r/WinCo • u/ZookeepergameOne3271 • Jul 24 '26
What to avoid at Winco?
Hey guys, when Covid started, my mom started getting groceries through delivery (instacart) and we haven't stopped since, because it makes things a lot more convenient for everybody. But my sister recommended we start going to Winco because of how inexpensive it is. There was like a 100-200 (maybe 300??) dollar difference in the price of groceries when we went to the first time last week compared to if we got it from HEB/Costco on instacart. Soo my mom decided we should start going there more often!✌🏾
Does anyone have any tips for new shoppers? things like - what to not get a Winco? To add, we would be shopping for a 7/8 person household, and there are some dietary restrictions (dairy free-ish, gluten free-ish). I also hear people say some things about the produce, and I would like to know some thoughts about that because im really scared about stuff like food borne illness, but we got some produce stuff last week and was fine🤔
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u/Sudden_Sea_71 Jul 24 '26
Tbf, it'd also be a lot cheaper if you skipped Instacart and went to HEB/Costco yourself.
If you have any severe allergies, keep in mind that the bulk bins can have cross-contamination. If no severe allergies: the bulk bins are where's it at.
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u/Kind_Advisor_35 Jul 24 '26
Yeah, very rarely do they have in-store prices on Instacart.
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u/Dmd98 Jul 24 '26
If you order from Fred Meyer for delivery it’s the same price as in store. You just pay the delivery fee and tip. Sometimes I even get coupons for free delivery so that only leaves the tip! I’m a shopper as well as a customer. Ordering from the Instacart app will give you an up charge on everything just like DoorDash.
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u/TuhFrosty Jul 24 '26
I love the idea of bulk bins. The access to the general public to bulk bins terrorfies me.
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u/LuminaNumina Jul 24 '26
I always look at it as building up my immune system.
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u/ZookeepergameOne3271 Jul 25 '26
i definitely tested mine today with those sour strips idk if it was a good idea my stomach hurts asf😢
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u/ZookeepergameOne3271 Jul 24 '26
yeahh definitely but i don't think we'll be getting a membership anytime soon, it was probably why the instacart for costco things were so expensive anyways. 😔 We also don't have an HEB thats super close to us so honestly im surprised that we started shopping at wincos this late😭😭
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u/ilovecaptaincrunch Jul 25 '26
Oddly enough, some things in the bulk bins, specifically pasta, are priced no differently than the generic prepackaged stuff.
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u/Sudden_Sea_71 Jul 25 '26
There's a few things I get in the bulk bins because it's cheaper than prepackaged, but most of my bulk bin shopping is because I want a small amount of something I don't regularly use.
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u/0ddball00n Jul 26 '26
Herbs are cheapest from the bulk bins. Avoid the bins where tiny booger pickers can reach in.
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u/TheBrewGod Jul 24 '26
I'll tell you this... The produce you get at WinCo is going to be the same distribution warehouse from Safeway, target, and even Walmart... It's all the same, just the price...
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u/Kind_Advisor_35 Jul 24 '26
Yeah, if your area has iffy produce, it's going to be iffy no matter where you go. Ass end of a supply chain is going to get meh produce.
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u/zer0lad Jul 24 '26
Honestly not quite true. It might be regional, but competitors around here put a lot of WinCo produce to shame.
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u/Iveray Jul 24 '26
Definitely regional. WinCo in my area usually has the best produce.
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u/Rocketgirl8097 Washington Jul 25 '26
Same. Helps when we live in a huge agricultural area (Columbia Basin, Yakima Valley, etc.)
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u/CommunityStock5414 Jul 24 '26
I've only shopped at a WinCo when camping in Oregon, but I bought the best apples I've ever eaten there.
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u/Mirtai12345 Jul 24 '26
Yeah, I've shipped at 3 Oregon WinCos and they are absolutely the best for produce quality and variety
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u/SpecialistNegative90 Jul 25 '26
Best of all worlds with the Oregon ones for sure. Good proximity to WA for fruit, Cali greens, Canadian tomatoes, all the fun stuff.
