Omaha is home to a variety of grocery stores, with run of the mill options from HyVee to Bakers and everything in between.. The Storm Alert staff has come together to highlight their favorite grocery shoptions including the must-have products and fan favorites that keep us coming back for more. 

Hot dogs, pizza, chicken bakes, oh my!

  One of the greatest aspects of America’s most exciting warehouses is their top tier food court. From deluxe frozen yogurt to delectable chicken bakes, Costco’s food court is one of the best eateries in the United States, with incredible prices and even better food. A footlong hot dog and a large drink for only a dollar and fifty cents is basically as cheap as it gets. With inflation at an all time high and the economy plummeting, Costco has remained constant in their criminally low prices. To advocate for Costco even further it’s important I share the time my family and I went on a vacation to Hawai’i and indulged in a meal at the one and only Costco. This had nothing to do with the Hawaiian food, which we also enjoyed on this trip, and everything to do with the delicious tastes and prices that Costco has to offer from every corner of the US. All of this goes to say that no shopping trip is complete without a steaming slice of pizza and a golden churro from the best food court in the world. 

Costco Clothes?

Costco truly has everything. From unique food selections, to a fan favorite food court, it’s no surprise the major chain sells clothing too. If you ever need a break from food shopping or indulging in yummy samples or a greasy, but delicious, hotdog from the food court, you can find your way to Costco’s clothing section. Their clothing section is large, which is no surprise, but it offers versatile clothing options for all age groups. I will admit, I don’t go to Costco for the sole purpose of buying clothing. However, sometimes I’ll find myself checking out what they have, and the quality truly surprises me. Last time I was there, I found “comfys” (basically a blanket sweatshirt) there for only $36. I’d say this is a major steal, considering most I’ve seen online are around $50. I guess it’s safe to say Costco not only helps save on groceries, but clothing too.

Just a Taste.

Costco samples have been one of the many unique things that Costco offers. The costco samples help Costco to sell  half of the stuff in their store. 

Costco samples have been a childhood memory that I would never forget. I would always go to the bakery section to get the muffin. Cookie, and cake samples that were there every weekend. The pizzas, the Annie’s cinnamon rolls, and the Pillsbury crescents were one of my favorites. After COVID hit, the samples were stopped and Costco wasn’t the same. Now, there are back, drawing in many people to the stor

e. Even though there aren’t anymore bakery samples, the samples at Costco will always be my favorite. 

What’s for dinner, tonight and breakfast, tomorrow? 

Costco has countless premade meals for the standard American family to have including a plethora of frozen pizzas, taco mixes, etc. The store offers a variety of cuisines from around the world from eggplant parmesan to octopus fried rice. Costco is also home to a staple, dumplings, they offer a variety of dumplings including ginger chicken, pork and more. Along with premade meals there are dozens of fan favorites among the dessert aisle including Johnny Pops and Clovis Farms Organic Super Smoothie Morning Blend. Costco also offers a favorite among children and big families alike- chicken nuggets. They offer countless brands as families debate over the best brand to bring home.

One of the easiest pre-made spreads that is a healthy and delicious meal to dish up for dinner or lunch is Costco’s tacos. These packages are made with 12 flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, precooked spiced chicken, a quarter of a lime, shredded cheese, salsa, and cilantro sauce. This pre-made meal is very simple to prepare: heat up the tortillas and chicken in the oven or microwave and assemble the toppings how you want. With the whole meal only costing around $15, it can feed 2-4 people and is definitely worth the inexpensive price. Every time I have bought the tacos, they have been consistent with the delicious flavor and design of the spread. Overall, the taco meal from Costco is a simple way to make a meal fun and definitely a must try. 

Costco muffins are a sweet treat that everyone enjoys! Costco offers a wide variety of types of muffins, some of my favorites include: chocolate chip, blueberry, and chocolate. When purchasing these muffins, you are getting what you paid for. The muffins purchased are decently sized, ensuring each and every tasty bite leaves the consumer fully satisfied.

Costco’s beloved loss-leader

According to the Oxford English dictionary a loss leader is “a product sold at a loss to attract customers.” This includes the one essential to every Costco run, the iconic $5 rotisserie chicken.

Whether it is the mouth-watering smell, or the mesmerizing spin of the rotisserie, something about these chickens are simply irresistible. In my household, we never end a Costco run without at least one of these delectable birds in the cart. The Costco rotisserie chicken is good for a family dinner or to cut up and use as a meal prep throughout the week. Not only are you getting a three pound, juicy, flavorful chicken, but also are getting an unbelievable deal. At the price of only $4.99, you can grab a ready to go meal that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. For many Costco members in the Elkhorn area, their rotisserie chickens can be found to be sourced by a plant specifically for chickens located in Fremont, Nebraska. The Lincoln Premium Poultry plant produces chickens for a handful of Costcos in the Lincoln and Omaha area and a majority of stores in the West. This means the chickens are the epitome of freshness which is shown through its immaculate flavors. Overall, Costco rotisserie chicken is one of the most enjoyable premade meals from any grocery store in the area making Costco an essential for many families.

