I moved to New York City from Wisconsin a decade ago, but I'm still obsessed with these Midwestern grocery stores

Talia LakritzJan 14, 2024, 09:09 IST

Grocery shopping in the Midwest.Talia Lakritz/Insider

I grew up in Wisconsin and moved to New York City over 10 years ago.
I still love Midwestern grocery chains like Meijer, Piggly Wiggly, Sendik's, and Metro Market.

There are many things I love about living in New York City since moving from Wisconsin over 10 years ago, but there's nothing like a Midwestern grocery store.

A 2009 grocery-store analysis by New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene found that supermarkets in the city are about half the size of the average US grocery store, with 1.5 square feet per person compared to 3 square feet per person. Manhattan's cost of living is also higher than anywhere else in the country — more than twice the national average.

I often find it exhausting to do my shopping in New York City's small, crowded, expensive stores. When I visit grocery stores in my Wisconsin hometown, it's a completely different experience.

Here are four Midwestern grocery chains I'm still obsessed with, even after moving to the East Coast.

Meijer is a Midwestern superstore chain with over 240 locations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

A Meijer store in Wisconsin.Talia Lakritz/Insider

It's similar to Walmart in that it's huge and has a little bit of everything, but it also offers fresh grocery selections at deli, meat, seafood, and bakery counters.

The bakery counter at Meijer.Talia Lakritz/Insider

My hometown Wisconsin store offers a wide selection of local specialties like brats and cheeses.

Local items at Meijer.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Meijer also sells apparel, sporting goods, electronics, pharmacy items, home-improvement tools, and garden supplies.

Sports apparel at Meijer.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Metro Market is a subsidiary of Kroger, which operates 1,239 stores across the US. In the Midwest, Dillons and Pick 'n Save are among the Kroger-operated stores.

Metro Market in Wisconsin.Talia Lakritz/Insider

In addition to grocery and pharmacy aisles, the upscale stores offer freshly prepared items like sushi and charcuterie platters.

Charcuterie platters at Metro Market.Talia Lakritz/Insider

The dining area at my local Wisconsin Metro Market is furnished with a stone fireplace and large windows that bathe the area in sunlight.

A dining area at Metro Market.Talia Lakritz/Insider

It also has the largest selection of cheese I've ever seen, with cute handwritten signs that make it feel like a Midwestern Trader Joe's.

The cheese section at Metro Market.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Sendik's, a family-owned grocery chain, operates 18 stores across Wisconsin.

Sendik's.Talia Lakritz/Insider

In some parts of the store, you can almost forget you're going grocery shopping and feel like you're in a funky boutique.

Housewares at Sendik's.Talia Lakritz/Insider

In my experience, the produce at Sendik's is unmatched.

The produce section at Sendik's.Talia Lakritz/Insider

It also stocks some of my favorite treats that I can only buy in Wisconsin, like these chocolate-covered cherries from Door County.

Chocolate-covered cherries produced in Wisconsin and sold at Sendik's.Talia Lakritz/Insider

With over 600 stores across 17 states, Piggly Wiggly largely serves the South and the Midwest.

Piggly Wiggly.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Piggly Wiggly sells many Midwestern delicacies like cheese curds and kringle pastries, not to mention an abundance of bratwurst in the deli section.

Brats at Piggly Wiggly.Talia Lakritz/Insider

The location I frequent includes a walk-in beer fridge. As the home of Miller Brewing Company, Wisconsin residents love their lager.

Piggly Wiggly's walk-in beer fridge.Talia Lakritz/Insider

I enjoy spotting unique kitchen gadgets, like a cheese-shaped cheese container, amid the grocery items.

A cheese saver at Piggly Wiggly.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Even though I do most of my grocery shopping in New York City these days, I always look forward to the spacious aisles stocked with local products when I visit my hometown.

At Meijer.Talia Lakritz/Insider

Even though I do most of my grocery shopping in New York City these days, I always look forward to the spacious aisles stocked with local products when I visit my hometown.

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I moved to New York City from Wisconsin a decade ago, but I'm still obsessed with these Midwestern grocery stores

Meijer is a Midwestern superstore chain with over 240 locations in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

It's similar to Walmart in that it's huge and has a little bit of everything, but it also offers fresh grocery selections at deli, meat, seafood, and bakery counters.

My hometown Wisconsin store offers a wide selection of local specialties like brats and cheeses.

Meijer also sells apparel, sporting goods, electronics, pharmacy items, home-improvement tools, and garden supplies.

Metro Market is a subsidiary of Kroger, which operates 1,239 stores across the US. In the Midwest, Dillons and Pick 'n Save are among the Kroger-operated stores.

In addition to grocery and pharmacy aisles, the upscale stores offer freshly prepared items like sushi and charcuterie platters.

The dining area at my local Wisconsin Metro Market is furnished with a stone fireplace and large windows that bathe the area in sunlight.

It also has the largest selection of cheese I've ever seen, with cute handwritten signs that make it feel like a Midwestern Trader Joe's.

Sendik's, a family-owned grocery chain, operates 18 stores across Wisconsin.

In some parts of the store, you can almost forget you're going grocery shopping and feel like you're in a funky boutique.

In my experience, the produce at Sendik's is unmatched.

It also stocks some of my favorite treats that I can only buy in Wisconsin, like these chocolate-covered cherries from Door County.

With over 600 stores across 17 states, Piggly Wiggly largely serves the South and the Midwest.

Piggly Wiggly sells many Midwestern delicacies like cheese curds and kringle pastries, not to mention an abundance of bratwurst in the deli section.

The location I frequent includes a walk-in beer fridge. As the home of Miller Brewing Company, Wisconsin residents love their lager.

I enjoy spotting unique kitchen gadgets, like a cheese-shaped cheese container, amid the grocery items.

Even though I do most of my grocery shopping in New York City these days, I always look forward to the spacious aisles stocked with local products when I visit my hometown.