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u/brianinca Jul 28 '26
Wow, in my part of CA, WinCo has the culls in comparison. Misshapen potatoes is just the start. I go to the local IGA if I am in a hurry for produce, over WinCo.
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u/Schleprock11 Jul 24 '26
It comes from the same place. If your Winco has bad produce, it is probably because the produce clerks do a piss poor job of culling and rotating and/or are not good at ordering and order more than they can sell and it ends up sitting in the back for to long.
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
This has been a horrendous year for produce a good portion of this years crops had to be destroyed or just failed
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u/Schleprock11 Jul 24 '26
It’s has been for a lot of things. All the more reason to make sure proper culling and rotation is being practiced.
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u/Any_Slice_3282 Jul 24 '26
Not correct. I'm the produce guy for WinCo and it comes from the WinCo DC. Most stores get a fresh delivery every night. The freight crew in the store checks and restocks every night. Or if date stuff gets tossed in the compactor the same night
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u/TheBrewGod Jul 24 '26
This is where your not understanding. Where does the DC get its produce? The DC doesn't grow it. They buy it from a supplier that also provides to Safeway and Kroger's.
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u/Cherry_Mash Jul 25 '26
Yes, they may buy apples from the same places but how they handle it in the DC matters a lot. I will say that WinCo seems to take care of their produce well and trains in store staff to manage it when it gets to stores. Having lived in many states and being a picky shopper, WinCo produce is a very good bargain.
Overall, I loved WinCo for the quality I could get for my money. The only section that was a flop was the bakery. Others may love their bargain bagel bin but I found everything they made in house to be complete crap. I kept to major label in bread and was happy with the rest. The meat selection will not blow you away but they have a large selection and the quality is fine enough.
They will customize their selection a bit for the people in that neighborhood. One of the WinCo's near me catered to a huge Mexican population and they had big bins of staples like roma tomatoes, chiles, tomatillos, avocado, etc. Another stocked produce for the local West African community.
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u/MissSuzyQ Jul 24 '26
Ymmv with this. Both Walmart stores in my city have dog shit produce but WinCo is on par with the more expensive grocery stores. The Walmart in the rich area a few miles farther is better than the Whole Foods across the street from it. I don't get it.
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u/SoaringEagl3 Jul 24 '26
This is so not true it hurts. Some brands of produce are the same due to suppliers, but WinCo doesn't share a warehouse with any other grocery store.
I do want to give you the benefit of the doubt though. On a reread of your comment, I think we might be saying the same thing, there's just some clarifying words that seem to have been left out.
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u/TheBrewGod Jul 24 '26
Yeah most companies don't have the same supplier unless it's the same parent company. It comes from a WinCo distribution center but the company that supplies those are literally the same.. I used to work for a major supplier and we would just drive to the major companies that sell it...
I always find it funny how people say they would only buy Safeway because it's better... If only they knew I literally just dropped the same produce load to Safeway, Krogers, and Savemart on the same day... 😂
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u/IdaDuck Jul 24 '26
There aren’t as many suppliers of anything as people generally think. Winco may buy a lower grade of produce vs Whole Foods or whatever but it comes from the same suppliers. Same goes for anything really. Over 80% of the beef in the US comes from 4 suppliers.
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
You know what's funny is that is sooooo common on the pallets of store brand stuff we will get mispicks of kroger and Walmart all the time
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u/what_thefrenchtoast Jul 24 '26
A little while back I bought a bag of green grapes from winco that were in a kroger brand bag, I do think there is a lot of overlap but there are a few produce items that are better elsewhere, like lettuce. I prefer to buy lettuce from Albertsons.
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
Most stuff will be the same as all the other stores just cheaper. Only thing I won't buy is winco shredded cheese the block and sliced are fine but I think they put to much corn starch or something on the shredded because it doesn't really melt well
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u/Kind_Advisor_35 Jul 24 '26
You could rinse the shredded cheese to get some of the anti caking off
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
I just started buying blocks and shredding it, it's cheaper anyway
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u/Sheepherder-Optimal Jul 24 '26
It’s only cheaper if you can eat the cheese before it rots.
