By Lauren S., Edited by Laura C.
When it comes to grocery shopping, there are a lot of factors to consider. Location, price, availability, and hours of operation – to name a few- all play into how to choose the store where one can get the most bang for their buck.
With all of this considered, it’s not hard to feel overwhelmed and stressed out about something so a part of daily life. But don’t worry, we got you covered! As college students we understand! So we compiled this list of our top three to help you overcome the challenges because we believe we’re all in this together!
1. H.E.B., “Here Everything’s Better”
As one of the most dominant and respected grocery stores in Texas, H.E.B has cultivated quite the name for itself. Which is why it is our number one grocery store to visit in Central Texas.
According to Axios, as of April of 2022, H.E.B was ranked as the regions number one grocer based on market share. This is for many reasons. With as many as 320 stores operating from 6:00AM – 11:00PM throughout Texas, the challenge of accessibility is easily overlooked.
On top of this, H.E.B. has a wide variety of product choices. Ranging from pantry items to quality fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and pre made meals with their program Meal Simple, H.E.B. offers products that fit a wide range of lifestyles.
Lastly, H.E.B.’s prices are affordable and approachable. With their costs of fruits and vegetables averaging under $5 per item, their meat and seafood prices averaging at about $15 (depending on what cuts or types of meat), and offering pantry products with prices as low as $0.29, H.E.B is able to meet any and all grocery shopping needs and offers the best overall bang for your buck.
2. Walmart, “Save Money, Live Better”
While H.E.B. may be a force to be reckoned with within Central Texas, Walmart doesn’t let that stop them. Second on our list with 517 stores in Texas alone operating from 6:00AM – 11:00PM Walmart rivals its number one competitor.
Now, it may seem questionable for Walmart to be in second place when they have a little under twice the amount of stores that H.E.B. has within Texas. But the defining factor between the two is simple: product range. Walmart specializes as a superstore, meaning that they offer a large variety of categories of products.
However, they don’t have as wide of a selection of brands and quality within the grocery department as H.E.B. does. But this isn’t to say that their prices aren’t still approachable and affordable. With fruits and vegetables averaging at about $5 per item as well, their meat and seafood selection averaging at about $10 per item and pantry options averaging about $5 – $10 per item Walmart offers the best price value which is critical factor for a lot of people these days.
Overall, Walmart is the best option when it comes to price. But keep in mind when shopping for your meals hat the product selection and availability may be limited.
3. Sprouts, “Where Goodness Grows”
Third on our list: Sprouts. In Texas, there are 47 locations open from 7:00AM – 10:00PM. Now, this is definitely a big change in numbers compared to our previously mentioned stores. However, this doesn’t mean that Sprouts doesn’t have their own values to offer to customers.
Much like H.E.B, Sprouts has a wide range of grocery products for their customers. However, what differentiates them from H.E.B. is that they are a farmers market. This means that Sprouts acquires their products from higher quality local farmers. This is important to keep in mind when grocery shopping because not only does it affect the overall price but also the quality of product.
At Sprouts, fruits and vegetable prices typically average around $1 – $5 per item, meat and seafood prices averaging around $10 – $15 per item(depending on type of meat or seafood), and pantry items costing about $5 per item. Though there may be a slight price increase compared to our previously mentioned stores, Sprouts offers the highest quality of product within our list.
Overall…
Texas is a large and mighty state with a wide variety of grocery stores. And it may seem that trying to find the best option is unachievable. But we’re here to show that though it may seem this way, no one is alone! We all struggle with trying to find the best way to spend our hard earned money and take care of ourselves in the best way that we can. So remember, everyone is in the same boat trying to navigate the complexities of healthy and affordable living.