I went grocery shopping at Walmart for the first time and saved almost 50% on my food bill

the exterior of walmart; the chip aisle in a walmart

I found shopping at Walmart is much cheaper.
Frank Olito/Insider
  • I shopped at Walmart for my groceries for the first time.
  • I found really great deals on oatmeal, mixed nuts, coffee, and cookies.
  • Although Walmart didn't have everything I needed, I did save almost 50% of my weekly food bill.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Although I'm a frequent Whole Foods and Stop & Shop customer, I've often wondered what it would be like to shop for groceries at Walmart.

I love shopping at Stop and Shop.
Frank Olito/Insider

Each week I buy groceries from Whole Foods on Amazon or Stop & Shop on Instacart, and both of these services deliver my groceries straight to my door in Brooklyn. My weekly budget for groceries is $100, and I typically spend close to that limit because of the high prices and delivery charges.

But for the past few months, I've been wondering what it would be like to grocery shop at Walmart where prices are significantly cheaper. I decided to take a trip outside New York City to visit a Walmart since there are none within the city.

I headed to a Walmart up in the Hudson Valley.

Walmart.
Frank Olito/Insider

I took a $20 Metro-North ride to my mom's house in the Hudson Valley, and she drove me to the Walmart located in Mohegan Lake, New York. I instantly noticed how much of an effort it would be for someone like me who lives in a city to buy from Walmart every week, especially because they can't even deliver to me.

I found the grocery section all the way in the back of the store.

The grocery aisles.
Frank Olito/Insider

Upon entering, I was surprised to learn that the grocery section was tucked away in a far corner. I had to walk through the clothing, toiletries, pharmacy, and home-goods sections before finally finding the signs that read "Grocery."

The first thing I noticed was how large the aisles were in this section.

The aisles were wide.
Frank Olito/Insider

The grocery section was surprisingly small, with only eight aisles of food. However, the aisles were wide, allowing for multiple people to shop at one time. It was also great for keeping socially distant while shopping.

The section was also plastered with signs that advertised discounts and cheap prices.

The aisles were filled with discount signs.
Frank Olito/Insider

On this aisle, the signs were advertising large bags of candy for less than $10.

More notably, I was surprised by how empty some of the shelves were.

Some shelves were empty.
Frank Olito/Insider

Some shelves were completely stocked, but others only had one or two items in stock.

The first item I picked up was oatmeal, and the low price shocked me.

The oatmeal was cheap.
Frank Olito/Insider

Normally, I pay between $4 and $5 for a box of eight oatmeal packets from my nearest Stop & Shop. At Walmart, it cost $5.12 for a pack of 20. That means I was able to buy double the amount of oatmeal for the same price.

A container of mixed nuts was half the price of what I usually pay.

Nuts were cheaper too.
Frank Olito/Insider

At Stop & Shop, I typically pay $6 to $8 for a container of mixed nuts. At Walmart, it cost just $4 and some change.

Starbucks coffee was a few dollars cheaper at Walmart, too.

Cheap Starbucks coffee.
Frank Olito/Insider

I was impressed Walmart carried the brand, but the pricing is what really surprised me. For a small package of Starbucks' house blend at Stop & Shop, it costs around $9 to $12 depending on the size. Walmart sells the same brand for $4 to $10.

The snack section also had some pretty great deals.

The snack section's discounts.
Frank Olito/Insider

The snack section is my favorite in a grocery store, and these prices made it even better. For example, a party-size box of Oreos costs $7 at Stop & Shop, but at Walmart, it cost just $4 and change.

Although there were a lot of great deals, the grocery section at Walmart didn't have many of the items I like.

The store didn't have everything I needed.
Frank Olito/Insider

As a picky eater, I only like certain brands. For example, the Walmart I visited had limited organic foods and didn't carry some brands that I wanted, so I had to look elsewhere.

I also didn't see produce or fresh meats in the store, so I assumed they didn't sell them. But it was only after my shopping that I realized the store does in fact carry these items.

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