Frugal Fridays: Grocery Eats

Years ago, I spent a lot of time (when I was away from college) staying over at an apartment on the corner of 6th & Marion where three of my closest friends lived. At the time, the only grocery store nearby (8th and Madison) wasn't much more than a glorified mini-mart, with lighting that did no favors to the produce, and a selection that leaned much more toward shelf stable than flavorful. To be honest, we were usually shopping for box wine or Little Debbie snacks... so maybe I only saw what I was looking for.

Regardless, a few years ago, they leveled it. And from the dirt hole that was left behind sprung up a new grocery store worthy of that moniker: M Street Grocery.

If my friends were still living at the Dover, we'd all be eating a lot better these days - because M Street Grocery has packed an amazing selection of fresh produce, deli foods, grocery items, and even a cafe & bakery into the space. They serve great lunch specials every day, and even set up a barbecue outside to sell burgers at a reasonable price, which you can enjoy at one of the outdoor tables they have set up.



But burgers weren't what I was after today. I hit the deli, and grabbed a fresh Boar's Head turkey, ham & cheese sandwich on a baguette for just $3.99, then swung by the produce section and grabbed a Navel orange ($0.99/lb), for a total of $4.88.



It's worth mentioning that even more recently, another grocery store has popped up in the Downtown Seattle core - right in the heart of things: Kress Supermarket at Third & Pike. They also have a robust selection, and surely offer some great lunchtime deals.

If you're looking for frugal lunches - a grocery store is hard to beat. You could go with a friend and make up some sandwiches or a salad yourselves... and maybe grab some box wine to wash it down, and some Little Debbie snacks for dessert.



(Frugal Fridays is a weekly series dedicated to finding Seattle lunch spots where you can walk in with a $5 bill and walk out with a fulfilling, preferably healthy, lunch. If you have suggestions of places in the Seattle area with a great lunch for under $5 after tax, post a comment - I'd love the help.)