Where to Find Oddball Items at the Grocery Store: What Aisles to Check (2024)

I was surprised to find that a large number of the searches bringing people here to Titus 2 Homemaker are some variation of “what aisle is/are _____ on at walmart” (lemon juice, marshmallows, bacon bits, etc.). Apparently Google is sending these folks to my master grocery shopping list.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you for sure what aisle to check at your local store, because they’re all different! But I did notice that many of these searches are for those “odd” items — the ones that that don’t obviously fit into any of the larger categories that are displayed on the aisle signs — and Icangive you some pointers on what grocery stores usually group these with. In most cases, there’s a certain logic to it, and once you figure out the logic, it’s easier to remember.

Some of these items canalsofrequently be found on special displays near whatever they’re typically used with (probably in part because the grocers have figured out that we might not find them otherwise!)

What Aisle is Lemon Juice On?

By far the most common search I was seeing was for lemon juice. It is both surprising and yet somewhat obvious that lemon juice (along with lime juice) is typically found with the rest of the juice. (The stuff you’d drink — like apple juice and grape juice.) Most often it’s on the top shelf and in fairly narrow bottles, so it’s easy to overlook even if you’re in the right place.

You can often find the tiny fruit-shaped squeeze bottles in the produce department, but they won’t go far if you need more than a quick squeeze now and then. And my sister found them once on a display near the frozen seafood.

Tomato Juice & Gatorade

Tomato juice and bottled Gatorade are usually on the juice aisle, too. I usually find them more-or-less at opposite ends, with all the “regular” juice in between.

Powdered gatorade might be there, too, or there might be a separate section for powdered drinks like Kool-Aid. (Whether or not the store separates the “fluid” drinks and the powdered drink mixes seems to just depend on how much space they have in a given aisle.) If these powdered drink mixes aren’t near the bottled juices, I would check next near the tea and coffee.

Other odd juices like clam juice may be found on this aisle, as well, although I found clam juice with the cannedmeat the other day.

Other Beverages

Gatorade and Kool-Aid are usually associated with “juices,” but other beverages are treated as a separate grouping: tea, coffee, and hot cocoa are usually stocked together. This is also where you’ll usually find special drink/soda syrups (like Da Vinci) and chocolate syrup (like Hershey’s), although Hershey’s syrup might be a section with ice cream toppings. “Cocoa powder” of the hot chocolate variety will be in this section.

Where Are Olives (and Other “Solid” Condiments)?

The heading here is a hint: pickles and olives are found together at most grocery stores, and they’re considered condiments, so you’ll normally find them at an end of the aisle with all the “regular” condiments (mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, etc.). This section is probably also where you’ll find sauerkraut and chutney — assuming it’s in cans or jars that don’t require refrigeration.

Depending on the store, chutney may also be on an “international foods” aisle. And sauerkraut is often refrigerated, usually in bags. Refrigerated sauerkraut will probably be near the lunch meat and/or hot dogs.

It might not be as immediately obvious, but bacon bits and croutons are also condiments, and typically found near the salad dressings.

Things to Look for on the “Baking Aisle”

The aisle I call the “baking” aisle is sometimes labeled that way at the supermarket. Sometimes it’s labeled with the basics — flour and sugar. Other items are also found in the baking aisle that you might not think to look for there if you aren’t planning to use them for baking. Cornstarch, cocoa powder (the unsweetened kind, like Hershey’s), baking soda, and corn syrup are all found on this aisle. (Brown rice syrup might be, too, if your store carries it.) Cornmeal is here, as well, and this is most likely where you’ll find wheat germ. (Although wheat germ may be with a collection of “superfoods,” if your store has a special section like that.)

If you’re new to grocery shopping, you’ll also want to note that spices are usually on the baking aisle, even if they aren’t spices you usually associate with baking.

Jell-O, Pudding, & Marshmallows

Gelatin, pudding, and marshmallows (along with marshmallow cream and/or Marshmallow Fluff) are usually all together, typically near the pie crusts. Most often, this is somewhere near the baking section (because…pie), but depending on your supermarket’s space, it might be a bit more separate. (Usually, I see this section with the gelatin and pie supplies, then a small section for cake decorating supplies, then the rest of the baking supplies.)

Tomato Products

Many of the most basic tomato products are grouped together in a section of their own, usually not too far removed from the other canned vegetables. This includes tomato paste, tomato sauce, and numerous varieties of canned tomatoes (stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, etc.) Youmightfind tomato juice here, too, but it’s usually with the juice because people drink it.

