• The Too Good To Go app aims to help consumers save money and reduce food waste.
• I tried it for a week to see how much I could save.
• I found it was most useful for fresh produce, but the pastries weren't always great.

Everything is expensive right now. It's rare that I ever leave the grocery store having spent less than I wanted to.

I've heard of apps like Too Good To Go, which sell surplus food at a discount, but never gone much further than signing up.

To test it out, I spent a week in early December only buying food from the app. I wanted to see if it was a viable way of saving money, sticking to a budget, and learning to be a bit more flexible with my cooking.

I also want to be more mindful about the groceries I buy and, unfortunately, sometimes waste.

Too Good To Go's CEO, Mette Lykke, told me in a recent interview that the app now operates in 19 countries across North America, Europe, and Australia, and covers 170,000 stores.

Lykke said the company hopes to inspire people "to make that the first step in a journey toward having a more responsible relationship with food."

"If we look at the state of the planet and the climate crisis, then it's pretty clear that something needs to change," Lykke said.

It was fun trying out new places in my city, London. While the pastries I received were hit-and-miss, the fresh produce from local stores was a real highlight.

Monday

Monday was largely spent figuring out the platform. I found that its map feature was the best way to find local cafés and stores.

I saw that an expensive café on my local high street offered pastries, so I opted for that — £3.90 ($4.95) for a blueberry muffin, chocolate chip cookie, and slice of banana bread.

After the sugar rush I was still hungry, so I chose a bag of sandwiches and pastries from my local Costa Coffee for £3.50 ($4.44).

I got a slightly stale pan au raisin and two sandwiches — one seasonal turkey feast, and a BLT which my boyfriend took for lunch the next day.

In total, I spent £7.40 ($9.39) on items worth at least £22.90 ($29.08), so the week was off to a good start.

Tuesday

On Tuesday, I switched things up by trying out fresh produce from a couple of local stores. They offered "surprise bags" of groceries for £4 ($5.08) each.

While I was slightly overwhelmed with what to do with it all, it was an absolute hit with my boyfriend, who is always thrilled to be met with a culinary challenge.

One of the bags had Padron peppers, garlic, tomatoes, mushrooms, radishes, and beets. I also received three packets of pita bread, a sourdough baguette, a fruit bar, some buttermilk, and fresh herbs.

The multivitamin patches were a curveball, which I have to admit I didn't try.

In the other bag, I got a melon, some Greek yogurt, lettuce, butter, rainbow chard, and sausages.

The sausages went in the freezer, but almost everything else was used to make a pasta sauce, roasted peppers, sauteed mushrooms, buttermilk pancakes, and basil oil. The beets got pickled.

The only thing we ended up having to waste was the watercress, which was already looking past its best.

In total, I spent £8 ($10.16) on items worth at least £24 ($30.48).

Wednesday

Tuesday's groceries went further than expected, so I bought another pastry bag to satisfy my snackiness during the day.

I'm not convinced the sourdough loaf and pastel de nata (which I squashed) I got for £4.09 ($5.19) truly had a full sale value of £12 ($15.24), but they were both pretty good.

The server recommended putting the loaf in the freezer and toasting the slices, which was a great tip that lasted me the rest of the week.

Thursday

I knew I was out for dinner with friends on Thursday so I picked up some Starbucks pastries on the way. This was the biggest letdown of the experiment.

Throughout the week, I realized that several cafés don't offer anything until quite late in the day, by which time the food has been sitting out for hours. This makes sense from their perspective, but it does mean that some of the food isn't at its best.

But for £2.50 ($3.18), a muffin, cookie, cinnamon bun, and cheese stick is certainly better than nothing.

In total, I spent £2.50 ($3.18) on items worth at least £7.50 ($9.52).

Friday

I'd been eyeing up a nearby Bangladeshi restaurant all week, so knowing I had a night in alone on Friday, I went for the £4.09 ($5.19) curry bag they were offering.

I got a few bhajis, some chicken and rice, two veggie curries, more rice, some okra, and what I thought was probably cabbage.

It was all good and spicy, though the bhajis were slightly stale.

