You know your Sobeys store so well you could shop it with your eyes closed, right? But we’re willing to bet there are some things you don’t know about the store’s layout—and thing’s that could save you time and money. So we gathered our best insider tips to help you plan more efficient shopping trips and find the best bargains and most nutritious foods, even in surprising places.

Plan Your Route

You know the fresh produce and meat are placed on the store’s perimeter, but it’s a mistake to miss the rest of the space. Knowing where all the good-quality staples live in those centre aisles can be a real time and budget-saver. From oatmeal to canned tuna to no-salt-added broth, there are nutritious, bargain-friendly options throughout the entire store.

Shop from the Inside Out

Hit the centre aisles first to stock up on canned and packaged staples. That means pantry items, cleaning supplies and even toiletries, which tend to be heavy, will go into the bottom of your cart. Next, head over to the produce aisle for fresh ingredients. Move on to the meat and dairy sections, finishing with the frozen items, so these products stay cool and don’t thaw before you get home.

Flyer Power

A great way to get organized before setting foot in the store is to check out the online flyer. Sure, this practice helps your budget first and foremost, but it also gives you a chance to think about options you might not normally include in your weekly meal plan. Think of it as an opportunity to build your recipe repertoire and save some cash at the same time.

Just punch in your postal code to find out what’s on offer at your nearest Sobeys. Keep an eye out for for deals on especially versatile packaged and jarred foods—think: canned tomatoes and lentils, dried whole grain pastas and bottled sauces. For more creative ways to save, check out our tips on how to shop the flyer.

Shake Up Your Shopping

We all get into a dinner rut every now and then, so it’s good to change up what goes in your cart. The best way to do that is to avoid shopping on autopilot. Instead of grabbing all the same old ingredients every week, create a fresh plan. Look online for some tasty new recipes and then make a grocery list by department so you don’t miss a thing.

Clever Shortcuts

With smart finds from the centre aisles, you can stretch your food budget and make sure you’re always ready to rustle up a meal. Diced tomatoes can go straight into a dish (no chopping!), and canned beans just need a quick warm-up to be ready. Bottled prepared curry, stir-fry and barbecue sauces add tons of flavour and save hours of simmering time—just what you need on a busy weeknight.

The Best of Both Worlds

By bringing together fresh ingredients and packaged goods, you can have homey and appetizing meals ready in no time. Try these recipes from the Sobeys collection.

Almond milk, oats and peanut butter are the key ingredients in these banana-topped Peanut Butter & Almond Overnight Oats.

When you need a comforting brunch dish, try our Baked Eggs with Potato, Bacon and Tomato: The cheat ingredient is canned plum tomatoes.

Those who avoid or cannot eat gluten can still have their pancakes with Compliments Gluten-Free Pancake Mix. Top them with fresh or thawed frozen blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup for a sweet start to your Sunday.

Shop the centre aisles for olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dress this Strawberry & Arugula Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Tangy Tuna Tacos are ready in an unbelievable five minutes. Simply combine convenient taco shells, zippy lemon-pepper flaked light tuna, mayo-style dressing and prepared salsa with fresh veggies and mozzarella cheese.

Tuscan Bean and Pasta Toss calls for a canned six-bean blend and easy-to-make noodles. You can easily sub in whole grain or gluten-free pasta to suit your dietary needs.

Fresh herbs and sprouts meet packaged rice noodles and vegetable broth in our Easy Spicy Pho Soup with Bacon.

Prepped and ready for the grill in just three minutes, our Ultimate BBQ Chicken is brushed with bottled barbecue sauce.

This warming Coconut Curry & Chicken Potato Stew features convenient frozen peas and canned coconut milk.
Using canned chickpeas lets you skip the long soaking time in these quick Lemon Chickpea Quinoa Burgers.

And on a sweet note, our Oatmeal Bran Fruit Cookies are packed with five different dried fruits for a nut-free treat that will satisfy kids of all ages.