Grocery Price Showdown: Safeway vs Wegman’s
Today we will compare the grocery prices at two popular stores, Safeway and Wegmans! I like to do real comparisons that a normal family would do to really see which store comes out cheaper.
Instead of a random list of items, we will use a real meal plan for a family of four. This is everything you would need for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and a sweet treat.
Key Takeaways
- Safeway won the battle by 15% but was still 29% higher than Walmart
- Safeway had more items on sale for our list than Wegman’s.
- Wegman’s did not have many options or good prices on things like Chicken Thighs, jalapenos, hot dogs, and Instant Potatoes.
Meal Plan and Grocery List
This meal plan came out to $89.92 at the Super Walmart in Alexandria, Virginia so let’s see if Safeway or Wegman’s can come out to our $100 or less grocery budget.
Is Safeway cheaper than Wegmans?
Safeway is owned by Albertsons and Wegmans is a smaller chain of about 100 stores. So, let’s see how the big guys do compared to a smaller store!
| Ingredient | Safeway Price | Wegman’s Price |
| Asparagus | $ 2.49 *on sale* | $2.27 |
| Bananas (6) | $ 1.38 | $1.38 |
| Clementines (3lb) | $ 5.99 *on sale* | $4.59 (2lb) |
| Zucchini | $ 1.00 *on sale* | $0.93 |
| Coleslaw Mix | $ 2.50 | $2.29 |
| Onion | $ 1.49 | $1.44 |
| Jalapeno (2-3) | $ 0.66 | $1.56 |
| Lime (x2) | $ 0.98 | $1.18 |
| Sweet Potatoes (2lb) | $ 2.18 *on sale* | $2.30 |
| Garlic (1 head) | $ 0.89 | $0.78 |
| Roma Tomato (x4) | $ 3.00 | $2.08 |
| Avocado | $ 1.67 | $1.49 |
| Chicken Thighs (3lbs-BLSL) | $ 8.37 *on sale* | $13.82 (4lbs) |
| Fish Sticks (24oz) | $ 7.99 *on sale* | $8.09 *on sale* |
| Ground Sausage (1lb) | $ 4.49 *on sale* | $6.39 |
| Hot Dogs (8ct) | $ 2.49 *on sale* | $4.59 |
| Chorizo (9oz) | $ 1.99 *on sale* | $6.39 (12oz) |
| English Muffins | $ 2.99 *on sale* | $2.89 |
| Hot Dog Buns | $ 2.19 | $1.79 |
| Brownie Mix | $ 1.67 *on sale* | $1.89 |
| Flour (2lb) | $ 2.19 | $2.79 (5lb) |
| Peanut Butter | $ 2.99 | $2.19 |
| BBQ Sauce | $ 1.99 | $2.69 |
| Green Beans (14.5oz) | $ 0.89 | $0.79 |
| Pizza Crust Mix | $ 2.99 | $4.09 |
| Flour Tortillas (20ct) | $ 3.79 | $3.79 |
| Italian Dressing | $ 2.49 | $2.29 |
| Cannellini Beans (15.5oz) | $1.29 | $0.89 |
| Elbow Pasta (1lb) | $ 1.25 | $1.19 |
| Rotini Pasta (1lb) | $ 1.25 | $1.19 |
| Chicken Boullion | $ 1.79 | $2.29 |
| Instant Potatoes | $ 2.50 *on sale* | $5.18 |
| Crushed Pineapple (20oz) | $ 2.29 | $2.19 |
| Salsa | $ 2.50 | $3.09 |
| Guacamole Salsa | $ 2.50 | $5.39 |
| White Rice (1lb) | $ 2.69 (1lb) | $1.19 |
| Tuna (5oz) | $ 1.00 *on sale* | $1.39 |
| Tortilla Chips | $ 2.49 *on sale* | $3.79 |
| French Bread | $1.39 | $3.49 *on sale* |
| Frozen Carrots | $1.98 *on sale* | $1.39 |
| Frozen Corn | $1.98 *on sale* | $1.39 |
| Cottage Cheese (16oz) | $2.99 | $2.89 |
| Mozzarella (8oz) | $2.99 | $2.69 |
| Eggs (12ct) | $3.29 | $3.49 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.79 | $3.49 |
| Cream Cheese (8oz) | $1.50 *on sale & coupon* | $1.99 |
| Butter (1lb) | $2.99 *on sale & coupon* | $4.19 |
| Cheddar cheese (16oz) | $5.00 *on sale* | $5.19 |
| Parmesan cheese (6oz) | $2.50 *on sale* | $2.69 |
| Sour Cream (8oz) | $1.49 | $1.79 |
| Total: | $127.18 | $149.23 |
Is Wegmans Cheaper than Safeway?
Safeway came out the winner of this price showdown against Wegman’s! Safeway’s total was $127.18 which was $22.05 (about 15%) lower than Wegman’s total of $149.23.
Food for Thought
Both stores did have lots of items on sale this week, so I wonder if going to both stores would make much difference!
If we only bought what was cheapest at each grocery store, our total would have been $118.42. That would be an additional savings of $8.76 or about 6.8%.
That doesn’t seem like much but a $9 savings every week over one year would be $468. So, if you have the time to shop both places or do a pickup order, I think it would be worth it!