Tomato products seasoned for particular purposes, however, are usually found in other parts of the store. Salsa is on the international aisle near taco fixings (and sometimes on displays in the chip aisle, near the tortilla chips). Spaghetti sauce is near the pasta (which might also be on an international aisle). Pizza sauce is probably near the spaghetti sauce, although some stores group all their pizza fixings together somewhere else. (Oddly, I’ve found these as displays near the frozen foods, I guess so they catch your eye when you’re looking for frozenpizza.)

Bean-y Things

Pork and beans usually arewith the other canned beans.

Refried beans, on the other hand, might be found with the other canned beans, but are more often on the international foods aisle, near other taco supplies like taco shells and tortillas. (Lots of Old El Paso products!)

If you’re looking for tortillas, note that you’ll usually find some hereandsome in the refrigerated section — typically most important if you’re looking for something specific, like whole wheat tortillas, which might be in one spot but not the other. Tabasco sauce may also be found here near the salsa and refried beans, on the condiments aisle, or both.

Side Dishes

Side dishes usually have their own section, that comprises only part of an aisle. Depending on how your store aisles are labeled, it may or may not be very easy to find based on the signs alone, but if you know which things are usually grouped here, it might be easier to identify the section.

Gravy mix and gravy in jarsis usually here. That makes sense, since theinstant potatoesare, as well. You might also find other sauce mixes around here.

Salad dressing mix might be here if the store keeps all “sauce”-type mixes together, but it may be with other salad dressings,bacon bits,andcroutons. Many stores will put this “salad” section beside the instant potatoes and similar side dishes, so it’s all together anyway.

Stuffing should also be with the instant potatoes. This is likely the same section that has packaged pasta side dishes (like the ones from Knorr) and flavored rice sides.

Other Miscellaneous Foods

Canned chili is usually with canned meats, like hash, vienna sausages, and canned chicken, tuna, and salmon. (Packetsof tuna and salmon are here with the canned tuna, too.) Some grocery stores, though, will put canned chili near the cannedsoups.

Popcorn, being a salty snack, is usually with the chips and/or crackers. Usually, there’s an aisle full of chips, and, at one end, snack nuts and popcorn. (A few people are also looking for parmesan cheese crisps. These are probably with the chips or crackers, too.)

Powdered peanut butter, in most cases, is with the other peanut butter. I also found it the other day in a section of specialty flours and things (wheat germ, powdered peanut butter, and coconut flour, for instance, were all grouped together) — I’m not really clear on the logic behind that choice. This same store, however, didalsohave it stocked near the other peanut butter.

Nutellais usually also near the peanut butter, along with other, similar “flavored” nut butters, like Reese’s.

Hershey’s syrup, if it isn’t with the tea and coffee, will be with a group of ice cream toppings (and cones). This tends to be a pretty small section, and can be a little tricky to track down. A lot of times, it’s near the peanut butter and jelly. Sometimes it’s on a small shelf near the frozen foods (so it’s near the ice cream).

Cool Whipis a frozen product. (Be sure to buy it far enough in advance to have time to thaw it!) It is found in the freezer aisle, usually near frozen pie crusts and frozen fruit — and usually toward an end of the aisle. When the ice cream toppings are near the frozen foods, I usually find them closer to this than to the actual ice cream. (Whipped creamis refrigerated, not frozen, and found in the dairy case. If you’re looking for a powdered whipped topping, like Dream Whip, you’ll probably find it near the pudding and not-frozen pie crusts.)

Pancake syrup, whether real maple syrup or the more processed variety, might be found on the cereal aisle (’cause breakfast) or in the baking aisle (’cause pancakemix). If it’s in the baking aisle it will probably be butted right up against the corn syrup. If it’s in the breakfast aisle, it might be completely separate from the corn syrup. (Also note that the pancakemixmight end up in either of those places.)

Parmesan cheese is also found in two different places — based on what form it’s in. If you’re looking for the powdery type that comes in a canister, it’s usually with the pasta sauce. If you’re looking for a more “shreddy” variety, whether in a canister or a tub, or for a block, it will be in the dairy case with the other cheeses.

Macaroni & cheese is a “boxed dinner,” and should be found on an entire aisle of “boxed dinners” or “quick meals” or some other similar categorization (with Hamburger Helper and all the other prepared dinner options).

Items Found on the Laundry Aisle

Regular-size boxes of baking soda are on the baking aisle, but if you want it in larger quantities, you’ll often find large boxes on the cleaning aisle. Borax, if your store carries it, will also be on the cleaning aisle, near the laundry detergent.