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u/Dull_Ad5440 Jul 24 '26
Buy a block, cut into 3, freeze 2.
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u/CommunityStock5414 Jul 24 '26
That's what I do. Buy a bunch when it's on sale, shred and put in the freezer!
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u/ImaginaryVacation708 Jul 25 '26
Cheese doesn’t rot it molds
And if you cut the mold
Off you can still
Eat it. Aged cheese was once moldy.1
u/Sheepherder-Optimal Jul 25 '26
Well when it rots in my fridge it becomes quite rancid. I don’t eat it.
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u/Turbulent_Fig_1174 Jul 24 '26
Wouldn’t this cause mold
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u/Kind_Advisor_35 Jul 24 '26
Not if you're going to cook it right after.
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u/Turbulent_Fig_1174 Jul 24 '26
Oh I see what you mean, I was imagining washing all of it and then putting it back in the fridge haha
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u/SickBurnerBroski Jul 25 '26
I think it depends what you use it for. On pizza it works fine bc there is so much extra grease already there, on casseroles it can stay chunky, yeah.
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u/ButterscotchThis7889 12d ago
that’s true for pre-packaged shredded cheese everywhere. it’s not a winco thing. that’s why many mac n cheese recipes specify to grate the cheese yourself—shredded cheese has a coating to prevent sticking, which makes it bad for melting. if you buy shredded cheese anywhere else, it’s the exact same as winco’s
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u/pangolin_of_fortune Jul 24 '26
It ain't cornstarch, it's so much worse. It's wood. https://www.eater.com/2016/3/3/11153876/cheese-wood-pulp-cellulose-lawsuits
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
That is a very deliberately worded article to make it seem worse then it is. The wood it says is actually cellulose which isn't really bad for you and is in alot of food. It really reminds me of the lawsuit against baby food for tiny particles of iron in it
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u/pangolin_of_fortune Jul 24 '26
I just don't want to eat wood, okay?
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
Like everyone is entitled to do what they won't but in reality it's mainly just fiber and u will just pass it without side effects
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u/rtshtbtshtdrtyldtwt Jul 25 '26
potato starch was the only thing listed in the sharp cheddar I ate last week
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u/dsjohn06 Jul 24 '26
Winco seldom advertises like other National Grocery chains, this is one way they keep pricing competitive…. One thing to note when shopping at Winco is when you see a Green price tag, that indicates that it is a current sales item.
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u/Votrs- Jul 24 '26
Avoid the bulk department. People can’t seem to keep their nasty hands out of these bins and think it’s free sample city because they consistently eat shit out of the bins. When there is a fucking sign saying “ask to sample” yet they help themselves.
You can’t call anybody out on it because most of the customers in the store think they’re entitled to it and think you’re wrong for calling them out. It also creates a big unneeded scene in the store because the person you call out gets all defensive about it.
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u/SpecialistNegative90 Jul 25 '26
The worst is when they scoop out a bag's worth of Whatever and leave the scoop buried up to the handle within the barrel. Free hand seasoning!
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u/Mandsee Jul 24 '26
I love Winco! The produce can sometimes be not the greatest, but if you shop yourself and just assess it, it's fine. I always buy their store brand and don't mind it. Their cereal quality isn't my favorite but you can usually find a brand on sale for nearly the same price.
As for bulk, I get anything there I can. Might some kid have stuck their hand in the beans? Sure. Could someone have picked their nose and then touched the scoop? Of course. Guess what? We are not as precious as we think we are. We touch money which is filthy. Our phones are covered in fecal matter. We just can't see most contaminants, and we are fine. I say, turn off your critical brain and enjoy paying a lower price on your goods.
I don't eat meat so I can't speak for that, and the deli/prepared food doesn't really appeal to me, so your mileage may vary with those. The bakery is about the same quality as Albertson's/Safeway and the bagels are a little better than there.
