If you've found your way here, chances are you're trying to figure out how to lower your grocery bill in Israel.
I'm going to try to share some helpful tips and tricks!
I live in a small town and we don't have lots of options for supermarkets. We have the following stores within walking distance of our house:
Machsanei HaShuk (not a huge one)
3 Makolets (2 are owned by the same person)
1 Fruit and Vegetable Store
(and several "Russian Makolets" I don't go to)
We have the option of driving a few minutes to a Shufersal
And we have the option of ordering groceries online from Shufersal or Rami Levy.
I've discovered that the way I spend the least money is by maximizing my ability to do small shops on the different sale days at our local stores, OR by buying from Rami Levy online once in while, especially if I can snag a free delivery deal (they have them every so often)!
Here's the thing I discovered today, when I went to Machsanei HaShuk for their Tuesday Dairy Sales (I only sometimes buy their Tuesday Meat Sales - depends if they're good enough!) - I walked thru the produce section, which I often ignore on Tuesday, knowing that Wednesday is Produce Sale Day. And you know what I discovered?
A fair number of vegetables were priced at 2.90/kilo, which is LOWER than the price they will be sold for tomorrow on Produce Sale Day!
I saw onions, sweet potatoes, eggplants, carrots, yellow peppers, and red peppers ALL for 2.90/kg! And I decided to buy them, except for the onions, as I am fairly certain that they won't be available for anywhere close to that price tomorrow or Thursday!
Follow up: I checked the sale announcement later in the day. Tomorrow's sale prices have Carrots for 3.90/kg, Eggplant for 5.90/kg, Sweet Potatoes for 6.90/kg, and Yellow Peppers for 6.90/kg, so I'm glad I got them for 2.90! I did see some decent prices on some of the fruit I would consider buying, so if I have time for a 10 minute stop at the store tomorrow, I'll probably get some fruit that's on sale.
UPDATE: I checked on Wednesday, and the items that were 2.90 yesterday were STILL 2.90 today! I'm still glad I bought them yesterday, though, so I didn't have to carry it all home today!
I know that 2 of our local makolets (the two owned by the same person) have produce sales on Monday and Thursday. Lately I can get onions there for 1.90/kilo so I skipped the 2.90 onions, and I'm planning a quick stop at the Makolet on Thursday for their chicken sale that runs Wednesday and Thursday, onions for 1.90 if still available, and potatoes for 2.50 if still available (the sales do change from time to time, so I can't be certain what the price will be).
One of those 2 makolets also has a "produce markdown rack" where everything on the rack is 2 shekels/kg or per package. It's pretty hit or miss but I'm always happy to get bananas and apples from their for turning into muffins or apple crisp.
I checked the specialty fruit and vegetable store, and while it's not nearly as expensive as similar stores in Tel Aviv, I haven't shopped there.
Every once in a while, I'll find myself enticed to stop into Shufersal, but generally, it's pricey. They do sometimes have worthwhile sales in the produce section, though!
Anyway, what's the upshot here?
I recommend exploring your options in order to find out how you'll get the best deal on the foods you tend to buy. If you only have time for one grocery shop a week, you're going to want to figure out which one comes out cheapest overall for your typical list, but I guarantee it won't be cheapest for every item on your list. If you have time for a few small shopping trips, try to take advantage of sales and specials and plan which store is the place to buy what!
So the upshot here is: I buy fruits and vegetables from Machsanei HaShuk and the makolets, I buy dairy sales and price controlled cheese and eggs from Machsanei Hashuk, and I buy chicken from the makolet with the chicken sales unless I find an amazing sale at a supermarket. I usually order spelt flour, pasta, rice, and other dry and canned goods in a once a month Rami Levy order. And I also occasionally find myself buying spices, vinegar and baking soda in kilo bags, and sometimes other baking supplies from a store in the shuk in Teverya that delivers here every few weeks.
I hope this helps get you thinking about what strategies you might want to use to keep your grocery bills down. I'd love to hear your best tips, too!
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