By: Tori Surber, 1st year Health Policy & Management
So you’ve made it to Atlanta, found yourself a nice place to live, and begun your classes at Rollins. You have gotten the big stuff out of the way, but what about the smaller things, like where to get your food.
There are so many great options for groceries around Atlanta, with each place offering something different, so how do you choose which one to go to? Here are some quick tips and tricks for each of your grocery store options!
Publix
Publix’s tag line is: “Where shopping is a pleasure”, and they aren’t lying. The stores are always clean, the employees are incredibly friendly, and the food is amazing. They put out their own recipes and if you hit it at the right time, they have samples of these tasty meals. They have everything you could want in a traditional grocery store and so much more.
- Can’t Miss Items:
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- Anything from the bakery (the bread is incredibly fresh and the baked goods are wonderful)
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- The subs are to die for
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- Their chicken fingers make for a quick and delicious lunch or dinner
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- BOGO – they constantly have a mirage of items on BOGO and the best part is, you don’t have to get two, you can one for half price
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- Online coupons – search the website for all kinds of coupons and download them to your account, punch your phone number in at check out for instant savings
- Locations:
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- Toco Hills – North Druid Hills Road
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- Emory Commons – North Decatur Road
Kroger
The best thing about Kroger is that it is super cheap, traditional grocery store. They have huge selections of just about anything you could want, all for affordable prices. Most of them are open late, some even 24 hours, which makes Kroger perfect for late night beer/food runs.
- Can’t Miss Items:
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- Kroger Plus Card — sign up for this free card that allows you access to additional deals and savings on items throughout the store
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- Kroger Gas — these gas stations always have low prices and shopping at Kroger can get you 10 cents off per gallon of gas
- Locations:
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- On the corner of Briarcliff and Clifton
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- Toco Hills – North Druid Hills Road
Sprouts
Sprouts are relatively new to the area and emulate a farmer’s market. They are typically smaller than your traditional grocery store (i.e. Publix, Kroger) and place an emphasis on healthy eating and living. They carry some main stream brands but a majority of their items are Sprouts brand or from smaller companies.
- Can’t Miss Items:
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- Affordable produce — they have a great selection of some of the cheapest produce I have ever found
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- Affordable meats — their chicken breasts are always extremely cheap — look for sales to find pork and beef for really good deals
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- A wide variety of health food items
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- Prepared meals — they have a huge case of healthy, delicious, prepared meals that you can have ready in under 10 minutes
- Locations:
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- Morningside – Piedmont Avenue
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- Coming Soon– North Decatur Road and Clairmont Road
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is unlike any of the other grocery stores on this list. Everything in their stores is packaged under the Trader Joe’s name — meaning no mainstream brands. Their products are delicious, affordable, and can always be counted on to spice up your meals. The stores are aesthetically pleasing and the staff can often be found in Hawaiian shirts. Pro tip – Trader Joe’s have somewhat of a cult following and are incredibly popular around here. Try to shop during the week if you can, it is a much more pleasant experience as the stores tend to be a zoo on the weekends.
- Can’t miss items:
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- $3 bottles of wine — need I say more
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- An awesome frozen foods section — there is a wide variety of interesting, delicious options
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- Samples — head to the back of the store to try a sample of something that is sure to be great
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- Head to Buzzfeed for lists of the most popular Trader Joe’s items
- Locations:
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- Buckhead — Peachtree Road
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- Midtown — Monroe Drive
Whole Foods
Whole Foods may not be the best option for weekly grocery shopping — their prices are usually significantly higher than other grocery stores. But there are some good, healthy finds here. They tend to have brands that can’t be found anywhere else, so this is your place to go for specialty items.
- Can’t Miss Items:
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- Prepared Foods Section — they have a salad bar, pizza, hot bar, baked goods, and a bunch of other prepared items. It is easily the best part of Whole Foods and can be great for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.
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- Unique beverage selection — if you are looking for an interesting beer and wine selection, Whole Foods is the place to go
- Locations:
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- Briarcliff — Briarcliff Road
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- Buckhead — West Paces Ferry Road NW
The Fresh Market
Similar to Whole Foods, The Fresh Market is probably not your best option for weekly grocery shopping. Their prices can be a little steep — especially for everyday items. But they do have excellent desserts and delicious prepared food. You can find things that are a little funky and they always have nice, peaceful music playing.
- Can’t Miss Items:
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- Pesto Pasta Salad and Macaroni and Cheese from the prepared foods sections
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- Desserts!
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- Candy — you can make your own bags of candy
- Locations:
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- Briarcliff — At the Corner of Briarcliff Road and North Druid Hills Road
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- Buckhead — Peachtree Road
Dekalb Farmer’s Market
Dekalb Farmer’s Market has anything and everything you could ever possibly want. They have foods from all over the world, the biggest selection of meats and produce you could ever find, and a delicious bakery and cafe. It is an experience in and of itself just to walk around and look at everything. If you are in the market for interesting produce, obscure finds, or specialty ingredients Dekalb Farmer’s Market is your place.
- Can’t Miss Items:
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- Produce, produce, produce — it is always fresh, relatively inexpensive, and you can get whatever you want
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- Bakery and Cafe — try out some delicious items before or after shopping
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- Breads — you can’t go wrong with the myriad of fresh breads
- Location:
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- Decatur — East Ponce de Leon Avenue
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