Is Walmart food really that good.

[Planogirl]

I wonder how many of you criticizing the meat know that it has supposedly changed fairly recently? I still wasn't particularly impressed mostly because of the price but it's not the same (supposedly).

 

[ohiomom28]

Every steak we have tried has been excellent and my husband is very picky about meat. Produce...not so much. Simply put, it lacks flavor
But we love the steaks and burger

My Husband loves their steaks and he is picky too. We get the ones with black packaging.

 

[Fire14]

I've had good corn on cob from walmart but I think 98% of time I prefer other grocery chains. I have bought ground beef at walmart and found it to have more grease than others. I can't really speak for most other foods from there as I rarely buy food from there. I do buy shampoo, paper products, etc at walmart. I guess I just tend to buy more of my Food from other local chain, occasionally Kroger.

 

[LilyWDW]

I wonder how many of you criticizing the meat know that it has supposedly changed fairly recently? I still wasn't particularly impressed mostly because of the price but it's not the same (supposedly).

I have... and I am still not at all impressed. Did not find it to have much flavor still. It can not stand against my local grocery store (in house butcher), Fresh Market, or from the farms at the market. I refuse to waste my money on poor product.

 

[eliza61]

I wonder how many of you criticizing the meat know that it has supposedly changed fairly recently? I still wasn't particularly impressed mostly because of the price but it's not the same (supposedly).

that maybe a good point Plano but truthfully who does that?

If I go to your store and your product is lousy or mediocre, why would I keep buying it?

Unfortunately I'm the queen of "first impressions" If I get poor quality from an establishment once I may try it again, if it happens 2, 3 times it's going to be real hard for me to go back.

that happen to me with Kohl's. when my kids where younger I would shop there for their clothes because every one said the prices were good and the kohls cash made it better. Well the prices were good but the clothes would fall apart after 2 washing.
10 years later and I still do not go back into Kohls. once you lose my business it's hard for me to give it to you again.

 

[StephMK]

I will get canned or dry goods when the name brands are cheaper but I don't do most of our shopping there. We did not have good experiences with meat, milk or produce there tasting very good. We have other chains that are really good and get almost everything elsewhere.

 

[MIGrandma]

I've always been a Wal-Mart cheerleader, as some of you may know.

DD is a zone supervisor at our local Wal-Mart, and DH worked there (receiving department) for 3 years several years ago.

But. I agree on their meat and produce. I rarely buy meat there, only if I'm in a hurry and need chicken breasts. I don't buy theirs, but the Tyson brand, which is sold in many other grocery stores so I figure it's "more safe."

I am choosy about the produce, I sniff and poke and squeeze before I'll buy something. Potatoes and onions are usually fine, as are bananas and apples. Lately I've been buying blueberries and so far they have been fine. I check the clear plastic containers, turn them over and sideways making sure they all look good. I don't just grab a package, any old package, and toss it into the cart.

As far as boxed, canned, or other name brand things I feel they're fine. I do buy a lot of GV brand things too. And I've never had any problems with frozen foods.

Even at our local Spartan grocery store I have gotten inferior quality items, or things that were even spoiled (milk, chicken) and occasionally the expired item so I started watching expiration dates more often.

We're getting a Meijer's in 2014, they're starting to work on that now, so it will definitely be giving Wal-mart some competition. Their meat and produce is ten times better than Wal-Mart's.

 

[Fire14]

We're getting a Meijer's in 2014, they're starting to work on that now, so it will definitely be giving Wal-mart some competition. Their meat and produce is ten times better than Wal-Mart's.

Meijer is great and where I do 98% of my shopping for food. you will be happy to have Meijer, I'm shocked they aren't by you already as they started in MI.

 

[kydisneyfans]

Barely shop at Walmart at all.
Bought a pack of raspberries for $4.98(12 oz) about 2 months ago, opened them up and white fuzz was everywhere. Those went back. Since then both Meijer and Kroger have run raspberries for 1.00 or less for the 6 oz, both times I bought 10+ packages and they have lasted in the fridge all week. Both stores run milk at or under $2/gallon often, Walmart is 2.89.

It's hard to beat Meijer's 1.19 per pint of blueberries, cheaper and fresher.

I like Kroger for meat, Meijer for produce, and search the ads for whatever I need for the rest. Walmart is just another store I pass by on the way to shop at a good store.

 

[Squirlz]

I had an issue with Meijer one time. They had a good deal on Porterhouse "Family Packs" (3 or more) so I got a package of 3. The top one looked great. You'd expect to find 3 successive cuts right? No. The two hidden ones barely had any tenderloin portion at all.

I actually emailed corporate with a photo and the store manager called and said he would be retraining the meat department. He said I could get my money back too but I was fine with it. We get all our meat at Mert's.

 

[IDoDis]

I've always been a Wal-Mart cheerleader, as some of you may know.

DD is a zone supervisor at our local Wal-Mart, and DH worked there (receiving department) for 3 years several years ago.

But. I agree on their meat and produce. I rarely buy meat there, only if I'm in a hurry and need chicken breasts. I don't buy theirs, but the Tyson brand, which is sold in many other grocery stores so I figure it's "more safe."

I am choosy about the produce, I sniff and poke and squeeze before I'll buy something. Potatoes and onions are usually fine, as are bananas and apples. Lately I've been buying blueberries and so far they have been fine. I check the clear plastic containers, turn them over and sideways making sure they all look good. I don't just grab a package, any old package, and toss it into the cart.

