My experiences based on the stores I've been to:
- Superstore has shoddy produce and meat, but is by far the cheapest. Good place to pick up the non-perishables, spices and stuff.
- Safeway generally sucks all around and is expensive, but short line ups and they bag your groceries. I have one within walking distance so I buy odds and ends there or I buy a meal at a time. Even after the "savings" from the safeway card you will likely spend more than superstore for the exact same product.
- Co-op has by far the best produce and meat (at least the 2 I go to), but is extremely pricey.
- Costco is probably the best bang for your buck and mostly everything is high quality, but I find it extremely hard living alone to get through their meats and produce, but I buy almost all my non-perishables there. Whatever I can't get here I usually get a superstore. The membership isn't as bad as you think - when I lived with my ex-girlfriend, we always made back the $100 for the executive membership, now by myself I'm still credited back $50-$60 which is almost the same as if I were to get the regular membership.
- Sunterra is a rip-off, but I've found their meats very high quality as well. I lived by a Sunterra for quite a while and I only bought odds and ends there or I would by a steak at a time.
I've never shopped at Sobey's/IGA as I've never lived in an area with one nearby. Haven't done the specialty butcher thing either, but I've been told that is the way to go for meats.
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