As you settle into 2026, you may realize you need to shop for everyday life.
Post-Holiday Grocery Needs
What I’m saying is that, if you’re anything like me, you probably spent the back half of December buying groceries for family functions and group get-togethers.
After those parties have all wrapped up, you’ll need to head to the grocery store for the old standbys. You might shop at Walmart, Target, or Woodman’s in the Rockford area, and while they might be expensive on some items, there’s one store that is head and shoulders more pricey than the rest.
The Fresh Market: A Costly Choice Nearby
You won’t find this place in Rockford either, but there’s a good chance you’ve been to one since there are eight different locations in the state, with the closest about an hour away.
I’m talking about The Fresh Market, and Mashed says it’s the “priciest place to shop” in America.
Why the Higher Prices?
Blame it on the expert food curators, imported specialties from around the world, and rare and unique goods. Still, its target demographic (affluent foodies, essentially) doesn’t seem to mind paying a premium — not just for the selection of high-quality groceries, but also for the relaxed, elevated environment, which feels like a luxury compared to more chaotic grocery stores.
Comparing Grocery Prices and Selection
Mashed breaks down just how much more you pay for pastas, chicken, and eggs, and compares it to other grocery stores, and it seems like everything is at least a dollar more expensive. Suppose you buy a lot of groceries; that certainly adds up. See the report HERE.
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The closest Fresh Market to Rockford is located in Crystal Lake. What do you think of the place, or does the grocery store not really matter as long as you’re saving a few bucks?
The PB&J is a quintessentially American sandwich, but it’s simply not as ubiquitous in other countries. Part of the reason is that peanut butter has been historically difficult to find in countries like Argentina and the Philippines, where there just isn’t a big appetite for the product.
Chicken-fried steak
Although this dish has roots and similarities to German and Austrian wiener schnitzel or Argentinian milanesa, people commonly identify chicken-fried steak with the American South. The dish, which doesn’t include chicken at all, consists of a breaded and fried beefsteak, typically served with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Sweet potato casserole
It’s either beloved or despised, but a sweet potato casserole will almost always be found at an American Thanksgiving dinner table. The recipe involves roasting sweetened sweet potatoes topped with a gooey layer of marshmallows and was first introduced in 1917 thanks to the Angelus Marshmallows company’s effort to increase sales.
Ambrosia salad
Ambrosia salad is popular in the South, particularly around the holidays. The dish typically includes a variety of canned fruits, marshmallows, coconut, and creamy ingredients like mayonnaise, whipped cream, sour cream, or yogurt. The earliest reference to this sweet salad is in the 1867 “Dixie Cookery” cookbook by Maria Massey Barringer.
Cheez Whiz
Cheez Whiz, a spreadable, processed cheese that comes in a jar or spray can, turns heads in countries like France, where high-quality cheese is a national treasure. While the first commercially processed cheese was made in Switzerland in 1911, the treat has been uniquely American since Kraft patented a formula for processed cheese in America in 1916. It has since been the choice cheese for many dishes, including Philly’s iconic cheesesteak…