A display on a self check out screen in Ship-Rite in Hoboken reminds shoppers to bring their own bags in anticipation of a state wide ban of single use plastic grocery bags beginning on May 4.

With the start of New Jersey’s strict ban on single use plastic bags, it’s not too early to start shopping for the reusable ones you’re going to have to bring to the store

Reminders of the coming May 4 bag ban went up in many stores on April 11 and one grocery story we visited that day was sold out of reusables bags, so don’t procrastinate buying them.

Right now, a reusable bag road trip showed there are plenty of bags for sale and the prices vary from 35 cents to $6.99 and $7.99 for a higher-end tote bag.

The holy grail is the big plastic reusable with a panel of thicker plastic on the bottom for support. Sadly, we found none of the bags have that extra material to prevent sagging under the weight of heavy groceries. But you can cut your own out of a piece of cardboard.

What’s available? Many supermarkets sell their own variations of a plastic reusable six-gallon bag with poly-cloth straps, which is basically a plastic version of the traditional paper grocery bag made from recycled plastic. Here’s what we found:

At Acme, $1.29 buys a bag with a “veggie splash” design. This is slightly nicer bag than the basic plastic six gallon bag sold a year ago.

Acme markets replaced last year's reusable grocery bag with this more colorful and thicker offering.

Aldi in Woodbridge was very honest about their plastic reusable 99 cent bag. The sign on revolving display called them a small bag, which is the same size as the six-gallon reusable grocery bags sold at other supermarkets. Also at the register was a lighter plastic bag with handles for 13 cents. No idea if that will still be for sale after May 4.

Aldi's plastic bag display sign is very forthcoming about the size of its reusable grocery bag. But the bag is the same size as other retailers basic bag.

You’ll have to bring your own bag to Lowes. An employee said they don’t sell reusable bags.

Shop N Bag, which is also branded as Foodtown, had a limited selection in the Farmingdale store. Six-gallon plastic bags were priced at $1.49. Looking for a Mother’s Day gift? You can buy a fancier bag with a mom-oriented message for $2.49. This bag is slightly smaller, but made from slightly heaver, shiny plastic than the utilitarian model.

Shop N Bag stores offer several Mother's day themed reusable grocery bags. But mom will need them earlier, by May 4 when N.J.'s bag ban takes effect.

Shop Rite sells basic six-gallon reusable bags made of recycled plastic for $1.49 in two designs, one which bears its Bowl and Basic brand. A $1.99 insulated bag for hot or cold foods can be found in the frozen food aisle.

Shop-Rite offers several reusable plastic grocery bags for $1.49.

Is it red and does it have a Bulls Eye? Yes on both counts. Target offers two reusable bags, a grocery bag sized poly bag for 99 cents and a large reusable for $3.99 and a canvas bag that has the same dimensions as the 99 cent plastic bag for $5.99. There are other non-Target brand bags for sale. Bonus - when I asked in-store where the reusable bags were, they gave me the first one for free.

What do you do when Target gives you a free reusable bag? Go shopping and fill it.

Not to be out done in selection and sizes is Trader Joe’s, which offers several types of cloth bags and plastic bags, including a New Jersey-themed six-gallon plastic bag.

Canvas tote shopping bags that can be slung over the shoulder are $3.99, $2.99 buys a slightly smaller carryall cloth bag with a breakfast or pickle theme. The plastic “Greetings from New Jersey” bag is $1.98.

New to TJ’s bag lineup is a heavy canvas bag from $2.99, made from Jute, a fiber that can be recycled at the end of its life. The Jute bags other claim is that it is a free-standing bag. I bought one and will be road testing it over the coming months.

Among Trader Joe's numerous grocery bag offerings is this plastic bag saluting New Jersey.

Locating the bags isn’t as easy as you’d think with less than a month to May 4. In Walmart, I had to ask an employee where they were. Some bags were on the check-out carousel bag holders, lost in a sea of still legal plastic bags.

There also was a separate display between the self-check out and entrance. For 98 cents you get a standard-sized post-consumer recycled polyester bag.

A display in Walmart in Woodbridge offers different designs of its 98 cent grocery bag .

A stop for coffee at the Wawa on Route 36 in Hazlet had a surprise – a poly-cloth bag for 35 cents. This thin-walled bag is more of a tote than grocery bag size. I bought one and tested it out on a grocery run. It holds a lot, but we’ll see how well the thin poly-cloth fibers hold up over time.

A stop for coffee at a Wawa on Route 36 in Hazlet revealed this surprise by the newspapers. a 35 cent reusable bag.

After Trader Joes dazzling selection, Wegmans is not to be out done with various sizes, bag types and pricing to match. A new (to me) offering is a small version of its big veggie themed bag for 79 cents. A canvas “PBS” style canvas tote bag is available for $6.99, which is smaller than the standard sized 99-cent reusable bag.

The standard-sized reusable is a favorite bag in my “fleet.” I’ve road-tested three of them over three years and they’re still serving faithfully. Sadly, the plastic bottom panel that was included in the bags several tears ago isn’t offered. The top of the line is an $11.99 insulted bag.

These aren't even all of the reusable bags for sale at Wegman's. not shown is the smaller version of the "veggie" bag and the canvas tote.

My stop at the Weehawken store could be the cautionary tale to buy your bags now. They were sold out of reusable bags, an employee said. Fortunately the Edgewater store was well stocked. A basic plastic reusable is $2.99 (without the Whole Foods logo. Poly-fiber tote bags with the logo are $4.99 and an insulated bag, available in your choice of six colors is $10.99.

Whole Foods has two grocery bags, including this tote bag and six colors of insulated bags and a lunch bag for sale.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com.

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