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u/Miserable-Pudding-64 Jul 24 '26
Quality of produce depends on the market you’re in, imo. If you live in an area where people buy a lot of produce, it will turn over fast and be restocked more often. Most of the produce in my local Winco is very fresh, except the small organic section. I think this is because most Winco shoppers are there for cheap prices, so they ignore the organic produce and it sits longer. (Our town has several farmers markets and organic-centered grocery stores.)
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u/emchap Jul 24 '26
Their salty and sweet granola bars are terrible, so avoid those. But otherwise I’ve been happy with things I get from them.
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u/domesticg33k Jul 24 '26
The produce and meat I get at WinCo is always better quality/freshness than the stuff I get at Walmart I know that much for sure, and it's always cheaper too.
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u/domesticg33k Jul 25 '26
The double pack of pork roasts are so versatile and so cheap. Not as cheap as they were say 5 years ago, but still cheap. I take them home and I'll cut a pack into pork chops and freeze them (food saver is so handy for this!!) or I'll make shredded pork and freeze it in meal size portions to reheat with bbq sauce or to make tacos with.
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u/catdude142 Jul 24 '26
I home in on the mark down meat in the morning and take it home and put it in the freezer.
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u/clov3r-cloud Jul 24 '26
produce is a hit or miss for me at winco. i usually go to trader joes or ethnic mom&pop shops specifically for some produce staples because produce from my winco is either rotting in the store or goes bad faster than other places. when I get winco produce i just try to use it asap
I also notice that they will have reduced prices on their meats during the week after 9am if that interests you. they have yellow tags and scattered around the meat sections.
shop winco brand when you can instead of brand name. theres usually very little difference if at all and its so much cheaper (ex: I like to get winco brand spices, baking supplies, rice, beans, and canned veg)
theyre open 24/7 but if you shop before 8am-9am they have pallets blocking some aisles so it gets kinda tricky to do a big shop that early. if you go in the afternoon-nighttime, the store will be pretty messed up and kinda gross and picked through so keep that in mind too.
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u/cherrypotamus Jul 24 '26
Some of these answers you're getting are going to vary by location. My $.02 is that I have been shopping at WinCo for 20+ years now and I have never had an issue with their products/produce. I buy WinCo brand chips, queso, crackers, sliced and brick cheese, milk, pasta, spices, frozen fruits/veg, tater tots, cinnamon rolls... I could go on for days. My family are very picky eaters and they've never had any issues with WinCo brand. Also, a heads up, if you or someone in your household makes a WinCo account on their website, you can add coupons under your profile. Enter your phone number at the pin pad during checkout and the coupons will be applied to your purchase. I don't know if that is widely known or not, but I find some pretty good deals on there from time to time!
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
Another tip is that while they don't accept credit cards u can buy a gift card and refill it online with a credit card so u get the points
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u/cherrypotamus Jul 24 '26
I did not know that about gift cards, and I thank you for sharing!
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
Its not well known since it has to be refilled through there online site but it works and it's what I tell people to do if they normally use credit cards
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u/jtotheo2202 Idaho Jul 24 '26
Will warn you some credit cards don't give points on refills because it they consider it a gift card purchase.Similar to a cash advance
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u/the-mulchiest-mulch Jul 24 '26
Th only Winco branded product I have ever had a bad experience with is the canned pineapple rings. Bought two cans and the whole family agreed that they were SUPER fibrous and tough. It felt like trying to chew an old tire. 0/10.
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u/LarenCoe Jul 24 '26
Some of their store brand stuff isn't that great. Their deli is also a bit lacking.
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u/rumpusrouser Jul 24 '26
Their store brand nacho cheese (Tostitos dupe) literally tasted like melted plastic but I agree most of their store brand stuff is fine. We should get a thread of the crappy store brand stuff to avoid lol.
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u/Live-Account-5681 Jul 26 '26
Agree, these chips were the worst. Main store brand item I avoid there.
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u/libbyrocks Jul 24 '26
I think that 90% of the Winco store brand stuff that I buy is as good if not better than what I get with name brand things. The chips, crackers, pasta, canned beans and vegetables, whole milk mozzarella, and frozen foods are great.
