Across the border groceries

[archdandy]

I'm going to be crossing the border and staying overnight in Buffalo next week and we thought we would check out some grocery stores while we were down there. Does anyone cross border shop for groceries? What are some must get items that are way cheaper across the border? Also what is a reasonably priced chain grocery store? I have no idea what grocery stores they have there and when I did a search for some close to the hotel we are staying at the only thing that came up was a 'Wegmans'. Any help would be appreciated, thanks! By the way we are staying in a hotel right across from the Buffalo Aiport if that helps anyone.

 

[Sprockie]

I cross border grocery shop fairly regularly and I really don't find much difference in price of anything but meat and dairy products. There are most definitely some good specials, and good coupons however - better deals than in Canada.
The milk, yogurt, ice cream etc. is definitely cheaper, but I try to buy them sparingly because the regulations aren't as strict with their milk production as ours - specifically with hormones and antibiotics.

 

[formill]

We always buy milk, eggs, cream cheese, fresh boneless chicken breasts and frozen chicken wings- usually just go to Walmart. Also wine and beer- MUCH cheaper. LOL We always declare everything and even though are not often over more than one night and sometimes there just for a day have so far never had to go in and pay- even on the wine/beer. The states seems to have much more selection than we do on boxed stuff- as in hamburger/chicken helpers-and squares/cake mixes etc so I just enjoy looking around at all the different stuff. I always look at the flyers online before we go- Tops, Wal Mart etc. We also buy all our shoes and lots of clothing stateside as find the selection and price so much better than here. We like the Boulevard Mall for good selection of stores that is not too huge of a mall though- don't like walking around Walden Galleria- too big for me. Also like Big Lots, Ollies and their Dollar Stores!!

 

[vacation_junkie]

I'm going to be crossing the border and staying overnight in Buffalo next week and we thought we would check out some grocery stores while we were down there. Does anyone cross border shop for groceries? What are some must get items that are way cheaper across the border? Also what is a reasonably priced chain grocery store? I have no idea what grocery stores they have there and when I did a search for some close to the hotel we are staying at the only thing that came up was a 'Wegmans'. Any help would be appreciated, thanks! By the way we are staying in a hotel right across from the Buffalo Aiport if that helps anyone.

Walmart Superstore...since that opened we always shop there. before that we'd bounce between Wegmans and tops.

Shredded cheese in the bags $1.79 over there $6 plus here
Milk $1.68 a jug
Butter $1.89
Frozen Pre cooked Shrimp $4.98 a bag $9.98 here.

Alot of dairy the is cheaper. Try to look for hormone free if possible.

 

[archdandy]

Thanks for the tips. Does anybody know what the limits are on dairy and meat when crossing back over? I know its different for those two food groups.

 

[vacation_junkie]

Big Lots, Ollies and their Dollar Stores!!

They are always on our Shopping route as well

 

[Canadiantinkerfairy]

I know we are in BC but we shop weekly in the states. We live a few seconds from the border.
Costco is amazing for cheap hormone free milk and dairy. Also organic meat and fruit is super cheap. The foster farms chicken is a good quality brand.
You can't take veggies and fruit across but everything else is really quite cheap there and Walmart. Your Canadian Costco card works at the us Costco too.

 

[canadakath]

We also always pick up cereal - the big family size boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and other oh-so-healthy cereals this bad mom lets her kids eat are regularly less than $4 there, often on sale or with coupons for $2-3 instead of the $7+ here.

One comment on the milk - I find U.S. milk tastes a bit different and I don't like it. But I am very picky.

As for limits - from the CBSA website:

The following are some examples of the limits that apply to personal importations of food products from the United States:

2 dozen eggs;
20 kilograms of dairy products not exceeding $20 in value (e.g. cheese and butter);
3 kilograms of margarine or butter substitutes; and
20 kilograms of edible meats and meat products, including turkey and chicken.
Within this limit on meat, the following restrictions apply:

a maximum of one whole turkey or 10 kilograms of turkey products;
a maximum of 10 kilograms of chicken; and
a maximum of 20 kilograms of edible meats and meat products from cattle, sheep, goats, bison and buffalo.

 

[Sprockie]

We also always pick up cereal - the big family size boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and other oh-so-healthy cereals this bad mom lets her kids eat are regularly less than $4 there, often on sale or with coupons for $2-3 instead of the $7+ here.

One comment on the milk - I find U.S. milk tastes a bit different and I don't like it. But I am very picky.

As for limits - from the CBSA website:

The following are some examples of the limits that apply to personal importations of food products from the United States:

2 dozen eggs;
20 kilograms of dairy products not exceeding $20 in value (e.g. cheese and butter);
3 kilograms of margarine or butter substitutes; and
20 kilograms of edible meats and meat products, including turkey and chicken.
Within this limit on meat, the following restrictions apply:

a maximum of one whole turkey or 10 kilograms of turkey products;
a maximum of 10 kilograms of chicken; and
a maximum of 20 kilograms of edible meats and meat products from cattle, sheep, goats, bison and buffalo.