In total, I spent £4.09 ($5.19) on items worth at least £12 ($15.24).

The results

For the whole week, I spent £26.08 ($33.11) on £78.40 ($99.54) worth of food.

Not every bag felt like amazing value. But some, especially the grocery bags, were genuinely impressive.

The experience taught me a lot about how to be flexible. I'm now committed to focusing less on "use by" dates on food and sticking to the safety assessment Lykke taught me — "look, smell, taste, don't waste" — before throwing things out.

My advice for anyone downloading Too Good To Go is to use it with foresight. The app is great for saving money for those on a strict budget who are OK with some compromises.

Too Good To Go is available in huge stores in the UK (such as Asda) and the US (including Whole Foods), so there are plenty of places to try.

Lykke told me the nice thing about Too Good To Go is you don't have to give anything up, and she's right. From a quick scan of my area, there is bubble tea, ice cream, Turkish food, burgers, doughnuts, and more. You don't get to choose exactly what you want, but as long as you don't mind a bit of a surprise, it's worth a try,

"You actually get good food, it's a good deal, and you do something good," Lykke said. "It's win-win for businesses, for consumers, and for the planet."

• I'm a loyal Aldi shopper, but I wanted to see how its holiday groceries compared to Trader Joe's.
• I found plenty of sweet treats and snacks at both stores, and Aldi's prices were great.
• However, when it came to a festive atmosphere, Trader Joe's blew it out of the water.

Every winter, Aldi and Trader Joe's roll out an array of seasonal groceries that get shoppers (myself included) excited for the season.

Aldi is usually my go-to grocery store, but I love stocking up on festive snacks and treats, so I decided to visit both to compare their prices, variety, and overall atmosphere.

Although both chains had seasonal items on display, only one truly delivered the holiday spirit.

The Aldi Finds section was packed with holiday treats.

The Aldi Finds section of the store has a variety of specialty items year-round, and it didn't disappoint this holiday season.

The section was filled with everything from desserts and snacks to holiday-themed party favors.

One standout was the gingerbread kit, a classic activity during the holidays. Priced at $8.50, it included prebaked gingerbread, icing, and assorted candies for decorating.

Trader Joe's sprinkled holiday cheer throughout the store.

Unlike Aldi, Trader Joe's didn't confine its seasonal items to one section. Festive snacks and treats were scattered throughout the store, adding little pops of cheer as I walked the aisles.

However, each item was clearly marked as a holiday special, so they were still easy to find.

I saw that Trader Joe's had its own take on a gingerbread-house kit. It was similarly priced at $9.

I spotted panettone, the Italian holiday cake, at Aldi.

If you're looking for a classic Italian treat this holiday season, Aldi has a 26.5-ounce panettone for $6.

The store had a chocolate-chip panettone as well as a more traditional version of the cake with dried fruit.

Luckily, Trader Joe's had the classic Italian dessert, too.

Trader Joe's had a traditional panettone for sale through its Trader Giotto's line.

The 26.5-ounce cake was a dollar more here at $7, and I only saw one flavor option.

There was no shortage of cheerful snacks at Aldi.

Both stores offered unique seasonal snacks, but Aldi's peppermint kettle corn caught my eye.

I'd never seen this flavor before, so I was definitely interested in trying it out, especially since the big bag was only $4.

Trader Joe's also stepped up its snack game.

Trader Joe's seasonal snacks were fairly similar in price to Aldi's.

I liked the festive twist of the $4 spiced cranberry granola. It was refreshing to see a less common holiday flavor profile.

Aldi's holiday-themed beverages were affordable.

When it came to beverages, Aldi impressed me with its range of holiday-themed coffee creamers.

I saw peppermint-bark creamer for $2.70, and the almond-milk-based peppermint-mocha creamer was the same price.

Trader Joe's options, on the other hand, seemed a little more fun.

Over at Trader Joe's, the standout festive drink was its hot-cocoa polar bear.

The $2.50 chocolate bear melts into warm milk to make a tasty mug of cocoa. I think these kinds of items make great stocking stuffers or smaller gifts, especially for families with kids.