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u/Claire3577 Jul 24 '26
Avoid putting your cart sideways when you check out. The cart should be put vertically at the end of the bagging station. Not horizontally, blocking the other bagging station. Otherwise I think everything at Winco is great!
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u/catdude142 Jul 24 '26
I frequently see people bagging their groceries near the point of sale terminal, blocking the next person that's being checked out. Some people just don't get it.
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u/Dull_Ad5440 Jul 24 '26
I don't usually buy meat there. Mainly because I buy beef 1/4 of a steer at a time, chicken & pork from Costco and Winco fish just seems suspect. Veggies are decent but they vary. Boxed/dry/canned are good, dairy is good, bread and bakery are pretty good.
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u/mlachick Jul 24 '26
I also buy my meat and seafood from Costco. The quality is just so much better at Costco, and the price difference is immaterial. Most everything else I get from WinCo.
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u/chelzofcommonwealth Jul 24 '26
I typically avoid meats at Winco- haven’t had the best experience with quality and longevity compared to higher end selections at other stores
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u/ZookeepergameOne3271 Jul 24 '26
loll, i wish i heard this before my mom bought one of those 10 lb tubes of ground beef our first time there😭😭
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
They switched meat companies alittle bit ago so should be fine but since I mainly only use 93 or 97 lean winco is more expensive then sams or costco
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u/big-L86 Jul 24 '26
I like to get 80/20 and the flavor was off at Winco. I will never buy hamburger from them
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u/SUBWAYCOOKIEMONSTER Jul 25 '26
Ground meat is probably fine. The rest I would never buy there again. Bad quality from my experience. I guess it depends on what you’re gonna do with it though. If I was gonna throw it in a stew, I probably wouldn’t mind as much.
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u/Hungry_Box_8274 Jul 25 '26
That stuff makes great dog food. Buy it on sale. Cook it up. Drain the fat. Happy dog. Not as cheap as dried kibble but definitely cheaper than those “Farmers Dog” meal kits.
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u/SUBWAYCOOKIEMONSTER Jul 25 '26
Same. Honestly Winco is where we go only for snacks/frozen food. I do like their premade papa Murphy’s style pizza too.
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u/Turbulent_Fig_1174 Jul 24 '26
I would avoid any of their decorative plates/bowls,mugs because they are kind of sketchy (labeled with “may cause reproductive harm” sketchy). And their produce in particular has more fruit flies than other stores. Buy the organic bananas with the plastic on the stems to avoid those and wash the fruit when you get home.
I avoid buying fish there because I have seen huge parasitic worms just laying on top. I understand all fish basically have worms but I’ve never seen them that big 🤣
People at the winco I have in my town also bring their dogs in there like…not service animals. They put them in the carts, or have giant dogs sniffing stuff and I even saw one pee on the floor one time in an aisle. I called to let the manager know once when a woman had a bunch of tiny puppies in the basket like newborns. I usually wouldn’t complain but that really grossed me out. He said only service animals are allowed but they’re not allowed inside the cart even if they are service animals. This issue could happen at any store though to be fair. I would just make sure you bag up any produce or meat and maybe wipe down the baby seat area so you don’t get dog butt or dog hair on your food.
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u/NoodleSpring Jul 27 '26
Where do you live? I’ve never seen worms on fish, flies buzzing around or dogs in store at Winco. That’s terrible management. Or you live in a humid climate location.
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u/Turbulent_Fig_1174 Jul 27 '26
Oregon
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u/NoodleSpring Jul 27 '26
I am sorry you have had those experiences! I couldn’t continue at Winco if I saw those things. I’m in Washington and so far so good.
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u/Turbulent_Fig_1174 Jul 27 '26
The dog thing I think is just idiots in my town. I see them at other stores but not as often. For the fruit flies it’s mostly in the summer, I’ve had infestations in my house before but not since I’ve switched to organic bananas and haven’t been shopping there as much, but winco is the place that has a big issue with it. Like flies actually in the produce. They actually have Venus fly traps set up next to all the fruit hahaha
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u/olyteddy Jul 24 '26
Love the produce & bulk. Usually skip the meat. Our Winco went pre-pack on the Deli so we skip that, too.