As far as boxed, canned, or other name brand things I feel they're fine. I do buy a lot of GV brand things too. And I've never had any problems with frozen foods.

Even at our local Spartan grocery store I have gotten inferior quality items, or things that were even spoiled (milk, chicken) and occasionally the expired item so I started watching expiration dates more often.

We're getting a Meijer's in 2014, they're starting to work on that now, so it will definitely be giving Wal-mart some competition. Their meat and produce is ten times better than Wal-Mart's.

Tyson chicken is the worst! You must not have seen the documentary on the Tyson chicken houses. Disgusting! After you watch it, you may not ever want to eat Tyson chicken again. We don't.

Having said that, the steaks and roasts at Walmart are tough and fatty. I still buy meat there once in a while out of convenience, and my family can always tell. At the dinner table someone will undoubtedly say, "You bought this meat at Walmart, didn't you." I always get caught!

The produce is hit & miss. I have bought some of the best strawberries I've ever eaten at Walmart, but end up with mushy apples at times. I stay away from all produce and fresh veggies at Costco though. I have had to return so many things due to mold hat I just stopped buying it. It's awful!

 

[Princess_Nikki]

Yeah Tyson chicken is so gross, too. We do organic. I'm excited and lucky we have a Fresh Market nearby and lots of local farmers.

 

[anniemck]

Well gee, I have lived here in Clewiston, FL for 4 years now... actually moved here 4 years ago today. We have two options here in town for groceries... Walmart or Sav A Lot. Either way it is a 16 mile drive one way for me. Now to get to Winn Dixie it is 33 miles one way or Publix 52 miles one way.
Needless to say for 4 years other than maybe 3 or 4 times, all our groceries have come from Walmart... no one has had food poisoning or died yet from it. And our grocery bill is a lot lower than it was when I lived in the bigger town of Ft Lauderdale and was able to go shopping anywhere like Publix, Winn Dixie, Whole Foods or the like.

And yes, I buy ground beef, steaks, pork chops, chicken and all.

 

[anniemck]

Personal preference I guess, Many of their GV line are made by the same national companies that make the name brand versions, on the same line, using the same ingredients, just different packaging.*

We don't like the saline they add to meat, but we will buy Foster Farms chicken there because it's $3 a pound cheaper than at the grocery store. Produce, freshness can be an issue, but you look at the boxes and it from the same growers as the grocery store known for their produce.

*My dad used to work in a tomato cannery, and on more than one occasion he took friends who insisted that one brand of catsup was better than another on tours when they were bottling catsup. There was one huge cooker feeding catsup to 4 bottling lines, one had Heinz catsup coming off the line, one had Hunts, one had Del Monte, and one Sacramento Brand (the canneries brand).

I have done this in the past with cereal... buy the generic and put the bag in the rice crispies or cheerio's or whatever box, kids didn't know the difference, neither did the husband. Often times people get hung up on BRAND names... heck the only chip brand my aunt likes is golden flake, well guess what publix chips are... she was shocked when that was realized. I did work for publix for a few years back in the 90's and we learned a lot of the product was packaged at the same facility just in their own bag. Just like the Catsup story above.

 

[ironpig70]

Seeing how they buy their meat and produce from the same folks at the upper end stores I'd say yes its on par with any other store.

Now if you are buying straight from a farmer than their is no comparison.


I try and avoid getting non seasonal foods from the big markets. Peaches in December while great mostly taste like cardboard. Way to hard to pick and ship and get here ripe. Now come summer its the best thing.

 

[Pooh Girl 71]

It always surprises me when I see so much Wal Mart hate yet they are a booming business.

 

[Bob NC]

It always surprises me when I see so much Wal Mart hate yet they are a booming business.

McDonalds is a booming business too, but I don't eat there.

 

[geezeressa]

I NEVER buy meat at walmart. There is no butcher available and the meat looks old and poorly cut. The nearest walmart to my home is unreliable in terms of stocking their shelves. I stopped buying produce there because it is often old, has a musty taste, or just plain rotten. I buy only name brand (not house brands-check the labels) sealed packages. I would never use their pharmacy. I just don't trust them!

Also, lately our other big box stores are beating walmart's prices!!!

 

[bettymae1121]

Best meat I've ever had is from a (relatively) local farm. All pasture raised. I can't go back to supermarket meats (Wal-Mart, Jewel, Meijer, whoever) now, I've ruined myself.

So I drop $500 2x a year on bulk purchases and store it in my standup freezer in the garage. I get six months worth of hamburger, steaks, roasts, short ribs, stew meat, pork chops, breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, bratwurst, bacon, and boneless/skinless chicken thighs.

It sounds like a lot, but it breaks down to $19.25 a week for meats. I bet if you look at most grocery receipts, a lot of American spend roughly the same.

 

[MIGrandma]

I would never use their pharmacy. I just don't trust them!

I was reading through this thread and was going to respond...and then I saw that I did already...a year ago!!

But had to respond to the PP's statement about the pharmacy. We've used their pharmacy for years and have only had one problem in all that time. My name was on the outside of the bag, but someone else's medication was inside the bag. Went back inside and they corrected it, no problem. That sort of thing could happen at any pharmacy when humans are working, they do make mistakes.

We get all but one of our prescriptions there. Metformin they raised their price by a lot so I called around and instead of $68 for a 1-month supply at Wal-Mart, I can go to Rite-Aid and get THREE months for $18.99 total! I asked the Wal-Mart pharmacist about it and he said he couldn't get me a lower price, so I went with Rite-Aid for that one.