A guide to holiday grocery shopping in Manchester

Whether you’re hosting a full table, contributing a side dish, or just trying to make your weekly shopping trip despite the December chaos, holiday grocery shopping in the Queen City tends to require a little extra planning. Knowing where to go makes all the difference.

Winter in Manchester has a way of stacking the calendar. Thanksgiving grocery runs blur into Christmas baking, Hanukkah dinners, New Year’s gatherings, and random December weekends where the theme is “forced family fun.” 

What makes it worse are those days when you’re snowed in and frankly don’t want to leave the house to grocery shop. And yet winter weekends tend to make us crave the warmth of a home-cooked meal. So you can suck it up and order Instacart or scrape off your windshield and brave the elements. 

Big grocery stores make it easy to handle the heavy lifting, from turkeys and hams to last-minute baking supplies and prepared sides. Smaller specialty markets fill in the gaps with hard-to-find ingredients like organic goods, allergen-friendly foods, quality cheeses, fresh breads, and specialty items for every winter holiday celebration.

So I’m here to help you shop smarter and with less stress. Sound good? It doesn’t matter if you’re cooking for a crowd, planning a few meaningful meals, or relying on ready-to-heat options (like I often do). This list includes major grocery stores, local markets, and specialty shops across Manchester, along with practical details like locations and hours, so you can spend less time guessing and more time focusing on the parts of winter that actually matter.

However you mark the season, these are the places Manchester residents turn to when winter holidays arrive, and big appetites follow.

ADLI is still offering holiday meals for $40

Major Grocery Stores in Manchester

I get it. You’ve lived here for a while, or maybe all your life, and you already know where to go. But let me offer some help to those who don’t, or to those folks who are watching prices rise and may want to try a new place to potentially save a few bucks.

These grocery stores offer broad selections of holiday staples such as turkeys, hams, sides, produce, baking supplies, and often prepared holiday meals or deli platters—especially at places like Market Basket and Hannaford between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

Market Basket is a classic go-to supermarket at 460 Elm Street in Manchester with a large variety of grocery, meat, produce, bakery, and deli departments. Regular hours are generally Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday, 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Holiday hours may vary.

Market Basket is a holiday favorite for many Manchester residents because it makes feeding a crowd feel manageable without sacrificing quality. The store is known for consistently low prices, well-stocked shelves, and a wide selection that covers everything from turkeys and hams to baking supplies, produce, and last-minute pantry staples. 

During the holiday season, Market Basket’s meat, bakery, and prepared foods departments are especially busy, offering options that help shoppers mix from-scratch cooking with time-saving shortcuts. For families balancing budgets and tight schedules, Market Basket is often the place where the bulk of the holiday list gets checked off in one trip.

Hannaford (John E Devine Dr), Hannaford (Hanover St), and Hannaford (Bicentennial Dr). This chain of grocery stores offers extensive seasonal items and take-home holiday meals. Typical hours for these Manchester-area locations are 7 a.m.–10 p.m. daily. For holiday adjustments, the John E Devine Drive location, for example, often has extended holiday hours such as 7 a.m.–6 p.m. on Christmas Eve and is closed on Christmas Day. 

Hannaford is a popular holiday shopping stop in Manchester because, with all the convenient locations, this market combines convenience with a fine selection of seasonal and ready-to-serve options. Shoppers often turn to Hannaford for its reliable produce, bakery items, and deli offerings, especially when planning holiday meals that require both fresh ingredients and prepared sides. 

During the winter holidays, many locations offer pre-orderable heat-and-serve meals, desserts, and party platters, which can be a huge relief for hosts (like me) juggling work, kids, grandparents, and holiday travel plans. With multiple locations around the city and extended seasonal hours, Hannaford is a practical choice for both quick stops and big shopping trips. 

Price Rite Marketplace of Manchester at 365 Lincoln Street is a local discount supermarket with produce, pantry staples, and bakery sections. Typical weekly hours are 8 a.m.–9 p.m Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m.- p.m. on Sunday. 

Price Rite Marketplace is a go-to option for Manchester shoppers who want to keep holiday grocery costs in check. Known for its straightforward layout and focus on value, Price Rite makes it easy to pick up everyday staples, produce, meats, and pantry items that form the backbone of holiday meals and baking. 

The store often appeals to shoppers cooking for larger families or multiple gatherings, where stretching a budget matters just as much as filling the table. For many shoppers, Price Rite is a great place to cover holiday necessities without overspending, freeing up room in the budget for more presents.

ALDI on South Willow Street also offers a budget-friendly selection of seasonal groceries, produce, cheeses, and bakery items. Standard hours are roughly 9 a.m.–8 p.m. daily. ALDI stores across the U.S. are closed on major holidays like Christmas Day and often have shortened hours on Christmas Eve.

I’m not going to lie, I’m a bit of an ALDI fan. You might see me cartwheeling down the aisle of shame on any given Saturday. 

But more importantly, ALDI is carrying over their holiday under $40 initiative nationwide. While this store may not carry the specialty items you crave, they do have a nice charcuterie selection, tons of holiday hams and turkeys, decent produce, and a slew of weird stuff that makes people like me smile. 

Specialty and Local Markets in Manchester 

For gourmet ingredients, specialty cheeses,  artisanal gifts, and produce that make holiday meals and entertaining extra special, these local markets and shops are excellent resources. They’re also a great resource if you’ve pledged to only shop local this holiday season.

New Hope Market, located at 270 Amory Street, is a highly rated local supermarket offering a broad selection of groceries and high-quality items that can be particularly helpful for holiday menus. Regular weekly hours are 7 a.m.–10 p.m. 

New Hope Market offers a broad selection of groceries in a smaller, more relaxing, less hectic setting than big-box stores. Locals turn to New Hope Market for fresh produce and everyday staples that fit easily into both traditional holiday meals and regular weekly cooking. Its convenient layout makes it a practical stop when you need to grab just a few ingredients, especially during the busiest weeks of the season.

Angela’s Pasta & Cheese Shop at 815 Chestnut Street is a Manchester Italian grocery and delicatessen stocked to the brim with cheeses, imported pasta, sauces, desserts, prepared foods, and curated gift baskets. Typical hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.–6 p.m., and they’re closed on Sundays. Holiday hours may vary.

Angela’s features an extensive selection of imported and house-made foods: fresh and dried pastas, cured meats, cheeses from around the world, artisan breads, sauces, and wines. Its deli counter and gourmet-to-go section provide prepared meals, such as lasagna, chicken parmigiana, and daily lunch and dinner specials. The shop also offers custom gift baskets and catering for events of all sizes.

A Market at 125 Loring Street is an independent natural and organic market with fresh produce, pantry staples, and prepared foods—ideal for health-focused holiday spreads. Regular hours are 8 a.m.–7 p.m. daily.

Established in 1970, A Market promotes healthy living through natural foods, supplements, and sustainable products. The Manchester location is known for its knowledgeable staff, diverse wellness offerings, and commitment to community education.

They offer tons of organic produce, bulk goods, dairy alternatives, vitamins, herbal and homeopathic remedies, and eco-friendly household items. Shoppers also find freshly prepared foods, vegan and gluten-free baked goods, and local products that support nearby artisans and growers.