Would you shop at a non profit grocery store to save money?

[jeffrey]

Interesting idea. A former Trader Joes exec has started a non-profit grocery store that sells items that wholesalers can't sell -- and it eventually want to get food from local grocery stores which they're about to throw out. The food isn't bad, but it also is't at the height of it's freshness, but the prices are low -- like $0.29 for a lb of bananas and $0.99 for a dozen eggs.

More information: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/...nd-cheap-meals

Would you shop at such a grocery store?

[txex86]

Interesting idea. I would try it out and see how the quality was. You might be able to find some great bargains there.

[rennigade]

Huh? Whats being described here is exactly what a grocery store where my parents live in PA does. Low cost items close to expiration. I dont think this is a new concept. And yes...you can save a lot of money and get a lot of good name brand stuff.

[frugalredhead]

Sure! I'll shop anywhere to save money We just got an Aldi's near us and I have definitely found that if you buy their produce, you better be able to eat it in a couple of days. It goes bad a lot faster that my usual grocery store. I've been extremely pleased with everything else I've gotten there, especially their Winking Owl Chardonnay at $2.79 a bottle!

[LittleMissSplendid]

I don't get how this is a new idea. Major grocery stores markdown stuff close to expiration for quick sale and if it doesn't sell charities come and get it before it hits the trash. It seems like moving these items to a nonprofit grocery store would be inconvenient because you'd have to make another stop rather than just going to your regular grocery store and hitting their bargain bins.

[DoreneHanson]

I have read about these in Google,but never used them. But would like to use them someday.

[bzbee]

There is a Grocery Outlet stores that are kind of like that, except their prices are not that cheap, and they are for the profit like all other businesses.

[marvholly]

The prices the OP quoted are NOT that cheap in my area (metro Chicago).

Bananas have been 0.29/lb at least 2x in the past 3-4 weeks. Eggs have been on special between 0.69 - 0.89 at several different chains over the past month.

I would NOT be interested in short dated foods at those type of prices.

[sv2007]

Interesting idea. A former Trader Joes exec has started a non-profit grocery store that sells items that wholesalers can't sell -- and it eventually want to get food from local grocery stores which they're about to throw out. The food isn't bad, but it also is't at the height of it's freshness, but the prices are low -- like $0.29 for a lb of bananas and $0.99 for a dozen eggs.

More information: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/...nd-cheap-meals

Would you shop at such a grocery store?

Yes, if the food is of acceptable quality and the store is convenient.

Interesting it is Trader Joe's. I stopped shopping there around 1996 when I decided their quality is questionable. I saw a moldy bread on the shelf; then I saw that same moldy bread being purchased by the guy lining up behind me. Today's me would have said something to him; but unfortunately for him that happened with yesterday's me : )

[sv2007]

The prices the OP quoted are NOT that cheap in my area (metro Chicago).

Bananas have been 0.29/lb at least 2x in the past 3-4 weeks. Eggs have been on special between 0.69 - 0.89 at several different chains over the past month.

I would NOT be interested in short dated foods at those type of prices.

That's really cheap prices.
Here, bananas are about $.59/lb on sale and eggs are $2.50/dz on sale.

I don't think bananas and eggs can really expire. I don't like brown spots or green on my banana but it's got nothing to do with expiration date. If the eggs are refrigerated properly, I remember reading somewhere that their good-for-use days are really unbelievably high.

[FLA]

I would definitely shop at such a store and esp like that it is a non-profit

[Permanent Temp]

There's one I guess like this in an area I used to live in. I say way not. People who are going are saving money and probably feeding families its not like the food is going to sit around its going to get eaten which is great because other wise it would probably go to waste.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-barn-greenfield

[chestynuts]

I would shop at that kind of store, you could find good quality bargains in there.

[clatoden99]

Saving money in a grocery store starts by not carrying a shopping basket or taking a trolley. Keep your healthy purchases on your hands, there is a limit to what you can carry with 2 hands.

[~bs]

probably not, unless it can be frozen. I already normally look for produce with the longest expiration date simply because I cannot use it quickly enough before it expires since I live alone. Now if I was a family of 4 or 5, different story, as everything would be quickly consumed