Overall, I think Trader Joe's brought the most cheer.

If you're looking to save money on holiday treats, Aldi might be a safer bet. It had a nice variety, and its prices were pretty great — I expected as much from the budget grocer.

However, if you want an overall festive shopping experience, I suggest heading to Trader Joe's. The store really impressed me with its range of unique seasonal offerings.

I'll likely be back to both stores as the season unfolds, but for now, Trader Joe's put me in the Christmas spirit just a bit more.

• I almost always get my weekly groceries at Aldi, and I've learned some money-saving tips.
• The budget grocer already has pretty good prices, but there are usually weekly deals.
• I try to avoid looking through the Aldi Finds aisle and stick to the perimeter of the store.

My fiancée and I shop on a budget, and we're dedicated to Aldi.

The grocery chain already offers great prices, but we've begun doing a few things there to stretch our dollar even further.

Here's how we save money shopping for groceries at Aldi.

We use the weekly circular — it's usually at the front entrance.

One of the first things we do when we walk into Aldi is grab the weekly circular, which is usually stationed on a rack right by the main entrance.

The ads showcase Aldi's current deals, so it's a great guide for anyone looking to save.

When we focus on these discounted items, I also find we get less sidetracked by flashy deals on products we didn't intend to buy.

An empty produce box helps us carry our groceries for free.

Aldi has a bring-your-own-bag policy, so they're not free at the register. Instead of buying them, we usually grab a large, empty produce box from the shelves.

Most Aldi stores have a section where you can find these boxes in a bin with recyclables, so it's pretty easy.

You can obviously just bring your own reusable bags, but we've found that the box is an even better solution for us.

It's much easier to pop one box in the trunk of our car and carry it into the house in a single trip. Once we're home, we reuse the box for storage or recycle it.

We avoid Aldi's premade meals and heat-and-eat dinners.

We tend to avoid premade meals, heat-and-eat dinners, and specialty deli items like dips and cheeses.

Although they're convenient, they tend to be significantly more expensive per serving than cooking something from scratch. Instead, we stick to Aldi's staple ingredients, like fresh produce, canned beans, tortillas, and chicken.

By focusing on these core items, we've created a weekly meal plan that's cost-effective and healthy for our lifestyle.

Although the Aldi Finds are tempting, we try to avoid them.

The Aldi Finds aisle typically features unique items, seasonal treats, and specialty goods that aren't part of the store's regular inventory.

All the signage might make shoppers feel like they're getting some sort of deal, I think the aisle can be a trap for impulse buys.

Sometimes, we find hidden gems in the aisle, but Aldi Finds are usually not essential to our weekly shopping list — and looking through them can just lead to us spending more money.

We usually skip this aisle entirely so we're not tempted.

We stick to the perimeter of the store.

It may sound simple, but shopping around the perimeter of the store helps us stick to our budget.

In most Aldi locations, the more basic essentials, like produce, dairy, and meats, are located around the outer edges of the store.

In contrast, the center aisles usually have Aldi Finds, holiday items, household goods, snacks, and other products that are more likely to encourage impulse purchases.

When we shop, we literally snake our way around the perimeter, only detouring into the aisles when we need something on our list. It keeps our shopping trip efficient and minimizes our exposure to nonessential items.

• I'm a dietitian who follows the Mediterranean diet, and I shop for pantry staples at Costco.
• Costco is my go-to spot for pistachios, salad kits, riced cauliflower, and olive oil.
• I also really enjoyed some of its seasonal products this year, like churro-flavored ground coffee.

As a dietitian, I'm dedicated to the Mediterranean diet — a way of eating that highlights wholesome grains, fats, proteins, and produce and avoids processed foods and refined sugars.

Costco is home to bulk bargains and oversized shopping carts that nearly require a license to navigate, but it also happens to be filled with Mediterranean-friendly treasures.

Here are my favorite grocery finds of 2024.

I don't drink much soda, but I love Olipop

Soda isn't a staple on the Mediterranean diet, but I enjoy it occasionally.

Olipop prebiotic soda allows me to indulge while packing up to 9 grams of fiber per can. It also has far less sugar than regular sodas.

