Food 4 Less, seriously
Recent posts on coupon clipping got such a great response I decided to follow them up with a trip to Food 4 Less, which a reader named Patti suggested I check out. The store is owned by Kroger, which also operates Ralphs. Food 4 Less is not as swanky as Ralphs – no faux wood shelves or fresh bakery here – but the store is clean, well lit and has wide aisles. Many prices beat Trader Joe's and Vons, but not all.
I'll update the cheat sheet soon, but for now here are some of their best bets. Meat. Chicken thighs were $.87/lb, ground turkey was $1.58/lb, cubed beef chuck for stewing was $.98/lb! Staples. Sun Vista black beans were $.58 for 15oz, C&H sugar was $2.48 for 5 lbs, Ocean Spray cranberry juice was $1.88 for 64 oz.
Produce had great prices and everything looked fresh and tasty. Bananas were about 4 for $.98, a 10oz bag of baby spinach was $.88! Potatoes were $.248 for 10lbs and carrots were $.88 for 2lb.
Dairy also had many winners. Tilamook cheddar was $4.98 for 16 oz or a Kroger chunk of the same size was $4.48. Yoplait 6 oz yogurts were 10 for $6, Kroger 32 oz yogurt containers were $2.38. Breyer's 1.75 quarts of ice cream were $3.98.
The store carries upscale...
...brands like Land O'Lakes, Tilamook, and Haagen Dazs and seems to partly carter to Latino customers. While I was checking prices (and buying caramels) two announcements came over the loudspeaker in Spanish. I noticed many Goya products and Latino specialties like pezole. But mainstream pop music was pipped in and all the employees seemed to speak English.
For me low prices and a clean store make shopping there worthwhile. Plus, it was not that crowded (for a weekday afternoon) and checkout was quick and pleasant. Find a Food 4 Less near you. If you go let me know your shopping experience. Thanks for the rec, Patti!
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About The Bargain Hunter
Daily News staff writer Julia Scott loves to find bargains on everything from groceries to Gucci. Her tips will help keep your hard earned cash where it belongs - in your pocket.
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I'm a Silver-haired shopper and have frequented Food 4 Less (Winnetka & Saticoy) for some time. I agree with all your positive statements regarding the store and its employees.
Viva!
I shop Food 4 Less all the time. Today they have red seedless grapes for $.87 per pound. They are sweet and juicy.
I have been shopping at Food 4 Less for about a year now. I find the produce prices are the best around. The fruit is also good and fresh. I buy a lot of staples also. I prefer Trader Joe for my meat.
Most of what you said is true about F4L is true and I agree.
Based on your article, it tells me that you haven’t checked some of the other F4L stores. You really need to broaden your views and don't be so short sighted.
Food 4 Less also have bakeries in some them; these bake French bread, rolls and other breads.
I also think you should compare the prices at Ralphs too, to give people a better view of the true price variances which store they are competing with.