Grocery Stores In Alaska … Supermarkets to Farmer’s Markets Grocery stores in Alaska can surprise you the first time you go food shopping here. You may find the bread on the shelf is frozen. You’ll find Pilot bread and lots of boxed milk.

The snack cakes have big orange stickers covering the price, that say, “In Alaska” and then have a higher price than what is on the printed on the box. You may find the prices are higher in general that what you are accustomed to. However, if you watch the sales, you can get good deals.

You’ll find grocery stores in Alaska package multiple of items together to sell as one. You’ll also find many items sold in case lots, in #10 (gallon) cans, and in 20 or 25 pound bags.

I like shopping at Three Bears. Three Bears has stores throughout Alaska. They sell foods in regular family size containers as well as in restaurant sizes. The restaurant packaging ranges from individually wrapped butter pats to five-gallon buckets of margarine. You can find things at Three Bears that you’d expect to find at a warehouse club store. I usually buy my meat at Three Bears.

Save-U-More is another of my favorite grocery stores in Alaska. They also carry a mix of consumer and commercial sizes. At Save-U-More, you can find a wider selection of ethnic foods and import groceries. You will find brand names at Save-U-More that you’ve probably never heard before. You may also find food products you didn’t know existed.

Fred Meyer stores are Alaska’s supermarkets. Most have bakeries, delis, fish and meat departments, and bulk foods. You’ll find they have a good selection of fresh produce. They carry name brand products. However, I am happy with their Fred Meyer and FMV (Fred Meyer Value) brands, which are usually considerably cheaper. Besides foods, Fred Meyer also sells clothing, home furnishings, sporting goods, school supplies, jewelry, furniture, flowers, paint, automotive supplies, and electronics.

We have many small grocery stores in Alaska. Some have national affiliations. I find great deals on meat and fresh produce at the Country Foods IGA in Kenai, AK. The Red Apple in Mountain View is a terrific source of Mexican and Asian foods.

We also have specialty grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Organic and health food stores are popular. So are shops filled with ethnic foods. We also have Alaskan fish and seafood, and meat markets. Local growers take their fresh produce to farmer’s markets and set up roadside produce stands.

Small communities have small stores. Last night I visited with the owner of TJ Seggy’s. TJ Seggy’s is a convenience store in the Tesoro gas station on the Sterling Highway, south of Soldotna in the Kasilof area. Terri was telling me about how she needs to keep her pricing low because she isn’t a city convenience store, but a community store.

Warehouse clubs are popular in Alaska. Many Alaskans shop at Costco and Sam’s Club. Expect to find these only in the bigger towns, such as Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Safeway, and its Carr’s and Eagle stores, are in many communities. If you need a Starbucks fix, you might want to visit a Safeway.

Residents of bush communities buy mail order groceries. Some of the retail stores have special mail-out catalogs. Other grocers are mail order only.

In rural villages, the selection is limited. In the large towns, you’ll find many familiar items in the grocery stores in Alaska.

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