Costco sells single-flavor bulk packs, but I like to snag the 24-can variety pack when it's available.

Pom Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice is a fun winter treat

When the weather gets cooler, I love having pomegranate juice on hand for festive holiday mocktails (the natural red hue elevates any concoction beautifully).

Plus, Pom Wonderful just uses whole-pressed pomegranates — no added sugars or fillers.

The organic Mediterranean-crunch salad kit from Taylor Farms is a staple

On busy weeknights, salad kits are a go-to for easy meal prep.

This Mediterranean-crunch kit from Taylor Farms is packed with a variety of veggies and feta cheese. I like to add some pistachios or cooked fish for extra protein.

I still keep an eye out for my favorite seasonal flavor of Copper Cow Coffee

At the beginning of the year, my local Costco had Copper Cow Coffee's churro flavor, and I still keep an eye out for if it'll return to shelves.

The Vietnamese coffee is made with a blend of robusta and arabica coffee beans and fresh ground cinnamon for a warming cup with a touch of spice.

I still snag regular-sized bags of the flavor at other stores, but the 2-pound bags at Costco were a convenient find. I hope to see them again in 2025.

I buy Purely Frozen organic riced cauliflower for my smoothies

The huge bags of Purely Frozen organic riced cauliflower at Costco are a good value for me.

I add some of it to all of my weekday smoothies to stay consistent with my veggie intake each morning.

Wonderful Pistachios are my go-to snack

Plant-based proteins are a big component of the Mediterranean diet, and pistachios are a complete source — meaning they provide all of the essential amino acids.

Costco sells big bags of Wonderful Pistachios' salt-and-pepper-flavored nuts.

They're a no-brainer at snack time, or anytime I want to add some more nutrients to a meal.

I'm glad I came across the Savannah Bee Company honey trio

Honey is a natural source of antioxidants, and it's delicious.

I came across the Savannah Bee Company three-pack at Costco, which offers acacia honey, raw honeycomb, and orange-blossom honey.

I like to mix and match flavors depending on the dish I'm preparing.

JohnnyPops organic sunrise pops were great in the summer

Dietitians need treats, too.

This summer, my local Costco sold JohnnyPops frozen fruit pops, which are made with simple ingredients (minimally processed) and taste really good.

Plus, since they're individually wrapped, they're great for portion control.

I'm definitely keeping my eye out for them next summer.

I'm a big fan of the Kirkland 100% Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

I go through a lot of olive oil as it's a staple of the Mediterranean diet.

Although I don't have a favorite variety, per se, I'm partial to Spanish olive oil because of its fruity, nutty, and peppery notes.

The Kirkland Spanish olive oil is cold-extracted and comes in a dark bottle, which should help preserve its quality (and flavor) over time.

The Seeds of Change organic quinoa and brown rice pouches are lifesavers

I like to keep Seeds of Change's organic quinoa and brown rice pouches on hand. They help me get a whole grain (another Mediterranean-diet staple) on the dinner table in 90 seconds.

Although I prefer making brown rice and quinoa the old-fashioned way, precooked grains make life a little easier on busy nights.

Click to keep reading Costco diaries like this one.

• This month, Aldi is stocking shelves with plenty of festive treats and cozy comfort foods.
• Easy meals like a loaded-potato pizza and beer-cheese ravioli are sure to become family favorites.
• The Specially Selected flavored marshmallows are the perfect way to elevate a cup of hot cocoa.

The winter holidays are just around the corner, and with them comes a new slate of fun and festive goodies at Aldi.

From quick dinner options to gift-worthy treats, there are plenty of delicious items to get you through the cold and busy holiday season.

Here are the best specialty items to buy at Aldi this month, each ringing up for $5 or less.

Clancy's mistletoe-mix or pretzel gift boxes make the perfect sweet treat.

Whether you're looking for a gift for a friend or a little treat to get you through the holiday season, these snack gift boxes are sure to be a hit.

Choose from chocolate-and-caramel-covered pretzels or the mistletoe mix, which includes sweets like chocolate-coated pretzels and candies. Each gift box costs $4.

