I grew up grocery shopping at H-E-B in San Antonio. As a kid, it was just a grocery store… nothing special. But when I got married and moved away from Texas for a few years, I realized that there was nothing like H-E-B in any other place I lived. I missed the low prices, the fantastic produce selection, and the ability to get almost anything you wanted at one location. The convenience, quality, cleanliness, and friendliness of your neighborhood H-E-B can’t be beat. That’s why, when I moved to Collin County two years ago, I was disappointed that H-E-B had no locations here.
So, you can imagine how thrilled I am that HEB recently announced that they will finally be expanding into the DFW metroplex, with two stores planned in Frisco and Plano.
It might be a while before we get to actually shop at these new H-E-B locations, but in the meantime, let’s get acquainted with what we might expect to see when H-E-B opens in Dallas.
1. H-E-B Store Brand
This might be my favorite part about H-E-B because it exemplifies what the entire store is about: high-quality products and low prices. There is a store brand for almost any product that H-E-B carries, and it is often better than the name brands, and cheaper.
A few H-E-B brand highlights:
- Cafe Ole by H-E-B is a line of flavored coffees that make you feel like you are drinking something extra special at a great price. The Taste of San Antonio and Texas Pecan are some popular flavors.
- Chocolate Mootopia is a high-protein, low-sugar milk that is popular with kids and adults alike!
- The Central Market line of tortilla chips are some of my favorite chips (especially the flaxseed!). You’ll also see plenty of Texas-shaped chips!
2. Bakery
Everything from the bakery is simply delicious, from the fresh-baked breads to the desserts, pastries, and cakes. We even served buttercream cake from H-E-B at our wedding! The smell of the scratch-made breads wafts through the air as you enter the store and draws you in to go sample some of the signature flavors. Some of my favorite breads are the Asiago Cheese, Jalapeno Cheese, Rosemary Sourdough, and Apple Cinnamon.
3. Quality Produce
The variety and quality of produce is something I haven’t seen many other places. I’ve rarely, if ever, seen anything out of season. You can get anything you need pretty much year-round. They also carry plenty of organic produce at reasonable prices. After shopping at many other grocery stores the past six years, whenever I walk into an H-E-B, I’m always blown away at the rows and rows of plentiful produce!
4. Low Prices
Again . . . the prices. I have always been budget conscious and closely compared prices, especially when we were starting our family. In my experience, shopping at H-E-B will almost always give you the smallest grocery bill, and many things are even cheaper than Walmart or couponing at other grocery stores.
5. Tortilleria
Most H-E-B locations have a tortilla factory inside. You get to watch the tortillas being made and pick up a package of tortillas that are still warm. They make flour tortillas (some that are pre-buttered as well), corn tortillas, wheat tortillas, and southwestern-flavored tortillas fresh every day. They are really delicious and always fresh!
6. Meal Deals
H-E-B puts together meal deals each week. Yellow coupons throughout the store list a combination of items that, if purchased together, will give you a significant discount. They also usually place the items next to each other in different areas of the store so you can literally walk in, grab the 3–5 items you’ll need to make a complete meal (sometimes even dessert!) and walk right to the register to check out. Easy peasy.
7. Awesome Prepared Food
H-E-B carries many prepared foods that make eating at home so easy. From complete meals, like salmon and asparagus, to pre-marinated fajitas, along with sides, dips, party trays, and gourmet cheeses, they truly have it all. You can walk in and pick up some last-minute snacks for a party or just for your family. My favorite thing from the prepared food section is the plethora of salsa, guacamole, queso, pico de gallo, hummus, and many other types of dips that are ready for you to enjoy as soon as you unpack your groceries.
8. Kid-Friendly Shopping
It’s easy to go shopping at H-E-B with kids. The carts are very wide, which means you can seat two children in the front of your cart if needed, and still have plenty of room in your cart for everything you need. H-E-B carries their own store-brand diapers and formula, along with toys and sometimes even some really cute clothes. There are also usually free samples throughout the store to keep hangry kids happy, and kids get “buddy bucks” at checkout to use to redeem prizes. They also offer curbside pickup, of course!
9. Excellent Product Variety
There are so many options for pretty much everything in the store. You have almost an entire row of just salsa and almost another entire row of just barbecue sauce. While at times this can be overwhelming, it also means that you can almost always find exactly what you need. There is also quite a variety of specialty products, along with spices and ingredients for different cuisines that may be difficult to find at your average grocery store.
10. H-E-B Gives Back to Communities
The fact that H-E-B truly cares about the communities they operate in makes you want to shop there even more. H-E-B has programs to donate to and support education, disaster relief, military, and hunger relief. They donate 32 million pounds of food to Texas and Mexico food banks annually. Locally, HEB hosts events including “the H-E-B Feast of Sharing holiday dinners in Dallas and Fort Worth, Teacher of the Year awards in Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD, and the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards.”
Bonus: H-E-B Always Has Things You Didn’t Know You Needed
In many stores, especially if they are an H-E-B Plus (similar to a Super Target or Super Walmart, carrying both groceries and home goods), you can find home decor, electronics, home improvement items, patio furniture, smokers, and much, much more. I can’t count the number of times I have come across something I just had to have. Like tea towels with bluebonnets on them. Texas-themed Christmas ornaments. Cowboy boot yard decor. And one of my very favorite finds, a cowboy boot pinata. Where else can you get things like this? I submit there is nowhere but H-E-B!
Whenever friends visit from out of town, I always tell them they need to do three things while they’re in Texas: eat some amazing tacos, make a pit stop at Buc-ee’s, and go to H-E-B. Why would a grocery store be on a list of must-dos? Maybe this list helps you see a few of the reasons why it would be . . . but truthfully, you have to see it to truly understand it. H-E-B is so much more than just a grocery store; it’s a Texas treasure. And we welcome it to Collin County with open arms!
