Online grocery shopping is all the rage these days. There are a tons of sites popping up with varying degrees of legitimacy and varying levels of awesome reviews. So instead of trying all of them out, I’ve tried to vet them for you and posted the best of the best below. Now if I’ve left off your favorite one, tell me about it in the comments. Why do you love it? If you’ve tried one {even one I’ve listed} and disliked it, tell me why. Your experiences will help us grow or whittle down this list!
Me personally, I’d have a hard time buying produce online. I want to touch it, smell it, examine it for any blemishes. But produce aside, I’m all about the online shopping {I can’t imagine giving up ALDI or Farmer’s Markets though}. But seriously, if I don’t have to brush my teeth or put on pants to order a box of cereal or pantry staples, I’m all about it. Here are the sites I’ve heard great things about:
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- Amazon Fresh: It’s my Mother In Law’s go-to! Because Amazon. Enough said.
- Kroger ClickList: The online grocery ordering service from Kroger {Fred Meyer} is great because they offer two options: you can shop online and pick up your order at the store, or you can have it delivered right to your door. Plus, they’ll load coupons automatically based on what items you place in your cart! Instant savings. Sweet!
- Thrive Market: Thrive was founded on the principle that eating healthy or organic foods of great quality should not be difficult or expensive. Shopping through Thrive gets you access to discounts on carefully selected items, much like a Costco membership. Right now you can get a free 30-day trial and 15% off your first order to see if you love it.
- Walmart Grocery Pickup: If you like Walmart’s prices but aren’t a fan of navigating a superstore, the Walmart Grocery Pickup option is for you. It’s pretty much a game-changer for you Walmart fans. Much like many superstores, sometimes you go for a gallon of milk and some brown sugar and walk out with a clearanced fishing pole, a bulk-sized bag of gummy bears and a $2 copy of Overboard. Shopping online helps you avoid these random excessive purchase.
- Peapod: Peapod, founded way back in 1989, is America’s largest online grocery shopping and delivery service. They are awesome because they offer Peapod emails that will help you save money on your next order, a PodPass membership similar to Amazon Prime that’ll get you free shipping, and a bulk shop and save section.
- Jet.com: Jet.com has been likened to Amazon. Their model is somewhat similar as well in that they review the prices on other websites, and offer slight discounts from typical retail prices. They accomplish this through purchasing items in bulk from other retailers and then using the discounts to slash the prices on their own resale. Shipping over $35 is free but you will pay a $4.99 cold delivery fee for each order. No membership fees required.
- Vitacost: Vitacost is the bomb dot com for those natural and organic items that are often spendy other places.
- Albertsons Grocery Delivery: You can head on over to Albertson’s website, load up your virtual grocery carts and have your order delivered to your home within a one-, two- or four-hour window. Plus, the food is always fresh and the delivery drivers are super friendly!
- FreshDirect: Unlike many of the delivery services above, FreshDirect offers ready-made meals and meal kits as well as a vast range of groceries, pastries, and drinks you can have delivered right to your doorstep. Unlike some meal delivery services, there’s no membership fee, so no big committment.
- ShopFoodEx: They offer a huge selection of items in their inventory with over 30 product aisles. That’s like a lot of the other copanies on this list. Where do they differ? Each purchase made on their site is rounded up and that amount matched & made as a cash donation to homeless shelters.
Do YOU order your groceries online, or would you rather pop in to a grocery store or farmer’s market and select your own? Curious minds want to know.
~Mavis
Lacy says
I’m surprised Azure Standard wasn’t on your list. They offer bulk grains and pantry Staples, organic items, eggs, produce, and .more. I haven’t ordered from them yet but Ive seen lots of people that have and really love them.
Michelle Butler says
Boxed.com is my favorite for paper products and some grocery items. The CEO is an amazing person who believes in paying it forward. You should check it out!
Alice says
If Mrs. HB is on a business trip, I guess she got a new job after her early retirement.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yep. That whole early retirement thing lasted a whopping 4 months. 🙁
Holly V. says
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a $2 copy of Overboard.
Ginger says
I’ve gotten a ton of great deals on Jet.com, however their shipping department SUCKS. I have not received one order where I haven’t had damaged products and have had to ask for a refund or replacement. Their customer service is GREAT, but no matter how many times I’ve sent feedback regarding how they pack their boxes, they have done absolutely nothing to improve it. I no longer order from them because of the hassle of having to contact them on each order.
Safeway.com also does grocery delivery and is very hit & miss although when we were car free for 2 1/2 years, we did rely on them for a great deal of our groceries.
Deborah says
I’d rather pick my own. I’m rather picky when it comes to my food items.
Tammy says
Hi Deborah!
I used to think the same way, until I tried H.E.B.’s service and they proved me wrong. Every item, except one (I’ll explain shortly), was as if I picked them myself. The one item was because someone didn’t know the difference between collard greens and mustard greens, but the ones they picked were beautiful and my family eats both. 🙂 When you have a day where you don’t know how you can possibly fit in your grocery shopping, give it a try. I did and I am so glad I did.
Best wishes!
Deborah says
We don’t have an HEB store anywhere close enough. 100 miles away is a bit too far. I wish we did have one local.
Karen says
Me, too, plus I don’t want to put local stores out of Business.
CAROL SCOTT says
That’s a really good point, Karen
Jamie says
Albertsons bought out Safeway and they have the same ads, deals, offerings now, so you can edit it to Albertsons/Safeway.
Kimmy says
For those who have access to the store called Giant Eagle, their Curbside Express works very much like Kroger and it is AWESOME. You can pull up to the curb outside the store and an employee puts your groceries in your car, or you can opt for delivery to your door. I’ve used it for years and never had a complaint, and the staff is very friendly.