Upgrade your hot cocoa with the Specially Selected flavored marshmallows.

It may be too chilly to roast marshmallows over a firepit, but you can still spruce up your hot cocoa or coffee with these flavored marshmallows coming to Aldi in early December.

Try the vanilla-bean or cinnamon-churro flavors for just $3.50 per bag.

Get creative with the new Specially Selected cinnamon-bun or gingerbread-caramel spreads.

The new Specially Selected sweet spreads would be great on anything from pancakes and French toast to fruit.

The spread comes in two unique flavors: cinnamon bun or gingerbread caramel. Stock up on your favorite flavor, or try both for $2.80 per jar.

Indulge in the Bake Shop gingerbread cookie sandwiches.

If you love gingerbread, you'll want to grab these Bake Shop cookie sandwiches at Aldi this month.

Each sandwich features two soft, chewy gingerbread cookies and a gooey cream-cheese filling.

Each container of 12 cookies is available for $4.80.

Add holiday cheer to your charcuterie boards with the Emporium Selection festive cheeses.

Aldi is known for its unique cheese selection, and during the winter holidays, there's no shortage of festive options for charcuterie spreads.

This month, shoppers will find a tree-shaped whiskey cheddar, a star-shaped mature cheddar, a sweater-shaped cheddar with black pepper, and a snowman-shaped cheddar with caramelized onion, each for just $4.30.

Save big on Specially Selected wagyu ground beef.

Starting in early December, Aldi will be selling 16-ounce packs of high-quality wagyu ground beef for $5 each. Consider stocking up before they're gone.

Enjoy a quick, bistro-style meal with the Specially Selected flatbreads.

December is a busy time of year for many people. So, if you're looking for quick lunch or dinner options, check out the new Specially Selected flatbreads at Aldi.

Choose from spinach crème fraîche or mushroom for just $5 each.

The new Sundae Shoppe ice-cream sandwiches put a festive twist on a classic dessert.

If you believe it's never too cold for ice cream, these new festive Sundae Shoppe ice-cream sandwiches are for you. Starting in mid-December, Aldi's freezer section will have them in peppermint-shortbread and gingerbread flavors.

Grab one or both for $3.50 each.

Try one of the Emporium Selection holiday-inspired goat cheeses.

No charcuterie board is complete without goat cheese, and luckily, Aldi will have two new options available this month.

Choose from gingerbread- or sweet-cranberry-stuffing-flavored goat cheese for $2.50 each.

Don't forget to add Specially Selected alcohol-infused cheddars to your holiday spread.

This month, Aldi is carrying new alcohol-infused cheddar cheeses.

Options include a petite-sirah-infused cheddar, an espresso martini-steeped cheddar, or a craft-beer-soaked cheddar, each for only $4.50.

Make the perfect comfort meal with Priano beer-cheese ravioli.

Winter is all about comfort, and that's exactly what the beer-cheese-stuffed ravioli by Priano provides. Try a bag for only $4.

The new Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen loaded-potato pizza is great for busy households.

It's not all gingerbread and peppermint at the grocery store this month. Busy households will also find these convenient loaded-potato pizzas by the Aldi fan-favorite brand Mama Cozzi's Pizza Kitchen.

Each pizza features a cheesy sauce, roasted potatoes, crispy bacon, and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, all for just $5 per pizza.

Bring the Simply Nature cauliflower tortilla chips to your next gathering.

If you're looking for a snack to please everyone at your next holiday party, grab a bag of these cauliflower-based tortilla chips for only $3.

Available in sea-salt or nacho flavors, these chips are gluten-free, vegan, and grain-free, making them a good option for many different dietary needs.

• Shoppers are still buying store brands at the grocery store and beyond to save money.
• Private-label options remain popular even as inflation has slowed.
• Retailers from Walmart to Amazon Fresh have launched new store brands this year.

Shoppers are still reaching for store-brand items to save money on everything from organic milk to business casual clothing — even as inflation slows.

Food inflation hit 1% in October, according to federal data. While that represents a slowdown from the peak rate of over 10% in 2022, shoppers are still spending historically high shares of their budgets on food.

