Grocery Shopping in Medford Without a Car: What I Wish I Knew Sooner

When I moved to Medford, I knew it would be quieter than Boston or Somerville. What I did not fully grasp was how much effort something as basic as grocery shopping would take without a car. It is an important topic that isn't discussed enough! If you are new to Medford, a grad student, or an international student figuring things out for the first time, this is the advice I really wish I had. 

The walkable options are doable but not effortless 

There are grocery stores nearby, but they are not exactly next door. The closest major options are Whole Foods (under 1 mile from Tufts) along Mystic Valley Parkway and H-Mart (just over 1 mile from Tufts) in Davis Square. There is a shuttle that goes to Davis Square every 30 minutes, which makes H-Mart fairly accessible even by shuttle. 

On a nice day, walking to these stores can actually be kind of pleasant. The path is scenic, you get your steps in, and it almost feels like a little ritual. The problem is that this only works when the weather is kind, you are not carrying too much, and you are not exhausted from the day. (Some people do invest in a portable grocery cart, which does help for transporting heavy items.)

Whole Foods in particular is also expensive. It is fine for occasional trips, but it adds up fast if that is your main grocery store as a student. 

The Saturday grocery shuttle is underrated 

Tufts runs a grocery shuttle on Saturdays and honestly, it helps more than people talk about. The shuttle takes you to the Fellsway Plaza in Medford, which has a Stop & Shop for your routine grocery shopping. 

That said, it is still limited, as it only runs on Saturdays and you have to plan around the schedule. Still, if you are new, use the shuttle. It makes a difference. 

This was helpful for me, but as an Indian student, I still struggled to find many of the ingredients I cook with regularly. Spices, lentils, frozen items, and specific staples were either missing or very expensive. I kept feeling like I had to constantly substitute or change how I cooked. It worked, but it was not ideal. 

Winter is where it gets complicated

Here is the honest truth. In the winter, grocery shopping in Medford without a car becomes genuinely hard. 

Walking 30 minutes in the cold while carrying bags is exhausting. Waiting for shuttles feels more draining. Quick grocery runs are no longer quick. You start delaying trips, improvising meals, and honestly, eating worse than you should because it feels like too much effort. 

This is where I finally looked for a better solution. 

The real lifesaver: Wee 

This is the one thing I wish someone had told me about earlier. 

I discovered Wee, an Asian online grocery platform, and it completely changed how I handle groceries in Medford. They carry a huge range of Asian products, including many Indian ingredients that I could not find easily elsewhere. 

It is surprisingly cheap, especially for the quantity you get. They sell items in large sizes, which is great if you cook regularly. The delivery usually takes about two days, and in the middle of winter, having groceries show up at your door feels like a luxury. 

More than that, it made Medford feel livable again. I stopped stressing about running out of basics or planning my entire week around one grocery trip. It has honestly been a saver during the colder months. 

Final thoughts 

Medford is not unlivable without a car, but it does require planning. Grocery shopping here is not intuitive, especially if you are used to walking out and finding multiple stores nearby. 

If I could go back and give myself advice, it would be this. Use the shuttle when you can. Do the long walks on good days. But do not try to attempt winter grocery shopping without help. Online options like Wee are not just convenient, they are necessary. 

I wish I had known this sooner. Hopefully, this helps someone else feel a little less stuck.