Where to grocery shop on a budget in chicago!

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I cannot believe it's Wednesday! I am so ready for the weekend. You too? My niece is coming in to visit (she is pregnant so, I cannot wait to see her growing bump). I cannot wait to relax w/ her. She said it is supposed to be 40 degrees in Chicago!

So, two blog posts down, I said that I would share where I grocery shop in Chicago. So, given that I have a small budget & must be creative in my purchases, I thought this list of stores would be helpful for many of you too.

Farmers Markets:
Spring/Summer/Fall, I shop at the farmers markets. I love Green City Market the best. I learned from Whitney Lauritsen via Eco-Vegan Gal to go to the market towards closing. And that is a time when most people have left & most produce has already been purchased. It's at this time that you can barter with the farmers.  The price is always 50% less than what the cost was even an hour before!

I can often buy a week's worth of organic fruit & veggies + pasta for less than 40.00 for the week!!!!!

Whole Foods:
I think Whole Foods gets a really bad rap for being 'so expensive'. You simply have to shop smart when you shop there. I am an analytical mind & I have a spreadsheet for 'everything' ....you know, that kind of gal. So, I once did a cost comparison of produce of major stores in Chicago. Maybe I should do a post on that for all of you - Would you like that?

Whole Foods organic produce is the most expensive in the city. And yet they often have the best sales on organic produce reducing their cost to less than many other stores (Including Mariano's, Trader Joes, etc). Also, many of their 'dry products' are actually less than all other grocery stores in the city (minus Stanley's and I've not shopped much at Trader's Joe's but intend to)....gasp.

I personally love Whole Foods. I particularly love the Whole Foods on Kingsbury because of it's size. I've always prayed 'God, I would love to meet my husband in the organic fruit aisle of WF'. haha! I am actually serious. I have a friend from college who met her husband there.

I am digressing but, I head to Whole Foods for sales basically. And I love the hunt.

Fresh Thyme:
I feel like this is SUCH A HIDDEN GEM in the city of Chicago!

I buy all of my basic supplements from Fresh Thyme! Why? Because they have the best prices in the entire city!

I also think Fresh Thyme has amazing prices on 'snacks'!

With that being said, like Whole Foods, their organic produce is pricey.

I did a post on Fresh Thyme so, if you'd like, please read that!

So, that's where I shop. I get my organic produce from Farmer's Markets, sales at Whole Foods & all snacks & supplements from Fresh Thyme.

Where do you shop? Where do you find the best bargains?

Also, apologies to Trader Joe's. I hear they are fabulous. I just haven't explored them much but, intend to. But, two bloggers that I LOVE (Lows to Luxe & The Golden Girl Blog) shop at Trader Joe's all of the time and share their hauls. I love tuning into what they find!

Where do you shop? Are you a budget shopper? If so, please share your favorite finds!