City Market on N. Winooski Ave in Burlington, VT Photo used with permission from the City Market website

The Onion River Coop aka City Market, found in downtown Burlington, has made it to the number five spot in the grocery-budget--friendly store countdown.  The high quality of food and artsy chic atmosphere make it a fun and interesting place to shop.  The prices can be a deterrent to those with lower grocery budgets.  Even so, discount opportunities given to paying members as well as members of the Food for All program help to defray the cost a bit.  Taking into account these discount opportunities and the gas that you save by shopping at City Market if you live in the downtown area, City Market sits nicely in the number 5 spot of our countdown.

City Market accepts food stamps (also known as the Three Square Meals Program) and customers who have food stamps, get WIC or disability benefits are also eligible for the Food for All program.  The program gets its members a 10% discount on all items excluding alcohol.  In order to prove eligibility, customers need to bring in proof of eligibility and they fill out the necessary paper work.  It took about 5 days for our Member Card to be ready, after which time, the 10% discount immediately went into effect. 

Paying members of the COOP also have the opportunity to work towards discounts of 7-12%.  They can volunteer to work 2-4 hours and the corresponding discount lasts the duration of the month.  Paying members(anyone who is up to date on their equity payments-$15 a year until you reach $200) are eligible to receive a patronage refund at the end of the year.  There are other benefits to membership which can be found on their website here.

City Market offers a wide variety of produce, both organic and ordinary.  It also sells over 1,700 Vermont products, according to their Member Owner Guide.  This sometimes makes the prices higher, but it also means that you get it fresher and closer to home.  It also means that you will be supporting local farmers and trades people.   The bulk section allows for you to buy products that are lower in price due to the packaging and lack of additives that may be found in many prepackaged items.

Close watch on the sales flyer(either on the internet or in aisle 1) will help to keep you within your budget on items that you know you need.  If you are big on healthy juices, (I like to get their all natural brands) then it is more likely that you will find these on sale at City Market than Price Chopper-and more regularly, because City Market sells more healthy juices.  The spices are also cheaper at City Market than almost anywhere else I have looked.  I bring in my old containers and fill them up (after weighing them to keep the tare weight).  This costs much less than buying bottles of my often used spices, and I know that the ingredients are of high quality.

I don’t generally get my meat at City Market, but I know that there are those who hold meat origins in high regard.  If that that is the case for you, then it will greatly benefit you to pay close attention to the meat sales here.  City Market gets a lot of their meat from local farms and they maintain a quality of excellence.  They do offer sales on these meats, and the price will be easier on you if you wait to stock up when they get seriously discounted.  Again, these are the times that having some form of membership discount will help you. 

As with all other stores, the amount you want to pay should reflect your priorities.  If you care more about the ingredients in your juices, allow for more in the juice budget.  Meats can get pricey, but when you place high value in the source and feed of your meat, you want to afford more to that part of the budget.  You can adjust the rest of your budget accordingly.  Eating right on a low budget is not impossible.  City Market also offers classes on Eating Well on a Budget.  They have plenty of resources available at their customer service desk including pamphlets that contain recipes and food information. 

Members receive a coupon packet which includes many free items (bread, soup, and soy milk, to name a few).  The information I received upon inquiring into the benefits of membership for this article have just about convinced me to become a paying member, even though I am already involved in the Food For All program (which I am enjoying.)

The service at City Market is usually quite good, the quality is consistently above average to excellent and the prices-well, when you pay close attention to sales and use the membership discounts accordingly, they are affordable.  The proximity and adjusted affordability make this store-while fun and entertaining-not the most grocery budget friendly store in the Burlington area, but definitely a comfortable 5.  Besides, sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your face.