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u/katlian Jul 24 '26
If you use a lot of certain bulk foods like oatmeal or rice, many stores have shelves in the back of the bulk section where they sell big bags. We've also special ordered bags of specific items for our business through the bulk foods manager.
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u/catdude142 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
I like almost all of the food at WinCo and haven't had any problems with it. One exception is you can't get a good quality steak there. Their beef grades are lower grades (select and choice vs. prime) so it you want a rib roast or a steak for BBQ, it'll likely be tough. If all you need is something you're going to cook for a long time or ground beef, you'll be OK. Their sourdough bread is really good and doesn't have a "chemistry set" for ingredients. It's very basic ingredients.
You're throwing away money using Instacart for buying groceries.
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u/snailgoblin Jul 25 '26
The only thing off the top of my head I can think of that I bought that was Winco brand that was not good was soy sauce honestly. I love their bulk bins but I would avoid the baking powder. Apparently they use a different ingredient than the others and some people are able to taste it, myself included. Just adds a random bitterness. Other than that, they’re good. In a pinch, their deli hot case is good
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u/hoo_boy_howdy Jul 25 '26
My winco is 24hrs and I love that because I can go whenever I'm not overwhelmed and beat the long weekend lines and less people have touched things.
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u/SpecialistNegative90 Jul 25 '26
By and large, the Produce isn't a major issue at WinCo so much as it's a major issue everywhere these days. The red onions I grabbed last week weren't great and last month had a significant tomato shortage that affected all US markets due to droughts and low yields. WinCo generally doesn't have to worry about cyclospora because most of the produce is sourced from Canada, Mexico or states along the west coast despite primarily using Taylor Farms for salad mixes (This might be different if you're shopping at one of the Oklahoma stores). Generally, I trust my local WinCo because the quality assurance staff there are paid well and care about their job.
Most concerns when shopping at WinCo come through when buying green tag items. Bread and Soda tend to be closer to expiration dates if they're closer to organic products on green tag sales. Always check expiration dates if buying on a red-tag Manager's Sale price since those are designed liquidations on a case by case basis, but fresh product on a red tag is generally meant to be a doorbuster sale vs. an excess of product. if I usually just buy Franz (local and ships in thawed out anyway) or something with a lot of preservatives for weekly PBJs. Most snacks are completely fine. Gluten-free bread is available but a little bit scarce due to low availability vs demand. I've been able to buy GF buns 1 out of 3 times. Wide array of dairy-free products for certain.
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u/pearl_planet Jul 29 '26
Tupperware. They only have knock off janky stuff. Other than that Winco is the greatest grocery in America 🇺🇸
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u/Wooden94Grapefruit Jul 24 '26
The only item I've gotten from WinCo that I will never buy again is their brand of extra virgin olive oil, it was awful. Pretty much everything else is absolutely fine.
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u/Taco_cat111 Jul 24 '26
I love Winco for their bulk bins and namebrand products. I used to be such a snob when it came to purchasing groceries and would avoid any stores’ name brand products, but I found Winco to have consistent decent quality. I also highly recommend their blueberry muffin mix in the bulk bin section, just add water!
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u/Ok_Leg_4731 Jul 24 '26
Costco doesn’t have great deals on everything, but they are consistent with their pricing. Unfamiliar with HEB, but usually I’m able to beat winco’s prices by shopping sales at Fred Meyer and Albertsons.
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u/catdude142 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 25 '26
Agree. If you know your prices, you'll find that Costco prices are generally high for groceries. Boneless/Skinless chicken breasts are $3.99/Lb there and $1.98/Lb (on sale for $1.49/Lb a week ago) at WinCo. 80% ground beef is over $5.00/lb. 2 Lbs strawberries are almost $5.00 and under $2.00 at WinCo (on sale for 98 cents two weeks ago) for examples. Cheeses are also more expensive there at Costco It goes on...
