Even as inflation dwindles down to rates not seen since February 2021, college students may still find it harder to find affordable groceries. According to Bankrate, while inflation has gone down, prices are still 21.4% above pandemic pricing, and groceries have seen some of the sharpest increases, being 2.3% more expensive. How can students combat these prices while still managing to stretch their dollar? How can students find groceries that are worth their money, while trying to save money?
Aldi grocery CEO Jason Hart told ABC News in March that Aldi is working for their consumers, and working to combat inflation with their grocery pricing. “Twenty-five percent of U.S. customers now shop at Aldi. That’s twice what it was just six years ago,” Hart told ABC. “And Aldi’s built to fight inflation. Our business model, which is based on simplicity and efficiency, really provides savings for customers and also saves them time when they’re shopping with their grocery lists.” Each Aldi is set up similarly, with five rows of shelves and about 1,700 products for consumers to choose from. These shelves do have name brands, but also have “private-label” brands that cost less for shoppers.
Aldi also rotates seasonal items for Aldi shoppers, bringing in new items to try during different seasons. This helps with keeping overhead costs down, as these items aren’t always available, and can be more expensive to keep in stores when those items aren’t in season. Aldi attempts to wield efficiency and efficacy in an attempt to keep overhead costs down, which means lower prices for shoppers. But how does Cedar Falls’ Aldi prices compare to the neighboring Cedar Falls Wal-Mart prices?
Aldi’s Lunch Mate oven roasted 9 oz. turkey is sold for $3.85, while Wal-Mart sells Oscar Mayer 9 oz. smoked turkey breast for $4.48, a 63 cent difference. Aldi’s private label 20 oz. white bread sells for $1.55, while Sarah Lee original 20 oz. white bread sells at Wal-Mart for $2.50, a 95 cent difference. While these price differences may seem trivial, these 60-90 cent price mark-ups can make a huge difference at the register. Comparing the total price of the same two grocery orders at Aldi and Wal-Mart, that difference is stark. At Aldi, 9 oz. of deli turkey, 20 oz. of white bread, 10 oz. of a dip, 7.5 oz. of sliced cheese, a frozen pizza, 32 oz. of vanilla yogurt, an 8 count of apple cinnamon cereal bars, 28 oz. of instant white rice and 3 oz. of salami totals out to $27.93 before tax. At Wal-Mart, a nearly identical order with name brands totals out to $32.81 before tax. An almost $5 difference between nine items can make an impact for college students looking to stretch their dollars in the grocery store. In most cases, what a shopper could get for $3 at Aldi, another consumer would buy for $4 or $5 at Wal-Mart. For those who may want to shop smarter or are working with a budget, shopping at Aldi can make all the difference when it comes to saving money on grocery shopping trips. Aldi’s frozen section also normally contains rotating seasonal items that are quite fun to try, such as their gnocchi, buffalo wings and sun veggie risotto. Their pantry seasonal items are also big hits with shoppers, pleasing consumers with fall staples and with unique fall flavors, like Aldi’s snickerdoodle cannoli dip or pumpkin maple soup.
Buying in larger quantities and searching for weekly coupons can also help students save money at the register. Aldi, and stores that students may think to be more expensive, like Fareway and Hy-Vee, have weekly ads with coupons and on-sale items that can make for great deals for students. Fareway typically has good deals on beverages and pop, while Hy-Vee has good sales for produce that’s in season. Currently, at Fareway, 24 packs of Coke brand pop are on sale for $12.88, which is 53 cents a can, compared to regular-priced 12 packs of Coke, which are sold for $8.99, at 75 cents per can.
While it may seem daunting to tackle smarter grocery shopping, in the long run, it could help save students money, especially if food prices continue to climb. Almost every grocery store also has ads available online, making grocery planning even easier for students. For students looking to save money on grocery trips, take a peek at the ads before you go in store, and shop at stores that are notorious for their lower prices. Buy in larger quantities if it’s a product you consume regularly, and make grocery lists from meal ideas, using grocery or pantry items you already have.
