AND APPLETON. THANK YOU MATT. 648 CONSUMER REPORTS HAS FOUND THE SAME ITEMS CAN COST A LOT MORE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU’RE SHOPPING. HERE’S THE NEW RESEARCH ON THE STORES WITH THE BEST VALUE. MOST AMERICANS BUY FOOD FROM AT LEAST TWO RETAILERS EACH WEEK, BUT ACCORDING TO CONSUMER REPORTS RESEARCH, WHERE YOU SHOP CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON YOUR OVERALL SPENDING. CONSUMER REPORTS COMPARED GROCERY PRICES ACROSS MAJOR CHAINS BY BUILDING BASKETS OF COMMON ITEMS LIKE PACKAGED GOODS, PRODUCE AND MEAT, AND PRICING THEM AGAINST WALMART AS OUR BASELINE. CONSUMER REPORTS FOUND THAT DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU SHOP, THE PRICE GAP BETWEEN THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST PRICE FOOD BASKETS IN EACH CITY EXCEEDED 33% FOR THE SAME GROCERIES. WHEN WAREHOUSE CLUBS AND SPECIALTY GROCERS WERE INCLUDED, THE PRICE DIFFERENCES GREW EVEN LARGER. SO WHERE SHOULD YOU SHOP TO SAVE BIG? ACCORDING TO CR’S INVESTIGATION, WAREHOUSE CLUBS LIKE COSTCO AND BJ’S OFTEN COME OUT AMONG THE CHEAPEST, USUALLY ABOUT 20% LESS THAN WALMART DISCOUNT CHAINS LIKE ALDI AND LIDL ARE ALSO AMONG THE MOST AFFORDABLE OPTIONS. STORES LIKE WHOLE FOODS AND IN SOME AREAS, EVEN TRADER JOE’S CAN RUN 25 TO NEARLY 40% HIGHER THAN WALMART. BUT CR SAYS IT IS STILL POSSIBLE TO SAVE A CARTLOAD OF MONEY WITH A LITTLE STRATEGIC PLANNING. DON’T RELY ON JUST ONE STORE MIXING TRIPS BETWEEN DISCOUNT CHAINS AND TRADITIONAL SUPERMARKETS, OR BUYING SOME ITEMS IN BULK WHILE PICKING UP SPECIALTY ITEMS ELSEWHERE CAN REALLY HELP YOU SAVE. CONSUMER REPORTS SAYS LOYALTY PROGRAMS CAN HELP YOU SAVE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU USE THE STORE’S APP TO UNLOCK DIGITAL DEALS. BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE STORES, TAKE STOCK OF WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE, THEN BE AS INTENTIONAL AS YOU CAN ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THAT YOU NEED. CONSUMER REPORTS A
A Vermont baker is growing her small business one bagel at a time
A Highgate, Vermont, woman is starting her days extra early to help make hectic mornings a little easier for her neighbors, one sourdough bagel at a time.Related video above: Consumer Reports: What supermarkets save you the mostAreil Greenia runs The Little Bagel Nook from her home in Highgate, where she bakes bagels, English muffins and cookies in her home kitchen. Her specialty is sourdough, and her stand operates on an honor system, offering customers a list of ingredients and suggested prices.“It’s just something that I enjoy so much,” Greenia said. “Baking for my family, … they’re always like, ‘This is so good,’ and it makes me feel good.”Greenia said she began by making bagels to share with family while living on the other side of town. After moving, she had the chance to open her own stand.“I started doing bagels … and I just shared with my family, and they all enjoyed,” she said.The stand opened in November, and Greenia said it has also become a place to support other small businesses by featuring items from friends, including sourdough bread and cupcakes.“It’s nice having my friend’s sourdough bread here or my friend’s cupcakes,” she said. “It’s just nice to know that we have this spot not only for my sourdough goods but for my local friends that also have businesses.”For those interested in trying sourdough baking themselves, Greenia’s advice is simple: “Just do it. Experiment. Practice. Practice makes perfect. Share your goods and get that feedback.”Greenia said she hopes to one day open a bakery of her own. Until then, she is encouraging people to stop by The Little Bagel Nook, located in Highgate.
A Highgate, Vermont, woman is starting her days extra early to help make hectic mornings a little easier for her neighbors, one sourdough bagel at a time.
Related video above: Consumer Reports: What supermarkets save you the most
Areil Greenia runs The Little Bagel Nook from her home in Highgate, where she bakes bagels, English muffins and cookies in her home kitchen. Her specialty is sourdough, and her stand operates on an honor system, offering customers a list of ingredients and suggested prices.
“It’s just something that I enjoy so much,” Greenia said. “Baking for my family, … they’re always like, ‘This is so good,’ and it makes me feel good.”
Greenia said she began by making bagels to share with family while living on the other side of town. After moving, she had the chance to open her own stand.
“I started doing bagels … and I just shared with my family, and they all enjoyed,” she said.
The stand opened in November, and Greenia said it has also become a place to support other small businesses by featuring items from friends, including sourdough bread and cupcakes.
“It’s nice having my friend’s sourdough bread here or my friend’s cupcakes,” she said. “It’s just nice to know that we have this spot not only for my sourdough goods but for my local friends that also have businesses.”
For those interested in trying sourdough baking themselves, Greenia’s advice is simple: “Just do it. Experiment. Practice. Practice makes perfect. Share your goods and get that feedback.”
Greenia said she hopes to one day open a bakery of her own. Until then, she is encouraging people to stop by The Little Bagel Nook, located in Highgate.
