Bachelor on the Cheap

Last week, I posted an article about Super Bowl Watch Party prep and the related grocery store prices.

This week is kind of a “Part II” edition, for those folks who weren’t having a party as of last week but now are, perhaps don’t like to cook, or maybe you’re going to a party and need to bring something. 

This week’s grocery pricing list only has 9 items, things to create an impromptu Super Bowl Watch Party with, shopping for the convenience of prepared foods.  It doesn’t have the ground beef, sour cream, hot sauce, and such.  For those items and tortilla chips, I refer you to last week’s list, link below.

As always, keep in mind that items featured is the store brand for each respective store, unless otherwise labeled. Prices can vary from store-to-store, especially for Dillons and Walmart, to a lesser extent Aldi. Store managers have the flexibility to adjust prices, lower or higher. Prices are good as of this writing and could change by the time you make that grocery run. Product size/weights shown are what is available and on the shelf at the time of review.

Here’s this week’s side-by-side comparison of grocery store prices, a snapshot if you will of Super Bowl shopping, impromptu/convenience style:

Takeaways from this week’s price review:

  • Even though Aldi shows the lowest total price listed, it’s only because items such as jalapeno poppers and Mozzarella sticks come in much smaller bags than Dillons or Walmart.   If you’re an Aldi shopper, you’re going to have to buy multiple bags of those appetizer items to get close to the volume offered by Dillons.  Two bags of poppers and two bags of Mozza sticks drives the total price at Aldi to $45.33 and you still don’t have as much food.  In a pizza review, at Aldi you’re stuck with their Mama Cozzi’s brand, I’m not a fan.  At Dillons, you can get a Tony’s Pizza, which is actually quite good for the price and it’s a larger pizza.  Walmart’s Great Value pizza, like Mama Cozzi’s, pretty much sucks.
  • Dillons knows how to market their products and they’re not missing out on the opportunity for Super Bowl related sales.  Check out the prices for the chicken wings and pulled pork – the poster children for the premise of this week’s grocery price post if you will.  They’re got the best price on wings and an excellent price on pulled pork.  If you don’t like to cook but are having a party, there you go for the overall best impromptu, convenient, best bang for the Super Bowl buck menu.  Heck, if you’ve been tasked to pick something up and bring to somebody’s party, Dillons may be your best option.  Who wouldn’t appreciate a big bag of jalapeno poppers?
  • Walmart’s total price may surprise some by how high it is, higher than Dillons even!  But given their strategy is everyday low prices and they don’t play sales games, it’s actually evidence that Dillons does.  Walmart being more expensive than Dillons is unheard of, even for a small, select list such as this.  What’s the game Dillons is playing?  They’re hoping you will also purchase buns and coleslaw to go with that pulled pork, perhaps some marinara sauce for those Mozzarella sticks and maybe a bottle of Blue Cheese dressing to go with those wings.  Don’t misunderstand, all grocery stores hope you do that, but I can guarantee you that the purchase of those extra items is going to have a higher price tag at Dillons.

Dillons has some good deals for Super Bowl Sunday, especially for the last minute, prepared/frozen stuff, but stick to your shopping list…

$pend Wisely My Friends…

~ Mike

Related: Grocery Store Prices – Super Bowl Prep Edition

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