The thing about the milk that makes me leery is that in Canada, dairy farmers must remove infected or sick cows from the milking herd or they will be in major trouble. In the U.S., cows that have an infection like mastitis (and may or may not be treated with antibiotics) are milked along with the rest and their milk is included in the milk shipment.

 

[boundfordisney]

The thing about the milk that makes me leery is that in Canada, dairy farmers must remove infected or sick cows from the milking herd or they will be in major trouble. In the U.S., cows that have an infection like mastitis (and may or may not be treated with antibiotics) are milked along with the rest and their milk is included in the milk shipment.

didnt know that thanks for the info

 

[boundfordisney]

we always shop at tops, like that they have 2 for 1 sales! we also always head over to shop before a holiday as we buy the honeysuckle white turkeys and they are around 79 cents a pound compared to our 199 a pound and the honeysuckle taste even better then any I have had here at home, never dried out dont know what they do to them but maybe I dont want to know lol

 

[iluveeyore]

I shop weekly over the border as we live in a border town (Fort Erie) - I have never been asked specifics of my groceries - I just say I have $xxx amount, that it's groceries, and they are more interested if I have alcohol or not. If you are near the airport, drive a block away (or one exit away if heading back out onto the interstate) to Transit road - there you will find Walmart SuperCenter, Target, Tops, Wegmans, Eastern Hills Mall, just about any store or restaurant you can think of on Transit Road. Cracker Barrel is our favourite! Target usually has the best deals on pop, sliced lunch meats and snack items, and then I get all my cheese, milk, butter, eggs, other meat at Walmart.

 

[archdandy]

I shop weekly over the border as we live in a border town (Fort Erie) - I have never been asked specifics of my groceries - I just say I have $xxx amount, that it's groceries, and they are more interested if I have alcohol or not. If you are near the airport, drive a block away (or one exit away if heading back out onto the interstate) to Transit road - there you will find Walmart SuperCenter, Target, Tops, Wegmans, Eastern Hills Mall, just about any store or restaurant you can think of on Transit Road. Cracker Barrel is our favourite! Target usually has the best deals on pop, sliced lunch meats and snack items, and then I get all my cheese, milk, butter, eggs, other meat at Walmart.

Thanks! I'll be sure to check out that street. It doesn't seem too far away from the airport!

 

[vacation_junkie]

The thing about the milk that makes me leery is that in Canada, dairy farmers must remove infected or sick cows from the milking herd or they will be in major trouble. In the U.S., cows that have an infection like mastitis (and may or may not be treated with antibiotics) are milked along with the rest and their milk is included in the milk shipment.

Their pasterization is not like ours, and alot of time its made with Hormone induced Milk solids from China.

If you look you can buy Hormone free...you just gotta check for it on the carton.
I buy little cartons or chocolate and white milk for my sons lunch .38 cents each instead of the .75 cents on his milk program at school. The little cartons state they are hormone free.

Cooked spiral hams are a great price over there too.

 

[M2B]

Cereal
Coffee
"Lunch snacks" (different kinds of bars etc. making sure they are nut free)
Yogurt -- specifically Yoplait flavors we can't get
Cigarettes (dh still smokes )
Alcohol
Coffee whitener. Wal Mart has White Chocolate Raspberry. Bailey's makes coffee whitener, too!

 

[archdandy]

Cereal
Coffee
"Lunch snacks" (different kinds of bars etc. making sure they are nut free)
Yogurt -- specifically Yoplait flavors we can't get
Cigarettes (dh still smokes )
Alcohol
Coffee whitener. Wal Mart has White Chocolate Raspberry. Bailey's makes coffee whitener, too!

What kinds of other Yoplait flavors do they have?

 

[M2B]

Key Lime Pie
Lemon Meringue Pie
Orange Cream


A few others that we brought back from Minot. A banana one but I can't remember the exact name. They have so many that we can't get in Canada!

 

[jeepwreck]

We go down every other week to do some shopping. My wife usually goes down more since her work schedule allows her to go during the week when it is less busy

We get allot down there everything but meat and veggies. We get those in Canada.

there are allot of good deals I find but then my wife also coupons so some times she will come home with 5 tooth paste but they work out to be .50$ each. She is not as bad as some of those people on TV but I can see where it can get out of hand easy

 

[jtdl]

I grocery shop in Michigan weekly and like someone else said, I have never been asked about specifics (limits). I shop at Kroger - if you go to the customer service desk and get their bonus card, there are great deals to be found. Bread is $1/loaf most times, sure beats the $3/loaf over here, shredded cheese, yogurt (for the variety), hormone free milk at $1.49/gallon, half and half cream $1.99 regular price - those are my staples over there. I never buy meat over there. I can usually come home with a trunk overflowing with bags for less than $100 whereas here in Canada I get 3 or 4 bags for $100!

 

[MamaLema]

I love cross-border grocery shopping

We always bring a car load of groceries. We usually go 4 times a year and bring back enough food for 4 months on staples such as cereal, butter, oatmeal, yogurt, snacks, etc. I usually buy a few turkeys. Butterball turkey is around $10 in USA, and $32 here at Food Basics.

I also love the Morningstar Brand of vegetarian food.

We shop at Walmart, and buy some organic/health food at Wegmans.