Your guide to going grocery shopping in Chapel Hill

Leftover food and bowls left by a student in Lenoir Dining Hall with first years Deanna Upchurch and Emma Berry, who are studying for their upcoming finals.

Alright first years, it’s reaching the time in the semester where you’ve tried every single station in Lenoir. And we know you don’t really want to go back to any of them. Never fear, Chapel Hill has plenty of grocery stores that carry Ramen and microwavable mac and cheese.

All of these directions start from Ehringhaus.

Whole Foods

How to get there: You’ve got two options for this one. You can walk all the way to the Manning Drive at UNC Hospitals stop and get on the D bus that will take you within 1 minute of Whole Foods, or you can take the RU from Ridge Road at E-haus to the Cameron Ave. at New East Hall stop and then walk to the East Franklin Street at the Planetarium stop and then get on the D bus. Google Maps estimates both trips are 31 minutes.

Deals they offer: Only weekly deals.

Google rating: 4.3 stars

Harris Teeter

There are not just one, but TWO 24-hour locations. Late night munchies = cancelled.

How to get to the Carrboro location: Take the A bus from Ridge Road at Rams Head to Mitchell Lane at West Rosemary Street, then it’ll be about a 13 minute walk to Carr Mill Mall. Google Maps estimates that it’s a 34-minute trip.

How to get to the Chapel Hill location: Walk to the South Road at Fetzer Gym bus stop and take the G bus to University Place, then walk about 4 minutes. Google Maps estimates the trip is about 33 minutes.

Deals they offer: The VIC program, which gives you access to weekly promotions and a college student discount that gives you 5 percent off your purchase from October 1 to May 1. Signing up for both is free, just show a student ID.

Google rating: 4.1 stars and 4.4 stars, respectively

Trader Joe’s

How to get there: This one’s a little tricky, but it’ll be less walking if you take the N bus from Manning Drive at Public Safety and get off at the South Columbia Street at Health Sciences Library stop. Then get on the GoTriangle 405 (one of the green buses) and get off at the East Franklin Street at Booker Creek Greenway stop, and it’ll be about a 3 minute walk from there. Google Maps estimates the trip to be 30 minutes.

Deals they offer: None.

Google rating: 4.7 stars

Walmart

How to get there: From the E-haus Ridge Road stop, take the CCX bus. Get off at the Chatham County Park-and-Ride stop, and it’ll be about a 10 minute walk to Walmart. Not a perfect option, but this one’s a bit more out of the way, folks. Google Maps estimates a 36 minute trip.

Deals they offer: It’s Walmart. They already have the lowest prices.

Google rating: 3.9 stars

Food Lion

To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.

SUBSCRIBE NOW

This one is for those of us from small town North Carolina and for us broke college kids who don't want to go to Trader Joe's.

How to get to the Carrboro location: Your best bet is to take the CM from Manning Drive at Public Safety to the Jones Ferry Road stop, then it’s just a 4 minute walk. Google Maps estimates the total trip to be 27 minutes.

There are other locations in Chapel Hill, but let’s be honest — you’re not going to brave a 40+ minute bus ride for some Cheez-Its.

Deals they offer: The MVP card, which gives you reward points every time you scan it with the possibility of giving you money off of purchases each month. Signing up is free.

Google rating: 4.2 stars

Personally, I’m a Harris Teeter kind of girl, but take your pick, first-years. Or try them all. This is college. No one’s stopping you. OK, maybe your bank account, but that’s really it. Parents who?

@laura_brummett

city@dailytarheel.com