Grocery Stores

[mattaudio]

Why is that? They seem similar to Hy-Vee? Maybe I'm just partial because I went to college with some of that family.

Anyways, why is it so hard to get a co-op around here?

[twincitizen]

Anyways, why is it so hard to get a co-op around here?

Because they don't carry the products that regular people are shopping for?

(That comment is particularly aimed at The Wedge, of which I am a member and almost never patronize.)

If I had been around during the "co-op wars" in Minneapolis (1970s?), I definitely would have been on the side fighting for the co-ops to carry regular things for regular people at regular prices. I have now gone to The Wedge on two occasions and bought absolutely nothing out of frustration. Why are eggs and milk so goddamn expensive there? Where is the deli counter so I can buy some fresh-sliced turkey for making cheap lunches? They don't even have a slicer...what the hell is that about?

[VAStationDude]

The Wedge does suck. Mississippi Market in St Paul charges less than The Wedge for the same or similar products. Plus the snobbish bs from customers and staff is kept at a minimum.

[Viktor Vaughn]

I'm the target demographic for co-ops. I get my eggs from a local farm year round and have a veggy CSA share 20 weeks a year. I try really hard to avoid processed foods and feed my kids organic as much as possible. I'm willing to pay more for fresh, local, and organic food.

But the Co-ops are just to expensive for me to justify most of the time. I've never bought a bag of groceries at the Wedge or Eastside and not felt gouged. Maybe this is what responsible food costs, but our family could simply not afford to do most of our grocery shopping there.

[FISHMANPET]

Because they don't carry the products that regular people are shopping for?

(That comment is particularly aimed at The Wedge, of which I am a member and almost never patronize.)

If I had been around during the "co-op wars" in Minneapolis (1970s?), I definitely would have been on the side fighting for the co-ops to carry regular things for regular people at regular prices. I have now gone to The Wedge on two occasions and bought absolutely nothing out of frustration. Why are eggs and milk so goddamn expensive there? Where is the deli counter so I can buy some fresh-sliced turkey for making cheap lunches? They don't even have a slicer...what the hell is that about?

Totally agree. See, my early thoughts on Coops: https://forum.streets.mn/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2019

[Nick]

Last weekend, I became the kind of person who returns who returns an open can of hemp protein without a receipt for store credit at the Wedge.

P.S. Don't buy hemp protein

[Snelbian]

Eh, I'm a member at Mississippi Market and I've magically managed to feed a family of three with about 75% of my food purchases there and come in under $400 most months. It's not impossible, depending on your budget and your diet.

As to why it's hard to get a coop around here, I recall an interview on MPR recently that mentioned Minnesota having far more coops (of all kinds) than average. So...it's not?

[David Greene]

The Wedge has pretty good prices for organic produce. The prices at Lund's or Kowalski's for the same are outrageous.

Some of the boxed stuff is certainly overpriced but we usually get that sort of thing from Rainbow or Target. One of the benefits to having multiple groceries in an area is the ability to get good value on different things at different stores.

[mattaudio]

Indeed, co-ops are great for produce, since it's nearly all organic. And their organic dairy is usually slightly cheaper than comparable grocery stores. And bulk is cheap too. If I had to choose two stores for a perfect mix of shopping, it would be a co-op every couple weeks and Costco every couple months.

[David Greene]

Indeed, co-ops are great for produce, since it's nearly all organic. And their organic dairy is usually slightly cheaper than comparable grocery stores. And bulk is cheap too. If I had to choose two stores for a perfect mix of shopping, it would be a co-op every couple weeks and Costco every couple months.

Yes, the bulk section is great. Very good prices on spices compared to the packaged stuff at the big boxes. And the quality is better.

[mattaudio]

Packaged food is generally awful anyways, especially "prepared" items. It also seems like it's really expensive for what it is. I have no idea how so many folks have diets that consist of high sodium, high calorie boxed/canned stuff. It would probably be just as cheap to buy bulk and organic produce at a coop.

[MNdible]

It's exciting to see that the forum has expanded it's options to pass judgement on other people's lifestyles beyond just housing and transportation!

[Snelbian]

I think that happened sometime before I started browsing.

[FISHMANPET]

Produce is expensive and it rots quickly. I don't have time to run to the store twice a week, and I don't have time to prepare anything more involved than "put shit in pot, walk away."

[LakeCharles]

Yikes.

[Snelbian]

Produce is expensive and it rots quickly. I don't have time to run to the store twice a week, and I don't have time to prepare anything more involved than "put shit in pot, walk away."

[Nathan]

this may contribute to how ornery fmp seems to be... lol you do remember... you are what you eat.

[FISHMANPET]

50% of my orneriness is because I can't sleep, but that's a whole other thing (that probably ties into all my things).

[Nick]

It's exciting to see that the forum has expanded it's options to pass judgement on other people's lifestyles beyond just housing and transportation!

I think there's something to be said about people who claim to be progressives, but willfully spend lots and lots of money at establishments that don't pay a living wage. If you're a Republican, well, that's one thing, but it seems silly to spend an entire afternoon at a DFL convention listening to lots of people talk about income inequality and then spend your whole food budget at a business that schedules employees 29 hours a week at $7.75/hr.

[VAStationDude]

Unionized Cub and Lunds pay much better than $7.75. Ditto for non-union Whole Foods, Co-ops and Trader Joes. The gigantic national big box discount retailers are the worst. That's why I don't buy groceries from the discount retailers.