Dollar store food

I normally freeze bread and use in stuffing or grilled cheese sandwiches. Before I went organic, I bought some name brands from dollar stores with no problem. Sometimes, they were limited-run or seasonal flavors but still of great quality.

However, in my area, not all dollar store chains are run the same. I've seen seriously expired items and some do not have enough staff to deal with go-backs. I can deal with a few dents but when it comes to perishable items, I'd rather not take the chance.

 

I've found some great values at places like Dollar Tree. For example, I noticed recently that they started selling cans of Progresso Artichoke Hearts for only $1. Those things normally sell for $3-$4 per can at any other grocery stores around me, so that is a huge bargain. But at other places, such as Dollar General, even their store brands of some items such as canned goods or condiments, cost nearly as much as their name brand counterparts these days. Dollar General will charge high prices for name brand stuff then come in at a slightly lower price with their store brand products. But if you look around at other stores, you can often find the name brand stuff selling for as cheap or very close to the Dollar General store brand stuff - and it's better quality.

Someone in our household recently bought a bottle of Soy Sauce from Dollar General - I tasted it just for the hell of it, and it was completely awful. I'm not even convinced that it is real soy sauce. It's almost as black as tar, has a really weird chemical taste to it, and stains the heck out of anything I use it on. In comparison, I opened a bottle of Kikkoman soy sauce, and there was a night and day difference. The Kikkoman sauce was a deep mahogany color, and had a rich savory taste to it.

 

I buy lots of things at dollar stores. You have to be careful; sometimes, the prices aren't actually cheaper. For example, the Del Monte canned spaghetti sauce at Dollar Tree is $1, but it is .88 at Walmart (or it used to be...haven't bought that in a while). For the most part, though, you will definitely save money at Dollar Tree. I don't think there is anything wrong with the products, even the off-brands. I always check the expiration dates and such, though.

 

I never thought about buying condiments at the dollar store. I always thought they were so expensive at the regular stores. I usually get them at the Asian or Mexican stores but now that I think about it...The dollar store seems like a good option. Thanks for the ideas guys! Anyways, as far as other grocery items I only have bought pasta and frozen foods there before.

 

I hardly ever get to a Dollar Store because there is just not one convenient to me! I tend to always take my grocery ads into Walmart and price match. Saves time and money.

 

I have once or twice, but I try not to. Generally, the food prices are actually higher there than at a grocery store, since dollar stores don't really specialize in food items. (it's like buying food at a gas station - such high prices!)

 

I usually only buy candy and snacks at the dollar store. My favourite are dried fruits. I can get a snack-sized pack of sliced mangoes for $2, and they are quite delicious. Usually at grocery stores, you cannot find candied mangoes, and my bulk stores don't like the good kind.

 

I just like dollar stores in general anyway. The Family Dollars and Dollar Generals are pretty much everywhere around here, and there is one that is less than a mile from my house. They're so much easier to get in and out of than Walmart. The parking is easier, there are fewer and shorter lines, etc. Plus, there's less "stuff" there to tempt you to spend money.

 

Dollar stores are great, although some products there are, well, you get what you pay for. As for the food stuff, I say they're okay but I wouldn't really count on it. I've tried buying Chili's there once and it was horrible. But for snacks and candies, dollar store all the way.

 

I'll only buy certain foods from the dollar store, probably food that doesn't spoil or rot, or dried food so I can trust that it won't be spoiled or anything. But I do like the idea of buying food from the dollar store, although sometimes the taste isn't the best compared to if you buy it from an actual seller

 

The only groceries I might buy at dollar stores are brand names, since you know the quality is always the same, I'd be too wary of eating the off-brand food from the dollar stores, but I have no problem buying other sort of items there.

 

I have never grocery shopped at the dollar store but I have picked up other household items in the past. I do most I my grocery shopping at Walmart which is fairly cheap. To avoid the crowds and the long lines, I usually go there at night around 11pm when the store is bare. It's usually peaceful around those hours and I don't have to worry about getting ran over by a cart from a shopper who is in a hurry.

 

I was lucky enough to find loaves of sourdough bread one time at my local dollar store. Usually they have stuff like Roman Meal or Sarah Lee, white or wheat bread. But this sourdough was really good. I wish I would have stocked up on it. They do have good candy and snacks there, I agree. My favorite type of candy to buy there are Belly Flops, Jelly Bellies that didn't come out so good. A nice sized bag for a buck, you can't beat that with a stick.

 

I love shopping for food at my local dollar store. I also think it is cheap way to experiment with foods that I would never buy if they were higher-priced. I've also learned that when it comes to Dollar Tree, it is good to compare stores. There's a smaller Dollar Tree less than a mile from my house. They have some good stuff, but I have to go to the bigger Dollar Tree about four miles away for a better selection. I never thought that items would vary from store to store, but I have found that there is a great difference between these two Dollar Tree stores.