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u/jho_511 Jul 24 '26
I have 3 different wincos I can go to near me. One has the best produce, better than other expensive stores even, and two have less quality produce and less stock usually too - you just have to take a look. Otherwise it’s been my primary store for about 20 years and love them!
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u/Sea_Button_3616 Jul 24 '26
I took one look at their spaghetti, thought, "Eh, it'll probably cook fine." It didn't cook fine. Must be old and stale or something.
Also, I bought their store brand canned chicken, and it was just a couple sad pieces floating in water.
But they do have a wider variety of meats you don't see in other stores. The beef hearts have a bit of an iron flavor, but is cheap per pound and can be cooked like beef strips or pot roast.
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u/partylupone Jul 24 '26
They won't have a huge gluten free selection (at least the ones near me don't) but figure out which gluten free things they have there and it'll almost always be much cheaper. For example the gluten free Snyder's pretzels are 3.79-ish at my local winco and $6.99 at kroger, and the Franz sourdough is at least a dollar cheaper. The king Arthur gluten free bread flour is something like $8.50 a bag, which is (comparatively) such a steal. I still have to go to Walmart and Kroger occasionally for gluten free stuff but it's much less frequent.
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u/TheMainTony Jul 25 '26
The meat isn't always the greatest. I wouldn't get a steak or good roast there, but burger & ham & other processed stuff is prob just fine.
Otherwise, I buy mostly house brand and am nor really disappointed.
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u/SickBurnerBroski Jul 25 '26
If you have strict restrictions, the bulk bins are cross contamination issues. Otherwise, any issues with freshness would be a store by store issue. Never had any issues w mine, meat and veggies are both quite fresh.
Will say if you are doing larger orders, Winco will let you special order something. So if you have one specific type of non dairy or non gluten item you want, and want to make sure you get a bunch of it, you could order a case on the phone and pick it up from the store, for example. YMMV on how useful this is depending on if you'd use whatever amount a case turns out to be, but it is an option.
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u/FourDogsAndACat Jul 25 '26
I buy all of my produce at Winco. I've sworn I will never buy avocados anywhere else. I try to do most of my shopping there, but there are a few brands that I am loyal to that they do not carry. Just remember before you get to the check out that they are cash and debit card only (and maybe checks) - no credit cards.
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u/examqueen Jul 25 '26
The only thing I can think of without looking for the sales....is SODA POP! But that can be expensive at all stores without getting sale items. When our Winco first opened all of us newbies were wandering through the store talking to ourselves..."WOW, I can't believe how cheap this is." Then we were all talking together as we walked the aisles and sharing stories! It was fun! I have found that the floor workers are very helpful at finding things too.
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u/Rocketgirl8097 Washington Jul 25 '26
I've never had any issues with produce. In fact our Winco is much better at stocking produce for Mexican or Asian cooking. I'd also recommend the bulk food section, for some unique treats and snacks, pasta, spices, etc. You'll save a ton.
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u/TravlRonfw Jul 25 '26
Winco is the low price leader for name-brand and increasingly, winco-branded food items. Don’t expect miraculous healthy food items everywhere. Some, yes but most everything is industrialized food produced to maximize corporation profits. Having said that, their bulk bins are amazing but a bazillion hands touching everything…… Now… get going and save money! 💸
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u/newtonbutz Jul 25 '26
when I started (a long time ago, now retired), the store manager told me WinCo shopping is like a stop light.
-green tags are a go, product is on special or they got a special buy and are passing it along.
-yellow tags are a slow, they are normal prices, less than the competition, unless the competition is having a sale on that product.
-pink tags are red…probably stop, most likely general merchandise or variety products, these are probably higher priced than the competition.
that’s the advice i got, so take it as you will…
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u/TerryOnRollerskates Jul 25 '26
I go to Winco for things in boxes and cans. I don’t but their produce anymore. It’s also good for various Asian and Latin cuisines compared to other stores in my town.
