Honestly, I’m just grateful that I can fill up a cart without feeling like I need to take out a loan. Aldi keeps me guessing with their mystery aisle treasures, Walmart always comes through in a pinch, and the warehouse store makes me feel like I’m stocking up for the apocalypse. It may not be Instagram-worthy like a Trader Joe’s haul, but I walk out with food that tastes good, fills me up, and doesn’t leave my wallet in tears. At the end of the day, laughter, full bellies, and a stocked pantry beat fancy labels any time.

I don’t live in a nice enough part of town to shop at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. I have slum it and make do with what I have available. I typically only shop at three stores. Aldi, Walmart, and some sort of big box warehouse store. Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of Whole Foods, but don’t feel it warrants the price for the food. The human bodies digestion system is pretty amazing and I don’t think it matters how much the food costs. Organic doesn’t mean that much to me and if it only takes a few extra years away from my life, I’m OK with that.