For many, one solution has been buying more store-brand items to save money instead of choosing big-name brands produced by the likes of Unilever, Procter & Gamble, and many others. Walmart reported earlier this month that the number of customers who purchased its store-brand products grew during the company's third quarter.

Other major retailers have launched new own brands this year. Amazon launched Amazon Saver, a brand meant to "help grocery budgets go further," the company said in September.

Walmart said this spring that it would launch Bettergoods, a new store-brand line that includes organic milk and plant-based shredded mozzarella. The goal is to expand the number of "trendy, health-conscious offerings" among Walmart's own brands, CFO John Rainey said in June.

The expansion isn't just limited to food. In February, Target said it would launch Dealworthy, a store brand for non-food items, including electronics and toiletries, with most priced under $10.

Meanwhile, Nordstrom had "double-digit" sales growth for its own-brand clothing during its third quarter across both its department stores and Nordstrom Rack, its off-price chain, the company said on Tuesday. Nordstrom's own-brand products carry "lower price points that oftentimes are more attractive to the young customers," President and Chief Brand Officer Peter Nordstrom said on an earnings call.

Sales of store-brand groceries — or "private-label" items, as they are known in the grocery industry — rose 6.3% in value to $216.8 billion in the US in 2023, according to Circana.

Circana said store brands made up 25.5% of grocery items sold in 2023, up from 24.7% the previous year.

Over the last few years, discount grocery chain Aldi has attracted some customers looking for low food prices. Studies of Aldi's prices regularly find that its prices undercut rivals, including Walmart.

One of the main reasons is that the chain sources 90% of everything at its stores from its own brands, Scott Patton, a vice president of national buying and customer interaction at Aldi USA, told Business Insider in an interview. Using private brands gives Aldi more say in setting prices than it would with national brands, Patton said.

Aldi quality tests 35,000 products a year for its store brands, Patton said. Many of the items that make it to the shelves at Aldi don't look much like own brands, though. One of the retailer's best-selling items is its Choceur dark chocolate, which comes in a pack of five bars for just over $2, Patton said. "You might even not know it's a store brand," he said.

In the past, many customers viewed own brands as cheap — both in terms of price and quality. But Patton said Aldi views its own brands as a chance to win over budget-conscious customers.

"We are not going to skip on quality just to get a lower price, period," Patton added.

Do you work in the grocery industry and have a story idea to share? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected]

• I'm a private chef, and I buy all of my family's weekly staples at Trader Joe's for about $60.
• I took that same budget to Whole Foods to see how the grocer compared.
• I wasn't able to get nearly as much at Whole Foods, so I'll stick to Trader Joe's.

As a private chef, I get Whole Foods delivered for my clients a lot. But the total can often seem too high, so I've stayed away from shopping there for my family of three.

Plus, there's a Trader Joe's just down the street from me, and I can get all our weekly staples for about $60.

After seeing and hearing about the interesting, high-quality brands Whole Foods carries, however, my curiosity got the best of me.

I decided to take my Trader Joe's budget to Whole Foods. Here's a dollar-by-dollar breakdown from my trip.

Milk: $4.39

I always get milk for the house, and no matter where I shop, it has to be organic.

A half-gallon carton was $4.39 at Whole Foods, which isn't too far off from the $4.29 I usually spend at Trader Joe's.

Mandarin oranges: $4.99

Some sort of fruit makes it into my basket on every grocery trip, and when the weather cools off, it's usually citrus.

A bag of mandarins at Whole Foods cost a whopping $6.49, but luckily, I got it on sale for $4.99.

Unfortunately, that's still quite a bit more than the $3.49 bags I usually get at Trader Joe's. I balked at the $3 difference of the regularly priced oranges.

Avocados: $4.99

Avocados go quickly in my house, which is tough because they can be pricey.

At Trader Joe's, a bag of six organic avocados costs me $4.49, or about $0.75 apiece. At Whole Foods, however, they were $4.99 for four, or $1.25 each.

I can't justify that price difference, especially considering that the fruit tends to go bad quickly, making it hard to use it all up.

