far as I know), there's 'cash and carry', but you need to have a business to be able to shop there. But the supermarkets have special offers sometimes, and that's when I buy in advance. Although for food there's limits, most houses are small and there's not much space to store food!
Posted by: Irmhild | February 12, 2010 at 02:58 PM
OH heavens I love GO!! It is the best!! It is like a mini vacation each time I go!! Sadly there are any w/ in hours of my home!! So sad!!
Posted by: Heather | February 12, 2010 at 07:17 PM
I love GO! I think it used to be called the Canned Food Outlet? I always go there first. I love that I can find stuff I would have to buy in bulk through our health food co-op.
Funny, I never went there, and then we moved to another town and they had a Sav-a-Lot, where we would get the best deals on yogurt. When we moved back here a few years later I finally checked out GO and have never turned back.
I'm glad to see you bought that salmon, I've been afraid of it, but I'll get some now. They have BossaNova juice there now, and let me tell you, that is some delicious juice!
I just don't buy frozen fish there. I've seen too many defrosted items in the freezer too many times and I'll never trust it.
Posted by: Suzanne | February 13, 2010 at 09:15 PM
Yes the salmon has always been a favorite of ours. I had some just yesterday and it was perfect. I had it on rice crackers and cream cheese. Ill search for the BossaNova juice when I go this week. Thanks for the recommendation.
Posted by: Selena Cate | February 14, 2010 at 08:12 AM
oh my - even better than Trader Joe's! Of course, here in Maine, we don't have that either. But it's good to know there ARE organic alternatives to Whole Paycheck!
Posted by: Joy | February 14, 2010 at 05:07 PM