Lissa says
Our kids used to call it Big Bird store
Linda Sand says
Coburns delivers. A Minnesota grocery chain that delivers right to you. They even brought my groceries right into my kitchen although they will leave them at the door if you are not home. They put dry ice in with the frozen items. And pick up bins for reuse at their next delivery if they can’t take them along when leaving.
Bobbie says
Peapod and Amazon fresh are not available where we are. Jet is great except then you have to deal with disposing/recycling tons of cardboard boxes (which isn’t easy when you live in a rural area). I love Kroger clicklist, but otherwise I like to pick my own produce!
Joanna says
Harris Teeter has online ordering, and you pick it up at the store (drive up to the pick-up lane, press a button, and they come bring it to you). A few stores have delivery to your home. I’ve never used their service though.
ruth w vidunas says
I have been using Imperfect Produce for a couple of months now and feel that I am helping by using less than perfect produce and keeping it out of the landfill. Check it out to see if it is available in your area. You have a choice of box size, delivery date and customization of your order
Anne says
Kroger just gave me a $5.00 coupon for downloading the app.
Will use on next shopping trip .i pass this savings on for those who didn’t know
Marcia says
I pretty much do my own shopping except for a lot of my produce.
We have a lot of local farmer’s markets, and CSA’s, and now a couple of produce or specialty grocery delivery services. I joined one when our CSA closed down. Essentially, they shop at the farmer’s market for you and deliver.
Mostly for me, we just get produce (fruits/ veg). They have several different “boxes” every week. We are subscribed for a “staple” box of $40. The items change with the seasons (strawberries in spring, tomatoes in summer, apples in fall, oranges in winter, etc.) There’s also a large box, a small box, a fruit box, a “brunch” box.
If you don’t like their pre-chosen boxes, there are limited options for swapping (if I don’t want oranges, I can get extra avocados). Shipping is included with a box but you can also choose to build your own box, and shipping is free if you spend more than $50.
My neighbors also use it and they get things like meat, cheese, eggs, milk (delivered with ice packs).
What I like: the food is fresh, local, and picked that day generally. It’s very low-waste – no plastic boxes, etc. and the cardboard boxes get returned and reused. I get to pick and choose. Each week I check out the staple box, and I check out the large box ($45), and see which I prefer. Sometimes the large box will have heirloom tomatoes and the staple won’t, so I’ll go for that.
Mary3M says
Since I had surgery and my husband has been diagnosed with brain cancer, I use our local grocery food delivery service. Since i buy for one week at a time, I don’t see too much difference in the produce quality and if there is a question they call me before delivery. The convenience is worth the delivery charge and the people are very nice. Sometimes the convenience is worth it to save stress and worry.
Lissa says
I’ve been using instacart for about 6+ months and love it. It has really cut down on my impulse buys. I keep my cart open on line for a couple of days while I add things and then before buying I can purge out the things I don’t really need. There is a box to put specific instructions which I really use: telling them to shave the ham, pick out 1 ripe avocado and 2 unripe etc. A few times there has been something I’m not thrilled about (very few to tell the truth) and on the survey that comes a couple of hours after the order I make a note and they give me a refund. Customer service has been good.
Laura says
Was this with Kroger?
SandyF says
I tried Costco on line by Instacart and was not happy. I received 2 wrong items, but I have to say-customer service was great in refunding me-I would have preferred a replacement item instead of credit on instacart. I was not planning on using them again, but had to as I needed to use the credit.
I should use a service more often so I cut down on my grocery bill. I spend way too much on food. I can’t resist.
Aldi had blueberries this week for $1.49 a package. I bought 12 and made tons of jam. They are excellent blueberries too. Avocados were .19-insane. And they are all perfect avocados. We love avocados.
Let me know-I will ship you a box full!
Mavis Butterfield says
That’s very kind of you to offer SandyF. I’ll have to call the ALDI’s I shop at to see if avocados are $0.19 each.
Kayla says
I have used Google Express in the past to ship during the craziness of November/December. They are great for the staples and even have the option for same day delivery for refrigerated/freezer items. I love that I can order through different stores such as Costco and Target and not pay shipping if I order so much ($25 min)–and most of the prices are the same as in store. I have ordered Costco bread, milk, eggs, flour, and vanilla and had it show up at my door later that afternoon… Beautiful.
Ms Sandie says
I use Peapod for a bulk order every 6 weeks. Heavy items I don’t want to pick up. Cases of water, cases of paper towels, toilet paper and large laundry bottles. Sometimes i add other items that are on special. I have a pod pass so no delivery charge. I always tip the delivery person. It saves me time and prevents a repeat shoulder injury.
Diana says
I order food items for my Mother and have them shipped to her via Walmart (I’m in GA and she’s in MI). Have had no problems with anything showing up incorrect, so far, and it ships quickly and they deliver right to her door (she’s in a retirement home). Personally, I prefer to go to the store and get my groceries. I rarely leave the house anymore and it’s my excuse to get out, lol.
Mavis Butterfield says
I think it’s a great option for those of us who order online for our parents! 🙂
Bekah Thompson says
I literally just discovered that Google has a new service called Google Express and just placed my first order with them and so far so good! As long as you meet the requirements of each store they offer, the shipping is free. I ordered things from both Target and Walmart and they came as they were available but for the most part the shipping is only 2-3 days.
Donna in VA says
I have used Target.com for pantry (not fresh) items several times this year. Shipping is free at $35. Their store brands (Market Pantry) have all been good and much less expensive than my local grocery store prices. Their packing is also hit-or-miss. If I need to return ( -once- due to breakage) the local store is not that far.