By Emma Hyder ’25
When you think of Stew Leonard’s, you might just think of a supersized grocery store. That is also what I thought until I went and experienced it for myself. The store was filled with endless amounts of unexpected snacks, pre-prepared meals, desserts and even a petting zoo!
Back in December, my family and I took a trip to the nearest Stew Leonard’s in Danbury to see if the hype around the infamous Christmas cookie milk was legit. We walked in and it felt like I was walking into a restaurant as there was a huge food court right at the entrance. They offered sweets like massive cookies, ice cream cookie sandwiches and so much more. They even offered the Christmas cookie milk in the food court which tasted like sugar cookie Christmas goodness.
Walking through the store felt like a maze with each section having a new feel, which I liked because it felt like there was a theme to each section. First was the produce, then snacks, drinks, and pre-prepared foods. Towards the end aisles, there were items like flowers, balloons and gift wrapping supplies. I liked how it was set up because it was organized by section and almost like a maze, not just randomly placed or aisles with generic sectioning.
DHS athletic director Jennifer Moffat said her favorite parts of the store are “the freshness of everything from vegetables to fruits to baked goods. Also the holiday decorations. The pumpkins are the best!” With there being such a variety of foods, decorations, and even a petting zoo, there is endless fun to be had Moffat even says, “It feels like a dairy amusement park!”
Another cool part about the store that adds a special touch is the interactive food characters scattered around the store. They are most popularly known for their Avocado Girls. They’re silly animated characters that sing and dance above the produce section of the store. Kaelyn Dimartino ‘25 says, “It’s cool because of the interactive characters.” They keep young children entertained while parents are getting their grocery shopping done. Brianna Kling ‘25 got a similar vibe from the store. She says, “I liked the animated banjo duet and the cow where you pull the string so it moved.” There is definitely something to keep everyone entertained at Stew Leonard’s.
My favorite part of the store was definitely the food samples because it made me feel like a kid again going shopping with my dad on Sunday mornings. When I asked DHS science teacher Jennifer Shea what her favorite part of the store was, she explained, “The free samples.”
Moffat said “I would rate it an 11 out of 10 because it’s a fun place to shop for groceries and push all the fun buttons to make things dance and sing.” Also, a little known fact: Moffat worked at the Stew Leonard’s in Norwalk during her junior year of high school!
This experience would be great for anyone from young kids to an old couple and everything in between. A fun shop at Stew Leonard’s will sure to make people want to go back, especially for the free samples!
The Raider Press 