Hello! It's been a while, happy new year!
I've been struggling with many different health issues for the past year - or, I should say, an elevated level of the health issues I already have over the last year.
One of my biggest struggles is with food allergies - dairy, soy, and coconut. In an American city with heavy Asian influence, dairy and soy are almost inescapable. Coconut is simply frustrating for popping up at the wrong time - for example, in the majority of almond milk ice creams.
The husband and I are on a budget saving up for the last and toughest stretch of his college journey, AND watching our sodium and sugar levels, respectively. There's a lot more cooking going on, which means multiple grocery store trips each week until I figure out how to make better lists.
After much research, I decided to make a list of the many grocery store chain options and their rating. Technically they're not all groceries, so I'm only rating the grocery sections of stores like Costco and Walmart, which does cut out the convenience factor if you also need, say, a set of tires.
This list is in no particular order, and is completely biased.
1. Costco
The Hawaii Costco is an interesting place. My main issue is Costco is that I don't have the space to put anything, and I'm sure many others are in the same boat. Their fresh produce is always on the edge of expiration.
However, my conveniently-located neighborhood Costco just down the road is reportely the busiest Costco in the country. You almost have to fight for parking, for gas, for rotisserie chicken, for a place in line... I absolutely dread going, and half the time they don't have what I need!
Rating: 3 / 5
Rating for Iwilei Costco: 1 / 5
2. Walmart
Ahhh, Walmart. When I was living in Hilo, Walmart was the standard. You could meet everyone you ever knew. In fact, my brother-in-law works there.
In Oahu, Walmart is cheap, fast, and easy, and therefore immensely popular and extremely crowded. I tend to visit the one near Ala Moana center, and there's always local families mixed in with sunburnt and/or lost-looking tourists. They've started having an impressive amount of choices, they're almost always the cheapest option, no frills, and sketchy or not I prefer them to the next store on the list.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
3. Target.
I love/hate Target. Their Cartwheel app has not applied my discounts on multiple occasions, their sales randomly exclude what I'm actually trying to buy, and their own products are of awful quality.
Why do I go there? I'm still not sure. Impressive drink selection? So far at least, the Ala Moana store has better parking than Walmart. I can wander about the store late at night with less of the feeling that I'm in danger of either being trampled or mugged.
I guess that's the answer - it's a nice place to walk around in. If only it were a nice place to shop, too!
Rating: 2 / 5
4. Safeway
Safeway is my preferred place to shop. Their prices are high, but their sales and coupons are so prevalent that it's almost a sport, and of course there's Monopoly. $5 Fridays are a weekly trip for me and the rest of the aunties in the general vicinity.
After moving out of our previous neighborhood, I still occasionally make the side trip from work to visit "our" Safeway there. However, the new one is growing on me.
And lastly, they have dairy-free, soy-free, coconut-free (!) ice cream.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
5. Foodland
The local darling of the list, and arguably the best place to get poke. An excellent Maika'i Rewards program. I find it hard to buy necessities and allergy-friendly items both in Hilo and in Oahu. If I want good local vegetables or something fast, I'll stop by, but I don't do my main shopping there.
They do have a very good bakery, and from what I hear, excellent bentos. I love local, and I just can't bring myself to rate them low.
Rating: 4 / 5
6. Times
I've never been to Times since I moved here, and I've no idea why. There were none in my previous neighborhood, so I suppose I'm just sticking to the familiar. They always seem to be very close to a Foodland, for some reason.
I've just heard they are a good choice for ethnic (AKA Mexican) food.
Rating: 3 / 5 for fairness' sake
7. Down to Earth
The best bakery. The new Pearlridge location is gorgeous. The old Pearlridge location was sketchy and sold me expired food and I still haven't quite forgiven them. An overall hippie vibe with odd products that don't taste good mixed in with delicious treats. I don't go there often to save myself from buying too many donuts.
Rating: 3 / 5
Donut Rating: 9 / 10
8. Whole Foods
I'm very familiar with their mainland counterparts. They rely on soy, and so the bakery is off limits. (This is both good and bad.) I love their produce section and a their specialty products, including some delicious imitation nacho cheese. Amazon has done some interesting things, but overall they're still a little snooty.
I would still go there way more often if I didn't have to drive to Kaka'ako or Kailua (or if the Pali wasn't closed).
Rating: 3.5 / 5
And there you have it! I'm not sure this is terribly informative, but it was fun to make, and since food is taking up quite a bit of my time I've got nothing better to write about! It's been a bit too informative on my food priorities... I take dessert very seriously.
I think next I'd love to write about Japanese stores - only I haven't nearly been to them all. Time for some scouting, parking permitting.
A hui hou!
