Grocery Shopping in New York is one of those topics that perplexes non – Yorkers especially when you tell them you don’t have a car. They just can’t fathom how you shop for groceries.
Grocery shopping in New York could not be more opposite than shopping in the suburbs. We can not just stock on paper towels, or toilet paper, there is no space to keep it all. In addition, you only have two hands so you can only carry so much.
So how do we manage doing our grocery shopping? That is a question based on how far away the market is, exactly what you need and how much time you have.
New Yorkers do have numerous options from major supermarkets (although I would love to have Krogers or Safeway come here), Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Farmer’s Markets, the corner delis or corner fruit stands (yes, New Yorkers actually buy fruit and vegetables on the corners of major intersections) and Fresh Direct. For those who have never heard of Fresh Direct, you basically go online, order your food and they deliver directly to your apartment building based on your requested time. Not at home, don’t worry, many upscale apartment buildings have specially built refrigerators to hold resident’s boxes.
For me, my building has a specialty supermarket on the ground floor so if I need milk, or an onion, I just run downstairs plus I live within three blocks of three major supermarkets including a Trader Joe’s (my personal favorite.)
So how do I shop for groceries. My grocery shopping has evolved over time. Before I adopted my daughter, I was like every other single person in New York, I ate out a lot, did take out or went to the deli for a salad to go.
When my daughter was a baby and toddler, it was delivery all they way, either I used Fresh Direct or had the supermarket deliver my food. You trying to get diapers into the bottom of a stroller, it’s not easy.
Now every weekend, I do my shopping for the week using my trusty old lady cart. It’s hard to believe but yes I finally broke down and bought one. I tried to buy fancier, better looking carts but they were just too small for my weekly needs. Now I don’t care how idiotic I look, it works for me plus I don’t have to pay for delivery and tip the delivery man anymore which saves me $15 a week.
I know you couponers just must be dying because I rarely use coupons. For the record, I have tried but it’s not worth it in New York City. A majority of the time, the stores don’t stock the item. There is not enough shelf space. And the number one reason is that you can’t double the coupons. I will admit that after doing my weekly shopping I will head to the drug store chains to check out their sale items.
Any questions?
Disclosure:NYC Single Mom was not compensated for this post. Click here for NYC Single Mom’s disclosure policy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Right on, sister! How lucky you are though, that your building has a store. I have to shlep 5 blocks to get to the crummiest “supermarket” in Queens. It’s tiny! And when they DO have an item on sale, it’s expired. BTW, anyone in your supermarket speak English? I can’t ask for any kind of assistance in mine unless I learn Korean, Russian, or Hindi !
When I go the delis, the language thing is dicey but my supermarket is okay. 5 blocks is not good for a crummy supermarket. i am shocked at how many bad supermarkets are in my neighborhood.