WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — We are all feeling the pinch to feed our families as the price of groceries remains sky high. Finding the right food at the right price is a constant battle.
And now there's a new blow to customers who were using Kroger's home delivery service in our area. The grocer announced it will end the program in May.
When WPTV posted the news about Kroger ending its South Florida food delivery service on our Facebook page, hundreds of you weighed in and shared your disappointment. Now many are left wondering where to go for affordable food.
"It was convenient. They brought it to my house and I was saving money," local mom Melissa Maitland said. "I felt like it was a win-win."
Maitland felt like she tried everything to shop for affordable groceries. And then she found Kroger home delivery.
"When I got the email, I think I literally cried. I don't know what happened," Maitland said.
While there is no physical store in South Florida, Kroger opened a warehouse in Miami last year to begin deliveries throughout the region.
"When I compare what I could get for $200 at Kroger compared to the other local grocery stores, it was unmatched," local mom Tara Wallace said.
Wallace also shared her disappointment to see the service ending.
"Everything was on point, as if I picked it out myself. So it was a time saver for working moms," Wallace said.
Addressing the cancellation on its website, Kroger said that "Despite our best efforts, including the support from new customers, learnings from other locations and the incredible work of our associates, these facilities do not meet the benchmarks we set for success."
"It's a stab in the gut," said Paul Oster, the president of Better Qualified and a business and consumer expert.
Oster said people right now are struggling.
"Buying food for your family is an emotional reward or an emotional letdown. So we have to be prepared for what we are able to spend," Oster said.
Oster said that to keep your spending in check, comparison shop online at different stores, shop your pantry first, and go to the store with a list.
"Without a plan and impulse buying, you will be the person impacted the the most by this inflation of goods and services," Oster said.
Wallace said that, for her, it's back to the basics.
"I may have to go back to the old fashioned way of looking at the weekly ads and going to multiple grocery stores," Wallace said.