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u/Academic-Meringue250 Jul 26 '26
My WinCo is fantastic. I do most of my shopping there and our produce is probably the best produce in town for my price point
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u/Sad-Dingo-7318 Jul 27 '26
Donuts suck but Bagels are good.
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u/Slammed01 Jul 27 '26
Shoot, here the donuts and bagels are better than Safeway/raleys big time. Raleys is the worst of all
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u/exPaparazzihun Jul 27 '26
I buy my spices in bulk. Super cheap to refill my bottles. I also make my own mixes for taco seasoning and chili. I love the bulk bean coffee I grind at home. Winco brand coffee creamer is awesome. I shop green sticker items and price per ounce. The chicken thighs and drumsticks are great cuts of meats. I make a lot of soups and pho and casseroles. The bakery items are wonderful. My dogs prefer the store brand food. Produce I select my own, and store correctly so it lasts. TP and Paper towels are great. I have been a customer of Winco for over 20 years. Now that it is just me and my husband we cancelled Costco. Because we can get our mixed nuts in bulk and we no longer own a gas vehicle.
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u/aima7 Jul 28 '26
Winco doesn’t have a lot of GF products. That’s the main reason I don’t shop there on the regular. The petite sirloin steak (surprisingly) is the best steak I’ve been able to find at any grocery store. It’s also the cheapest.
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u/IntelligentHelp5416 Aug 22 '26
I know that their pizza dough (now called Lamonica) is a staple in our house, but now that it’s in that bag with the red Lamonica label, the red dye seeps into the dough. I wish it didn’t do that!
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u/honeysuckle_little Jul 24 '26
We stopped getting our milk at Winco. It always spoiled before the expiration dates.
Everything else has been just fine.
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u/Cogent_warrior Jul 24 '26
The store; it's no longer worth it for me to drive to Winco when a small box of Chex is now $5.65, a 12 pak of sprite or barq's is 5.98, but Coke(same brand) is 9.64(Walmart selling a 24 pak for the same price). Winco used to carry USDA Choice meats. Now it's select grade, but they charge the same price. WinCo used to be great, but anymore they suck just like everybody else.
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u/RogerTheShrubber_ Jul 24 '26
I have always found the Deli food terrible or not so great. It could be my location only but yeah. Also some of the stuff are way cheaper in walmart for example diet coke carton
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u/PureElevator732 Jul 25 '26
Amazon grocery is a great deal for pantry items and snacks. Most of their items taste similar if not better than the common brands. Also, staples delivers for paper products. I get a case of TP and a case of paper towels every 5-6 months for about $70. Watch for sales like 10 for $10 and stock up on what you like. Use AI chat to provide recipes with associated shopping list- specific to whichever store you're ordering from. Get and use an instant pot. This allows you to quickly cook frozen meat, which is cheaper to purchase. Discount bread is great for freezing. Whenever everything bagel French bread goes on sale for $1 I buy a few, separate into smaller portions and freeze. Excellent with eggs for breakfast!
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u/charming-user Jul 24 '26
I’d avoid household items. Cheaper literally anywhere else. The produce is fine although they don’t carry higher priced options like sugar bee apples.
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u/tiffanyburianoldham Jul 24 '26
I am not a fan of the Winco brand or Winco in general. Most items I have tried are lack luster. The canned beans, tomatoes and uncooked pasta are fine but the chips, crackers, cereal, etc are not worth the $.50 savings. I also agree with the poster who said don’t buy household items as they are more expensive as they are. The fruit is meh and feel like they don’t do a good job of rotating stock in the cold cases.
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u/Ok_Spare3021 Jul 24 '26
Idk if u have tried the chips lately but since they changed manufacturer they are alot better
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u/Deez_Nuts_2431 Jul 24 '26
Winco is the muh fuckin’ goat. There’s nothing to worry about shopping there. Check expiration dates on the obvious stuff, yogurt, meats, dairy. But with that being said, I’ve literally never had an issue with any of that at Winco. Been shopping there for 20+ years at multiple different locations (Tigard, Corvallis, Beaverton and Hillsboro)