Seaweed packs: $2.99

Seaweed packs are an essential part of our snack arsenal.

I get individual packs for $0.99 at Trader Joe's, so I was shocked to see the same-sized packs go for $2.99 at Whole Foods.

Gluten-free pasta: $3.19

I like buying the 1-pound bags of organic brown rice and quinoa fusilli at Trader Joe's for $3.49. They're a great gluten-free starch option for any given week.

The only gluten-free pasta option I found at Whole Foods was a half-pound box of organic chickpea shells for $3.19. That's almost double the price I pay at Trader Joe's.

Truffle cheese: $8.51

I love picking up a block of cheese for the week for snacking, grilled-cheese sandwiches, and eggs.

My block of choice is the Trader Joe's store-brand truffle cheese. It comes from Italy, isn't too truffley, and costs $13.99 a pound.

I found a similar store-brand truffle option at Whole Foods. Though the block I picked up was similarly priced to what I tend to get at Trader Joe's, this one went for $22.99 a pound, so it was quite a bit smaller than I'm used to.

Plus, I like the taste of the Trader Joe's brand more.

Tofu: $2.29

I make stir-fried tofu at least once a week. It's a reliable protein source I know the whole family will eat.

A block of Whole Foods organic firm tofu cost me $2.29 — a jump from the $1.99 pack I typically get at Trader Joe's.

Chicken tenders: $11.99

I buy breaded chicken cutlets when I don't have time to prepare them at home. It's easy to crisp them up in my air fryer for lunchboxes and salads, so I'm happy to spend $8.99 for nearly 2 pounds of frozen tenders at Trader Joe's.

At Whole Foods, all I could find was a less-than-1-pound bag for $11.99.

It was a name-brand offering made with a cauliflower coating, so I'm not that surprised it was pricier than a standard store-brand option. I also enjoyed that it was gluten-free, and the meat was a little juicier than my usual Trader Joe's bag.

Still, I'm not sure I'd spend that much again.

Garbanzo beans: $1.39

Garbanzo beans are another trusted source of protein in my house — my daughter will eat them just rinsed out of the can. I also like to get them crispy in a pan with seasonings and some oil.

The $1.39 can of organic chickpeas at Whole Foods was more expensive than I expected, especially since I get the same thing for $1.09 at Trader Joe's.

Tortillas: $4.59

I like having tortillas on hand so I can quickly make cheese quesadillas or breakfast tacos.

Trader Joe's sells a store-brand pack of eight tortillas for $1.99, or $0.24 a tortilla.

The 10-pack I found at Whole Foods from the Vista Hermosa brand was staggeringly more expensive at $4.59, or about $2 apiece. But the quality of the name-brand bag was noticeably better, and I'd buy them again if I had room to splurge.

Butter: $7.39

I stock up on butter each week because I love baking and spreading it on toast.

A pound of unsalted organic was $6.29 at Trader Joe's and $7.39 at Whole Foods. I found them to taste virtually the same, so the $1.10 difference isn't worth it for me.

Cucumbers: $2.99

Mini cucumbers are another must-have in our fridge. My daughter loves snacking on them, and I like them as an addition to any meal.

At Trader Joe's, a pack is usually $2.49, and the same size pack at Whole Foods was $2.99.

The $0.50 jump isn't that much, but again, Whole Foods' consistently higher prices add up.

I'll stick to shopping at Trader Joe's.

I couldn't help chuckling as I walked out of Whole Foods with my $60 haul — the price differences were that staggering.

The same list of groceries would cost me only $48 at Trader Joe's, and I would've been able to grab the frozen dumplings and chocolate-covered pretzels I like without breaking my budget (those items at Whole Foods were too expensive for me to include on this trip).

Plus, that price difference doesn't even take value into account. I got considerably less food at Whole Foods, largely because many of my items cost more for noticeably less product.

To be fair, some basic items were fairly close in price, and this was ultimately only comparing one list on one specific shopping trip. The things you buy every week may be a different story.

There are even a couple of higher-quality items I'd go back to Whole Foods for every once in a while. For a casual essentials run, however, Trader Joe's is still much more economical for my family.