Escapees July-August 2024

camping chair chat

I Tried All of the Grocery Stores So You Don’t Have To Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Walmart, Albertsons, Safeway, Aldi, Kroger, HEB, Publix, Wegmans, Sprouts…the grocery store chain options in this country are endless, and I’ve tried them all. I’ve been on the road full time for over three years determined to fi nd the best grocery store to fi t my needs, and in my time on the road the answer has become glaringly obvious, no one does it quite like Sprouts Farmers Market. W hen I fi rst heard of Sprouts I immedi ately wrote it off because of the name alone, I associated “Farmers Market” with “over-priced,” and looped it in

and know how to custom-cut for customers. They prioritize organic meats, free-range and farm fresh. They also carry Force of Nature meats, which is a brand I actively seek out because of their mission to improve the environment and health of consum ers with regenerative practices. If plant-based is more your thing, have no fear, the produce at Sprouts is top notch. You won’t be fi nding any moldy lettuce heads there. The produce is organic, non-GMO and free of preservatives. That transparency is what I love about the Sprouts brand, and it even carries through the bakery department. Their bread is all made small-batch and their baked goods are baked fresh in-house. I recommend their salted caramel cookies or rasp berry oat bars to satisfy those sweet cravings. Do you have a dairy allergy? Sprouts freezer section is the largest I’ve seen of dairy free ice creams and desserts. The last thing I love about Sprouts, especially being on the road, is their grocery pick up option. It’s become a standard in my RV. Once I know my next destination, I plug the zip code into the store locator, choose the closest location, and build my entire order for pick up for when we arrive. Getting to a new campsite with an empty fridge is the pits after a long travel day, doing a pickup order makes life so much easier. It really is the little things that add up to an easy travel experience. So next time you’re close to a Sprouts, I recommend making the trip, you won’t be disappointed! Kelley Welch #173565

with expensive, organic stores like Whole Foods, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only are the prices reasonable, but they beat most competitors out there. The reason why Sprouts is the winner for me is the quality of foods. About 90% of Sprouts products are natural or organic. They carry all of the standard grocery aisle items as well as an entire vitamin and body care line, local products, organic coffee, a sushi station, bulk foods and ready to eat meals. Buying organic is really important to my family so, for me, it’s a one-stop shop, because I can also load up on their cruelty-free soaps and lotions, and even dental care products. Sprouts isn’t the least expensive grocery store, Aldi actually wins that category, but it’s in the top six and I think as far as quality goes, it can’t be beat. I also really love the layout of the store, everything is clean, easy to fi nd and the entire middle of the store is dedicated to bulk nuts and seeds you may not fi nd in other stores. I also highly recommend their coffee, in which you can buy ground or whole bean. As someone who eats mostly animal-based products, I think the meat selection at Sprouts is far superior to other grocery store chains. It has a Whole Foods type selection without the price tag. Sprout’s butchers go through extensive training

19

July/August 2024 ESCAPEES Magazine