Comfortably convenient:

What I love most about Aldi is that it is small and convenient. Instead of searching through mile-long aisles of chips or cookies, Aldi presents a fraction of that. Instead of presenting you an overwhelming amount of products they minimize the amount of time you have to take out of your day to get groceries. Not only that, but Aldi also is never a crazy jungle inside like Costco, Target, and Walmart. I like this because I hate the feeling of a busy overpopulated building.  

An affordable option: 

With the many grocery stores that pepper the Omaha area, ALDI might not be your “go-to.” However, it truly offers variety when it comes to their food. I would say I go to ALDI about once or twice a week, and the food selection has never been one to disappoint. Everything is always fresh, and new products are always circulating through the classics. Not to mention, even with the rising cost of food, ALDI remains relatively affordable. The produce, crackers, and pastries are always included in the common necessities that fill my cart. Seasonally, I absolutely love their watermelon lemonade, mangos, and pomegranate seed cups. My personal favorites will always remain: the strawberries, bananas, cheese turtles, everything bagels, and banana nut muffins. 

Seasonal Products & Aldi Finds: 

Aldi also provides a variety of seasonal products, including but not limited to food, home decor amongst other items. For example, one of the most recent items going viral on Tiktok was the Aldi Wooden Food Market Grocery Playset and mini shopping cart. This impossibly cute children’s toy had no problem flying off of the shelves of Aldi’s Omaha location, with some choosing to resell the item for double the price online. 

Many of these products, categorized by the title “Aldi Finds,” are published on Aldi’s website along with their weekly ads, and upcoming products. 

Regardless of whether the product is a christmas tree shaped scented candle, or Irish Cheddar Cheese to honor St. Patrick’s Day, or a cute-as-a-button toy for kids, these products are sure to please any Aldi die hard. 

Affordably priced for the average Joe.

 The whole ambience of Trader Joe’s is comforting and perfect for the spring and summer seasons. Not only do they sell a variety of amazing products, but everything there is extremely affordable. I bought a load of food for taste testing, and my total was 30 dollars, which was a steal considering how many items I got. The directions on many of the foods were very simple and quick to make. The Indian garlic naan was one of my favorite things that i tried. We topped it with melted butter as the instructions recommended, and it was incredibly flavorful; I would rate it an 8/10, it could have been warmer. One thing I probably won’t buy again was the mystery cheese dip. We melted it in the microwave, but it quickly hardened again. I was still able to eat it, but it wasn’t quite the right consistency. I also could only have a little bit, because it was saltier than I expected. I rate the mystery cheese dip a 4/10. I ate the dip with Trader Joe’s baguette, which was very tasty, worthy of a 9/10. I also got Trader Joe’s gelato, which was a mix of strawberry and vanilla. The vanilla side of the gelato was very average and nothing special, but the strawberry side was so fantastic that I could have eaten it in one sitting. I also tried corn chips, which I dipped into my homemade guacamole, and it was a pleasant alternative to regular tortilla chips. However, it was heavily seasoned, which I liked, but too much of it could be a little overwhelming for some people, so I would rate it 6/10. Overall, Trader Joe’s is filled with so many food items (and other items like cleaning supplies and tote bags), which makes it a very inviting place that is worth visiting again and again.

The Trader Joe’s Aesthetic 

A common theme throughout all the packaging at Trader Joes, is that it’s authentic to the product while still fitting their aesthetic. Trader Joes is famous for their packaging that is both visually appealing and descriptive. They often include bright colors, curated pictures of the food, pretty fonts, and pretty drawings. For me personally, packaging is a really important aspect of what I buy, because the prettier the better. With Trader Joes, you get to check all the boxes with aesthetic packaging and delicious food. 

Trader Joes fulfills the tropical Hawaiian aesthetic that Nebraska’s environment cannot achieve. With only one location in Nebraska, the exterior of the shop looks small and compact, but on the interior isles is filled with affordable produce and name products are placed neatly on shelves. I took the opportunity to try some of the viral products around the store. One item that caught my eye in the freezer section was the popular Korean street food, Tteokbokki. Tteokbokki is chewy rice cake covered in a red, spicy and sweet sauce, however Trader Joes did not fulfill the satisfying snack. While cooking, the food smelt plastic-y and the smell wasn’t as authentic as I imagined what it would taste like. The taste was hard, and not at all soft like a normal ricecake. The overall rating would be 5/10, because of the simplicity of the recipe and preparations. Something I enjoyed eating was the miniature tacos, they were absolutely adorable and super easy to prepare. Just pop them into the airfryer for a couple minutes and the corn shell comes out hard and crispy. Something strange was the slab of meat that was stuck between the tortilla shell, it looked like a hamburger patty but tasted like a taco. I recommend purchasing this product for parties and medium sized events, a solid 7/10. Somewhere on the internet I heard about how great the peaches are at Trader Joes. The peaches are perfect, they are juicy and are not too sweet, it consists of a flavor perfect for yogurts and salads. Honestly, I would eat the whole jar straight up, 10/10.